Federal Acquisitions/DITAP Subject Matter Expert/Instructor (Part Time)
Is This You?
Graduate School USA is seeking experienced, senior-level federal acquisition and contracting practitioners with substantial hands-on experience — including contracting officers, contract specialists, Contracting Officer’s Representatives (CORs), procurement and policy analysts, acquisition program and project managers, source selection leads, and contract administrators — who want to share their expertise with the next generation of federal acquisition professionals.
This is not a traditional faculty position. We are looking for practitioners first: people who have planned and awarded federal contracts, conducted source selections, negotiated and administered awards, applied the FAR and DFARS to real procurements, overseen contractor performance as a COR, or led acquisition programs — and who can bring that lived experience into the classroom. If you have spent your career advising program offices, briefing leadership, or mentoring junior contracting staff, you already have the foundation we need. Formal teaching experience is highly preferred but not required; GSUSA provides instructional onboarding, established curriculum, and course materials.
Company Overview
Graduate School USA (GSUSA) is a distinguished training provider dedicated to delivering workforce development solutions exclusively to the federal government and public service professionals. With a proud legacy dating to 1921 — more than a century of service — GSUSA specializes in high-quality, practical training programs that enhance the skills and effectiveness of government employees through innovative learning experiences. As an Approved Equivalent Provider of the Defense Acquisition University (DAU), GSUSA has partnered with more than 125 federal agencies and trained over one million federal employees.
Position Overview
GSUSA instructors teach predominantly live virtual courses, with occasional in-person sessions, within our Federal Acquisition & Contracting curriculum. Courses are taught to predefined GSUSA learning objectives with established materials — your job is to bring the subject matter to life with depth, currency, and real-world federal experience.
Curriculum Areas — Deep Expertise Required in One or More
Our Federal Acquisition & Contracting curriculum spans the federal acquisition lifecycle and current DAU/FAI contracting competency framework. Candidates are not expected to have expertise across all curriculum areas. We are seeking instructors with deep practitioner expertise in one or more acquisition specialties:
Federal Acquisition Regulation & Contracting Law: FAR fundamentals and application; the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) and Strategic Acquisition Guidance framework; government contract law; DFARS and agency supplements; and procurement ethics, conflicts of interest, and enforcement.
Acquisition Planning & Pre-Award: Requirements development and market research; acquisition strategy and planning; performance work statements and statements of work; solicitation development; and simplified acquisition procedures (FAR Part 13).
Source Selection, Cost & Price Analysis: Competitive source selection under FAR Part 15; proposal evaluation and best-value award decisions; cost and price analysis; Truthful Cost or Pricing Data requirements (formerly TINA); and profit/fee determination with defensible documentation.
Contract Award & Negotiation: Evaluating offers and making award decisions; assessing contractor responsibility and risk; developing negotiation objectives and strategies; and structuring better business deals for the Government.
Contract Administration & Post-Award Management: Post-award orientation; monitoring contractor performance and quality; contract modifications and changes; management of government-furnished property and payments; and basic and advanced contract administration.
Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR): COR roles and responsibilities; surveillance and performance assessment; documentation and file management; and effective coordination with the Contracting Officer, from COR Essentials through the Advanced COR Workshop.
FAC-C / DAWIA Contracting Certification: The DAU/FAI Contracting Training Model; foundational, pre-award, award, and post-award contracting competencies (CON series); and certification exam preparation for the civilian FAC-C (Professional) and DoD DAWIA programs.
Program & Project Management (FAC-P/PM): The federal project and program management lifecycle; cost estimating and business cases; Earned Value Management; the Adaptive Acquisition Framework; and leading integrated project teams.
Specialized & Contingency Contracting: Digital IT Acquisition (DITAP) and agile services procurement; systems acquisition management and the Defense Acquisition System; supply chain management for contracting; and joint and contingency contracting in austere environments.
Minimum Qualifications — Read before Applying
A minimum of 7 years of hands-on federal acquisition or contracting experience — in contract planning, source selection, award, negotiation, or administration; COR oversight; acquisition program or project management; or a related federal acquisition specialty — gained within a federal agency, the Department of Defense, the uniformed services, or in direct, sustained support of federal acquisition clients.
Experience limited to state, municipal, nonprofit, K-12/higher education, or general corporate procurement does not substitute for federal acquisition experience. Candidates must have substantial federal acquisition experience or direct, sustained experience supporting federal acquisition organizations to be considered for this curriculum.
Demonstrated experience leading, training, briefing, advising, or mentoring professionals — for example, advising program offices or agency leadership, supervising contracting staff, leading working groups, or conducting on-the-job or staff training.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
Must be available to teach at least five (5) days per month. Classes run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and teaching assignments are scheduled based on client demand.
Preferred Experience/Certifications
A federal acquisition certification, such as FAC-C (Professional) or DoD DAWIA Contracting, FAC-COR, or FAC-P/PM.
A professional contracts credential, such as Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM) or Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM).
Completion of, or eligibility for, GSUSA’s Federal Acquisition Certificate or Supply Chain Management for Contracting Certificate, or a comparable federal acquisition certificate.
Direct experience applying the FAR, DFARS, and current OFPP, DAU, and FAI guidance, with knowledge of evolving federal acquisition policy and practice (including the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul).
Prior formal instruction experience with adult professional learners, in classroom or live virtual settings (e.g., agency acquisition training programs, DAU/FAI-aligned courses, professional association courses, or adjunct teaching of federal acquisition content).
Experience delivering training via Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
Deliver engaging instruction on federal acquisition and contracting topics to adult learners in live virtual and occasional in-person formats, aligned with GSUSA curriculum learning objectives.
Support instruction with provided materials (slides, handouts, references) and recommend updates based on regulatory and policy developments.
Draw on current federal acquisition practice to connect course content to learners’ real-world agency challenges.
Respond promptly and professionally to student questions during and outside of class sessions.
Collaborate with GSUSA curriculum staff to keep course content accurate and current.
Comply with GSUSA policies, procedures, and quality standards, and participate in instructional onboarding and ongoing professional development.
Location & Work Eligibility
Instructors must live in the United States and be legally authorized to work in the U.S. GSUSA is not able to sponsor employment visas for this role.
Assigned virtual instruction must be delivered from a location inside the United States. Teaching from outside the U.S., except for company assigned travel, is not permitted.
Employment is contingent on completing Form I-9 employment eligibility verification.
Technology & System Requirements (Virtual Instruction)
Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365; comfort with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and digital communication tools (training provided on GSUSA-specific platforms).
A currently supported Windows or macOS operating system capable of running GSUSA-required instructional platforms; large or dual monitors; HD webcam; microphone and speakers; reliable broadband internet connection.
Compensation
The hourly pay range for this role is $40.00 to $60.00, with individual compensation determined by relevant experience, skills, qualifications and geographic location. This range is subject to change.
All GSUSA employees, including part-time instructors, are eligible to participate in our 401(k) retirement plan, administered through Empower. Employees are automatically enrolled at a 5% pre-tax contribution rate and may change their contribution rate or opt out at any time. Part-time instructors also accrue paid sick leave in accordance with applicable state and local laws.
Scheduling is flexible within the five-day monthly minimum, making this role well suited for experienced practitioners who wish to teach alongside a full-time federal career or continue contributing to the acquisition community in retirement.