U.S. General Services Administration
Ordering guide for acquisition workforce training (SIN 611TRAINAW)
Multiple Award Schedule — Professional Services Category
- Course eligibility — Agencies should determine vendor course eligibility by checking DAU and FAI equivalency and verification listings to ensure the most up-to-date compliance with this requirement.
- Training modality — Training classes may be delivered via classroom, virtual classroom using live, real-time, and on-demand platforms, or blended, instructor-led online training for distant or virtual learning environments.
- Virtual delivery platforms must be accessible without the need for added plug-ins or downloads and aligned with the ordering agency network policy requirements.
- Classroom-based offerings must accommodate between 15 and 30 students or as further defined by the ordering agency task order, or TO.
- Classroom sizes for virtual, blended, and online courses will be specified in the ordering agency TO.
- Instructor requirements — Instructors are expected to be knowledgeable on subject matter, and acquisition laws and regulations. Qualification and certifications of instructors will be specified and determined at the agency TO level.
- Training class locations — Training classes may be held at government or contractor-provided facilities and will be priced accordingly in the FSS vendor price catalog. All class offerings held at contractor-provided facilities will adequately accommodate class sizes, IT requirements, and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Course cancellations, substitutions, or other changes — Due to an occasional need to change the dates and locations of training, classes may be cancelled, substituted, relocated, or rescheduled by the government, without penalty, if given a minimum of 30 days notice prior to the scheduled class start date or as stated in the ordering agency TO.
- Quality assurance — Vendors should ensure that all written and student provided course material is current with applicable acquisition laws and regulations. For example, vendors are expected to update relevant course material in a real time fashion to align with Federal Acquisition Circulars, official changes to other agency supplemental regulations, and other acquisition-related changes. Course material must be consistent with all acquisition-related laws, regulations, Office of Management and Budget policy memoranda, or Executive Orders that are in the public domain.
When course material has already been printed and there is not enough lead time to correct, or reprinting material would be costly to the contractor, vendors may provide supplemental handouts or inserts to students. In addition to vendor annual certification to DAU to maintain course equivalency status and to FAI for verification status, the vendor should also provide an attestation and evidence of updated course material within 30 days following the publication of changes to acquisition-related laws, regulations, Office of Management and Budget policy memoranda, or Executive Orders that are in the public domain.
Failure to appropriately and timely update course content could jeopardize DAU course equivalency status or FAI verification status, and could potentially impact a vendor’s past performance rating.
- Past performance — Agencies should appropriately document past performance to reflect and distinguish the spectrum of a vendor’s currency and quality in training, both course material and instructor, provided hereunder. Also, agencies should notify the designated FSS Contracting Officer’s Representative, or COR, of instances where a vendor’s training content or instructor delivery was outdated or inaccurate.
Deliverables
| Deliverable | POC | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Attend government-hosted TO kick-off meeting to refine master course schedule, which includes dates, times, and class locations. | Electronically to ordering agency COR | NLT 14 calendar days after TO award* |
| Class welcome letter including course name, date, time, notification of pre-course requirements, and location directions to all registered students. | Electronically to ordering agency COR | Within 30 calendar days of class start date* |
| Course materials and directions for pre-course assignments, delivered to all registered students. | Electronically to ordering agency COR | Within seven to 10 calendar days after receipt of attendance roster from the ordering agency, determined within the TO.* |
| For government-provided facilities: provide the government facility manager or POC a class roster, classroom configuration instructions, and expected course material shipping details. | Electronically to ordering agency COR and government facility manager | NLT seven calendar days prior to the class start date* |
| Copies of course materials, manuals, and handouts for all students. | Electronically to ordering agency COR | First day of each scheduled training class, or seven to 10 calendar days prior to course start date for courses that have pre-coursework assignments, determined within the TO.* |
| An annotated first day attendance roster, which indicates walk-ins and no-shows. | Electronically to ordering agency COR | NLT two calendar days after the first day of class* |
| An annotated student grade roster. Contractor will indicate the final class attendance and status for each student on the roster. If they pass, annotate the grade and that a certificate of completion can be issued in FAITAS. If they fail, annotate the grade and what area failed, for example, pre-course work, attendance, participation, test. | Electronically to ordering agency COR | NLT 14 calendar days after class end date* |
| The contractor should provide, at no cost to the government, quarterly usage reports using the training cost data spreadsheet attachment three. | Submit reports in the attachment four format to contact@fai.gov | NLT 10 business days after the close of each fiscal year quarter |
| An annual certification letter certifying all courses are current and compliant with DAU equivalency and/or FAI verification policies. | Electronically to the program manager and contracting officer | NLT dates as required by DAU and FAI policies |
| Invoices | Electronically to ordering agency COR or contracting officer | NLT 14 days after delivery of each class |
| Attestation and evidence of course content updates | Electronically to FSS COR | Within 30 days following the publication of changes to acquisition-related laws, regulations, Office of Management and Budget policy memoranda, or Executive Orders that are in the public domain. |
*or as designated in the ordering agency TO.
- Volume discount — Although we have awarded rates with minimum volume discounts identified in the table below, ordering activities are encouraged to review the contractor’s price list and additional discounts, and look for greater volume discounts (FAR 8.405-4).
| Minimum spend | Maximum spend | Minimum percent discount |
|---|---|---|
| $1 | $500,000 | 1% |
| $500,001 | $1,000,000 | 2% |
| $1,000,001 | $2,000,000 | 3% |
| $2,000,001 | $3,000,000 | 4% |
| $3,000,001 | $5,000,000 | 5% |
| $5,000,001 | $7,500,000 | 6% |
| $7,500,001 | $10,000,000 | 8% |
- Quotes — Quotes should be priced on a per day basis and include instructor travel within the contiguous United States.