FAC-C/DAWIA Contracting Officer’s Certification Program

CON1100: Contract Foundational Skills

• Outline the stages of the federal contracting lifecycle and identify the essential elements and legal framework of a government contract.
• Research and navigate the FAR and agency-specific FAR supplements effectively, and interpret regulations to ensure procurement actions comply with applicable rules.
• Apply fundamental market research techniques and understand competition requirements to support fair and reasonable pricing decisions in acquisitions.
• Identify the components of solicitations and contracts (including the Uniform Contract Format) and understand how requirements are translated into clear contract documents.
• Demonstrate awareness of ethical standards and professional integrity in contracting, and recognize the importance of effective communication and teamwork in the acquisition process.

CON1200: Contract Pre-Award

• Define and refine contract requirements: Work with stakeholders to turn mission needs into well-defined requirements documents and criteria, laying the groundwork for successful procurements.
• Conduct market research and acquisition planning: Analyze market capabilities and risks, and formulate acquisition plans that consider competition, socioeconomic goals, and risk mitigation strategies for the procurement.
• Develop effective acquisition strategies: Construct comprehensive strategies including choosing the appropriate contract type, crafting evaluation factors, and planning solicitation timelines to achieve best value outcomes.
• Prepare solicitation documents: Draft clear and complete solicitations (RFPs/RFQs), including performance work statements, terms and conditions, and evaluation criteria, while ensuring compliance with the FAR and Small Business Act requirements.
• Understand the contractor’s perspective: Recognize how industry pursues federal business opportunities through capture management and proposal development, enhancing your ability to anticipate and evaluate contractor proposals.

CON1300: Contract Award

• Evaluate contractor proposals: Apply techniques of price and cost analysis to assess offers, including analyzing cost realism and price reasonableness, to ensure the government only pays a fair and reasonable price.
• Assess and mitigate risk: Identify and summarize contract risks (cost, schedule, performance) present in offers and use that analysis to inform source selection and negotiation strategies.
• Conduct source selection: Carry out the source selection process, from initial screening of proposals for compliance, through technical and cost evaluation, to final comparative analysis and source selection decision documentation.
• Plan and execute negotiations: Develop a negotiation plan based on government objectives and conduct negotiations with one or more offerors, employing proper negotiation techniques and adhering to FAR/DFARS policies for discussions.
• Finalize awards and handle disputes: Execute the contract award and prepare necessary documentation (such as price negotiation memoranda and source selection decision documents), and understand how to manage disagreements or bid protests that may arise from unsuccessful offerors, including the government’s and contractor’s roles in the protest process.

CON1400: Contract Post-Award

• Administer contracts effectively: Develop a contract administration plan and oversee contract performance, including conducting post-award orientations/kick-off meetings and maintaining effective contract communication with the contractor.
• Monitor performance and ensure quality: Implement quality assurance measures to ensure goods or services meet contract standards, and utilize performance metrics, inspections, and surveillance plans to track contractor performance. Learn to address performance problems promptly to keep the project on track.
• Manage contract changes and modifications: Understand the processes for contract modifications – distinguishing in-scope changes vs. out-of-scope changes – and execute modifications (unilateral or bilateral) in compliance with FAR Part 43. Anticipate and handle changes in requirements, funding adjustments, and option exercises during contract performance.
• Resolve disputes and handle terminations: Interpret contract clauses related to disputes, equitable adjustments, and remedies. Learn how to respond to contractor claims or requests for adjustment, utilize dispute resolution techniques, and, if necessary, initiate termination actions (termination for convenience or default) in accordance with regulations.
• Close out contracts: Carry out the steps for proper contract closeout, including verifying all deliverables are accepted, reconciling payments and government property, completing past performance evaluations (e.g., CPARS), and ensuring both government and contractor have met all obligations for a formal closeout.

CON 3900V FAC-C/DAWIA Contracting Certification Preparation Course

• Review the contracting life cycle phases, key skills, and roles.
• Apply standards of conduct, communication, and documentation practices.
• Plan solicitations, request offers, and prepare sales strategies.
• Conduct price and cost analysis to inform acquisition decisions.
• Practice negotiation planning, source selection, and dispute resolution.
• Assess your readiness through pre- and post-assessments that emulate the certification exam.

AI for Federal Acquisition & Contracting Course

• Define artificial intelligence and distinguish between key AI technologies relevant to acquisition work.
• Identify responsible AI use practices for the federal acquisition environment, including PII and CUI safeguards and agency policy compliance.
• Use AI to draft and refine Performance Work Statements (PWSs) and Statements of Work (SOWs) that align with FAR requirements.
• Generate and validate acquisition requirements documents using AI-assisted prompting techniques.
• Conduct AI-assisted market research to support acquisition planning and vendor identification.
• Apply a structured prompt engineering approach to produce consistent, high-quality acquisition outputs.
• Evaluate AI-generated content for accuracy, compliance, and suitability before incorporating it into official procurement documents.