What Is FAC-C Certification? Complete Guide for 2026

FAC-C — Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting — is the credential framework for government employees who work as contracting officers and contract specialists. It is administered by the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI) and applies to civilian agency acquisition professionals who are not under DoD's separate DAWIA/CPCM system. FAC-C has nothing to do with applying for a GSA Schedule — it is a government-side credential, not a vendor qualification.

Who FAC-C Is For — and Who It Is Not For

FAC-C certifies federal employees in GS-1102 series positions (Contract Specialist, Contracting Officer) and related acquisition roles. If you work for a civilian agency and your job involves awarding and administering contracts — writing solicitations, evaluating proposals, negotiating pricing, or issuing contract modifications — FAC-C is your career certification. If you are a private-sector vendor, a GSA Schedule applicant, or a contractor working on a federal contract, FAC-C does not apply to you. The confusion comes from the fact that both sides of federal contracting use the same vocabulary. FAC-C certification is entirely on the government side of the table.

The Three FAC-C Certification Levels

CLPs (Continuous Learning Points) equate to hours of qualifying training. One hour of qualifying acquisition training equals one CLP. Renewal requires 80 CLPs every two years, regardless of your certification level. This 80-CLP renewal requirement is a career-long commitment — not a one-time event. FAC-C certified professionals must continuously accumulate training hours to maintain active certification.

What Qualifies as FAC-C Training

FAI approves specific courses and training providers for CLP credit. The Federal Acquisition Institute itself offers courses through fai.gov that directly satisfy FAC-C requirements. The Defense Acquisition University (DAU) provides courses accessible to civilian agency employees. Core courses include: CON 090 (FAR Basics), CON 100 (Shaping Smart Business Arrangements), CON 121 (Contract Planning), CON 124 (Contract Execution), and CON 127 (Contract Management). The full curriculum map varies by agency implementation and is updated periodically — check the current FAI guidance rather than relying on dated lists.

Beyond formal coursework, certain graduate-level business and law courses, professional conferences, and recognized professional certifications can generate CLPs. These must be pre-approved by your agency's acquisition workforce coordinator to ensure they count toward your FAC-C total.

The OJT Requirement: What It Actually Means

On-the-job training is documented, supervised experience performing acquisition work under a warranted contracting officer or equivalent. Completing all required courses without corresponding OJT experience will not get you certified. OJT documentation typically includes a log of specific contracting actions you participated in — solicitations you drafted, negotiations you were part of, modifications you processed — along with your role in each and supervisor verification of your competency.

For Level III, the OJT requirement is qualitatively more demanding. Candidates need documented experience with complex, high-value contracting actions — contracts that involved difficult technical requirements, contested negotiations, protests, or other situations requiring senior judgment and independent decision-making. The supervisor verification is more rigorous, and some agencies require peer review or competency portfolio assessment.

FAC-C vs. FAC-COR: The Key Distinction

FAC-COR (Contracting Officer's Representative) is a separate certification for federal employees who oversee contractor performance on behalf of the CO but are not in the contracting profession themselves. A program manager who monitors a software development contract is a COR, not a contracting officer. FAC-COR has three levels and its own CLP requirements. Some professionals hold both FAC-C and FAC-COR if their roles span both functions, but these are distinct certifications with distinct requirements — not variations on the same credential.

Maintaining FAC-C: The Renewal Reality

The 80 CLP renewal requirement every two years is not optional. Federal agencies track FAC-C renewal through FAI's aCM system (acquisition Career Management). Contracting officers with lapsed FAC-C certification lose their warrant authority in most agencies — they cannot sign contracts until certification is renewed. For acquisition professionals, this is a career-critical compliance obligation. Build CLP accumulation into your annual professional development plan, not as a last-minute effort before your renewal date.

What counts toward renewal CLPs is similar to the initial certification requirements — approved training from FAI, DAU, and recognized providers. The renewal period is rolling from the date of your last certification action, not a fixed calendar cycle.

Verified against official GSA and FAI sources, March 2026. Program rules, thresholds, and solicitation details are subject to change without notice.