# FPM 131: Fundamentals of Project and Program Management Course (Self-Paced)

Canonical URL: <https://www.graduateschool.edu/courses/fpm-131-fundamentals-of-project-and-program-management-course-self-paced>

## Overview

This course is designed to build the foundational knowledge and skills federal employees need to manage projects and programs across the acquisition life cycle. Through a combination of lecture, discussion, and integrated application exercises that simulate real-world scenarios, participants learn to evaluate program performance against budget, schedule, and scope; work effectively within Integrated Project Teams (IPTs); develop key acquisition documents such as performance work statements, IGCEs, and source selection plans; and apply systems engineering principles to monitoring and controlling projects.

FPM 131: Fundamentals of Project and Program Management is aligned to FAC-P/PM Entry Level competencies and supports the federal acquisition certification pathway. It is ideal for federal employees with at least one year of project management experience who are working toward or maintaining FAC-P/PM Entry Level certification. Participants leave with practical tools and applied experience to fulfill entry-level project and program management obligations within their agencies.

## What you'll learn

- Examine project/program performance in terms of budget, schedule, and scope.
- Integrate multiple roles and responsibilities as invested resources to make project/program decisions.
- Justify project/program management decisions as part of problem-solving exercises.
- Develop elements of key project/program management deliverables to plan a program or project throughout its life cycle.
- Define the process for developing program specification requirements and performance work statements that define the project, addressing roles and missions.
- Describe the source selection process, acquisition planning, market research, request for proposal (RFP), and evaluation of proposal and contract award.
- Connect principles of systems engineering to monitoring and controlling a project/program.
- Interpret information in case studies, real-world scenarios, and project summaries to address an organizational need.

## Curriculum

#### Module 1: Introduction & Course Overview

- Course Introduction
- Course Objectives
- Certification Path
- Project Management Review

#### Module 2: The Integrated Project Team (IPT)

- Review the role of the Integrated Project Team (IPT).
- Participant in an IPT role-playing exercise.
- Review the importance of project management leadership and planning activities.
- Develop a Team Operating Agreement (IPT Charter).

#### Module 3: Justifying the Solution

- Review major documents, activities, and responsibilities of the Concept Definition Phase.
- Conduct a Business Case Analysis. 
  - Capability gaps
  - High level requirements
  - Analysis of Alternatives (AoA)

- Develop a business case.

#### Module 4: Developing Requirements

- Review major documents, activities, and responsibilities of the Concept Planning Phase.
- Develop a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and a WBS Dictionary entry.
- Write detailed requirements from high-level requirements.

#### Module 5: Planning the Acquisition

- Explain how acquisition planning supports project objectives during the Concept Planning phase.
- Identify the purpose and key components of core acquisition artifacts, including the PWS, Source Selection Plan, IGCE, and QASP.
- Apply project planning outputs (requirements and WBS) to develop acquisition-ready documentation.
- Describe how best-value considerations inform source selection and contract oversight decisions.

#### Module 6: A Systems Engineering Approach

- Explain the role of systems engineering in supporting project and acquisition decision-making.
- Distinguish between system-level and item-level requirements and their implications for design and risk.
- Identify and assess technical risks using a structured risk register.
- Select appropriate risk response strategies and understand their impact on cost, schedule, and performance.
- Describe the purpose of developmental and operational testing in verifying and validating system performance.

#### Module 7: Monitoring and Measuring Performance

- Review the key documents, activities, and responsibilities of the Development and Implementation Phases.
- Review methodologies for monitoring and controlling projects, including development of project management plan and Earned Value Management (EVM).
- Demonstrate that project baseline equals schedule baseline plus cost baseline and scope baseline.

#### Module 8: Course Summary and Post-Test

- Course recap
- Post-test review
- Next steps
- Certification pathways
- Recommendations

## Pricing

**Tuition:** $2479