The success of a FAC-P/PM learning and development initiative is rooted in behavioral change, not simply the ability to recall and understand concepts.  This level of change requires space and time to apply newly acquired knowledge and skills, and more in-depth reinforcement of concepts. The mid-level capstone course enables you to analyze, synthesize and apply the full spectrum of knowledge and skills provided in the earlier courses of the series to ensure your qualification to improve program/project performance. 

Participants recall federal programs and projects roles and responsibilities through subject matter expert facilitated discussions that relate program and project management life cycle to acquisition life cycle. An in-depth exploration of the mid-level leadership competencies of influence and negotiation, partnering, team building, managing conflict, political savvy, strategic thinking, decision making, creativity and innovation, external awareness, developing others, entrepreneurship and leveraging diversity allows participants to translate practical leadership insights to actions to take on their projects. The acquisition life cycle from determining needs to closeout reinforces select topics on Test and Evaluation Strategy (TES), Total Life Cycle Systems Management (TLCSM) including Life Cycle Logistics (LCL) and Performance-Based Logistics (PBL), Systems Engineering and MOSA Principles with support from templates and reference resources.

• An Overview of Federal Programs and Projects
• Program management roles and responsibilities
• Program vs. project management functions
• Program vs. project managers in the federal government
• How specifics programs or organizations influence program management activities
• Program management office
• Life cycles of an acquisition project
• Relationship between program/project managers and contract management
• Leading Federal Program and Project Teams
• Identifying current affairs or trends that will affect programs
• Managing team behaviors with influence and negotiation
• Working with others to achieve common goals
• Selecting appropriate conflict management tools
• Identifying organizational characteristics that may affect your program
• Considering long-term interests when making program plans and decisions
• Making decisions based on program data and considering the implications
• Using entrepreneurial skills in federal programs
• Developing a WBS that reflects all program elements and is tailored to specific program needs
• Relating program cost activities to government and agency processes
• Developing a comprehensive risk management process
• Integrating risk management activities into program management activities
• Examining the use of risk management software in federal program management actives
• Determining Contract Approach
• Designing an acquisition plan to meet program needs
• Creating a communication plan to address program needs
• Documenting Contract Requirements
• Performing requirements elicitation
• Classifying program requirements
• Using requirements analysis techniques to allocate program requirements
• Integrating quality reviews into the requirements-gathering process
• Designing a system architecture with support for the lowest replaceable unit
• Preparing the Requirements and Support Documentation
• Developing pre-award policies for program solicitations
• Communicating requirements to contractors
• Writing program specifications in program solicitations
• Issuing Solicitation and Performing Source Selection
• Creating a process for selecting final design solutions
• Producing a formal source selection process
• Defending source selection criteria
• Documenting a source selection approach with value as a criterion
• Managing the Contract
• Performing a Schedule Analysis for the Program
• When is it appropriate to implement risk management processes?
• Documenting status for program risk
• Discovering opportunities of cost reduction and avoidance
• Performing compliance review and taking corrective actions
• Using total life cycle systems management theory as a basis for program decisions
• Assessing program performance using EVM
• Identifying critical risk events
• Applying appropriate government policy to programs
• Contract modification process
• Life Cycle Logistics
• Applying performance-based logistics to program decisions-making
• Determining when statutory guidance or laws impact the program and taking action
• Generating a modular open systems approach for programs where interoperability is key
• Detecting when acquisition and cross-service agreements are advantageous