Professional Certification Programs from the National Contract Management Association

1. Professional Certification Programs from the National Contract Management Association Presented by: Mandy O’Sullivan, CFCM & Carolyn Flynn

2. Certification Programs • Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM) • Certified Commercial Contracts Manager (CCCM) • Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) • Industry Certification in Contract Management – Defense (ICCM-D) • Industry Certification in Contract Management – Federal (ICCM-F)

3. Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM) certification validates your education, training, experience and your knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation

4. CFCM Prerequisites • Academic • Baccalaureate degree from a regionally or Distance Education Training Council (DETC) accredited college or university • Degrees from outside the U.S. must be evaluated by an independent third party such as World Education Services or Foreign Credits. • Continuing Professional Education • Minimum of 80 hours of contract management or related subjects • Experience • Minimum of 1 year of experience in CM or a related field

5. CFCM Exam • One objective 4-hour exam, with 150 questions • Based on the Federal Acquisition Regulation • Passing score = 70%

6. Certified Commercial Contracts Manager (CCCM) certification validates your education, training, experience and your knowledge of the Uniform Commercial Code

7. CCCM Prerequisites • Academic • Baccalaureate degree from a regionallyor Distance Education Training Council (DETC) accredited college or university • Degrees from outside the U.S. must be evaluated by an independent third party such as World Education Services or Foreign Credits. • Continuing Professional Education • Minimum of 80 hours of contract management or related subjects • Experience • Minimum of 1 year of experience in CM or a related field

8. CCCM Exam • OneObjective 4-hour exam, with 150 questions • Based on the Uniform Commercial Code • Articles 1, 2, and 2a • Passing score = 70%

9. Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) certification demonstrates that you have met NCMA’s highest standards for education, training, and experience, and have demonstrated your knowledge of the contract management competencies in the Contract Management Body of Knowledge. • CPCM is NCMA’s most prestigious credential.

10. CPCM Prerequisites • Academic • Baccalaureate degree from a regionally or Distance Education Training Council (DETC) accredited college or university • Degrees from outside the U.S. must be evaluated by an independent third party such as World Education Services or Foreign Credits. • Continuing Professional Education • Minimum of 120 hours of contract management or related subjects • Experience • Minimum of 5 years of experience in CM or a related field

11. CPCM Exam • One objective 4-hour exam, with 180 questions based on competencies in the CMBOK • Pre-Award (34 questions) • Acquisition Planning/Strategy (34 questions) • Post-Award (35 questions) • Specialized Knowledge Areas (33 questions) and • Business (44 questions) • Passing score = 70% overall

12. CPCM Exam – continued • Mapped to the Contract Management Body of Knowledge (CMBOK) • Certain question sets are based on given scenarios • There are ‘A’ and ‘B’ versions of the exam and each contains 180 questions

13. Certification Costs Application Fees: • CFCM = $150 member/ $325 nonmember • CCCM = $150 member/ $325 nonmember • CPCM = $199 member/ $375 nonmember

14. Application Process • Application payments are made online by applicant through NCMA’s website. • The Certification Department reviews and approves the application. • The Candidate’s Kryterion account is created and a welcome email is sent. • The certification application process can take up to 15 business days to complete.

15. Examination Fees • Paper exam (chapter-proctored or at NCMA national events)- $50 member/$90 nonmember • Electronic exam administered through Kryterion Learning Centers- $125 ($150 internationally)

16. Where & When Do I take the Exams? • NCMA uses Kryterion Test Centers for its exams • Exams are given via computer in the Kryterion Test Center under the supervision of trained proctors. • Kryterion Test Centers are all across the nation and around the world

17. What if I need to reschedule my exam? • If a candidate wishes to reschedule/cancel their exam they must contact the Certification Department. • Requests made within 72 hours of an exam will result in a fee. The cost is $100 domestically and $130 internationally.

18. Alternatives to Kryterion? • NCMA offers on-site exams at selected national events. • NCMA chapters may obtain a one-time authorization from the NCMA’s Certification Department to offer on-site exams. The chapter must provide a suitable testing environment and a proctor. • Fee for paper exams is $50 for members, $90 for non-members

19. How Long Do I have to Complete the Certification Process? • Candidates have 1 year to complete the required exam from the date his/her application is approved. • 3 attempts within that year. • Extensions to the 1-year period may be granted for extenuating circumstances (overseas job assignment, serious long term illness, etc).

20. Reapplying For Candidacy • If extension is not granted or eligibility period has expired, the candidate must reapply by: • Filling out the certification application and marking it as “reapplying”. • Supporting documentation is not required, as the Certification Department already has that information on file from previous approval. • Application will be processed and re-approved and the candidate’s one year of eligibility will start over.

