UNCLASSIFIED (U)

14 FAH-3 H-330

REQUIRED TRAINING COURSES AND DOMESTIC CONTRACTING OFFICER WARRANT FOR CIVIL SERVICE PERSONNEL

(CT:AQM-16;   05-10-2018)
(Office of Origin:  A/OPE)

14 FAH-3 H-331  Policy and Objective

(CT:AQM-14;   09-22-2017)

a. There are three levels of education, training, and experience requirements, as mandated by the Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C), for GS-1102 personnel and employees in other Civil Service classification series who perform contracts or simplified acquisition.  The FAC-C requirements are mandatory for all such individuals and they must be certified at the appropriate level as of October 1. 2014.  Any contracting professional issued an unlimited warrant after October 1, 2014 must be Level III certified.

b. While FAC-C and the contracting officer warrant program are separate programs (i.e., the requirements for receiving a FAC-C and receiving a contracting officer warrant need not be identical), the Procurement Executive has determined that these programs will be in line with each other.  Therefore, individuals must meet the same requirements to obtain a new contracting officer warrant as well as receive the FAC-C. 14 FAH-3 H-332, 14 FAH-3 H-333, and 14 FAH-3 H-334 list the education, training, and experience requirements for obtaining a Level I, II, and III FAC-C and the associated contracting officer warrant thresholds.

c.  The mandatory training courses listed are courses offered by the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI) and the Defense Acquisition University (DAU).  Each course must be completed with at least a passing grade. Equivalency training for courses not listed below will be as reflected at DAU’s home page.  The Office of the Procurement Executive (A/OPE) will consider equivalency for training, experience, or other requirements as allowed by the FAC-C program.

14 FAH-3 H-332  LEVEL I:  jUNIOR

(CT:AQM-14;   09-22-2017)

Level I: encompasses GS-1102, grade GS-5 through GS-8 employees who normally manage simplified acquisitions not exceeding $ 150,000 and orders issued against existing contracts up to the maximum order threshold or limitation.  Level I requirements also apply to non-GS-1102s at any grade who work in a domestic office and wish to obtain a contracting officer warrant up to the simplified acquisition threshold.

LEVEL I
EDUCATION	TRAINING	EXPERIENCE	CO WARRANT THRESHOLD
Baccalaureate degree OR at least 24 semester hours among these disciplines:  accounting, law, business, finance, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, and organization and management	10 Core Courses: Choose 1 of the following: ·         CON 100 Shaping Smart Business Arrangements. ·         FCN 101 Contracting Basics. ·         CON 121 Contract Planning. ·         CON 124 Contract Execution. ·         CON 127 Contract Management. ·         FAC 023 Basic Contracting for GSA Schedules. ·         FAC 031 Small Business Programs ·         CLC 057 Performance-Based Payment & Value of Cash Flow. ·         CLC 058 Introduction to Contract Pricing ·         CON 170 Fundamentals of Cost and Price Analysis. Choose 1 of the following: ·         CON 090 FAR Fundamentals ·         FCN 190 FAR Fundamentals	1 year of contract work experience based on the Contract Specialist (GS-1102) Qualification Standard	Up to $150,000 for open-market acquisitions; maximum ordering limitation for orders under existing contracts

14 FAH-3 H-333  Level II:  intermediate level

(CT:AQM-16;   05-10-2018)

Level II: encompasses GS-1102, grade GS-9 through GS-12 employees who normally manage simplified acquisition of commercial items up through $7,000,000 authorized by Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 13.5, and noncomplex contracts for noncommercial items not to exceed $500,000, including options.

LEVEL II
EDUCATION	TRAINING	EXPERIENCE	CO WARRANT THRESHOLD

 

Baccalaureate degree OR at least 24 semester hours among these disciplines: accounting, law, business, finance, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, and organization and management

8 Core Courses: ·         CON 200 Business Decisions for Contracting. ·         CON 216 Legal Considerations in Contracting. ·         CLC 056 Analyzing Contract Costs. ·         CON 270 Intermediate Cost and Price Analysis. ·         CLC 051 Managing Government Property in the Possession of Contractors. ·         HBS 428 Negotiating. ·         CON 280 Source Selection and Administration of Service Contracts ·         CON 290 Contract Administration & Negotiation Techniques in a Supply Environment. Plus all required Level 1 training

2 years of contract work experience based on the Contract Specialist (GS-1102) Qualification Standard

Not exceeding $500,000 for noncommercial item acquisitions; up to $7.0 million for the acquisition of commercial items using the simplified acquisition procedures under Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 13.5

 14 FAH-3 H-334  Level III:  SENIOR LEVEL

(CT:AQM-14;   09-22-2017)

Level III encompasses GS-1102, grade GS-13 and higher employees who, in addition to Level II duties, manage complex contracts for noncommercial items exceeding $500,000, or commercial items exceeding $7,000,000, including options.

