The Ravens Group is proud to offer 35 different courses in Contracting and Acquisition and Leadership and Management. These courses are designed to help organizations and individuals in both the public and private sectors deal with the mandate for organizational efficiency, along with the challenges posed by replacing an aging and/or retiring work force.

We offer 17 Contracting and Acquisition courses, ranging from one day courses in Acquisition Planning and Market Research, to a four-day "Boot Camp" for Contracting Professionals. We've partnered with a recognized leader in Federal acquisition to develop courses that provide contract specialists and end users alike with the knowledge they need to enhance the effectiveness of the Federal acquisition process.

We also offer 18 Leadership and Management courses that provide insight into Leadership, Change Management, Conflict Resolution and Decision-Making, along with specific knowledge in some of today's most challenging organizational leadership issues, including Workplace Diversity, Sexual Harassment, Family Leave and Government Ethics.

The Ravens Group can deliver these high quality, interactive courses to your organization on-site, or in our facilities in the Washington, DC Metro Area. We can tailor each course to meet the specific needs of your organization. The Ravens Group has the ability and agility to provide training that will help maximize your human capital and organizational performance. We Can Do That!

Contact Sid Evans or Janet Cooksey at (301) 577-8585 or e-mail training@theravensgroup.com for additional information.

Click on a hyperlink below to see a description of each course:

CONTRACTING AND ACQUISITION:

CA 101: Acquisition Planning

CA 102: Best Value Source Selection

CA 103: Boot Camp for Contracting Professionals

CA 104: Conducting Market Research

CA 105: Contract Closeout

CA 106: Contracting Officer Representative (COR)

CA 107: COR Refresher

CA 108: Ethics in Federal Contracting

CA 109: Federal Acquisition Regulation Boot Camp

CA 110: Justification & Approval

CA 111: Methods, Types & Kinds of Contracts

CA 112: Negotiation: The Win-Win Factor

CA 113: Performance-Based Service Acquisition

CA 114: Performance-Based Work Statements

CA 115: Simplified Acquisition Procedures

CA 116: Small Business CON LM 11

CA 117: Winning Proposals

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT:

LM 101: Breakthrough Leadership Skills

LM 102: Change Leadership & Management

LM 103: Coaching for Results

LM 104: Conflict Resolution

LM 105: Creative Leadership

LM 106: Dimensions of Leadership

LM 107: Diversity in the Workplace

LM 108: Emotional Intelligence & Effectiveness

LM 109: Ethics in Government & Business

LM 110: Family Leave Act

LM 111: Management Controls

LM 112: Mentoring in the Workplace

LM 113: Interviewing Techniques

LM 114: Personal Change Skills

LM 115: Resiliency for Employees and Supervisors

LM 116: Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

LM 117: Strategic Decision Making

LM 118: The Art of Negotiations

CA 101: ACQUISITION PLANNING (1 Day).

Contracting personnel will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the specific duties required for acquisition/procurement strategy and planning. Students will understand the contracting environment, analyze requirements, and plan for competition and source selection.

CA 102: BEST VALUE SOURCE SELECTION (2 Days).

This course explores the procedural choices available to the government in achieving best value in negotiated procurements using the tradeoff and lowest price technically acceptable source selection process in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and how these choices impact competing contractors.

CA 103: BOOT CAMP FOR CONTRACTING PROFESSIONALS (4 Days).

This course provides acquisition professionals with the behavior (i.e., resiliency and leadership) and technical skills (i.e. acquisition planning, contract formation (solicitation, evaluation, award), administration and closeout, etc.) by teaching students how to find, interpret, understand, and apply the Federal Acquisition Regulation rules.

CA 104: CONDUCTING MARKET RESEARCH (1 Day).

This course will teach acquisition professionals to leverage experience and information and identify tools necessary to perform effective market research. Participants will learn skills to develop and execute a comprehensive market research plan.

CA 105: CONTRACT CLOSEOUT (1 Day).

This course is designed for the practitioner. The course covers issues involved with successfully contract closeout. It discusses organization structure and players required for closeout and teach students how to execute the steps required to close out different types of contracts.

CA 106: CONTRACTING OFFICER REPRESENTATIVE (COR) (3 Days).

This comprehensive course is designed to provide non-contracting personnel with knowledge of the federal acquisition process as well as the knowledge and skills to execute their responsibilities as a representative of the contracting officer. This course presents and discusses new laws and regulations that pertain to the federal government oversight process.

CA 107: COR REFRESHER (2 Days).

This course provides the most current insight for enhancing functional knowledge and technical performance for Contracting Officer Representatives (CORs), Technical Administrators, and Quality Assurance personnel. The course presents and discusses new laws and regulations, as well as the recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, which pertain to the federal government oversight process. This course reemphasizes procurement integrity and ethics issues.

CA 108: ETHICS IN FEDERAL CONTRACTING (1 Day).

This course explains the meaning and purpose of ethics, particularly as related to federal government acquisition and contracting employees. The course focuses on how to identify and avoid problems area through awareness of and adherence to ethics laws and regulations.

CA 109: FAR BOOT CAMP (4 Days).

This course provides federal contracting and technical personnel, as well as government contractors and subcontractors, with an orientation to the policies and procedures that governs the federal acquisition process.

CA 110: JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL (J&A) (1 Day).

This course provides guidance for the requirements information included in the J&A process. Pursuant to FAR 6.302, there are limited circumstances that allow for contracting using other than full and open competition. This course will address information technical and requirements personnel are responsible for providing and certifying as accurate and complete to support their recommendation for other than full and open competition.

CA 111: METHODS, TYPES & KINDS OF CONTRACTS (2 Days).

