Program Overview
Instructor-led courses
Click below to learn more about each of the Division's instructor-led courses.
This course focuses on demystifying the Code and identifying the requirements most procurement officers need to know. This class will benefit procurement officers and other agency officials who authorize, process, or review procurements. While this course is designed for State agencies, any public procurement official will benefit from hearing information necessary to properly document procurement files.
This is a full-day face-to-face course.
Course cost: $100
This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of how ethics apply to the procurement function. It will review the following topics:
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Define ethics and ethical behavior
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Identify the value of transparency
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Identify ethics laws, codes, and best practices associated with the role of public procurement
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Recognize the different types of illegal and unethical practices in the public procurement profession
This course is now offered in two different formats:
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Online Via Zoom for two consecutive half-days (participants must attend both sessions to receive credit)
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Face-to-face for one full day
The information contained in each of these courses is the same. Please check the individual session for details.
Course cost: $100
Acquisition Planning & Market Research are vital steps in the procurement process that are all too often overlooked. These steps in the acquisition cycle help agencies ensure they adopt strategies appropriate to the market for the specific supplies or services they are purchasing. This course is designed to give a comprehensive overview of the acquisition planning and market research process as required by the SC Procurement Code and Regulations.
This course is offered online via Zoom for a half day
Course cost: $75
This course is designed to give participants a working knowledge of designing and writing specifications and scopes of work. It will focus on the following:
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Understanding the difference between specifications and scopes of work
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Understanding the pitfalls of poorly written specifications and scopes of work
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Developing basic specifications and scopes of work
This course will be offered in two different formats:
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Online Via Zoom for two consecutive half days. (participants must attend both sessions to receive credit)
Face-to-face for one full day
The information contained in each of these courses is the same. Please check the individual session for details.
Course cost: $100
Competitive sealed bidding, also known as invitation for bids, is the preferred acquisition method per the South Carolina Procurement Code. This course is designed to help participants gain a better understanding of the IFB process from development through award.
This full-day course is offered face-to-face.
Course Cost: $100
This two-day course provides participants with a time-tested methodology to complete RFPs in compliance with the SC Consolidated Procurement Code. A guideline document, which fully describes the above stated methodology, is reviewed. Procurement officers or field personnel, who participate in all or part of the RFP process, will benefit from attendance. This course will benefit all public procurement personnel, not just state agencies, who are involved in the RFP process.
This course is offered face-to-face for two consecutive full days. Participants must attend both days to receive credit.
Course cost: $200
This two-day course provides guidelines for a South Carolina State Government standardized approach to Contract Administration. The guidelines can be used by Procurement Officers to set-up and administer contracts. While this course was developed for state agency procurement officers, the course materials can be applied by anyone in governmental procurement. It serves as an excellent guide for establishing a contract administration program for any governmental entity.
This course is offered face-to-face for two consecutive full days. Participants must attend both days to receive credit.
Course cost: $200
This course involves a one-day overview of the fundamental legal framework applicable to government contracting, followed by a multi-day, clause-by-clause review of the State’s general bidding instructions, standard contract clauses, and all the associated forms and guidance appearing in the Procurement Compendium. The remainder of the course will be a walk-through of the Compendium.
This class will be held over four full days. Participants must attend all 4 sessions to receive credit for the course.
Course cost: $400
Courses have been designed to build on one another
The program has been designed to progress with the learner as they gain knowledge in procurement. As such, courses should be taken in the following order:
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Acquisition Planning and Market Research
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Specifications and Scopes of Work
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Invitation for Bids (IFB)
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Requests for Proposals (RFP)
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Contract Administration
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Legal Aspects and Compendium Series
Note: While not specifically required, the Division highly recommends taking the Introduction to the SC Procurement Code and Procurement Ethics courses before beginning this path.
Knowledge Checks and Assessments
To ensure that every participant has the baseline knowledge necessary to fully participate in the course they're attending, the Division has instituted prerequisite knowledge checks. Registrants will need to pass a short knowledge check which covers basic information taught in previous classes before registering for a higher-level class. Prerequisite knowledge checks will not be required for the Acquisition Planning and Market Research, Introduction to the SC Procurement Code, or Procurement Ethics courses.
Participants will also be required to pass a knowledge check with a score of 80% or higher to receive the certificate for completing each of the courses.
Additional Course Information
Information such as class dates, times, locations, and registration information can be found in the SCOPES LMS. Click the icon below to access SCOPES.
Billing
The Division of Procurement Services bills for its courses after they’ve been completed. All state agencies will be billed via IDT. For non-state agencies, checks can be made to:
The Division of Procurement Services
1333 Main St. Ste. 700
Columbia, SC 29201
Please include the participant’s name, the name of the course, and the session date on the check so that payment can be properly attributed.
Note:
Registrants will have the option to unenroll from a session up to 72 hours before it is set to occur. After that, a Division of Procurement Training Team member will need to be contacted to assist with the process.
A $50 fee will be assessed for any registrant who misses a class without unenrolling or notifying Division staff of their absence in advance.
