PPM-303 Advance EVM & Cost Estimating

Federal Program and Project Managers assigned to major acquisitions are required to earn the Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers (FAC-P/PM) at the senior level.  Companies seeking to support government IT programs can gain a competitive advantage by understanding – and solving – their Federal clients’ P/PM and acquisition challenges.

To meet the needs of both government and Industry members, ACT-IAC is pleased to partner with the FAC Academy to offer a full 4-course FAI-verified Senior-level FAC-P/PM training series.  This program provides the training that senior-level Federal employees need to earn for this important certification, and enables Industry professionals to truly “speak the same language” as their Federal colleagues.

Course Description:

The third class in the series, PPM-303: Advanced EVM & Cost Estimating, is verified by FAI as aligning to the senior-level FAC-P/PM “Business, Cost Estimating and Financial Management” competency.  This is a hands-on, interactive course featuring instruction, exercises, discussion and personalized self-assessments and action plans.

Designed for senior-level students, this course emphasizes solutions to the performance challenges that Federal PM professionals encounter in their day-to-day jobs.  Specific topics addressed include the following activities: cost estimating and cost analysis; formulating financial programs and budgets; benefit/cost analysis and other decision-making tools; total ownership cost, overseeing and interpreting data from an Earned Value Management System (EVMS) and other methods of performance measurement; and knowledge of the rules of budget execution.

Exercises are included to allow the students to practice the skills that they are developing throughout the course. In addition, the course provides an extensive self-assessment tool that students use to determine personal as well as organizational strengths and weaknesses that should be improved. Students will demonstrate their knowledge by preparing and presenting Action Plans for personal and organizational improvements they intend to implement upon return to their jobs.

Topics Covered:

After completing this rigorous course, students will be able to:

• Direct and manage EVM implementation across the program spectrum
• Use advanced project management skills with extensive EVM capabilities
• Interpret and oversee application of department/agency financial policies and directives related to program and resource management
• Understand and direct planning, program and budgeting systems in accordance with (OMB A-11)
• Direct completion of a successful Capital Asset Plan (OMB Exhibit 300) (OMB Exhibit 53)
• Lead and participate in a successful Integrated Baseline Review (IBR)
• Manage the program in accordance with the agency’s and OMB’s planning, programming, and budgeting process
• Ensure optimization of Total Ownership Cost and Life Cycle Cost

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for Senior/Expert Level FAC-P/PM students and Industry professionals with Federal program / acquisition support or project management responsibilities.  Ideal candidates for this course include government personnel with 4+ years of Federal PM experience and industry members who work with Federal PM and acquisition professionals.

Why You Should Attend

Because the entire program was built specifically to meet FAC-P/PM requirements, every lesson, exercise, case, and discussion is inherently Government-specific.  This deep integration of Federal content throughout each course – and across the program – provides a unique educational experience for Government professionals earning their FAC-P/PM, and for Industry experts looking to differentiate themselves in today’s increasingly competitive Federal marketplace.

Exercises and other hands-on activities are woven throughout the course to allow students to practice the cost estimating and EVM skills that they develop.  Throughout the class students also create personalized Action Plans, allowing each student to determine actionable steps that he or she can take to effectively leverage his or her new knowledge upon return the work environment.

Certification and Learning Credits

Federal students who complete this course will meet the training requirements for the OFPP-mandated “Business, Cost Estimating, and Financial Management” competency required for Senior-level FAC-P/PM certification, and those who complete this course and the other three courses in the series complete the senior-level training requirements for all 7 FAC-P/PM competencies.  (Contact your agency Acquisition Career Manager for any additional, agency-specific training requirements your agency may require, as well as the experience requirements for certification.)  Government students earn 24 CLPs, which can be applied to any FAC certification. 

While only Federal employees are eligible for the FAC-P/PM certification, all students receive completion certificates for each course, and both Government and Industry students who complete the program earn the same Master’s Certificate in Federal Acquisition Management.  Many former Industry students have used these certificates to illustrate their advanced Federal PM knowledge on RFPs and RFQs.

This course is further approved by PMI®, and all students will receive 24 PDUs that may be used to fulfill PMI training requirements.