Contractor Acquisition University Achieves Accreditation

Many occupations require continuing education to help employees keep abreast of the latest information in their fields. Today, ongoing education is essential to achieving a successful career in virtually every industry. While any organization can host a learning event, it takes true commitment to become an accredited provider of continuing education units (CEUs).

The Kansas City National Security Campus’s (KCNSC’s) Supply Chain Management Center (SCMC) is pleased to announce that Contractor Acquisition University (CAU) now meets the qualifications of the International Accreditors for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), meaning participants in CAU courses will receive CEU credits.

CAU was launched in 2020 as a joint effort between KCNSC’s SCMC and the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Training Center (NTC) to create specialized, enterprise-wide procurement training tailored for the DOE’s unique contracting process. This accreditation demonstrates that CAU and NTC are committed to excellence and are benchmarked against the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/IACET Standard for Continuing Education and Training. It gives CAU a competitive edge over other training providers by providing a globally recognized credential that helps participants satisfy annual requirements for continuing education.

IACET is the premier standards-setting organization for continuing education and training. Founded in 1968 as a Department of Education task force, IACET now serves as a benchmark for quality program delivery. IACET accredited providers are an elite group of educators dedicated to quality in continuing education, and consumers trust the IACET CEU because of the rigorous standards and processes required to obtain accreditation.

The CAU journey to achieving IACET accreditation began in 2021. NTC performed a self-assessment and modified their practices to meet the rigorous IACET requirements. IACET standards measure all aspects of a continuing education provider’s program development across nine internationally recognized categories. After operating under these new procedures for six months, NTC made a formal application to IACET for accreditation.

"The successful outcome of this accreditation process is a testimony to the work and dedication of the NTC and SCMC teams who contributed to the development and maintenance of this program,” said Evan Dunne, National Training Center CAU Program Manager. “We are proud of our curriculum and pleased to be able to offer CEUs as an IACET Authorized Provider."

More than 800 people have participated in a CAU course since the program’s inception, totaling nearly 12,500 hours of training. Fifteen courses are available, ranging from an introduction to small business contracting to contracting acquisition fundamentals. View a full course list here.

For more information, contact SCMC CAU Program Manager Michelle Burdine at mburdine@kcnsc.doe.gov or (816) 488-2170.