American Institute of Constructors Constructor Certification Commission

1. American Institute of Constructors Constructor Certification Commission Training for Skills and Knowledge Committee Continuing Professional Development Audit Subcommittee Members

2. Purpose of Training • Provides a brief history and overview of Constructor certification. • Provides foundational information about the Constructor Certification Commission. • Provides responsibilities associated with your specific role in the Commission.

3. Training Instructions • Carefully view the Power Point slides and make notes of any questions you may have. • Complete two short assessments – one relating to your mastery of the material presented and the second of the session itself. • Complete and sign and required Commission document(s). • Contact the Chair of the Skills and Knowledge Committee or the Certification Manager for any questions you may have.

4. History & Overview of Constructor Certification • You will now view a short Power Point presentation on the history and overview of constructor certification. • When complete note any questions you may have to later ask the Chair of the Skills and Knowledge Committee or Certification Manager. • Continue with this Power Point to learn about the mission, goals of the Commission along with its major processes, and detailed information concerning your responsibilities.

5. Constructor Certification CommissionMission and Goals Mission - To certify Professional Constructors through established standards based upon education, experience and examination process. Goals are to: • Provide a valid Constructor certification process, • Improve the image of the Constructor and the construction profession, • Improve the standards of the practice of construction, • Promote the continual professional development of the Constructor. • Promote membership into an organization of professional constructors, the American Institute of Constructors, and • Promote the AIC Constructor Code of Conduct.

6. Constructor Certification Commission Objectives The objectives of the Commission are to develop, implement and coordinate policies and procedures for:  • The certification process, • A framework for the development of the professional Constructor, • A feedback process to higher education construction programs and the industry, and • Continual professional development for practicing professionals.

7. Constructor Certification Commission Organization • The Commission is a semi-autonomous body that operates under the auspices of the American Institute of Constructors. • The Commission is the governing body and consists of a Board of Governors and Board of Advisors. • Much of the work of the Commission is accomplished through its committees & subcommittees.

8. Constructor Certification Commission Committees and Subcommittees Examination Committee - Responsible for developing, assessing, validating, up-dating, and formatting questions for examinations. • Examination Subcommittees: Item Writing Item Reviewing Writing Skills Scoring for Level I (AC) Examination

9. Constructor Certification Commission Committees and Subcommittees Skills and Knowledge Committee Responsibilities: • Works with the AIC Professional Standards Committee to maintain and revalidate the body of knowledge and provide the Examination Committee with any changes for incorporation into future examinations. • Prepares and maintains the criteria for evaluating continuing professional development programs.  • Reviews the applications to sit for the examination for compliance with certification criteria.

10. Constructor Certification Commission Committees and Subcommittees • Skills and Knowledge Subcommittees: Application Vetting Continuing Professional Development Audit Finance Committee - Responsible for preparing the annual budget, monitoring the spending of commission funds and revenues and developing in conjunction with the Certification Manager, marketing plans.

11. Constructor Certification Commission Contractors • Management Contractor – is responsible for administering the day to day activities and events of the Commission. Talley Management Group Certification Manager – Mr. Joe Sapp • Examination Contractor – is responsible for all certification examination-related activities. Professional Testing Corporation President – Ms. Sallyann Henry

12. Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes Certification Examination Development Entails developing and reviewing of questions and selecting them for both the Level I (AC) and Level II (CPC) examinations. The development process includes working with the Examination Contractor to insure all examinations are valid, reliable and fair through the utilization of nationally recognized effective test psychometric measures. Commission Policies 2.1 and 2.2

13. Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes Certification Examination Application and Notification Includes the application process, determining eligibility to take the examinations, scoring of the both certification examinations, rescheduling of examinations, informing examinees of their performance on examinations and conducting appeals. Commission Policies – 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7 and 1.8

14. Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes Certification Examination Site Selection and Administration Includes the identification, selection and maintenance of the sites, examination site activities and the administration of examinations. Commission Policies – 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3

15. Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes Certification Maintenance Includes assigning of certification numbers, maintaining one’s certification, allowable use of the AC and CPC credential, validation of certification examination body of knowledge, review of acceptability of required continuing professional development documentation, reinstating certification and responding to communications. Commission Policies – 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5. 4.6 and 4.7.

16. Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes Commission Personnel Includes the responsibilities, qualifications and selection of Commission, Committee, Panel and Task Force members and contractors, contractor employee job descriptions, joint construction association chapter activities, and the selection, training and assessing of Commission members, volunteers and contractor staff. Commission Policies – 5.1, 5.3, 5.4 and 5.9.

17. Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes Governance of Constructor Certification Activities Includes making changes to Commission organization, operations and certification schemes, signatory authority, internal audits, conflict of interest, confidentiality, ethical conduct of Commission members, volunteers, contractor staff and certificants, whistleblowing, and documentation and document control and security. Commission Policies – 5.2, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 5.10, 5.11, 5.12, 5.13 and 5.14.

18. Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes All of these processes have specific policies and procedures with associated documents. Some of these will be reviewed in the next portion of the training. All Commission Policies and Procedures along with their associated documents can be found at www.professionalconstructor.org.

19. Certification Maintenance To retain one’s certification, he or she must complete and document, in accordance with the Commission’s Continuing Education Development Requirements (Commission Document No. 7) either 32 credits of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits for the CPC certification or for the AC certification submit a formal report within two (2) years from January 1st of the year following the year of becoming certified or recertified, submit an updated Personal Data Sheet and pay (or be exempt from paying) all designated certification maintenance fees. For the CPC certification there are two ways of acquiring credit.

20. Certification Maintenance Education - All educational courses that pertain to the management of the construction process, from all reputable providers, can earn educational CPD credit. Educational credits are always earned at the rate of one credit for every one hour of educational content. There is no limit to the number of educational hours you may submit in any two-year period. You may complete the entire requirement solely through educational credits.

21. Certification Maintenance In the event the Constructor Certification Commission has included new competencies as the result of revalidating its Body of Knowledge on which the certification examination questions are based since the certificant was last certified, he or she will be required, as part of meeting their minimum number of CPD Education credits to attain ones in the designated new competencies. The certificant will be notified of this requirement two years prior to needing to satisfy the two-year CPD Commission requirement. A more detailed description of the requirements for educational credit is contained in Commission Document No. 7.

22. Certification Maintenance Membership and Service - Certificants can earn CPD credit for attending meetings and conferences of construction industry associations (e.g. AGC, CIOB, ASA, etc.), as well from performing community service for charitable organizations. These credits are typically worth one CPD credit per hour of attendance / service in the respective organization, though it is possible to earn additional credits by holding leadership positions. No more than 12 of the total 32 credit requirement can be claimed for Membership and Service activities. The remaining 20 credits must come from education. A more detailed description of the requirements for Membership and Service credit is contained in Commission Document No. 7.

23. Certification Maintenance For the AC certification, a report must be submitted in the format designated in Commission Document 7. AC certificants can retain their respective certification designation for up to ten (10) years. Upon becoming certified, certificant’s are notified of the Commission’s requirements to retain their certification and provided with a copy of the Commission’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Requirements which provides details on the format and requirements for recording and maintaining the documentation needed to maintain their respective certification designation.

24. Certification Maintenance To retain one’s certification a maintenance fee must be paid by the designated date or the certificant must be a member in good standing of AIC during their entire certification term. The amount of the fee can be found in the Commission’s Fee Schedule . In addition the Personal Data Sheet (Commission Document No. 12) and appropriate verification of completion of CPD requirements must also be completed and returned to the Certification Manager by the designated date.

25. Certification Maintenance All certificants will be sent an invoice for their certification maintenance fee (or exemption thereof) and a copy of the Personal Data Sheet by the Certification Manager in January of each year. Certificants will be notified that if they do not complete the Personal Data Sheet and pay the designated fee (if not exempt from doing so) within 60 days from the date of the invoice that a late fee will be charged as per the Commission Fee Schedule.

26. Certification Maintenance If the certificant does not comply with the stated above conditions by the designated date, the Certification Manager will send an initial notice of failure to comply advising that the initial fee plus a late fee be paid within thirty (30) days. If the delinquent fees are not paid and/or missing required documentation not submitted within the thirty (30) days, a second notice will be sent requesting payment of past due fees and/or the completed Personal Data Sheet along with informing the certificant that if not received within thirty (30) days, he or she will be placed in Inactive status and as a result will not be able to use or display his/her certification designation.

