- Details
- Written by Super User
- Category: Uncategorised
- Hits: 11167
CON 090 Course Overview and Policies
• Course Title: Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Fundamentals
• Course Number: CON 090
• Course Prerequisites: None
• Following Course Completion: DAU Certification for CON 90,
Plus CLPs/CEUs/Number of ACE-Recommended Credits: CLPs: 141/CEUs: 14.1/Graduate-Level Credits: 3 (usually recognized in colleges and universities)
• Course Manager: Aaron DeWispelare, Ph.D.
• Phone: (830) 981-2357
• E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Course Description: FAR Fundamentals (CON 090) is an online version of the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) Level I contracting course primarily intended for contracting and project personnel. This course is fundamentally a self-paced and facilitator guided course which is organized in modules to provide foundational knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) System. Specifically, the course provides immersion training into the FAR, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), the DFARS Procedures, Guidance and Information (PGI), and Department of Defense (DoD) class deviations from the FAR and DFARS.
• Course Objective: Given a contracting scenario, the student will locate, interpret, and apply the acquisition regulations applicable to the Federal Government and that are focused on the Department of Defense. The coverage is intended to address the issues often encountered by contracting and project staff in the conduct of their jobs relative to the FAR.
• Course Concept: This online version of the CON 090 course is intended to provide the student with the maximum in flexibility in that the course is self-paced with a facilitator available to assist the student when necessary. This gives the student maximum schedule flexibility as well as increased flexibility for a sponsoring organization.
The first module of the course will be focused on familiarizing the student with using the FAR/DFARS/PGI/class deviations and developing basic skills necessary to locate and interpret applicable rules. Subsequent modules will focus on the application of the FAR/DFARS/PGI/class deviations to real-world scenarios found in the contract planning, contract formation, and contract administration phases of this challenging project/effort.
• Course Materials: CON 090 Student Materials provided online in this course and the Federal government provided web sites.
• The following critical performances are required in this course:
• Performance: Students must earn the DAU mandated at least 80% of all possible points to pass (see Evaluation).
• Behavioral: To be successful in CON 090, students will have to develop effective habits and skills to independently be able to follow the programmed course of study which focuses on the student conducting research to understand and correctly utilize the content of the FAR/DFARS. The course facilitator’s role will be to guide the students through an immersive learning environment and discuss/answer questions of understanding — not to provide information that students can (and must be able to) easily look up themselves. As such, since familiarization with the FAR is the purpose of the course, students shouldn’t be offended if during the course when questions arise for the facilitator to discuss the issues with the student, that the facilitator requests that the student research the issue in the FAR prior to the discussion. And for trivial issues in the FAR, the facilitator may advise the student to experience the FAR by “looking it up” instead of just giving the answer/solution immediately. Students must also accept that, despite their prior academic achievements, they may occasionally be wrong during this course as understanding of some of the regulations is complex and not always obvious. This is part of the learning process. It is much better to make mistakes in the course when they are of lesser consequence than in the workplace where they can cost taxpayers millions of dollars and embarrass the organization. To be successful, students must actively and independently participate in the course to complete the assigned work and progress through the modules and successfully complete the quizzes and module exams. The lessons in the course are constructed to guide the student through the process of become familiar with the content of the FAR/DFARS at a level that is required for certification in CON 90. This course is self-paced with twenty-three (23) lessons in four (4) modules which must be taken sequentially. Spaced throughout the series of lessons are twelve (12) quizzes (spaced throughout the lessons, and each quiz can be taken twice to improve the score for that quiz) and the four (4) module exams (also spaced throughout the course). All quizzes and exams are multiple choice/true-false, and open book with internet access to the government FAR web sites. The expectation is for the student to progress through at least two lessons per week once they begin. Depending on the time the student has available, some students will progress at a pace considerably faster than two lessons per week. If the student has questions on understanding the content of the FAR/DFARS, or administrative issues, they should immediately contact the course facilitator.
• Evaluation (how performance will be assessed): Students will be evaluated on the basis of their performance on quizzes and exams. Students must achieve an overall score of 80% to pass. A breakdown of the evaluation scheme is provided below:
12 Quizzes @ 20 points each (drop the two
lowest quiz grades) 200
4 Module Examinations @ 50 points each 200
TOTAL POINTS AVAILABLE 400
MINIMUM REQUIRED TO PASS (80%) 320
Final Grade: Your final grade will be the sum of your overall ten (10) highest individual quiz scores and overall four (4) module exam scores.
