December 13, 2021

A concrete understanding of contracting principles can yield numerous benefits, even for non-contracting personnel. Build a strong foundation for future contracting work through an introduction to the Federal acquisition process by participating in extensive and relevant simulations. With an...

HR plays a crucial role in managing the Federal workforce and mission results. To that end, Federal HR’s success depends on how well individuals work together. You will gain a comprehensive overview of HR and how it works: processes, tools, and rules and regulations from OPM, Federal agencies,...

Customer service has always been an integral part of business or agency mission, but social media has made the customer experience more easily shared with and visible to everyone. Recognizing and interpreting customer concerns at all levels of the organization will help you address issues before...

The FAC-P/PM IT Core-Plus specialization program addresses the specialized knowledge and abilities unique to IT project areas. You will focus on technical performance outcomes and satisfy competencies related to IT Infrastructure & Architectural Design. Learn these skills and techniques through...

Whether you are managing a small, low-risk project or a multi-million-dollar initiative, project management tools, techniques, and practices enable you to get the job done—at budget and within deadline. You will gain an understanding of how to apply project management skills to successfully...

Federal personnel who award and manage grants and cooperative agreements need a complete understanding of the Federal grants lifecycle. This includes recognizing the legal basis for issuing Federal financial assistance and all the responsibilities that come with it. From preaward through...

The Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Uniform Guidance: Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, (2 CFR 200) is the cornerstone of Federal grants and financial assistance. You will learn when and how these requirements apply to program...

Many budget and program analysts understand the nuances of the budget process, but understanding how to leverage Microsoft Excel to analyze budgets and finances is a value-added skill for any organization. This skill is critical to the accurate and timely preparation of budget worksheets. After...

New Federal acquisition personnel are faced with the daunting responsibility of thoroughly understanding the Federal acquisition process and the various statutes and regulations that govern it. What does the process entail? What are the key roles and responsibilities? How do you navigate the...

Selecting the best source for performing the requirements of a contract has a definite impact on the outcome of an acquisition. With high-dollar value, complex, or critical acquisitions, contracting personnel should use a more structured source selection approach. You will gain the knowledge and...

HR professionals must use data to inform decision-making and to make strategic business recommendations. You will gain an understanding of why and how analytics are used in HR, learn and apply an Analytics Process Model, and, using Microsoft Excel®, derive the most relevant data and techniques...

Insight into sound business strategy is critical to problem-solving and decision-making within a mission-critical organization. Developing a strong foundation in data analysis techniques helps lead to this gained insight. You will learn numerous analytical techniques, including data preparation,...

Government employees often face serious repercussions when Federally-appointed funds are used incorrectly. Complying with appropriations law requirements is a critical component of stewarding Federal funds. By exploring the Government Accountability Office's (GAO's) Principles of Federal...

Many financial management professionals are responsible for complying with legal requirements for government business transactions. With this responsibility comes a need to understand the various aspects of Federal business activities, such as reimbursables, revolving funds, and user charges. You...

Army financial personnel are tasked with ensuring funding is allocated to the programs that best meet military strategy requirements. As such, they must understand the nuances of the DoD Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process that determines how much funding programs...

Ethics training for Federal agency grants personnel is not only vital to effectively monitoring awards, but is also required by law. The Office of Government Ethics requires Federal agencies to provide annual ethics training for all employees. You will go beyond standard ethics training and learn...

One of the most important—and most difficult—things effective leaders do is engaging their team members. An effective leader promotes a workplace environment that supports adaptability, innovation, and growth. Through interactive discussions and exercises, you will learn to identify factors that...

Knowing how to perform cost and price analyses is vital to your project’s budgetary success. Adhering to the FAR and Contract Pricing Reference Guides (CPRG), you will learn not only the basics of conducting a cost and price analysis, but also master the necessary quantitative tools. This is a...

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and agency policies encourage organizations to employ performance-based acquisition (PBA) methods. However, there are unique considerations surrounding PBAs, including standards of quality and methods of surveillance. You will learn the comprehensive...

