BUS501
Preview: BUS501 Government Acquisition :
Course Guide
Prerequisites
Course Description
Instructional Materials
This course provides an introduction and overview of government contracting and its unique nature, demonstrating the differences
between commercial and government contracting, with a concentration on the federal system. Using online resources, students
cover the organization of the Federal Acquisition Regulation and how to interpret relevant subject coverage. Current reforms in the
acquisition field will be incorporated into the course and emerging controversies will be highlighted to provide students with an up-
to-date view of the profession.
Required Resources
Paula Compton. 2010. Federal
Acquisition:
Key
Issues
and
Guidance. Management Concepts, Inc.
Steven W. Feldman. 2016. Government
Contracts
in
a
Nutshell (6th ed.). LEG, Inc. d/b/a West Academic.
beta.SAM.gov. No date. https://beta.sam.gov/
U.S. General Services Administration. No date. GSA Advantage . https://www.gsaadvantage.gov/advantage/main/start_page.do
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. No date. Get Ready to Do Business . https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/get-
ready-to-do-business/index.html%20
U.S. Small Business Administration. No date. Office of Native American Affairs.
https://www.sba.gov/offices/headquarters/naa/resources/3897
Kate M. Manuel. 2013. Responsibility Determinations Under the Federal Acquisition Regulation: Legal Standards and Procedures .
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R40633.pdf
Federal Acquisition Institute. No date. Contracting Officer's Representative (FAC-COR) . https://www.fai.gov/certification/fac-cor
Supplemental Resources
Trevor L. Brown. 2009. The Challenge of Contracting for Large Complex Projects: A Case Study of the Coast Guard’s Deepwater
Program. http://www.businessofgovernment.org/sites/default/files/CoastGuard%20DeepPrgm.pdf
Rene G. Rendon. 2017. Critical Success Factors in Government Contract Management.
http://www.ippa.org/IPPC4/Proceedings/19Others/Paper19-2.pdf
Moshe Schwartz. 2009. Defense Acquisitions: How DOD Acquires Weapon Systems and Recent Efforts to Reform the Process .
https://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL34026.pdf
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linked content.
Course Learning Outcomes
Weekly Course Schedule
Week 1 - To Do List
Discuss: Introduce yourself to your classmates and instructor.
Learn: Read Chapter 1, "Funding," in
Federal
Acquisition:
Key
Issues
and
Guidance.
Learn: Read Chapter 2, "Independent Government Cost Estimates," in Federal
Acquisition:
Key
Issues
and
Guidance.
Learn: Read Chapter 1, "Federal Acquisition Regulations System," in Government
Contracts
in
a
Nutshell.
Learn: Review the slides and notes provided.
Prepare: Complete the Internet research to prepare for this week's discussion.
Discuss: Complete the discussion, Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE).
Week 2 - To Do List
Learn: Read Chapter 3, "Justifying Contract Awards without Full and Open Competition," in Federal
Acquisition:
Key
