A workshop for contracting professionals

Format: Virtual Instructor Led and Independent Study

Two and one-half days teaching the organization, structure and basis of the regulations that govern the purchase of many supplies and services purchased by the government.

The course provides basic training on how to seek, find, cite and apply information located in the FAR and the FAR Supplements.  This class consists of instructor demonstration, hands-on research practice for students, analysis of realistic scenarios plus an explanation of how to APPLY the rules.

This course is designed to teach students a tried and proven process to use the FAR. This process is useful for new users and is a good refresher for experienced contract professionals. Course includes an explanation and demonstration of how to use the FAR to make the decisions that are necessary to succeed in today’s contracting environment. At the end of the course students will have the confidence to research find and apply rules that support their organization’s mission goals.

Learning Objectives
After completing this course, students will be able to:

  • Find necessary information in the FAR to answer common everyday questions
  • Read and interpret information in the FAR
  • Understand key terms and definitions
  • Analysis of common, every day Contracting Methods
  • Understand various contract vehicles are governed by different parts and subpart of the FAR
  • The role of agency supplements in contracting
  • Class deviations

Who benefits from the workshop?

  • Those preparing to sit for a contracting officer warrant
  • GS-1101, 1102, 1105 individuals seeking to improve their proficiency in working with the FAR in using commercial, SAP, GSA, or IDIQ contracting methods
  • Individuals who were not required to take FCN190, DAU 090 or DAU 091 but would like to master the fundamental skills taught in these courses 
  • Program or acquisition personnel who could benefit from a basic understanding of the FAR and how to use the FAR rules to get their contracting needs met easier and sooner
  • Virtual Instructor Led Class
    $5,000
    The Virtual Instructor led class runs two and one-half days and can be scheduled to accommodate the timing that best suits your agency. Course is $5,000 for up to 30 students.
  • On-demand, Independent Study Version
    $550
    The independent study self-directed, online course can be started at any time.  Students have 30 days to complete the course. Price per student is only $550.

Frequently Asked Questions

Several things. The value that I bring is that I’ve taught hundreds of contracting professionals how the find, interpret, and apply the information contained in the FAR. The material that I taught in those classes sponsored by agency acquisition institutes is developed for complex, noncommercial contracts based on FAR part 15. Yet, many of my students dealt with less simpler contracts and were working primarily in FAR parts 12, 13, and FAR subpart 8.4 and 16.5.

In teaching my students to read, interpret and apply the FAR my lessons focus on every day examples based on scenarios built around the principles of commercial contracts, simplified acquisition, Federal Supply Schedules and indefinite delivery contracts. Scenarios are a mix of service and supply requirements. Contract administration scenarios center on the clauses found in commercial requirements, and simplified acquisitions as well as contracts based on FAR part 15.

Day 1

  • Organization and Arrangement of the FAR – FAR Part 1
  • The search process
    • The FAR
    • Agency supplements
    • Deviations
  • Acquisition Planning – FAR Part 7
  • Describing Agency Needs – FAR Part 11
  • Required Sources of Supply – FAR Part 8
  • Market Research – FAR Part 10
  • Commercial Item Determination – FAR Part 2 and FAR Part 12

Day 2

  • Small Business Considerations – FAR Part 19
  • Methods of Contracting – including source selection, notifications and debriefings
    • FAR Part 12
    • FAR Part 13
    • FAR Part 15
    • FAR subpart 8.4
    • FAR subpart 16.5
  • Contract Award
    • Responsibility Determination – FAR Part 9
    • Protests – FAR Part 33

Day 3

  • Contract Administration
    • Reviewing the contract clauses
    • Payment Clauses
    • Modifications and modification authorities – FAR part 43
    • Quality Assurance – FAR part 46
    • Other Select Contract Clauses – FAR subpart 52.2
    • Performance Evaluation – FAR Part 42

Customized options for DOD and VA

This three-day course provides all the learning objectives of the basic FAR Survival Kit and includes instruction on applying DOD’s voluminous supplements to the FAR.

  • Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS)
  • DFARS Procedures, Guidance, and Information (PGI)
  • Department of Defense (DoD) class deviations from the FAR and DFARS. 
  • DOD or VA Virtual Instructor Led Class
    $6,000
    The Virtual Instructor led class runs three days and can be scheduled to accommodate the needs of your agency. Course is $6,000 for up to 25 students.

    The independent study self-directed, online course can be started at any time.  Students have 45 days to complete the course. Price per student is only $599.

  • DOD or VA On-demand, Independent Study Version
    $599
    The independent study self-directed, online course can be started at any time.  Students have 45 days to complete the course. Price per student is only $599.