This course provides an overview of contract methods (sealed bidding, negotiation, other negotiate methods), contract types (fixed price, cost reimbursement) and kinds (services supplies, construction, etc) most frequently used in federal contracting as well as the basic principles and limitations governing their use.

CA 112: NEGOTIATIONS: THE WIN-WIN FACTOR (2 Days).

This course will provide students with the knowledge and skills to successfully negotiate the best value for the government. Students will be able to conduct exchanges with offerors prior to negotiations, determine the competitive range and extent of discussions, prepare negotiation strategy, and conduct discussions and award contracts that result in the overall best value.

CA 113: PERFORMANCE-BASED SERVICE ACQUISITION (PBSA) (3 Days).

This course covers the unique aspects of service contracting. Students will analyze requirements with respect to the ability to contract based on performance. Determine if the requirements document is performance-based and select the method of contracting and source selection process in a performance-based environment.

CA 114: PERFORMANCE-BASED STATEMENTS OF WORK (PWS) (1 Day).

This course is designed for program personnel or others who develop performance work statements to describe their service contract requirements. Students will discuss the policies and procedures governing the use of performance-based work statements (PWS). Describe the statement of objective approach to describing the requirement and learn how to write the PWS and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan.

CA 115: SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES (1 Day).

This course is designed for purchasing and contracting professionals who require an understanding of the simplified methods of acquisition. Students will discuss the laws governing the use of required resources, describe the responsibilities and authority of participants in the process, evaluate purchase requests and make source of supply decisions.

CA 116: SMALL BUSINESS 101 (1 Day).

This course defines and describes Federal socioeconomic programs. Students will gain an understanding of program policies, procedures, and problem areas associated with various socioeconomic programs benefiting small businesses. Students will be able to describe the different socioeconomic programs required by the Federal Acquisition Regulation and determine which program or programs to use for a particular acquisition.

CA 117: WRITING WINNING PROPOSALS (1 Day).

This course provides a detailed review of the federal government proposals process and explains how to develop winning proposals in response to government requests for proposal (RFP). Course participants will also learn how to plan, organize and manage proposal responses, write the proposal, review and revise proposals; how to package and submit the proposal; respond after proposal submission and participate in de-briefs after award announcement.

LM 101: BREAKTHROUGH LEADERSHIP (2 Days).

This course is for both existing and emerging industry and government leaders to "lead out of the box" to allow them to tackle their biggest issues and opportunities. Participants build on their natural leadership tendencies and learn new skills.

LM 102: CHANGE LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT (1 Day).

This course explores horizontal modes of operation. It applies a consistent theory in leading your team and teaches critical leadership skills. Participants examine the difference between managing and leading, the nature of organizational change, and their role in creating a difference at work.

LM 103: COACHING FOR RESULTS (1 Day).

This course addresses essential coaching skills that leaders and managers need to develop highly effective performers. Participants gain a better understanding of why and how to use coaching, which enhances interpersonal, problem solving, and feedback skills.

LM 104: CONFLICT RESOLUTION (1 Day).

This course examines some simple and highly effective methods for working with people in situations of conflict. Participants will understand why conflict must be dealt with rather than ignored. Participants will focus on techniques used to determine underlying problems and use various techniques to solve problems while maintaining positive relationships with individuals.

LM 105: CREATIVE LEADERSHIP (1 Day).

The enormous challenges facing leaders today necessitate creative effective, streamlined communication, and business acumen skills. Participants focus on what is required to emerge as a successful leader. The course explores multiple leadership models that have worked for successful CEOs and managers.

LM 106: DIMENSIONS OF LEADERSHIP (1 Day).

This course explores leadership from three dimensions: self as leader, others as leaders or the need for situational leadership. Participants assess broad aspects of leadership: character, analysis, accomplishment and interaction.

LM 107: DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE (1 Day).

This course examines the various aspects of diversity and encourages a workplace environment that respects the differences of all individuals.

LM 108: EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND EFFECTIVENESS (1 Day).

This course addresses specific skills, habits and attitudesthe personal and social skills that lead to superior performance. By developing or enhancing skills, individuals can significantly improve their capacity for success.

LM 109: ETHICS IN GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS (1 Day).

This course focuses on ethical principles, conflict of interest and laws and regulations governing the relationship between government and contractor personnel.

LM 110: FAMILY LEAVE ACT (1 Day).

This course examines federal leave policy under the Family and Medical Act, as it relates to employees (to include military) and their families.

LM 111: MANAGEMENT CONTROLS (2 Days).

This course is designed to help businesses and agencies look critically at whether there procedures adequately minimize risk and promote best practices from within.

LM 112: MENTORING (1 Day).

This course will give participants the foundational knowledge and skills to mentor people and engage mentees in building relationships. Participants will learn the significance of mentoring in learning and development and the different roles that a mentor can play.

LM 113: INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES (1 Day).

This course focuses on how well individuals communicate their qualifications during the interview process and provides skills that will help improve the process.

LM 114: PERSONAL CHANGE SKILLS (2 Days).

This course focuses on techniques and strategies to assist leaders and managers in balancing personal issues and those of their co-workers within a changing environment.

LM 115: RESILIENCY FOR EMPLOYEES AND SUPERVISORS (2 Days).

This course examines a person's ability to absorb high levels of disruptive change, bounce back, and excel in times of change and uncertainty, without acting in dysfunctional ways.

LM 117: SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE (1 Day).

This course examines federal laws prohibiting sexual harassment and their consequences for violation in the workplace.

LM 116: STRATEGIC DECISION MAKING (1 Day).

This course focuses on making decisions as the fulcrum upon which your organization succeeds or fails. Participants will use a matrix and decision making skills to make decisions in the most vexing situations.

LM 118: THE ART OF NEGOTIATIONS (1 Day).

This course focuses on the ability to negotiate effectively, create win-win situations and develop integrative relationships.