Bid Protests — One-Day Essentials
Everything you need to know about the thing government contracting offices dread most — bid protests — all in one day.
Bid Protests — One-Day Essentials covers what a bid protest is and what may be protested, the three venues where a protest may be filed — the agency, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC) — plus who may protest, when, and the timeframes that govern each. Next, we learn about the automatic stay that can suspend performance and what it takes to override it. Then, we move into government responses for each stage, looking at requirements and strategy employed. We will talk about how to best defend the award, and when it is smarter to cancel the award and re-compete. We will also discuss the public policy reasons behind the RFO FAR's emphasis on agency-level resolution, and how that approach actually benefits the government. Finally, the course focuses on perhaps the most important thing of all: the best practices that avoid protest risk in the first place. Throughout, we learn how to navigate RFO FAR Part 33, its Practitioner Album, and the FAR Companion, so every participant can find the answers they need in this quickly changing regulatory landscape.
This course is taught by Melinda Milheim, JD, who spent her federal career in the acquisition workforce. She served as a Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer's Representative for the U.S. Navy and the Department of Health and Human Services / Indian Health Service, where she worked on more than $7.7 billion in federal contracts, spanning RDT&E, engineering, medical, and major weapon-system programs. She draws on that experience, along with her law degree and MBA studies, to teach the why behind the how — so participants leave with sharper judgment, not just a stack of slides. An award-winning DAU/WarU (DAWIA and FAI) instructor, she has taught more than 1,000 federal acquisition workforce students across 20-plus agencies.
Best for: contracting officers, contract specialists, CORs, and program and project managers who want to handle bid protests — at the agency level, GAO, and the Court of Federal Claims — with confidence and precision.
Format: Available as a one-day course, delivered in person or virtually, 8 CLPs/0.8 CEU. Phoenix Canyon issues every attendee a certificate of completion documenting the number of training hours as well as CEUs and CLPs earned, which employers may count toward Continuous Learning or Professional Development requirements at their discretion.
Phoenix Canyon also offers companion courses: Contract Disputes — One-Day Essentials, Contract Terminations — One Day Essentials, and The Changes Clause — One-Day Essentials for those who would like additional expertise.
Pricing is set per engagement. Contact Phoenix Canyon to request a quote.
Everything you need to know about the thing government contracting offices dread most — bid protests — all in one day.
Bid Protests — One-Day Essentials covers what a bid protest is and what may be protested, the three venues where a protest may be filed — the agency, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (COFC) — plus who may protest, when, and the timeframes that govern each. Next, we learn about the automatic stay that can suspend performance and what it takes to override it. Then, we move into government responses for each stage, looking at requirements and strategy employed. We will talk about how to best defend the award, and when it is smarter to cancel the award and re-compete. We will also discuss the public policy reasons behind the RFO FAR's emphasis on agency-level resolution, and how that approach actually benefits the government. Finally, the course focuses on perhaps the most important thing of all: the best practices that avoid protest risk in the first place. Throughout, we learn how to navigate RFO FAR Part 33, its Practitioner Album, and the FAR Companion, so every participant can find the answers they need in this quickly changing regulatory landscape.
This course is taught by Melinda Milheim, JD, who spent her federal career in the acquisition workforce. She served as a Contract Specialist and Contracting Officer's Representative for the U.S. Navy and the Department of Health and Human Services / Indian Health Service, where she worked on more than $7.7 billion in federal contracts, spanning RDT&E, engineering, medical, and major weapon-system programs. She draws on that experience, along with her law degree and MBA studies, to teach the why behind the how — so participants leave with sharper judgment, not just a stack of slides. An award-winning DAU/WarU (DAWIA and FAI) instructor, she has taught more than 1,000 federal acquisition workforce students across 20-plus agencies.
Best for: contracting officers, contract specialists, CORs, and program and project managers who want to handle bid protests — at the agency level, GAO, and the Court of Federal Claims — with confidence and precision.
Format: Available as a one-day course, delivered in person or virtually, 8 CLPs/0.8 CEU. Phoenix Canyon issues every attendee a certificate of completion documenting the number of training hours as well as CEUs and CLPs earned, which employers may count toward Continuous Learning or Professional Development requirements at their discretion.
Phoenix Canyon also offers companion courses: Contract Disputes — One-Day Essentials, Contract Terminations — One Day Essentials, and The Changes Clause — One-Day Essentials for those who would like additional expertise.
Pricing is set per engagement. Contact Phoenix Canyon to request a quote.