Description:
This session dives into how FAR Parts 12 and 13 have been reshaped under the RFO to streamline commercial and simplified acquisitions. Participants will explore how commercial buying is now centralized in Part 12, with fewer clauses, greater evaluation flexibility, and faster, more efficient procedures. Part 13’s new focus on non-commercial simplified acquisitions is highlighted, showing how it leverages Part 12 procedures to maintain consistency while reducing administrative burden.
The session also examines practical tools and approaches that make the overhaul actionable: RFQs, standing price quotations, unpriced purchase orders, and blanket purchase agreements, along with guidance for determining when a requirement is commercial or non-commercial. Participants will see how simplified acquisition procedures now promote proportionality, discretion, and responsiveness which helps agencies move faster, while giving industry clearer pathways to compete.
Finally, the session emphasizes the shift in acquisition culture: from compliance-driven processes to outcome-focused decision-making. By understanding how structural updates, procedural streamlining, and evaluation flexibilities intersect, practitioners can navigate the new FAR system with confidence, aligning acquisition strategy with real-world commercial practices and mission outcomes.
Who Should Attend This Session:
Contracting officers, contract specialists, acquisition planners, program managers, and other federal acquisition professionals who manage or oversee task order contracts, schedule orders, or IDIQ/BPA vehicles.
Prerequisites:
Working knowledge of the FAR, familiarity with government supply schedules, and understanding of basic acquisition planning concepts.
What You'll Learn:
- Identify when to use Part 12 versus Part 13 based on commercial status and acquisition value
- Apply streamlined procedures for solicitation, evaluation, and award of commercial products and services
- Execute simplified non-commercial acquisitions efficiently while leveraging Part 12 best practices
- Use acquisition tools to speed up purchasing and reduce administrative burden
- Understand emergency acquisition procedures for faster response to urgent requirements
Credits: 1.5 CPE/CLP credits for participation
Cost: $55 Members/$69 Non-members
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