Interior Acquisition Institute

Isn't the PMP the same as the FAC-P/PM certification?

No. The Project Management Professional certification is a private industry certification for project managers. The Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers (FAC-P/PM) program is for acquisition professionals in the Federal Government performing program and project management activities and functions.

I need to get CLPs before my certification expires but can’t find an acquisition course in my state. What should I do?

DOI University (DOIU) Learning Center locations are strategically located. Please contact a learning center staff member at one of these locations closest to your state:

Albuquerque, NM
Denver, CO
Washington, DC

DOIU learning center staff provide the highest level of service and will work with you to assist you with finding a training location, assist you with finding an online alternative, or assist you with discussing bring training to your location.

Your Government-wide Acquisition Management Development Program is recruiting to develop entry- and intermediate- Contract Specialists. Do you have a development program for the experienced Contract Specialists/1102s on my staff whose skills are outdated?

Contact the Interior Acquisition Institute Program Manager to discuss a plan to meet your training and development needs.

I have been assigned work managing federal programs but my title is not Program Manager. Should I pursue the FAC-P/PM certification and, if yes, at what level?

Discuss the plan for your individual development with your supervisor and, if you are a DOI employee, contact your Bureau Acquisition Career Coordinator. If you are a non-DOI employee, contact your Acquisition Career Manager.

My bureau in DOI has its own acquisition certification training. Why should I attend your courses?

DOIU offers FAI-approved acquisition training in 3 strategically located learning centers across the United States. DOIU also works with the DOI’s Acquisition Career Manager to ensure that the training that we provide is aligned with needs of DOI’s acquisition workforce. DOIU also provides acquisition career development programs. If you are looking for acquisition courses to be used to obtain or maintain your federal acquisition certification, please visit our course catalog in FAITAS to register for one of our courses.

My coworker has been performing as a COR on several contracts for years but she has not taken any training to maintain her certification and consistently has problems with selecting the correct contract vehicle and writing requirements. Who in DOI is tracking COR certification expirations and/or revoking the delegation letters of poor performing CORs?

Notify your direct supervisor and/or your Bureau Acquisition Career Coordinator.

I have an employee on my staff who has told me that he is FAC-P/PM III certified because he has completed a series of FAC-P/PM III courses and is ready to manage major programs. This employee is not at the federal grade level nor has the experience or skill to manage high risk federal programs. What can I do?

Completing federal acquisition certification courses does not automatically mean that an employee is certified. Course completion certificates as well as other required credentials along with a request to be certified must be sent via FAITAS.

Federal managers should discuss federal acquisition certification courses as part of the individual development plan discussion so that they can advise their employees based on their competencies and their work plan if federal acquisition certification is required for their job.

Can I take the FAC-COR Refresher online?

FAI offers an online FAC-COR Refresher but discuss with your Bureau Acquisition Career Coordinator before registering. The online course provides a refresher of the duties, roles, and responsibilities of the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) in the contract pre-award phase, and the contract administration and management phase. The course is for federal acquisition workforce members who have already completed training and certification requirements as a FAC-COR (Level I, II, or III) and may already be serving as Contracting Officer's Representatives on active contracts.

I couldn’t find an acquisition course that I was looking for in your course catalog. Did the acquisition course names change?

FAI periodically updates the acquisition course numbers and titles. In order to ensure that you are registering for the correct acquisition course, view DOIU’s course catalog in FAITAS.

Where can I get construction contracts training?

Go to the FAITAS course catalog and enter “construction” in the “search courses” box. You can search for other acquisition training using the FAITAS search function.

I am a senior manager in DOI who manages many high-value programs. Do you have a location where I could connect with other program or project managers to ask their suggestions on good templates or tools for writing requirements, performing cost estimates, or developing project schedules, etc?

Through the Interior Acquisition Institute, an online platform will be provided so that acquisition workforce communities including program/project managers can collaborate, share knowledge, and discuss current topics in federal acquisitions.

FAQ