• Course Policies
· The course is organized in the DAU mandated sequence for coverage of the required content.
· Student Responsibility: Students will follow the required sequence of activities laid out for the course. Students are responsible for ensuring that they are attaining the learning objectives. As such, students must communicate any problems or difficulties that they are encountering to the course facilitator.
· The student must provide the course tuition payment in advance to become an active student in the course.
· Participation in the course to progress and complete within the prescribed schedule agreement below:
· Complete within 120 days after enrollment (given the extreme flexibility in scheduling this self-paced course, the 120 day time limit is more than ample to complete this course, so there is no option for extending the time limit no matter the reason)*
· Actively participate at least once every 30 days after enrollment*
· Ensure attainment of learning objectives through student evaluations (quizzes and module exams)
· Extra Credit: There will be no opportunity for students to earn extra credit
· Student Issues/Concerns: Students who have an issue or concern within the learning environment, should promptly contact their course facilitator
* If for any reason a student self-withdraws from the course, is inactive for 30 consecutive days or fails to complete the course in 120 days after starting the course, the student will be administratively withdrawn with the refund schedule shown below:
• During Module 1 – 50% refund of tuition
• During Module 2 – 30% refund of tuition
• During Module 3 – 10% refund of tuition
• During Module 4 – No refund of tuition
This schedule of tuition refunds is structured to additionally motivate the student to satisfactorily progress and complete the course successfully and receive the Certification for CON 90. To continue, go to www.drdstraining.com and there self-register (get a user name, password, etc.,) and then proceed to the payment page (PayPal or credit card) to submit tuition payment and you will be enrolled and can then start the course.
If you have questions and for current pricing, please contact me
at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
* finders fee is paid for a referred student who registers for Dr. D's CON 090 and successfully completes the course (send the referred student's information to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. where then the student will be invited to register).
Copyright © 2021 Dr. D’s Leverage, LLC. All Rights Reserved
- Details
- Written by Super User
- Category: Uncategorised
- Hits: 70555
AARON R. DEWISPELARE, Ph.D., P.E., PMP, ACP, SSBBP
Consultant and Trainer
Ph.D. Systems Engineering, University of Virginia, 1980
M.B.A. (Economics), Xavier University, 1983
M.S. Systems Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, 1976
B.S. Electrical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, 1976
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Nebraska, 1971
Dr. DeWispelare’s professional career spans over 35 years and includes extensive experience in both the public and private sectors. His 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) included experience in the fields of engineering analysis and design, computer technology, project and resource management and academia. In the private sector at Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI), Dr. DeWispelare held positions ranging from principal investigator involved in technical research to director where he led a department of over 100 Computer Science and Computer/Electrical/Mechanical Engineering based staff that applied advanced technologies to develop complex state-of-the-art prototypes and information systems for customers in commercial industry and local, state and federal government.
In government service at assignments in the USAF Flight Dynamics Laboratory, Electronic Warfare Simulator Branch, Information Warfare Center, and Joint Tactical Missile Signatures Program Office, Dr. DeWispelare functioned as staff engineer, chief scientist, project manager, and program director. Among the programs he managed include those with budgets in excess of $25 Million annually and those where he had supervisory responsibility for staff sizes of over 350 personnel. His program management responsibilities also included programs with maintenance and customer service for a 100,000 volume technical library with production of complex technical engineering parametric products, and operational responsibility for the execution of two national level computerized database programs.
At SwRI, Dr. DeWispelare served as principal investigator/project manager on several projects for both industry and the federal government including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Defense (DOD). As project manager, his projects involved the design and implementation of various hardware and software prototypes. Two notable projects that he functioned as project manager were the Theater Medical Information Program where he directed this $35Million program with a staff of over 70 personnel to successful fielding in record time, and then subsequently serving as the initial project manager of the $25Million Veterans Administration’s Enterprise Wide Scheduling Rehosting Project. He then moved to a position of director, and in this role had oversight of his department’s projects, which typically numbers over 20 simultaneous projects.
