GCON - Government Contracting

Course Descriptions

GCON 5000 Fundamentals of Government Contracting (3)

Fundamentals of Government Contracting (GCON 5000) provides the foundation for effectively using FARS and DFARS, the federal government rules and regulations that guide contracting. This course is also a hands-on, research-intensive, exercise-based curriculum. Participants will analyze contracting business scenarios and determine courses of action, regulatory constraints, and appropriate strategies developed through research of the FAR and its supplement the DFARS. This course spans the contracting professionals role in Contract Planning, Contract Execution and Contract Administration. The course introduces those new to the contracting field to their role as a business advisor in the acquisition process and focuses on developing mission support strategies based on knowledge of the contracting environment and customers' needs. Students will learn how to develop an acquisition strategy, conduct effective market research, and understand how socioeconomic programs support the acquisition planning process leading to solicitation, award and administration of successful contracts. It provides students with the knowledge necessary to execute an acquisition that optimizes customers' mission performance. 

GCON 5100 Government Contracting Lifecycle (3)

Government Contracting Lifecycle (GCON 5100) provides students the foundations of life cycle components of government contracts. This course also introduces students to the various roles that contracting professionals engage with various Contract Life Cycle Planning, Execution and Administration methods. The course introduces government contracting concepts new to the contracting professional. Students learn to develop skills as a business advisor in the acquisition process and focuses on developing mission support strategies based on knowledge of the contracting environment and customers' needs. Students will learn how to develop an acquisition strategy, conduct effective market research, and understand how socioeconomic programs support the acquisition planning process leading to solicitation, award and administration of successful contracts. It provides students with the knowledge necessary to execute an acquisition that optimizes customers' mission performance. Prerequisite: GCON 5000.

GCON 5110 Contracting Management Fundamentals (3)

This course addresses the skills and competencies needed to manage Department of Defense and Federal Government contracts along with fundamental concepts needed to be mastered for success within the Contracting Career Field. The course presents general principles, an overview of the acquisition process and how to conduct research of the various regulations. The soft skills and career skills needed by acquisitions professionals are explained. The Contracting Management Fundamentals course has to be completed with a passing grade prior to taking other GCON courses (GCON 5210, 5310, 5410). 

GCON 5210 Contracting Analytics Management (3)

This course focuses on understanding the common, foundational pre-award contracting analytics, competency models, tasks, and principles. The course describes the overarching business considerations and the relationship between government and industry. Students develop skills and acumen with analytics for defining, describing and shaping customer requirements, developing a contracting strategy and an acquisition plan. The execution of and the solicitation development and the release process to successfully meet customer needs are presented. The course introduces fundamental analytics knowledge and practical applications that can be applied immediately in the workplace across the broad spectrum of Department of Defense contracting organizations. Prerequisite: GCON 5110. 

GCON 5300 Business Decisions for Government Contracting (3)

The course provides an overview regarding regulations and processes regarding the use of cost analysis and for requiring certified cost and pricing data. After learning the basic elements of price and cost analysis, students will build and defend a renegotiation objective, including a minimum and maximum pricing object with a Weighted Guidelines assessment to develop a reasonable profit/fee objective. Students will be required to defend their pricing objectives by writing a Prenegotiation Memorandum, which is used by contracting professionals to obtain management approval to enter negotiations, and to document the contract file both before and after the negotiation sessions. This course begins with an in-depth review of the market research process and provides instruction to help students understand and analyze contractor pricing strategies. Students will learn to accomplish Net Present Value analysis, Cost-Volume-Profit analysis, calculate contribution margin estimates and develop cost estimating relationships in order to accomplish an effective price analysis pursuant to FAR Subpart 15.4. Prerequisite: GCON 5100.

GCON 5310 Contracting Pre-Award Management (3)

This course addresses the skills and competencies needed for successful pre-award of Department of Defense and Federal contracts. Business considerations and strategies needed to minimize performance risk are presented and described. Proposal analysis techniques are expounded. The competencies career contracting, and acquisitions professionals need to master are illustrated. These competencies include general contracting and negotiation principles, pricing, and cost analysis, planning and selecting best courses of award actions, understanding, and addressing contractor protests are explained. Prerequisite: GCON 5210. 

GCON 5410 Contracting Post-Award Management (3)

This course includes the basic knowledge and skills required for a new contracting professional to demonstrate initial readiness for a contracting career and in post award contract administration. Effective communication mechanisms for contract execution and awards are described. Quality Assurance guidance and contract performance analysis are expounded. Tools necessary to describe and interpret disputes are explained. Contract termination and closeout methods and techniques are illustrated. Prerequisite: GCON 5310. 

GCON 5500 Decision Making in Government Contracting (3)

This course provides an overview of the regulations and processes for cost analysis and requiring certified cost and pricing data. Students are also provided instruction on contract financing techniques. After learning the basic elements of price and cost analysis, students will build and defend a pre-negotiation objective. Students will apply cost analysis techniques during a week two proposal analysis capstone case, including writing a Price Negotiation Memorandum. In this course, students will also learn Intermediate Cost and Price Analysis, continuing to build upon the fundamental contract pricing principles covered in the Level I Contracting curriculum, Contract Pricing Reference Guide and DoD policy. The course is divided into three segments addressing contact pricing issues from a pre-award, Negotiation Preparation-Award and Post-Award perspective. In the course students will be introduced to quantitative techniques and tools used to quantify and facilitate decision making in determining a fair and reasonable price. Students will apply various cost analysis techniques and quantitative tools to analyze a contractor's cost proposal and to develop a government negotiation range and objective. The course is designed to prepare students for follow on DAWIA Level II certification courses, serve as a gateway into more advanced targeted contract pricing courses and give the students some practical tools in pricing government contracts. The ultimate objective of the course is to help students become better business advisors in developing contract arrangements that are in the best interest of the government. Prerequisite: GCON 5300.

GCON 5700 Source Selection and Administration of Government Contracts (3)

This course builds on the foundation established through the Level I curriculum and the course prerequisites. The primary focus is on the acquisition of services under FAR Part 15 source selection procedures, with an emphasis on performance-based acquisitions (PBA) for services, contract types, contract incentives, source selection and contract administration. Students will learn the fundamentals of a performance based service acquisition -- from acquisition planning to contract close-out through a realistic case study. The course takes students through the solicitation process using the mandatory DoD Source Selection Procedures. Students will prepare contractual documents and develop and deliver high-level source selection briefings with recommendations for contract award. Through a real-world simulation, students will complete the seven steps of the services acquisition process. Additionally, students learn to prepare sufficient acquisition documents, develop and deliver source selection briefings and negotiate contractural issues for a successful complex acquisition. This course is equivalent to CON 280. Prerequisite: GCON 5500.

GCON 5900 Negotiation and Administration of Contracts (3)

In this case-based course, students apply contracting concepts and techniques learned in prerequisite courses to meet customer supply requirements and resolve complex contracting issues. Special emphasis is placed on applying legal concepts learned in GCON 5500, pricing concepts in GCON 5300 and negotiation techniques in GCON 5700. Students experience the full spectrum of contracting processes and issues by following a supply requirement through all phases of the acquisition life cycle, from acquisition planning through contract close-out. Research, analysis and communication skills are honed through development and presentation of a critical thinking project requiring in-depth focus on one area of contracting. Negotiation skills are sharpened through active student participation in two simulated contract negotiations. This course has been certified as equivalent to CON 290. Prerequisite: GCON 5700.