The Federal Acquisition Certificate Program is designed to equip Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs) and other acquisition professionals with essential skills in business, budgeting, and financial communication. This program enhances participants' ability to collaborate effectively with financial and budget teams by providing a strong foundation in federal financial management processes, including federal appropriations law, budgeting, and the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution (PPBE) process.
Ideal for those seeking to improve their understanding of federal financial systems and decision-making, this program ensures professionals can navigate complex budget discussions and contribute to successful acquisition management. CORs can apply acquisition-focused courses toward meeting recertification requirements, enhancing their career development in federal contracting.
This is the recommended order, but some courses may be taken in a different order.
Unit 1 3 Days
This comprehensive course guides contracting professionals through post-award oversight responsibilities in accordance with FAR and acquisition policies. Through structured exercises, participants learn how to ensure delivery of goods and services, apply modifications, and implement closeout procedures.
Unit 2 2 Days
Designed for acquisition staff who obligate federal dollars, this course teaches how to apply principles of purpose, time, and amount to award contracts and manage spending authority. Real-world decision cases are used to highlight Antideficiency Act risks and legal compliance standards.
Unit 3 3 Days
This foundational acquisition course teaches writing structured performance work statements with clear task descriptions, standards, and evaluation methods. Participants learn a step-by-step method to create PWS documents and quality assurance plans that reduce risk and support effective vendor performance.
Unit 4 3 Days
Learn the essentials of federal budgeting, from key terminology to constructing and justifying operating budgets. This course provides practical exercises to help participants estimate costs and assist in budget preparation confidently.
Unit 5 3 Days
Learn the key concepts, laws, and procedures that underpin effective financial management in the federal government. This course covers budgeting, accounting, and internal controls to help you align financial systems with performance goals.
Unit 6 3 Days
Designed for budget analysts and acquisition personnel, this course details how strategic planning, program development, and execution operate within DoD PPBE. Participants learn about key decision timelines, document flows, and stakeholder roles from planning through execution.
Receive instruction from subject‑matter experts who bring proven government experience.
Courses that are regularly updated based on feedback and industry developments, ensuring versions are mapped to federal competencies.
The instructor was wonderful and so knowledgeable. The course materials were extremely relevant to what my job is. I feel like I can be better because of this class.
— 2025 student
Directly addressing the day-to-day challenges of federal employees.
Your trusted training partner, equipping public service professionals with the skills and knowledge to excel in their roles and drive meaningful impact.
Attend this certificate program in-person in Washington, DC or Live Online. Engage with expert instructors, ask questions, and get feedback on your exercises and projects.
At Graduate School USA, you’ll learn in small groups and receive personalized attention.
Get face-to-face interaction with an instructor and other students when you learn at our DC campus. Courses are hands-on with a computer and software provided.
Get the same interactivity and access to the instructor as in-person students. There are no extra fees and we’ll work with you to ensure your remote setup is perfect.
Our instructors are industry experts and experienced educators, driven to help you succeed.
Since 1921, Graduate School USA has partnered with over 125 federal agencies and trained more than one million federal employees. Led by instructors with deep, real-world knowledge of federal regulations, policies, and practices, our private group programs are practical, mission-driven, and tailored to your agency’s objectives. We offer expertise across key federal domains—including human resources, financial management, acquisition and contracting, leadership, and more—to deliver training where and how your team needs it.
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