ADVANCE LEVEL FEDERAL CONTRACTING LEARNING

FCCoC presents the SAM.gov Business Program—a specialized certification course designed to empower entrepreneurs, consultants, and contracting professionals with the skills needed to navigate and maximize the federal government’s primary procurement portal. 

This program goes far beyond registration; participants gain hands-on instruction in opportunity identification, NAICS code alignment, entity management, market research, and strategic use of SAM.gov to track federal spending and forecast contract opportunities. 

Whether you're new to federal contracting or looking to sharpen your competitive edge, this program ensures you're equipped with the tools to access, analyze, and act on opportunities in the federal marketplace. 

 Mastery Level Curriculum Studies

• SAM.gov Business Professional-Mastery Level 2
• Rule of Two-Application
• Competition Requirements
• Market Research & Intelligence Training: USASpending.gov, FPDS tools. 
• Challenging the Notice & Requirement
• Federal Contracting Phases
• Contract Types and Uses 
• Project Walk-thru [3]
• Associated Case Law Studies
• Pre-Award/ Post Award -Protest Rights

Application Learning

• Challenge restrictive or noncompetitive procurement actions that limit small business participation. 
• Navigate and advise on pre-award and post-award protest rights related to small business determinations. 
• Assess case law, GAO decisions, and SBA OHA rulings that define and shape the application of small business contracting rules.

SAM.gov Project Walk Thru [3]

Supply

Services 

Construction

FCCoC Presents Mastering FPDS- Program Specialist™ Certification Program

Mastering FPDS: Curriculum Overview

This curriculum is designed to take contractors from basic data entry to advanced procurement intelligence, aligned with the FCCOC’s standards for operational excellence and federal literacy.

Module 1: The Foundations of Federal Data

• Decoding the Database: Understanding the role of the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) within the Integrated Award Environment (IAE).
• The Anatomy of a PIID: Deconstructing Procurement Instrument Identifiers to track contract actions across multiple years.
• Navigating ezSearch: Master the Google-style search bar to find instant snapshots of agency spending.

Module 2: Advanced Search & Data Mining

• Boolean Logic for Contractors: Using "AND/OR" operators to filter by specific NAICS, PSC, and UEI codes simultaneously.
• Tracking the Competition: How to run "Exclusionary Searches" to see exactly which contracts your competitors hold and when they expire.
• Geographic Targeting: Filtering spend by "Place of Performance" to dominate your local or regional federal market.

Module 3: Strategic Reporting & Analysis

• The "Market Research" Report: Generating custom reports to identify the top 10 agencies buying your specific solution.
• Trend Identification: Analyzing a 5-year spending history to predict seasonal "End of Fiscal Year" surges.
• Exporting for Strategy: Converting raw FPDS data into Excel/CSV formats to build a dynamic, evidence-based sales pipeline.

Module 4: From Data to Capture

• Identifying Vehicle Preferences: Determining if an agency prefers GSA Schedules, OASIS, or Open Market bids.
• Subcontracting Goldmines: Locating massive Prime contracts to identify mandatory subcontracting opportunities for small businesses.
• The Outreach Roadmap: Using FPDS data to craft "Warm Lead" scripts for Small Business Specialists (SBS) and Contracting Officers.

FCCoC Federal Contracting – Subcontract Program Specialist™ Certification Program – Mastery Level

Program Overview

The Federal Contractors Chamber of Commerce (FCCoC) proudly presents the Federal Contracting – Subcontract Program Specialist™ Certification Program (Mastery Level)—a comprehensive, advanced‐level training designed for acquisition professionals, small business advocates, compliance officers, program managers, and prime contractors seeking to master the policies, procedures, and legal frameworks governing federal subcontracting.

This program offers a deep exploration of FAR Part 19.7 (The Small Business Subcontracting Program) and FAR Part 44 (Subcontracting Policies and Procedures), along with key cross‐references to FAR Part 52 (Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses) and 13 CFR Part 125, which implements SBA’s subcontracting regulations.

Participants will learn to develop, implement, and monitor subcontracting programs that achieve regulatory compliance, drive small business participation, and enhance performance outcomes within the federal supply chain.

Through case‐based instruction, participants gain mastery in analyzing procurement regulations, evaluating contractor purchasing systems, identifying flow‐down obligations, and ensuring subcontract performance aligns with agency small business goals and statutory requirements.

Program Focus Areas

Graduates of the FCCoC Federal Contracting – Subcontract Program Specialist™ (Mastery Level) will be able to:

