Breakout Session #2210 Kathleen Connell Dawn Senior Instructor, ESI International April 16, 2008

2. Program Management and Acquisition Professionals: The Evolving Certifications Breakout Session #2210 Kathleen Connell Dawn Senior Instructor, ESI International April 16, 2008 1:30-2:30pm

3. OVERVIEW Background Why certify? Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Policy Letter 95-01 The Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting Program The Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers The Federal Acquisition Certification for Contracting Officer Technical Representatives

4. BACKGROUND • Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA),1990 • Clinger-Cohen Act, 1996 • Policy Letter 92-3, dated June 24, 1992 • Policy Letter 97-01, dated September 12, 1997 • Services Acquisition Reform Act (SARA), 2003 • Acquisition Advisory Panel, Section 1423 of SARA

5. WHY CERTIFY? • Improve workforce competencies to deal with changing demands of federal acquisition • Increase career opportunities • Standardize education, training, and experience requirements for acquisition professionals

6. OFFICE OF FEDERAL PROCUREMENT POLICY (OFPP) POLICY LETTER 05-01 • Policy Letter 05-01, Developing and Managing the Acquisition Workforce, April 15, 2005 • Applies to all executive agencies, except those subject to DAWIA • Rescinded OFPP Policy Letters 92-3 and 97-01 • Identifies a wide variety of individuals who may be members of the acquisition workforce • Establishes a government-wide framework for creating a federal acquisition workforce with skills necessary to deliver best value supplies and services, find the best solutions, and provide strategic advice to accomplish agency missions

7. OFPP POLICY LETTER 05-01 (continued) • Requires Chief Acquisition Officers Council (CAOC) to approve certification program • Requires Chief Acquisition Officer (CAO) of each agency, or designee to appoint Acquisition Career Managers

8. THE FEDERAL ACQUISITION CERTIFICATION IN CONTRACTING PROGRAM (FAC-C) • Memorandum for Chief Acquisition Officers and Senior Procurement Executives, January 20, 2006 • Approved by CAOC in December, 2005 • Establishes core requirements for the education, training, and experience for contracting professionals • Applies to all executive agencies except those subject to DAWIA

9. FAC-C (continued) • Closely mirrors DAWIA requirements • States that the Federal Acquisition Institute will administer the program • Makes the program mandatory for members of the workforce issued new Contracting Officer (CO) warrants on or after January 1, 2007

10. FAC-C COMPETENCIES AND REQUIREMENTS • Competencies per FAI website www.fai.gov • Education per Qualification Standard for Contract Specialist (GS-1102) at www.opm.gov • Training for civilian agencies to follow the Department of Defense curriculum at www.dau.mil/catalog • Experience requirements generally based on the Qualification Standard for Contract Specialist (GS-1102) at www.opm.gov • Continuous learning of 80 continuous learning points of skills currency training every two years beginning October 1, 2007

11. THE FEDERAL ACQUISITION CERTIFICATION FOR PROGRAM AND PROJECT MANAGERS (FAC-P/PM) • Memorandum for Chief Acquisition Officers, April 25, 2007 • Applies to all executive agencies except those subject to DAWIA • Certificate provides evidence that employees meet core training and experience requirements • Required for program and project managers assigned to major acquisitions per OMB Circular A-11, Part 7, exhibit 300

12. FAC-P/PM (continued) • Program administered by each agency, periodically reviewed by FAI • FAI will maintain current version of FAC-P/PM at www.fai.gov, along with core competencies • No mandatory curriculum, but Appendix A of FAC-P/PM contains training guidance • Certified professionals required to earn 80 of continuous learning points of skills currency training every two years beginning the first fiscal year following the effective date of memo • Program provides waiver provisions

13. THE FEDERAL ACQUISITION CERTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTING OFFICER TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVES (FAC-COTR) • Memorandum for Chief Acquisition Officers, November 26, 2007 • Establishes general training requirements for COTRs in civilian agencies • Applies to all executive agencies except those subject to DAWIA

14. FAC-COTR (continued) • Certification provides evidence that employee meets core competencies to perform COTR functions • Requires COTRs appointed after effective date of policy to be certified no later than six months from date of appointment • Recognizes earlier training for current COTRs, requires them to review their training to ensure that all essential competencies have been obtained, and be certified no later than 12 months from effective of policy • COTRs must have a minimum of 40 hours of training; 22 hours must cover essential COTR competencies, remaining 18 to include agency specific courses, electives, and/or those identified by COTR’s supervisor • COTRs must earn 40 hours of continuous learning points of skills currency training every two years beginning the first fiscal year following the effective date of memo • Program provides waiver provisions

15. FAC-COTR (continued) • FAI will revalidate competencies and maintain current version of FAC-COTR on www.fai.gov • FAI will administer the program through its website