Digital IT Acquisition Professional (DITAP) Certification Training
IDACQI4010

The following is a transcript of a live webinar hosted by Graduate School USA on the Digital IT Acquisition Professional (DITAP) Certification Training program and the pathway to the FAC-C Digital Services (FAC-C-DS) credential. The webinar was presented by Bruce Gay, Program Manager and Lead Instructor for the DITAP program.

Welcome, everyone. It is our pleasure to introduce our presenter, Bruce Gay. Bruce is an experienced trainer, program manager, and consultant with more than 25 years of hands-on experience delivering complex projects across multiple industries, including federal acquisition and IT mobilization environments. He specializes in helping acquisition and program professionals bridge the gap between policy and real-world execution. His training approach is scenario-based and designed to resonate with adult learners navigating digital acquisition, agile delivery, and cross-functional collaboration.

Bruce focuses on building critical thinking, stakeholder engagement, and practical decision-making skills that are directly applicable to DITAP and digital IT acquisition roles. He holds a master's degree from George Washington University and a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He leads a consulting practice dedicated to strengthening project, product, and acquisition capabilities in complex regulated environments. Please join us in welcoming Bruce.

Bruce Gay, Program Manager & Lead Instructor

Thank you for joining this informational webinar on DITAP and the journey toward FAC-C Digital Services certification. My goal is for you to walk away with a much better sense of the breadth and scope of this training program, and if not for yourself, then with enough understanding to speak with colleagues who may be interested in it.

Today, we will cover why digital services and digital acquisition are different, what DITAP is and what it is not, how it supports the FAC-C-DS credential, who the ideal participant is, what skills you will develop, and what the time commitment, outcomes, and next steps look like.

Why Digital Services Are Different

Digital services are more than websites. They encompass the tools, processes, and services that individuals use to interact with the federal government in the digital age. Well-known examples include SAM.gov, USA.gov, IRS.gov, and many other agency portals that provide public-facing services. These services need to be secure, accessible, and increasingly user-centric, built to be intuitive for the people who depend on them.

Buying digital services is not the same as traditional IT procurement. It requires a more modern approach. Agile practices and iterative deliverables are essential. As user needs evolve, requirements change; so these contracts must accommodate iteration rather than locking in requirements upfront and delivering a finished product at the end. The goals are better outcomes, faster modernization, lower delivery risk, and solutions that genuinely meet the needs of users and stakeholders.

Digital programs often fail not because of the technology itself, but because the acquisition approach does not match how the work is actually delivered. The U.S. Digital Services' digital services framework captures the who, what, how, where, and why of digital services: the end user with a need; the data, content, and transactional services being provided; agile methodologies and user experience design for management and delivery; the channels users interact through (websites, mobile applications, social media, cloud); and the purpose of providing services digitally to users and stakeholders.

What Is DITAP?

DITAP stands for Digital IT Acquisition Professional. The program is immersive and cohort-based. Participants work alongside approximately 20 to 30 other acquisition professionals from across the federal government, engaging in lecture learning, self-paced learning, and real-world challenges. The program builds skills and knowledge in digital services contracting and oversight.

DITAP supports the FAC-C-DS credential by preparing you to earn it. It reinforces skills you may already excel at (market research, procurement planning, acquisition strategy, and vendor evaluation) while giving you greater breadth and depth. Upon completing the training, you do not automatically receive the credential; you must apply for it and provide documentation of relevant experience through your agency. That process then allows you to secure the FAC-C-DS credential.

Two of the most common reasons people pursue DITAP: personnel who supported digital acquisitions have moved on, leaving a coverage gap, or individuals are taking on greater responsibility for procuring IT and digital services and need the credential to continue.

Who Should Attend?

The ideal participant is an acquisition professional supporting digital services or IT modernization at their agency. Minimum requirements include a FAC-C certification (FAC-P/PM or FAC-COR Level II/III holders may also participate, but may be lower on the preference list) and at least two years of government contracting experience.

Most participants are managing, or preparing to manage, acquisitions above the FAR Part 13.5 threshold. Contracting officers and contracting specialists supporting complex digital contracts, individuals taking on greater vendor oversight responsibilities, and professionals working in cross-functional delivery environments are all well-suited for this program. It is also a strong fit for anyone looking to invest in their practical acquisition skills.

Program Structure and Learning Experience

The program runs for five to six months. It includes a mix of live instruction, four-hour sessions as well as shorter one-hour webinars, self-paced online learning with checkpoints, and hands-on assignments. Hands-on assignments include observing digital service teams (software teams actively building products) and interviewing key stakeholders. Participants are not simply taking notes; they are learning new methods and applying them through activities designed to transfer directly to the workplace.

There are two team projects. The first is a course-long project tied to a case study used throughout the entire program, with teams incrementally applying concepts as they are introduced. Complexity grows over time, and participants practice agile lifecycle methods throughout. The second project inverts the perspective: teams simulate being a vendor delivering a digital service to the federal government, working through market research, requirements, stakeholder engagement, and the overall solution. This peer-to-peer, cross-agency collaboration, with participants from small and large agencies alike, is one of the program's most valued elements.

An online learning portal serves as the central hub for self-paced content, available both during and after the program. Participants use it to work through modules, complete quizzes and assessments, and access materials from live sessions as well as tools and templates for ongoing workplace use.

Skills developed through the program include market research and vendor engagement, vendor evaluation, agile oversight, stakeholder alignment and communication, and risk identification and delivery risk management. A key goal is building participants' confidence in providing post-award oversight for contracts involving agile, human-centered design, and continuous integration/continuous delivery practices.

Time Commitment

The program spans five to six months with an average time commitment of approximately 10 hours per week. Some weeks may require up to 20 hours of live classroom sessions; others may involve only a one-hour webinar and a brief project team check-in. Participants balance live work with independent self-paced learning, which unfolds over several weeks and requires consistent pacing.

Securing supervisor support early is strongly encouraged. Given the duration and workload, a direct, fact-based conversation with your supervisor about the time commitment is an important early step.

Expected Outcomes

Participants who complete the DITAP program can expect to:

• Ask stronger, more robust questions during acquisition planning
• Write outcome-based requirements focused on user needs
• Evaluate and monitor vendors using agile and modern delivery techniques
• Provide more confident post-award oversight of complex digital acquisitions

Participants earn 80 Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) upon completion. All skills, templates, desk guides, and best practices from the program are designed for direct transfer to on-the-job challenges in IT modernization and digital service acquisition.

Next Steps

If you are currently supporting, or preparing to support, high-risk digital acquisitions, DITAP is designed for this stage in your career. To move forward:

• Confirm your eligibility (FAC-C certification and at least two years of contracting experience)
• Secure your supervisor's support
• Review the current training schedule at graduateschool.edu/courses/digital-it-acquisition-professional-ditap-training
• Enroll in an open cohort or reach out to Graduate School USA to learn about upcoming cohort dates
• Review the TechFAR Hub for a detailed overview of the DITAP program, supporting memos, and CLP information, a useful resource to share with your supervisor as well