Federal Acquisition Certification for Contracting Officer’s Representatives

1. Federal Acquisition Certification for Contracting Officer’s Representatives Bob Faulk May 15 – 17, 2012 Federal Acquisition Certification for Contracting Officer’s Representatives (FAC-COR)

2. FAC-COR Overview… • Background • Certification Requirements • Experience & Training Requirements • Training Options for CORs • Managing Training and Certification through FAITAS

3. Background • On September 6, 2011, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) revised requirements for the Federal Acquisition Certification for Contracting Officer’s Technical Representatives (FAC-COTR) to establish a risk-based, 3-tiered certification program, and modified the name of the program to the Federal Acquisition Certification for Contracting Officer’s Representative (FAC-COR) to align with the language of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).

4. Background – Cont’d • The new 3-tier FAC-COR program reflects input from OFPP’s Functional Advisory Board, Chief Acquisition Officers Council (CAOC), and the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI). • Further – • FAC-COR prescribes standardized certification and training requirements that a civilian agency employees must achieve to be certified, appointed, and equipped as a COR. • The updated program is designed to strengthen the acquisition workforce to improve program outcomes and the management of high-risk contracts.

5. Levels of Certification effective January 1, 2012

6. Continuous Learning Requirements • FAC-COR certification is valid for 2 years. • CORs are required to earn continuous learning points (CLPs) of skills currency training every 2 years. • The 2 year period begins on the date an individual is certified or recertified, if you are using the FAITAS system as your Agency’s database of record • CORs are responsible for tracking and maintain their training records in FAITAS. • Continuous learning activities must be related to acquisition management, contracting, and/or project/program management.

7. Managing Training & Certification through FAITAS • Your Individual FAITAS – • Account • Profile • Dashboard • FAITAS will manage your* - • Training • Career Path • Certifications * If your Agency is using these modules within FAITAS

8. Reference Sites & POCs • www.fai.gov • HTTP://www.FAITAS.Gov • Bob Faulk - Acquisition Program Executive (For CORs) Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI) Email: Bob.Faulk@fai.gov Office (703) 805-9416 Blackberry (202) 695-0434 • John Varghese - FAITAS Project Manager Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI) U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Email: John.Varghese@fai.gov Blackberry (703)283-3700

9. COR Level 1 On-Line course Update • 7 hour course • Course follows the phases of the contract • Remaining hour will be specific to the contract type the individual is working or Agency specific information • These are not in development yet

10. COR Current Course Offerings • Level I on Line course Available through FAITAS • 120+ students enrolled • 35 students have completed the course • Level I Classroom course Tech Data Package still in development • Level II classroom courses offered by FAI

11. COR Level II courses Offered by FAI

12. COR Level I Classroom Course • Drafting a Tech Data Package with our development contractor • Specific course description • Course learning outcomes • Generic examples/caselets • Contractors will have flexibility in how they want to teach the course • Must have an assessment at the end • Contractors will send their package to FAI for review prior to offering it to agencies • Should be available within the next 90 days

13. I Still Have Questions • How will current CORs be handled? • Current CORs as of Jan 1 2012, have been grandfathered in as Level II CORs. • How will the level of risk be determined? • Level of risk for a particular acquisition will be determined by the CO, in consultation with the program manager, during acquisition planning. The COR Level will be determined jointly by the team. • Do I have to figure out the training on my own? • No. Your agency Acquisition Career Manager and your supervisor can assist you. There is also a guide for training on the FAI web site at: http://www.fai.gov/pdfs/COR%20Training%20options%20FINAL%20Rev%201.pdf

14. I Still Have Questions (Continued 2) • My office wants to do specific training and grant Continuous Learning Points to employees who attend. How can this be done? • According to the OFPP guidance on continuous learning, Participating in Workshops: Points may be awarded for participating in workshops with planned learning outcomes. Your office should confirm this with your Agency’s Acquisition Career Manager • I teach a regular course at Expos, etc., can I get credit? • Employees may receive CL credit for attending or presenting topics at professional seminars or conferences that are job related. The supervisor and the employee must mutually agree on what learning outcomes were achieved, how many hours, and document same in writing. Because significant effort is involved in preparing and delivering presentations, credit should be given for each hour invested in preparation as well as presentation.

15. I Still Have Questions (Continued 3) • Can CLPs earned to maintain one FAC certification be used to maintain other certifications? • Yes. • Can an office specify what level a COR must achieve before assignment to a riskier contract? • Yes. • Do I have to attain level III certification? • This has to be determined by your agency specific policy. • Your appointment level must be commensurate with the risk of the requirement of the program.

16. I Still Have Questions (Continued 4) • I’ve taken online classes but they do not have any CLPs, can I use this training towards meeting requirements? • The first question is, was it acquisition related? If so, work with your supervisor and your ACM to determine the appropriate number of CLPs • If an individual with a COR Level II cert wants to pursue a Level III , can the additional 20 hours of training required be obtained from continuous learning classes? • Yes. The training opportunities document released at the same time as the policy memo, and updated since then provides several options for classroom and on-line training that will satisfy the level III requirement. • What documentation must accompany my Level III certification in order to validate my experience/competency? • Your Agency ACM can provide advice on what their specific requirements are.

17. Questions and Comments Your support and participation is very much appreciated Thank You