LEVEL III
EDUCATION	TRAINING	EXPERIENCE	CO WARRANT THRESHOLD
Baccalaureate degree AND at least 24 semester hours among these disciplines: accounting, law, business, finance, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, and organization and management	2 Core Courses Plus 1 Elective: ·         CON 360 Contracting for Decisions Makers ·         Select an HBS module other than HBS 428 Choose 1 of the following: 32 hours of electives*** ·         ACQ 265 Mission-Focused Services Acquisition. ·         ACQ 315 Understanding Industry. ·         ACQ 370 Acquisition Law. ·         CON 244 Construction Contracting. ·         CON 252 Fundamentals of Cost Accounting Standards. ·         CON 370 Advanced Contract Pricing. Plus all required Level I and Level II training	4 years of contract work experience based on the Contract Specialist (GS-1102) Qualification Standard	Over the Level II thresholds up to unlimited

NOTE:  Dollar amounts include all options.  For example, an individual with a $500,000 contracting officer warrant may not award a contract for a base year of $290,000 if the contract includes a one-year option for an additional $290,000.  In this example, the total contract amount, including options, would exceed the stated warrant limitation.  The same rule applies where some or all funding is subject to the availability of funds:  If a warrant is limited to $500,000, the holder may not sign a contract for more than that amount, even if the additional amount is subject to the availability of funds.  If the warrant is limited to $500,000, the holder may sign a contract that does not exceed that amount, but after award may sign modifications adding funds, as long as each modification does not exceed $500,000.  The normal rules regarding in-scope versus out-of-scope modifications would apply, such as requiring a justification for other than full and open competition for out-of-scope modifications.

14 fah-3 h-335  fulfilling mandatory training requirements

(CT:AQM-14;   09-22-2017)

a. Classes taken for FAC-C certification purposes starting with CON must be taken from a training provider (commercial vendor, college or university, or another organization) whose class has been determined by DAU to be DAU Equivalent. A class taken for FAC-C purposes starting with FCN must be taken from a training provider (commercial vendor, college or university, or another organization) whose class has been verified by FAI.

(1)  DAU Equivalent Providers. A list of DAU Equivalent vendors and classes can be found in DAU’s iCatalog under Equivalent Providers. Commercial vendors, colleges and universities, and other organizations can find more information about the DAU Equivalency Process in the DAU iCatalog under Equivalent Providers.

(2)  FAI Verified Providers. A list of FAI Verified vendors and classes can be found on the FAI Verified Contracting Classes page. The FAI Verification process is currently being updated.

b. Contracting professionals may also meet their mandatory requirements through “fulfillment” which refers to alternative training, experience, education, or certification by a recognized organization.  The workforce member must provide documentation to the Acquisition Career Manager in A/OPE demonstrating how s/he met or accomplished each of the performance outcomes and learning objectives in a specific course. The accomplishment of the performance outcomes and learning objectives may be based on contracting experience, alternative training, or another type certification in the area of contracting and procurement by another organization or other developmental activities.

14 fah-3 h-336  applying for a dau or fai course

(CT:AQM-14;   09-22-2017)

All Training courses are obtained through the Federal Acquisition Institute Training Application System (FAITAS) accessible through www.fai.gov.

14 fah-3 h-337  Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C)

(CT:AQM-14;   09-22-2017)

All Level I, Level II, or Level III FAC-C must be submitted through the Federal Acquisition Institute Training Application System (FAITAS).

14 FAH-3 H-338  continuous learning requirements

(CT:AQM-14;   09-22-2017)

a. Continuous learning is required to maintain skills currency, and consists of personal and professional growth accomplishments resulting in improved professionalism.

b. Once a Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) is issued, an employee must earn 80 hours of continuous learning points (CLPs) every two years to maintain the FAC-C.  A FAC-C will expire if the 80 CLPs are not earned every two years.  Recommended Continuous Learning Points:

Recommended Continuous Learning Points (CLPs)
Sample Activity	CLPs
Formal and informal training (such as FAI and DAU classroom or online courses)	1 CLP per hour of instruction
Accredited higher education courses (from a college or university)	10 CLPs per semester or quarter hour (generally)
Continuing Education Unit (CEU)	10 CLPs per CEU
Equivalency Exam for a course, i.e. “testing out”	10 CLPs per CEU
A learning event such as a seminar, brown bag, or presentation	1 CLP per hour if attending the learning event 1 CLP per hour for preparation if leading the learning event. A maximum of 20 CLPs per year for this type of activity
Attendance at professional association meetings	1 CLP per meeting hour with a maximum of 20 CLPs per year
Participation in intra- or interagency groups where the topic is some element of acquisition	1 CLP per meeting hour with a maximum of 20 CLPs per year
Association leadership role	1 CLP per meeting hour with a maximum of 20 CLPs per year
Professional license or certification	20 to 40 CLPs
Publication of an article or articles on an element of acquisition	1 CLP per preparation hour with a maximum of 20 CLPs per year
On-the-job experiential learning	1 CLP per hour of activity with a maximum of 20 CLPs per year
Mentoring	1 CLP per hour of activity with a maximum of 20 CLPs per year
Rotational or developmental assignments.	Based on learning achieved and length of assignment or detail. CLP Recommendation:
12 month assignment or detail	80 CLPs
9 months	64 CLPs
6 months	45 CLPs
3 months	35 CLPs
2 months	30 CLPs
1 month	20 CLPs

c.  To receive credit for continuous learning, use FAITAS to “apply for continuous learning points” using the instructions below:

·         Log into FAITAS

·         Click “Manage Career”

·         Select “Continuous Learning”

·         Select “My Point Requests”

·         Click “Add Continuous Learning Points Requests” and complete the form.  NOTE: Attach course completion certificates to all entries for courses that have not been completed through FAI or DAU.

14 fah-3 H-339  UNASSIGNED

UNCLASSIFIED (U)