CON 120: Mission Focused Contracting

DAU Equivalent Course DAWIA Level 1
Download DAU Authorization Letter

Class Length: 10 Days   PDUs: 67.0

Class Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.,
except last day 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Course Synopsis | Course Topics

Learn How To

• Provide contracting advice based on market research
• Prepare a solicitation package
• Prepare, award and debrief a contract requirement
• Evaluate price reasonableness and conduct price negotiations
• Plan and conduct a post-award conference
• Modify a contract, exercise a contract option and complete the contract closeout process

Course Synopsis

CON 120 is a capstone federal contract applications course, built upon a hypothetical federal procurement that is applicable to both government and industry purchasing. This highly interactive course uses an integrated case study approach to engage participants in the entire acquisition process, from meeting with the customer to completing the contract closeout process, and closes with a detailed case study for placement of orders against Federal Supply Schedule IDIQ contracts.

You will learn and apply leadership, problem solving and negotiation skills, applying the knowledge and skills gained from your experience and prior classes. A complex series of coordinated exercises guides you through every phase of the acquisition process, giving you the opportunity to discuss and decide how to resolve issues relating to everything from market research/product description to source selection and award and on through contract administration and closeout.

Reminder: This course is intended for participants that have completed CON 100: Shaping Smart Business Arrangements, Federal Contracting Basics (CON 110), Source Selection: The Best- Value Process (CON 111) and Operating Practices in Contract Administration (CON 112), all of which are mandatory for enrollment.

Course Topics

1. Decision Making and Problem Solving
   1. Decision making and problem solving
   2. Basic problem/decision making steps (define the problem, analyze potential causes, identify possible solutions, analyze and compare alternates, develop a plan of action, implement the plan)
   3. Problem solving tools (problem statement, brainstorming, fishbone or cause and effect diagram, "five-why" process, force field analysis)
2. Mission Support Planning
   1. Identify the mission
   2. Follow the rules
   3. Market research
   4. Requirements documen
   5. Socio-economic policies
   6. Methods of acquisition/contract types
   7. Competition
   8. Relevance: a testimonial on market research
3. Solicitation Preparation
   1. Acquisition phases
   2. Mission support planning, FAR Part 7
   3. Mission strategy execution, FAR Part 12
   4. Mission performance assessment, FAR Part 42
   5. Reviewing a PR package document for accuracy
   6. Determining the appropriate contract type
   7. Determining the need to publicize the requirement
   8. Completing a solicitation
   9. Responding to inquiries
4. Response Evaluation and Award
   1. Price index numbers
      • Identifying situations for use
      • Selecting a price index for analysis
      • Adjusting prices/costs for analysis
      • Identifying issues and concerns
   2. Cost-volume-profit analysis
      • Identifying situations for use
      • The cost-volume relationship
      • The price-volume relationship
      • The cost-volume-profit relationship
      • Identifying issues and concerns
   3. Evaluate proposals
   4. Conduct discussions
   5. Determine price reasonableness
   6. Requirements for contract award
   7. Appropriate business actions for debriefing
   8. Appropriate response to a protes
5. Performance Assessment
   1. Post-award orientation conference
      • Potential assessment factor
      • Assessment roles
      • Assessing performance for service contracts
   2. Quality assurance surveillance plan
      • Requirements
      • Performance work statement
      • Read the contract
      • Selecting the appropriate remedy
   3. Performance remedies
      • Acceptance and payments
   4. Collecting past performance information
6. Modification and Option Exercises
   1. Contract modification requests
   2. Exercising options
7. Contract Closeout
   1. Basic closeout steps
   2. DD Form 1597
   3. Quick closeout procedures
   4. Closeout prohibitions
8. Information Technology Services Case
   1. Important procedures of acquisition (application of previous lessons)
      • Understanding the requirement
      • Acquisition strategy
      • Soliciting
      • Issuing the solicitation
      • Evaluating proposals
      • Making an award
      • Administration of the order
9. Leadership
   1. Principles of leadership (11 principles)
   2. Goal setting
   3. Conducting meetings