VAAA Case Study

The VAAA needed to create a certification training program for program and project managers in their acquisition workforce. The FAC-P/PM certification helps acquisition professionals gain essential project management knowledge. Before this program, 60% of the agency’s projects were not delivered according to plan.

The training program needed to equip federal acquisition professionals at various career and experience levels with effective project management skills. The goal was to reduce marginal-to-incomplete projects within the agency and establish a certification track to prepare professionals for advanced responsibilities.

We designed, developed, and delivered 3 levels of training: entry, mid, and senior. Each level included 15 days of instruction across 4 areas: concept definition, planning, development and implementation, and operations and closeout. Meeting all FAI requirements, we spread the programs over 3 months, allowing participants to apply their new knowledge incrementally on the job.

• According to participant feedback, the combination of in-class learning and on-the-job application enhanced understanding and retention
• The agency reported a significant decrease in failed projects due to improved training and enhanced project and program management expertise
• VAAA considers the FAC-P/PM certification program one of the most successful training programs in the federal government
• Program participation is at an all-time high, with executives using the certification to identify qualified project and program managers for high-profile projects