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glossary

DAU (Defense Acquisition University)

What is the Defense Acquisition University (DAU)?

The Defense Acquisition University is the Department of Defense's corporate university for acquisition. Its main job is to train and certify the government's acquisition workforce, the contracting officers, program managers, engineers, and logisticians who plan and run defense buys, so they meet the standards set for their career fields.

What it does

DAU delivers courses, certifications, and continuous-learning resources tied to the competencies the defense acquisition workforce is required to maintain. Beyond formal training, it publishes a large library of guidance, tools, and reference material on how defense acquisition is supposed to work, much of it freely available online.

Why it matters to contractors

Although DAU exists to train government personnel, its public resources are a goldmine for contractors. The same frameworks your customers learn there, on acquisition strategy, contract types, milestone reviews, and program management, are the frameworks they apply to your proposals and your performance. Reading DAU material is one of the most efficient ways to understand how your government counterparts think, and to speak their language in a capability briefing or proposal. It pairs well with understanding the FAR that governs the process.

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