The development and negotiation of indirect cost (IDC) rates, also called Facilities and Administrative rates, is a deeply involved process. Knowing which IDC method best applies to your organization is key, whether for state and local governments, universities, or nonprofit organizations. You...

A professional memo or email should not read the same as a social media post or a message to a friend. Communicating effectively in a professional manner with the correct tone and style can be difficult. But by building on your knowledge of writing basics, you will learn to write various types of...

Coaching employees is one of the most challenging aspects of supervising. Helping them gain new insights and make effective decisions can empower them to improve competence and align their work with the organization’s mission. The Anytime Coaching model provides supervisors with approaches to...

Contract administration is comprised of planning, performance monitoring, quality assurance, and other key phases. It poses challenges such as: How do you handle a contract modification? What kind of oversight does a subcontractor require? You will examine the duties performed by contracting...

Simplified acquisitions require an understanding of the processes and guidelines that govern acquisitions under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold. Not only will you use practical exercises based on actual legal decisions to apply the basics of simplified acquisitions, but you will also be...

The tenets of Agile have been steadily transforming Federal project management (PM). As a project manager, you must stay current with best practices—which includes Agile. You will learn Agile PM methodologies that apply to the Federal environment, including acquisitions and non-IT projects. You...

Data analysis has become an integral component of financial management. Using Microsoft® Excel to effectively make data-driven decisions can be complex and overwhelming. You will gain the skills and techniques to face this challenging task through real-world exercises. You will learn how to use...

Federal managers are required to continuously assess and report on the status of internal control, an integral part of financial management, to comply with laws and regulations. Build on your knowledge of internal control by understanding how programs and processes should be designed and...

Without proper knowledge in all aspects of agency budget function, Federal personnel are unable to support organizational compliance with laws and regulations such as the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act (GPRAMA). In-depth discussions and practical exercises will provide you...

Maintain your FAC-COR or DoD-COR Certification in an advanced class facilitated by an expert who can answer your most nuanced questions. Going far beyond just developing COR documentation, you will develop critical thinking, procurement strategy, requirements definition, and contract management...

Critical thinking skills are imperative when assessing cyber risk throughout the contracting lifecycle. Learn how to safeguard your contracts by understanding today’s rapidly changing cybersecurity regulations and their impact on the contracting world. You will become vigilant in watching for any...

Contracting for construction comes with its own set of guidelines and approaches. Personnel responsible for construction contracting must understand the nuances of the construction acquisition and contracting phases to successfully obtain goods and services. You will gain the knowledge and skills...

Strategic planning plays a critical role in driving action and delivering desired results within a Federal agency. You will develop a working knowledge of the Federal performance management framework and the ability to apply a strategic planning process through an exploration of key principles,...

What are the essential traits and behaviors of leaders and how can they be honed throughout your career? Skills like engaging, motivating, coaching, and enhancing performance are integral to the success of all leaders. As the first step to seeking out opportunities for growth, you will learn...

Today’s Federal environment requires agencies to be capable of handling challenges, shifting priorities, and public demand to deliver high-quality results. A foundation in the requirements development process sets the stage for furthering your skills in decision analysis methods and technical...

The most difficult step in analysis is often getting clean data, particularly in the context of your organization’s data management. You will learn best practices to combat common obstacles in data collection. You will gain strategies for identifying the best types of data to address your needs,...

Developing a thorough understanding of the audit process and how the Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS) are applied at all agency levels can help you avoid errors associated with the audit phase. You will learn to assess risk, apply standards of evidence, and support audit...

Supervisors play a challenging and pivotal role in organizations—not only do they manage the day-to-day work of their team, but they also manage their team members’ performance and success. Effective supervisors use performance management best practices to meet the needs of their organization and...

Senior program managers must lead from a total systems perspective, which requires an understanding of the Federal environment and integrated program management. You will explore the relationships that shape situations and use that knowledge to identify key issues that can inhibit project...