Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) Refresher / Recertification — FAC-COR
Recertification shouldn't mean sitting through the same slides you saw three years ago.
Right now is one of the most dynamic times to be in federal contracting. More has changed over the last two years than in twenty before it. This course will bring you current, sharpen your judgment, and make you better at your work.
We’ll start with the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO FAR) — the biggest change to federal contracting in a generation. It directly reshapes the rules CORs work under — so a meaningful part of this course is getting you current on the overhaul: what moved, what it means for your day-to-day, and how to research the new FAR when a question comes up. From there, we refresh the core of the COR's job — duties, limitations, and authority; ethics and conflicts of interest; performance monitoring and surveillance; documentation and the COR file; inspection and acceptance; invoice review and payment; and modifications — but we do it through current scenarios and real situations, not a recital of the basics. You'll also leave with resources worth keeping: the references, tools, and where-to-look-it-up knowledge that make you faster and more confident the next time something lands on your desk.
And we won’t just go over the "how" — you will also learn the underlying "why" — the laws, regulations, and policies that define our industry’s direction as well as the boundaries of what you can, shouldn’t, and definitely can’t do (with special attention on the Antideficiency Act). So, next time 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. 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: currently certified Contracting Officer's Representatives at any FAC-COR level who need continuous-learning points for their two-year recertification — and want to get current on the FAR Overhaul while they do it.
Format: Available as a one-day (8 CLPs) or five-day (40 CLPs) course, delivered in person or virtually. The one-day fully meets a Level I COR's two-year recertification requirement; the five-day delivers the full 40 CLPs that satisfy a Level II or Level III COR's two-year recertification. Other lengths are available to match your team's specific continuous-learning needs. Phoenix Canyon, a DAU/WarU Recognized Equivalent Provider, issues every attendee a certificate of completion documenting the training hours and CLPs earned. Because agencies establish eligibility rules, always check with your agency Acquisition Career Manager (ACM) to confirm what training fits your requirements.
You might also consider
Revolutionary FAR Overhaul — everything you know about the FAR just changed. The deep-dive course on the overhaul, for CORs who want the full picture, not just the COR-relevant slice.
Contracting Officer's Representative Training (COR Level II) — FAC-COR — for CORs ready to certify up to moderate-to-high-complexity contracts.
Mind Games & Money Moves: The Psychology of Negotiation — the COR's edge when modifications, disputes, and problem performance land: how to read the other side and move a deal.
Pricing is set per engagement. Contact Phoenix Canyon to request a quote.
Recertification shouldn't mean sitting through the same slides you saw three years ago.
Right now is one of the most dynamic times to be in federal contracting. More has changed over the last two years than in twenty before it. This course will bring you current, sharpen your judgment, and make you better at your work.
We’ll start with the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO FAR) — the biggest change to federal contracting in a generation. It directly reshapes the rules CORs work under — so a meaningful part of this course is getting you current on the overhaul: what moved, what it means for your day-to-day, and how to research the new FAR when a question comes up. From there, we refresh the core of the COR's job — duties, limitations, and authority; ethics and conflicts of interest; performance monitoring and surveillance; documentation and the COR file; inspection and acceptance; invoice review and payment; and modifications — but we do it through current scenarios and real situations, not a recital of the basics. You'll also leave with resources worth keeping: the references, tools, and where-to-look-it-up knowledge that make you faster and more confident the next time something lands on your desk.
And we won’t just go over the "how" — you will also learn the underlying "why" — the laws, regulations, and policies that define our industry’s direction as well as the boundaries of what you can, shouldn’t, and definitely can’t do (with special attention on the Antideficiency Act). So, next time 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. 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: currently certified Contracting Officer's Representatives at any FAC-COR level who need continuous-learning points for their two-year recertification — and want to get current on the FAR Overhaul while they do it.
Format: Available as a one-day (8 CLPs) or five-day (40 CLPs) course, delivered in person or virtually. The one-day fully meets a Level I COR's two-year recertification requirement; the five-day delivers the full 40 CLPs that satisfy a Level II or Level III COR's two-year recertification. Other lengths are available to match your team's specific continuous-learning needs. Phoenix Canyon, a DAU/WarU Recognized Equivalent Provider, issues every attendee a certificate of completion documenting the training hours and CLPs earned. Because agencies establish eligibility rules, always check with your agency Acquisition Career Manager (ACM) to confirm what training fits your requirements.
You might also consider
Revolutionary FAR Overhaul — everything you know about the FAR just changed. The deep-dive course on the overhaul, for CORs who want the full picture, not just the COR-relevant slice.
Contracting Officer's Representative Training (COR Level II) — FAC-COR — for CORs ready to certify up to moderate-to-high-complexity contracts.
Mind Games & Money Moves: The Psychology of Negotiation — the COR's edge when modifications, disputes, and problem performance land: how to read the other side and move a deal.
Pricing is set per engagement. Contact Phoenix Canyon to request a quote.