Competition in Federal Contracting — One-Day Essentials
This course is for government personnel and federal contractors who want to develop a deeper understanding of competition requirements in federal acquisition — not just the rule that you must compete, but how to compete the right way, when limited competition is justified, and how to protect your organization at every step.
Full and open competition is still the law — but the rulebook that governs it, and its exceptions, just got rewritten.
Competition is the foundation of federal contracting. It's how the government gets the best value, treats vendors fairly, and protects the integrity of every award. That principle, rooted in statute, hasn't changed. But under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul, the part of the FAR that governs competition has been streamlined and restructured — consolidated, reorganized, and rewritten in plainer language. The rules you learned may now live somewhere new, look different, or read differently than they once did.
In one focused day, your team will learn the essentials: why competition matters, the difference between full and open competition and the alternatives, and the circumstances under which the government may limit or forgo it altogether. You'll see how competition connects to the decisions around it — market research, requirements, set-asides, and the choice of competitive procedures. And throughout, you'll work with the current guidance that makes these decisions clearer and more defensible, including the RFO FAR Part 6, the RFO FAR Part 6 Practitioner's Album, and the RFO FAR Companion.
Most importantly, you'll learn how to protect your organization when it departs from full and open competition — through proper documentation and a well-crafted justification and approval process. And you'll learn to recognize where competition decisions go wrong in the first place, and how those missteps resurface later in bid protests.
And, of course, woven throughout the course are the business case studies, best practices, and lessons learned from real events — so your people get the takeaways without getting the scars.
This course is taught by Melinda Milheim, JD, who 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 mostly services contracts — spanning commercial, RDT&E, engineering, medical, and major weapon-system programs. She draws on that experience, along with her law degree and MBA studies, to teach acquisition in an engaging and innovative way, breaking down complicated principles into easy-to-understand pieces — so participants leave with sharper judgment, not just a stack of slides to follow. 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, program and project managers, and federal contractors who want to understand and apply federal competition requirements with greater confidence and judgment.
Format: One day, 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.
Pricing is set per engagement. Contact Phoenix Canyon to request a quote.
This course is for government personnel and federal contractors who want to develop a deeper understanding of competition requirements in federal acquisition — not just the rule that you must compete, but how to compete the right way, when limited competition is justified, and how to protect your organization at every step.
Full and open competition is still the law — but the rulebook that governs it, and its exceptions, just got rewritten.
Competition is the foundation of federal contracting. It's how the government gets the best value, treats vendors fairly, and protects the integrity of every award. That principle, rooted in statute, hasn't changed. But under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul, the part of the FAR that governs competition has been streamlined and restructured — consolidated, reorganized, and rewritten in plainer language. The rules you learned may now live somewhere new, look different, or read differently than they once did.
In one focused day, your team will learn the essentials: why competition matters, the difference between full and open competition and the alternatives, and the circumstances under which the government may limit or forgo it altogether. You'll see how competition connects to the decisions around it — market research, requirements, set-asides, and the choice of competitive procedures. And throughout, you'll work with the current guidance that makes these decisions clearer and more defensible, including the RFO FAR Part 6, the RFO FAR Part 6 Practitioner's Album, and the RFO FAR Companion.
Most importantly, you'll learn how to protect your organization when it departs from full and open competition — through proper documentation and a well-crafted justification and approval process. And you'll learn to recognize where competition decisions go wrong in the first place, and how those missteps resurface later in bid protests.
And, of course, woven throughout the course are the business case studies, best practices, and lessons learned from real events — so your people get the takeaways without getting the scars.
This course is taught by Melinda Milheim, JD, who 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 mostly services contracts — spanning commercial, RDT&E, engineering, medical, and major weapon-system programs. She draws on that experience, along with her law degree and MBA studies, to teach acquisition in an engaging and innovative way, breaking down complicated principles into easy-to-understand pieces — so participants leave with sharper judgment, not just a stack of slides to follow. 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, program and project managers, and federal contractors who want to understand and apply federal competition requirements with greater confidence and judgment.
Format: One day, 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.
Pricing is set per engagement. Contact Phoenix Canyon to request a quote.