Contracting Officer's Representative Training (COR Level I) — FAC-COR

This course is for federal civilian personnel who are taking on Contracting Officer's Representative duties and need their FAC-COR Level I certification training.

The Contracting Officer's Representative is the eyes and ears of the contracting officer — the person who monitors what the contractor actually delivers, documents it, and protects the government's interests across the life of the contract. This course gives new and prospective Level I CORs the foundational knowledge to do that job: the COR's duties, limitations, and authority; ethics and conflicts of interest; acquisition planning and market research; monitoring contractor performance; inspection and acceptance; invoice review and payment; documentation and the COR file; and the communication with the contracting officer that holds it all together. Throughout, the course works from the most current guidance, including how the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO FAR) reshapes the rules CORs work under — so participants leave current, not trained on a framework that's already changed.

And you don't just learn the how — you’ll understand the why, with a special focus on the boundary-setting statutes that define what a COR can and can't do (the Antideficiency Act chief among them), so when a real-world situation doesn't match the slides, you can tell the difference between a rule that flexes and a line that never moves.

This course is taught by Melinda Milheim, JD, who served as a Contract Specialist and COR 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 services, RDT&E, IT, 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. Participants leave with sharper judgment that allows them to protect their organization and themselves, 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: federal civilian personnel preparing to serve as Contracting Officer's Representatives on low-risk, fixed-price contracts, and those seeking FAC-COR Level I certification.

Format: Available as a five-day, three-day, or one-day course, delivered in person or virtually. The one-day version meets the certification minimum (8 CLPs), but the five-day (40 CLPs) is the length most agencies choose. Phoenix Canyon, a DAU/WarU Recognized Equivalent Provider, issues every attendee a certificate of completion documenting the training hours and CLPs earned.

You might also consider

• Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) Refresher / Recertification — FAC-COR — recertify the smart way: get current on everything that's changed (the FAR Overhaul included), sharpen your skills on real scenarios, and walk away with amazing resources you'll love to use.

• Revolutionary FAR Overhaul — everything you know about the FAR just changed. This course gets you up to speed.

• Contracting Officer's Representative Training (COR Level II) — FAC-COR — the next tier, for CORs moving up to contracts of moderate-to-high complexity.

Pricing is set per engagement. Contact Phoenix Canyon to request a quote.