# Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO): FAR Basics Course (Self-Paced)

Canonical URL: <https://www.graduateschool.edu/courses/revolutionary-far-overhaul-rfo-far-basics-course-self-paced>

## Overview

The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) represents the most transformative reform of the Federal Acquisition Regulation since its implementation in 1984. Directed by the President's Executive Order on Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement and led by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) and the FAR Council, this initiative returns the FAR to its statutory foundations — stripping out non-statutory requirements, eliminating duplicative approvals, and rewriting the regulation in plain language. This one-day course gives acquisition professionals the knowledge and confidence to understand the scope of those changes and begin applying them immediately.

Through facilitated discussion and scenario-based exercises, participants explore the anatomy of the RFO, navigate the modernized FAR structure, and engage with the non-regulatory Strategic Acquisition Guidance (SAG) tools — including the FAR Companion Guide, Practitioner's Albums, and Category Guide — designed to support sound judgment beyond the regulation. The course also addresses OFPP direction on category management and government-wide contracting, the RFO's impact on small business access, and the upcoming focus areas that will continue to shape federal acquisition practice.

## What you'll learn

- Explain the purpose, scope, and strategic intent of the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO).
- Describe how the FAR structure has been streamlined, reorganized, and rewritten in plain language.
- Identify key RFO changes that affect day-to-day acquisition planning, documentation, and execution.
- Apply Strategic Acquisition Guidance (SAG) tools to support sound acquisition decision-making.
- Describe OFPP direction on category management and the use of government-wide contract vehicles.
- Anticipate future RFO focus areas and the evolving responsibilities of federal acquisition practitioners.

## Curriculum

#### Module 1: Why the FAR Was Overhauled: Strategic Context & Intent

- Describe the original purpose and statutory foundation of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
- Explain the strategic rationale and driving forces behind the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul.
- Identify the governance roles of OFPP and the FAR Council in leading the reform.

#### Module 2: What Changed: Anatomy of the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul

- Identify major categories of requirements removed or streamlined under RFO.
- Describe how the FAR has been restructured, reorganized, and rewritten in plain language.
- Recognize the practical implications of RFO changes for agencies and contractors.

#### Module 3: Navigating and Operating in the Modernized FAR

- Describe the modernized FAR structure and how key content has been centralized.
- Identify changes to FAR Part 8 and procedures affecting day-to-day acquisition activities.
- Apply practical navigation strategies for working effectively in the streamlined regulatory framework.

#### Module 4: Strategic Acquisition Guidance (SAG): Applying Judgment Beyond the FAR

- Explain the purpose and role of Strategic Acquisition Guidance (SAG) in the modernized framework.
- Differentiate between regulatory requirements and non-regulatory SAG tools.
- Identify key SAG components — including the FAR Companion Guide, Practitioner's Albums, and Category Guide — and how to apply them.

#### Module 5: Category Management & Government-Wide Contracting

- Describe OFPP direction on category management and enterprise buying strategies.
- Differentiate between best-in-class and preferred government-wide contract vehicles.
- Understand mandatory-use expectations and the conditions under which exceptions apply.

#### Module 6: Operational Impact, Small Business, and What's Next

- Identify the operational impacts of RFO on acquisition planning and execution.
- Describe how RFO expands market access for small businesses and innovative vendors.
- Anticipate upcoming RFO focus areas — including emerging technologies, pricing transparency, and agency accountability — and their implications for practitioners.

## Pricing

**Tuition:** $649