Here is a training exercise for brand-new newbies. The objective is to make them learn through their own research and thinking and by writing a set of five 500-word explanatory essays. Give them five working-days to complete the entire exercise. Do not give them any other work during that period. After they turn them in their work, grade the essays and then discuss their research and essays in a group session.

Before giving them the exercise, provide a brief introduction to the Federal Acquisition Regulation to show its organization and content, and show them Acquision.gov. You can show them the following videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tofK_W0QxPg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX_6ym6mP5Q

Make sure they have access to the reference materials listed below. Give them five working days to complete the exercise and turn in their essays.

At the end of the exercise you will know a lot about each of the newbies and their personal needs.

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EXERCISE

Based on your own research of the reference materials listed below, any other such references that you can find, and reliable information obtained by searching the Internet, write one 500-word, typed (one side of one sheet of paper, one-inch margins, single-spaced, Times New Roman 11-point font), explanatory essay about of each of the following five concepts:

1. Contract
2. Contract line item
3. Contract formation
4. Contract modification
5. Contract quality assurance

Your work must be your own. Write your essays in your own words. Write them for someone who knows nothing about the topics.

Do not cite your sources. Do not quote from sources. (Your essays will be scanned for quotes.) Each essay must be exactly 500 words in length, no more, no less. (Word counts will be checked.)

You must complete this exercise by close of business on __________________.

Reference materials

Federal Acquisition Regulation

Formation of Government Contracts, 4th ed.

Administration of Government Contracts, 5th ed.

Any other reliable sources of information that you find.

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Is there an organization out there that can proctor this as a sort of exam, before these newbies are hired?

The newbies could be instructed to list their exercise results on their resume, and to list the organization’s representative as a reference.

10 minutes ago, WifWaf said:

Is there an organization out there that can proctor this as a sort of exam, before these newbies are hired?

Not that I know of.

I developed that exercise this morning.

Is the requirement for 500 words no more, no less, to teach the constraints of contracting? I have no problem with setting maximum length limits but an exact word minimum (vs. a range) feels needlessly restrictive and opens the door for sloppy writing. If a writer can tell the story in 200 words more effectively than 500 words, hire them!

The idea is to challenge them learn as much as they can and to use 500 words as fully and effectively as possible to say and explain what they have learned. The exercise does not ask them for a mere definition; it asks for an explanation. It is not an exercise in succinct expression. I limited it to 500 words because most recent college graduates would croak if asked them to write 1,000. The requirement for exactness is a test of their thought and creativity.

If you don't like my exercise, write your own.