Dr. DeWispelare has taught engineering and project management courses over the last 30 years at the graduate and undergraduate levels academically, and he has presented short courses and training sessions for industry on a regular basis. Additionally, he is a regular instructor for the Alamo Chapter of the Project Management Institute (PMI®) in their education and PMP preparation training programs. He was an Associate Professor on the faculty of the Air Force Institute of Technology, and has held adjunct professor positions for Auburn University, Webster University, Park University, University of the Incarnate Word, and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). He is currently teaching graduate courses in project management for two local universities, including UTSA. In addition, he is the 2010 Kemper Outstanding Faculty Award Winner and a past National Rist Award Winner for outstanding research from the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science. Moreover, Dr. DeWispelare has published 59 articles in scientific journals and made over 70 presentations at technical symposia and conferences. His dissertation topic was concerned with the application of vector optimization techniques to convex problems, and the automation of those techniques.
PROFESSIONAL CHRONOLOGY: United States Air Force, 1972-1992 (design engineer, associate professor, project manager, program manager, director; separated with rank of Lieutenant Colonel); Southwest Research Institute, 1992-2009 (principal engineer, staff engineer, manager, director, program director); Asentrene, Inc., 2009-2013 (Vice-President and Treasurer ― course designer, trainer and consultant); Dr. D's Leverage, LLC, 2014-Present (Present and CEO)
Professional Engineer: Registered Professional Engineer in Texas, Florida, Nebraska, and Ohio.
Professional Memberships: Institute of Operations Research and Management Science, and Military Operations Research Society.
- Details
- Written by Super User
- Category: Uncategorised
- Hits: 10649
RENE G. RENDON, CPSM, C.P.M., CPCM, PMP
Consultant and Trainer
DBA, Argosy University, 2003
MBA, University of North Dakota, 1985
BBA, Angelo State University, 1981
Dr. Rendon is a nationally recognized authority in the areas of supply management, contract management, and project management. He is currently on the faculty of the United States Naval Postgraduate School where he teaches in the MBA and Master of Science programs. Prior to his appointment at the Naval Postgraduate School, Dr. Rendon served for more than 22 years as an acquisition and contracting officer in the United States Air Force. His Air Force career included assignments as a warranted contracting officer, contracting squadron commander, and director of contracting for the Air Force’s satellite and launch programs.
As a contracting officer, he managed contracts for the development, production, and deployment of new weapon systems to meet the requirements of the Air Force. As Squadron Commander, 47th Contracting Squadron, he was the senior warranted contracting officer leading critical squadron of 37 military and civilian personnel responsible for managing approximately $32M of contract support to the Air Force pilot training mission.
As the Director of Contracts, Space Based Infrared Systems Program Office, Space and Missile Systems Center, he was the senior warranted contracting officer leading a team of 26 military and civilian contracting personnel responsible for the solicitation, negotiation, and administration of the $11 billion space based infrared program contracts, including missile defense surveillance satellites and ground stations. In connection with the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Program Office, Space and Missile Systems Center, he was the senior warranted contracting officer leading a team of 10 military and civilian business advisors responsible for the award and administration of contracts for the development and ordering of launch services for DoD's #1 space launch program.
Dr. Rendon has conducted research for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) and the U.S. Navy. As a Level III certified professional in both Program Management and Contracting under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) program, he has taught acquisition and program management courses to international military officers and civilian officials at various military installations.
Dr. Rendon received the prestigious Fellow Award as well as the National Education Award and the Outstanding Fellow Award from the National Contracts Management Association (NCMA), and he is a member of the NCMA Board of Advisors as well as associate editor for its Journal of Contract Management. Also, he received the Outstanding Officer in Contracting Award from the United States Air Force. Dr. Rendon is a member of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Certification Committee and serves on the Editorial Review Board for the ISM Inside Supply Management magazine. He is the author and co-author of Federal Government contracting-related books. He has also published scholarly articles in professional publications related to Federal Government contracting and project management. He is a frequent speaker at university symposia and professional conferences, and is a consultant and trainer to both government and industry clients.
PROFESSIONAL CHRONOLOGY: United States Air Force, 1982-2004 (contracting officer, contracting squadron commander, and director of contracting; retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel); Naval Postgraduate School, 2004-Present (Associate Professor).
Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) and Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.) – Institute for Supply Management; Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) – National Contracts Management Association; Project Management Professional (PMP)® – Project Management Institute (PMI)®.
Professional Memberships: Institute for Supply Management, National Contracts Management Association, and the Project Management Institute®.
PMP and PMI are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.