• Interpret and apply the authorities and requirements established under FAR 19.7, FAR 44, and related SBA and DFARS policies. 
• Develop and negotiate subcontracting plans, including Individual, Commercial, and Comprehensive Plans, consistent with small business program objectives. 
• Evaluate subcontracting performance through quantitative and qualitative metrics aligned with contract reporting requirements (e.g., Individual Subcontracting Reports (ISR) and Summary Subcontracting Reports (SSR)). 
• Assess contractor purchasing systems using FAR Subpart 44.3 standards and prepare for Contractor Purchasing System Reviews (CPSR). 
• Understand and implement flow‐down clauses required under FAR Part 52, ensuring subcontractor compliance with socio‐economic programs, labor standards, and cybersecurity clauses. 
• Apply the Rule of Two and competitive sourcing strategies to strengthen small business participation in subcontracting. 
• Integrate socioeconomic goals across all tiers of subcontracting, advancing opportunities for 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, SDVOSB, and SDB firms. 
• Perform advanced market research to identify capable small business suppliers and partners using SAM.gov, USASpending.gov, FPDS, and SBA Dynamic Search databases. 
• Advise primes and subs on regulatory obligations, risk mitigation, and contractual rights. 
• Identify and challenge noncompliance or barriers to fair subcontracting, leveraging protest rights, regulatory remedies, and ethical procurement standards. 
• Analyze GAO, SBA OHA, and Court of Federal Claims decisions that shape subcontracting law, responsibility determinations, and performance accountability. 
• Strengthen supply chain integrity and transparency through ethical procurement practices, compliance audits, and ongoing reporting discipline.
  

FCCoC’s Post-Award Specialist Program is the ultimate pathway for professionals seeking to specialize in the critical—and often overlooked—phase of federal contracting. Participants learn how to interpret key FAR clauses, enforce contract terms, resolve disputes, assess contractor performance, and ensure timely deliverables. 

This program is ideal for agency personnel, contract administrators, prime contractors, and support staff responsible for safeguarding government interests post-award. Graduates emerge with practical skills and real-world tools to reduce risk, improve communication, and maintain contract compliance. 

With FCCoC’s commitment to education and mentorship, this program empowers professionals to become trusted post-award experts in the federal contracting landscape. 

  Mastery Level Curriculum Studies

• Contract Award Interpretation, Expectations and Acceptance
•  Contract Types and Uses 
• Contract Administration
• Contract Change Orders-Task Orders-Purchase Orders
• Contract Modifications 
• Contract Invoicing
• Contract Terminations 
• Contract Closeouts
• Bid Protest Basics 
• Contract Admin Related Protest
• Associated Case Law Studies

FCCoC Federal Contracting – Protest Program Specialist™ Certification Program – Mastery Level - Program Overview

The Federal Contractors Chamber of Commerce (FCCoC) presents the Federal Contracting – Protest Program Specialist™ Certification Program (Mastery Level)—a specialized legal and procedural certification course designed to equip acquisition professionals, contractors, and legal practitioners with mastery over the protest process within the federal acquisition system.

At this mastery level, participants gain deep technical knowledge of FAR Part 33 (Protests, Disputes, and Appeals) and the statutory authorities underpinning the Bid Protest Regulations (4 C.F.R. Part 21), as administered by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC), and agency-level protest offices.

This program provides the framework, methodology, and case law analysis necessary to evaluate protest grounds, prepare defensible filings, respond to challenges, and understand the strategic and procedural nuances that govern the federal protest process.

Program Focus Areas

Graduates of the FCCoC Protest Program Specialist™ (Mastery Level) will be able to:

• Interpret and apply the principles of FAR Part 33 – Protests, Disputes, and Appeals, and corresponding GAO and COFC rules. 
• Distinguish between pre-award and post-award protests, identifying appropriate forums, filing deadlines, and procedural remedies. 
• Evaluate the timeliness, jurisdiction, and standing requirements governing each protest forum (Agency, GAO, COFC). 
• Develop and submit legally sufficient protest filings, including key elements such as factual grounds, regulatory citations, and requested relief. 
• Prepare and respond to Agency Reports and legal memoranda defending or challenging contract awards. 
• Analyze the “Rule of Two,” competitive harm, and evaluation bias as common bases for protest and sustainment. 
• Understand automatic stays, corrective action processes, and cost reimbursement procedures under the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA). 
• Advise stakeholders on protest strategy, risk assessment, and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods. 
• Apply GAO and COFC precedents to real-world procurement disputes, evaluating how decisions shape acquisition practices. 
• Interpret and apply small business–related protest rules, including size and status challenges under 13 CFR Part 121 and SBA OHA decisions. 
• Navigate agency-level protest resolution procedures, including debriefing requests, extensions, and reconsideration processes. 
• Ensure compliance with procurement integrity, ethics, and confidentiality when engaging in protest actions.
   

Mastery Level Curriculum Studies

• FAR Part 33 – Protests, Disputes, and Appeals 
• 4 C.F.R. Part 21 – GAO Bid Protest Regulations 
• 28 U.S.C. § 1491(b)(1) – COFC Bid Protest Jurisdiction 
• Agency-Level Protest Procedures (FAR 33.103) 
• The Rule of Two, Competition Requirements, and Market Research Implications 
• Timeliness, Standing, and Jurisdictional Analysis 
• Drafting Effective Protest Filings and Requests for Relief 
• Responding to Agency Reports and Legal Memoranda 
• Pre-Award vs. Post-Award Protest Scenarios 
• Automatic Stay and Corrective Action Procedures 
• Size Protests and SBA OHA Appeals (13 CFR Parts 121 & 134) 
• Contracting Officer Responsibilities and Protest Defense Strategies 
• GAO and Court of Federal Claims Case Law Studies 
• Protest Cost Recovery, ADR, and Settlement Practices 
• Ethics, Confidentiality, and Procurement Integrity 
• Project Walkthroughs (3 Applied Protest Case Studies)