HHS acquisition personnel are required to complete, as applicable, the additional training requirements specified below. These courses may be used as electives for the purpose of satisfying FAC-C requirements or as continuous learning for maintenance of FAC-C or SAC certifications.
(a) Earned value management training. Effective January 1, 2010, all personnel in the GS-1102 series who are responsible for, or may become responsible for, the award or administration of any contract to which earned value management (EVM) is applied pursuant to 334.201(a) or (b) must successfully complete an EVM training course before they commence administration of the contract or are authorized to award the contract. After completion of the initial course, a refresher course is required every 2 years. This course is in addition to the training requirements for FAC-C certification at the specified levels. Determination of course suitability shall be made by the Operating Division (OPDIV) HCA, in conjunction with HHS' Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) or Office of Facilities Management and Policy (OFMP), as appropriate. To be eligible, the basic and refresher courses must each be 8 hours or more in length.
(b) Performance based acquisition training. Effective January 1, 2010, all GS-1102s, who award or administer service contracts, are required to complete a Performance-Based Acquisition (PBA) course prior to assuming such responsibilities. Refresher training in PBA is required every 4 years. To be eligible, a course must be 8 hours or more in length. Determination of course suitability shall be made by the HCA.
(c) Federal appropriations law training. Effective January 1, 2010, all GS-1102s and GS-1105s are required to complete both HHS University's classroom-based and on-line Federal appropriations law course, by January 1, 2011 (for current employees) and within 1 year of entering on duty (for new employees). Employees are required to take the HHS University on-line course as refresher training every year. Determination of course equivalency shall be made by the HCA.
(d) Green purchasing training. Effective January 1, 2010, all GS-1102s and GS-1105s are required to complete green purchasing training by January 1, 2011 (for current employees) and within 1 year of entering on duty (for new employees). Refresher training is required every 2 years. To be eligible, a course must be 4 hours or more in length. Determination of course suitability shall be made by the HCA.
(e) Section 508 training. When the HHS Office on Disability (OD) so requires, all GS-1102s, GS-1105s and GS-1106s who award or administer acquisitions that involve electronic information technology (EIT) products or services (subject to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and pertinent HHSAR provisions), must complete all applicable OD sponsored training. For information on frequency, timing, and duration of the training requirement, personnel shall consult with the HHS OD.
(f) Training policy exceptions -(1) EVM training. In the event that there is an urgent requirement for a Contracting Officer/Contract Specialist to award or administer a project to which EVM will be applied, and the individual has not yet met the EVM training requirement, the HCA (non-delegable) may authorize the individual to perform the position duties, provided that the individual meets the training requirement within 9 months from the date of assignment to the contract. If the individual does not complete the training requirement within 9 months, the HCA's approval for the individual's assignment to the contract will automatically terminate on that date. The Contract Specialist is not required to take the class as long as the Contract Specialist is working under the direction of a Contracting Officer who has taken an EVM course.
(2) Other additional HHS training. The HCA (non-delegable) may grant a time extension of up to 9 months to an individual to complete the PBA, Federal appropriations law, green purchasing, and Section 508 training requirements, including completion of refresher training. If the individual does not complete the training requirement within the extension period, the HCA's approval will automatically terminate on that date.
[74 FR 62398, Nov. 27, 2009, as amended at 75 FR 21509, Apr. 26, 2010]
