Summary Guide to Applying and Testing for Certification

UPPCC has developed Guides to assist applicants, candidates and certificants through the various stages of earning, testing for and maintaining a UPPCC certification. The UPPCC Guide to Applying and Testing for Certification provides program policy information and guidance through the essential steps of applying and testing for certification, including detailed information about eligibility requirements, completing the online application as well as guidance related to preparing, scheduling, and testing for certification. This Guide to Applying and Testing also includes information about exam scoring and results reporting. Program policy information and guidance related to maintaining UPPCC certification(s) once earned can be found in the UPPCC Guide to Recertification. About the Organization To more effectively promote and elevate professionalism and ethical conduct in public sector procurement, in 1978 NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement and the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) jointly established the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council as a separately incorporated entity to objectively administer certification to the public procurement profession independent of influence or control by any one organization or educational curriculum. Built upon the highest standards of quality and integrity and in support of the public trust, the mission of the UPPCC is to recognize professionalism in public procurement through the identification of a common body of knowledge and the certification of individuals against established standards of competency. The functions of the UPPCC are: • to establish the body of knowledge for public procurement; • to monitor and revise, as needed, the requirements for certification; • to continue research efforts relating to the certification of public procurement professionals; • to encourage professional growth in the field of public procurement through certification; and • to do all things necessary and proper to promote and elevate professionalism and ethical practice in public procurement. The CPPO and CPPB certification programs are wholly owned and governed by the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council. While NIGP elects and the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) appoints representatives to serve on the UPPCC Board of Directors, the certification programs are governed exclusively by the UPPCC. The CPPO and CPPB certification programs are neither NIGP’s nor NASPO’s certification programs; nor do their respective Boards of Directors have the authority to effect policy issues or certification decisions. Governance The UPPCC consists of two volunteer-led boards: the Board of Directors and the Board of Examiners. The eight (8) voting directors of the UPPCC Board of Directors are responsible for the overall governance of the UPPCC and establish and monitor policy relating to the certification programs. This includes eligibility requirements, fee structures, recertification requirements, examination structure, organizational budget, and appointing individuals to serve on the Board of Examiners (BOE). The BOE is comprised of representatives from NIGP, NASPO, CPPC, CAPPO, FAPPO, NAEP and NPI. The twenty (20) members of the BOE are responsible for continuously developing, revising, and monitoring the CPPO and CPPB certification examinations. The BOE’s development efforts are supported by an unlimited number of UPPCC certified volunteers from across the profession who contribute their time, professional knowledge, and expertise by participating on various committees and task forces of the UPPCC. Development of the Certification Programs In 1964, NIGP introduced the Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO) program. The CPPO program was, at the time of its initiation, the only professional certification offered by a national professional purchasing association in North America. The concept underlying the development of the CPPO program was to establish a standard by which qualifications of any public procurement official could be evaluated for a managerial or supervisory level position in public procurement. In 1979, the need for a second program designed for non-managers became apparent to leadership. The UPPCC joined forces with the Education and Professional Development Committee of NIGP to develop the Professional Public Buyer (PPB) certificate program. The and renamed the Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) in 1991. The CPPO program was also further refined and developed by UPPCC and in 2010 was renamed the Certified Public Procurement Officer. In 2007, the UPPCC contracted with third-party testing vendor Prometric, to provide for enhanced test development and expanded test administration services for its two professional certification programs. Prometric facilitates the development of all UPPCC certification exams, handles all exam appointment scheduling and administers all certification examinations at its expansive network of computer-based testing centers located around the globe. Prometric allows for streamlining of the certification processes, expanded testing access, enhanced test security and informative score reporting for candidates. Certification eligibility requirements and the body of knowledge for public procurement for which the examinations are developed are based on a thorough study of the public procurement profession. This comprehensive assessment of the profession also known as a job task or practice analysis is routinely commissioned by the UPPCC at 5-year intervals to ensure that all essential elements of the CPPO and CPPB certification programs continue to evolve along with the profession. The most recent job analysis study was conducted in 2013 and incorporated the knowledge and expertise of thousands of public procurement professionals. The study identified the essential knowledge, skills and abilities needed by individuals to competently perform the work of a public procurement professional in both the role of a buyer and that of an officer. The essential knowledge, also known as the Body of Knowledge serves as the basis for the development of the certification examinations. The CPPO and CPPB certification exams have been based upon the 2013 UPPCC Body of Knowledge (Appendices B & C of this Guide) as of the May 2014 exam window. In the fall of 2019, the UPPCC commissioned a new job task analysis and projects that program updates that result (including exams) will become effective in 2021. Benefits of Certification Certification, unlike licensure, is a voluntary action taken by a group of professionals to establish a system to grant recognition to certain individuals who have met an established level of knowledge, training, and practical experience. These professional groups or certification bodies typically grant recognition to successful participants via a certificate and other forms of recognition. The certificate authorizes the individual holder the right to publicize their achievement and their certified status using specific acronyms (CPA, CPPO, CPPB, etc.) after the credentialed individual’s name. Individuals who earn recognition are set apart from their non- credentialed peers. CPPO and CPPB reflects established standards and competencies for those engaged in governmental procurement and is knowledgeable about government procurement. Benefits of certification to the individual include: • Professional recognition through 3rd party verification of knowledge • Personal satisfaction • Increased knowledge and skills • Professional growth and development • Leverage of the importance of the individual to his/her employer • Demonstrated a commitment to the profession • Enhanced job opportunities, career advancement and personal marketability • Greater respect from superiors, co-workers, suppliers and customers