Project Management Expertise

About FAC-P/PM

FAC-P/PM is a three level competency-based project and program management certification for federal government civilian employees. It includes skills specific to the government environment that are not well represented by industry or commercial certifications.

The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) controls the program, the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI) oversees the program, and the individual agencies are responsible for exercising the wide latitude they have been given to develop and implement compliant FAC-P/PM programs.

Project Management Is Becoming More Professional

    I am a big fan of professionalism, and I am delighted to see that project management, my profession of choice for over forty years, has taken another step forward. I can see how this step can directly benefit many project managers and their projects. The US Federal Government just passed the Program Management Improvement and Accountability Act (PMIAA). Note that the use of the term program management in the federal government is not unlike the term project management in the business world. This legislation1 creates, for the first time, a formal job series and career path for program managers in non-Department of Defense agencies in the US federal government. It calls for, among other things, the development of a standards-based model for program management, the establishment of a Program Management Policy Council, and the creation of a Program Manager Improvement Officer position in each agency.

How To Advance FAC-P/PM In Any Government Organization

    Federal civilian government organizations, which are looking to advance their Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers (FAC-P/PM) implementation programs, can benefit from the body of knowledge that has grown since the certification was created. Experiences by the early adopters of the program and FAC-P/PM experts can be leveraged to advantage. Specific implementation methods have been found to efficiently produce lasting results. This paper draws from the growing body of knowledge and expertise to outline an approach that can be tailored by federal leaders and those associated with FAC-P/PM to advance their Agency’s FAC-P/PM implementation programs.

Federal Project Management Understanding: FAC-P/PM And Competency

  This paper summarizes the results of a study to get a glimpse into the status of this unique program. This paper, and the study report upon which it is based, provide federal leaders and those associated with FAC-P/PM with an understanding of the program, its state of implementation, and an effective roadmap to further advance its implementation. The study found that the program’s goal of “well-trained and experienced program and project managers” remains intact, and that the pace of implementation across government agencies is accelerating. Implementation seems further along where positive project management and training attitudes exist; however, implementation is sporadic and hampered by a lack of a centralized or active inter-agency community. Implementation is also hindered by the relatively sizable effort required by each Agency to develop their own individual FAC-P/PM programs. Specific recommendations are included in the study report for the government agencies implementing FAC-P/PM and for the management/oversight of FAC-P/PM by OMB, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), and the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI).

Government-Wide FAC-P/PM Study Report

    The trend of giving increased attention to project management within the U.S. civilian federal government is continuing to intensify. Action by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 2007 resulted in the creation of the first-ever Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers (FAC-P/PM). This report documents the results of a study to get a glimpse into the status of this unique program. It provides federal leaders and those associated with FAC-P/PM with an understanding of the program, it’s state of implementation, and an effective roadmap to advance it’s implementation. The study found that the program’s goal of “well-trained and experienced program and project managers” remains intact, and that the pace of implementation across government agencies is accelerating. Implementation seems further along where positive project management and training attitudes exist; however, implementation is sporadic and hampered by a lack of a centralized or active inter-agency community. Implementation is also hindered by the relatively sizable effort required by each Agency to develop their own individual FAC-P/PM programs. Specific recommendations are included in the report for the government agencies implementing FAC-P/PM and for the management/oversight of FAC-P/PM by OMB, the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), and the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI).

More Federal Project Management Attention

    The trend of giving increased attention to project management within the U.S. civilian federal government is continuing to intensify. Recent action by Congress and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has the potential for significant benefit for project management and project managers. This benefit will include increasing the number of employees involved with project and program management, providing the employees with additional opportunities for training and certification, providing more opportunities to perform project and program management, and providing more funding. This paper provides a summary of the recent history in this area.

The New Federal Project Management Credential

    An important movement has begun within the federal government; for the first time ever civilian employees have the opportunity to earn a certification in project and program management that was created specifically for them. This new certification credential, the Federal Acquisition Certification in Program and Project Management (FAC-P/PM) has been put in place by the Office of Management and Budget. This paper provides information about the history of this new certification, who it applies to, and details about the criteria for earning it.

Federal Project Manager Momentum

    For most project managers career success and project success are highly correlated. "If my project succeeds then I will succeed" has been a common career approach for decades. Consequently, project managers looking for success will gravitate toward organizations that provide more opportunities for project success. This was recognized within the US Federal Government a few years ago when the Services Acquisition Reform Act of 2003 expanded the definition of acquisition to for the first time officially include project managers. More recognition occurred in 2007 when the Office of Management and Budget enacted the Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers (FAC-P/PM) that established training and experience requirements for this field in civilian agencies. Now, larger portions of the federal civilian workforce are focused on maturing their project management skills and experience, which in turn is propelling them toward career success. However, retaining these higher skilled project managers comes with challenges.

Project Management Certification Now Underway At The CIA

    The CIA is not just writing a new chapter in its management of projects book, it is writing an entirely new edition.  This paper addresses the aspects of the comprehensive agency-wide project management training and certification program that have transpired since its launch less than a year ago.  Included is a description of this multi-level, PMBOK aligned, test-based program as well as information about the rigorous development process used for the dozen courses and tests.  The extensive communication campaign is described, as are the key reasons this program is experiencing such high levels of success thus far.

Launching A Project Management Certification Program At The CIA

    A key to successful project management enterprise wide is the level of skill, knowledge, and ability of the organization’s project managers.  This paper examines the project management certification program now being created in the CIA and presents answers to key strategic questions about why and how the program is being implemented.