21. What About Study Materials? • NCMA Book Store • CMBOK 4th Edition • Desktop Guide to Basic Contracting Terms, 7th Edition • CFCM Study Guide, 2nd Edition • CPCM Study Guide, 3rd Edition • http://www.law.cornell.edu/ucc/ - Free UCC site

22. Exam Preparatory Aids • Online Practice Exams for the CPCM and CFCM • Review classes available at selected national events • Chapter Study Group Guide • Complimentary Practice Tests (CCCM only)

23. CPCM & CFCM Online Preparatory Classes 10 week instructor-led classes Asynchronous format means you can participate according to your schedule without missing anything One CPCM and one CFCM class offered quarterly Seating is limited and classes fill up quickly Courses are limited to the first 50 & 75 who enroll. Contact Education@NCMAHQ.org for details These official NCMA classes are the best way to prepare for the CPCM and CFCM

24. Recertification & Lifetime Certification • Recertification • Must earn at least 60 hours of continuing education over the 5-year renewal period • Lifetime certification • Individuals who have held the certification continuously for at least 20 years • Workers and retirees over 60 who have current certifications • Cost: $95 member / $145 nonmember

25. What are my options if my certification lapses? • Reapply and Retest • Fill out the application and pay the fee • Mark it as “reapplying” • Pass the exam • Pay the Recertification Application & Late Fee ($245 member / $295 nonmember total) • 60 CPE plus an additional 12 CPE for each lapsed year.

26. Benefits for Employers • Provides independent validation of employee or potential employee skills and competency • Especially important today for outside hires when resume ‘inflation’ is rampant and when past employer’s are increasingly reluctant to give meaningful feedback on former employees • Improves credibility in the eyes of business partners throughout the supply chain • Greater confidence in the competency of your contract professionals when interacting with primes, subs, vendors, customers in contracts matters

27. Benefits of NCMA Certification for Employers - continued • Helps attract and retain the “best and brightest” • Professional development opportunities are a greater motivator than pay and bonuses • In a tight labor market support of employee certification efforts is a strong differentiator between employers

28. Benefits of NCMA Certification for Employees • Personal satisfaction • Be a “professional”, not merely one who works in a professional field • Peer recognition • Gain respect in the workplace • More career opportunities (Hiring and Promotions) • Increasing number of employers stating CFCM or CPCM “desired”, “highly desired”, or even “required” on job postings • Increasing number of employers using NCMA certification as a differentiator in promotion to leadership and management positions within the Contract Management field

29. What Certification Is Not • Certification is not a substitute for performance • Certification is not a substitute for experience • Certification is not a substitute for teamwork • Certification is not a guarantee of success • Certification is not a ticket into the contract management profession

30. What Certification Is • NCMA Certification • Validates your knowledge of CM • Incentivizes you to keep current on CM • Brings you one step closer to professional perfection • Education is an indicator of academic strength, while certification is an indicator of professional strength

31. NCMA Certifications Set the Gold Standard The $ Value of Certification: Results of 3 annual NCMA Salary Surveys • CFCM = $10k more per year • CPCM = $25k more per year • There is no difference in salary between having only a DAU Level II certification and having no certification at all • Level II meets minimum standards

32. Industry Certification in Contract Management • The Federal government has had certification requirements since the 1990’s. There has never been an industry counterpart to the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) and Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C) certifications.

33. NCMA Response • On January 31st, 2013, the National Contract Management Association launched two versions of the Industry Certification in Contract Management (ICCM): the ICCM-Federal and the ICCM-Defense.

34. The ICCM-F will serve as an industry counterpart to the Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting (FAC-C).

35. Available at Levels I, II, and III. • Education, Experience, and Training requirements are identical to FAC-C. • All required training courses must be obtained from a Defense Acquisition University (DAU) approved provider. • Renewal every two years with 80 Continuous Learning Points.

36. The ICCM-D will serve as an industry counterpart to the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) certifications in contracting.

37. Available at Levels I, II, and III. • Education, Experience, and Training requirements are identical to DAWIA. • All required training courses must be obtained from a Defense Acquisition University (DAU) approved provider. • Renewal every two years with 80 Continuous Learning Points.

38. Who is Eligible for the ICCM-D/F? • Any contracting professional who meets the prerequisites and completes the required courses.

39. I am DAWIA and FAC-C Certified. Can I be ICCM Certified, too? • Not if you are a current Federal employee. • If you are recently retired or have left Federal employment, you may apply.

40. How will the ICCM certifications differ from their government counterparts? Federal employees are certified by the agency they work for. Industry employees will be certified by NCMA. In every other aspect they are identical.

41. Will every company recognize the ICCM? • Every company will make its own decision. • Since there is no industry standard, we expect that over time the ICCM will become the industry standard.

42. Will all federal agencies recognize the ICCM-D and ICCM-F as equivalents to DAWIA and FAC-C? • Each agency will make it’s own decision. • NCMA cannot guarantee universal federal recognition of the ICCM. • We expect eventual recognition because the requirements and standards are identical. • NCMA is working continuously with DAU and FAI.

43. Who benefits from the ICCM? • The individual is better equipped for the job. • The employer has third-party validation of its employees qualifications. • Federal agencies have the opportunity to hire individuals who are trained to their standards. • The contract management profession benefits from having a better trained workforce.

44. ICCM Application & Renewal Fees • $299 Members / $475 Nonmembers • Renewal • Must earn at least 80 hours of continuing education over the 2-year renewal period • $50 Members / $100 Nonmembers

45. When Can I Expect My Certificate? • Certification Reports are run at the beginning of each month for the previous. • Example: If a candidate passes their certification exam or becomes ICCM certified in the month of March, they can expect their certificate and letter in the mail at the beginning of April. • Same rules apply for Recertification, Lifetime Certification, & ICCM Renewal.

46. Questions???