1.1 FAC-C Professional Exam Logistics & Certification Path

1.1 FAC-C Professional Exam Logistics & Certification Path

The Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) Professional credential represents the single, modernized professional standard for contracting professionals across federal civilian executive agencies and the Department of Defense. Framework reforms aligned civilian and defense acquisition workforce requirements under a unified curriculum managed by the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI) and the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) under the policy direction of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

To achieve certification, candidates must satisfy three core pillars: complete required foundational training, demonstrate qualifying professional experience, and achieve a passing score on the comprehensive CON 3990V Contracting Certification Exam.

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CON 3990V Exam Specification & Architecture

The CON 3990V examination serves as the summative assessment validating that a contracting professional possesses the technical competencies necessary to execute federal acquisitions independently and hold a Contracting Officer warrant.

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Prerequisite Course Pipeline

Before registering for the CON 3990V examination, candidates must successfully complete the foundational Defense Acquisition University (DAU) virtual instructor-led training (VILT) sequence. This mandatory curriculum builds end-to-end operational knowledge across all phases of the acquisition lifecycle:

1. CON 1100V: Contracting Foundational Skills — Introduces the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) matrix, statutory authority, contracting ethics, market research fundamentals, and basic acquisition planning concepts.
2. CON 1200V: Contract Planning — Focuses on defining agency requirements, commercial item determinations, small business set-aside strategies, solicitation development (RFPs/IFBs), and source selection method selection.
3. CON 1300V: Contract Execution — Covers proposal evaluation, cost and price analysis, certified cost or pricing data requirements, competitive negotiations, pre-negotiation objectives, and contract award processes.
4. CON 1400V: Contract Management — Details post-award contract administration, quality assurance monitoring by CORs, contract modifications, options, disputes, claims, terminations, and contract closeout.

[CON 1100V] ➔ [CON 1200V] ➔ [CON 1300V] ➔ [CON 1400V] ➔ [12 Months Experience] ➔ [CON 3990V Exam]

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Policy Governance: FAI vs. DAU vs. OFPP

Candidates must understand the distinct roles played by federal acquisition leadership bodies:

• Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP): Establishes overall federal acquisition workforce policy and executive branch standards under 41 U.S.C. 1101.
• Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI): Exercises functional authority over civilian agency contracting workforce policy, manages the FAI Training Application System (FAITAS / CSOD Cornerstone), and mandates FAC-C requirements.
• Defense Acquisition University (DAU): Develops and maintains the standardized instructional content, course learning objectives, and test bank architecture for CON 1100V-1400V and CON 3990V.

The Strict No-Fulfillment Rule

While candidates who possess non-DAU credentials or advanced degrees may apply for course fulfillment for CON 1100V through CON 1400V pursuant to agency policy, no fulfillment, waiver, or equivalency is permitted for the CON 3990V exam. Every applicant seeking FAC-C Professional certification must independently take and pass CON 3990V under proctored testing conditions.

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Experience & Recertification Requirements

In addition to course and exam completion, candidates must document 12 months of full-time professional contracting experience in a qualifying 1102 (Contracting Specialist/Officer) or military equivalent job series. Experience must demonstrate direct participation in acquisition planning, solicitation preparation, price analysis, negotiation, contract award, or contract administration.

To maintain the FAC-C Professional credential after initial award, professionals must earn 80 Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) every two years. Failure to meet the CLP requirement results in credential expiration, which can compromise a Contracting Officer's warrant eligibility.

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Exam Administration & Re-Testing Protocols

The CON 3990V exam is delivered exclusively through Pearson VUE. Candidates receive immediate pass/fail feedback upon exam submission. Key administrative rules include:

• Identification & Security: Candidates must present two forms of valid government-issued identification. No reference materials, scratch paper notes, or electronic devices are permitted inside the testing room.
• Re-testing Wait Periods: Candidates who do not achieve the 70% passing threshold on their first attempt must adhere to agency-specific re-take policies, which typically mandate a 30-day waiting period before a second attempt to allow for remedial study.
• System Tracking: Exam completion and CLP logging are automatically transmitted to FAI CornerStone OnDemand (CSOD) to maintain an accurate digital record of workforce certifications.