27. Certification Maintenance In the event a certificant is not able to comply within the designated time frame due to extenuating circumstances, he or she can submit a formal written request for an extension that must be received by the end of the second thirty (30) day period. Written requests for extension of time must be submitted to and approved by the Commission and their decision communicated in writing to the respective certificant within five days by the Certification Manager.

28. Certification Maintenance If the requested fees are not paid and/or the completed Personal Data Sheet document not returned after the second thirty (30) day period, the certificant will be notified in writing that he or she has been placed in Inactive status and has until the end of the remainder of the current year to reimburse the balance due at the time of submittal of past fees including any accumulated annual late charges and/or the completion of the Personal Data Sheet. In the same notification, the Inactive certificant will be notified that if he or she does not fulfill all of the requirements by the end of the calendar year that their certification will be revoked in which case he or she will not be permitted to perform specific activities as noted in Commission Policy 4.3.

29. Certification Maintenance Within 60 days of the end of the calendar year, all inactive certificants will receive a letter indicating that if all certification maintenance fees and late charges are not paid and/or missing Personal Data Sheet not completed and returned to the Certification Manager by the end of the calendar year that their certification will be revoked and if continual certification is desired he or she would have to re-apply and take the required examination.

30. Certification Maintenance If the certificant does not fulfill all of the requirements by the end of the calendar year, the individual’s designation is revoked and the individual will be so notified that his or her certification has been revoked, their name removed from the Commission’s list of certificants and they can no longer use the respective certification designation and will be required to return their Certification Certificate and wallet card to the . Furthermore, the individual will also be informed that if they desire to become recertified in the future they must make formal application and take the respective certification examination in accordance with current relevant Commission Policies and Procedures.

31. Certification Maintenance In the event that the certificant does not comply with the Commission request to cease the use of the AC or CPC designation and/or not return their Certification Certificate and wallet cad, the Certification Manager will so notify the Commission who will in turn will take appropriate action in accordance with Policy 4.3.

32. Certification Maintenance All CPC certificants will be required to submit an Affidavit or Audit documentation every two years. All AC certificants will be required to submit an AC CPD Report every two years. The certification term begins on January 1st of the year following the year certification or re-certification was awarded. For CPC certificants, during the last quarter of the last year of the certification term, the Skills and Knowledge Committee CPD Audit Subcommittee with the help of the Certification Manager will randomly select 10% of those CPC certificants whose certification is to expire for a formal Audit. These individuals will be sent formal notification of the requirement to participate in a formal audit along with needed instructions and deadlines.

33. Certification Maintenance Those CPC certificants not selected for a formal audit will be requested to complete an Affidavit and submit it in accordance with provided instructions and deadlines. AC certificants will be requested to complete an AC CPD Report in accordance with provided instructions and deadlines.

34. Certification Maintenance Notification requesting the completion of the required Commission CPD documents will be sent by the Certification Manager in January of each year to all certificants whose certification terms have ended. The same activities and schedule presented for the recertification fee and completion of the Personal Data Sheet apply for the completion and submittal of the required CPD documentation apply. One year prior to the end of the ten (10) year AC certification period, the Certification Manager will communicate with the respective AC certificants informing them that their certification will lapse in one year along with providing them information on how to gain CPC certification.

35. Review of Acceptability of Required CPD Documentation Utilizing the Commission’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Requirements document (Commission Document No. 7), the Certification Manager will review the completed and signed CPC CPD affidavit or the completed and signed CPD Report to insure it meets the Commission’s CPC certificant CPD requirements. If the review results in a positive outcome, the Certification Manager will inform the respective certificant that he or she has been recertified for a two year term beginning January 1 of the current year.

36. Review of Acceptability of Required CPD Documentation If the review results in a negative outcome, the Certification Manager will communicate the results to the respective certificant requesting necessary follow up action and given thirty (30) days to do so. If the corrected CPD documentation is not received within the thirty (30) days, a second notice will be sent requesting the corrected information along with notification that if not received within the above-mentioned thirty (30) days, the certificant will be placed in Inactive status and informed that he/she cannot use or display the respective certification designation.

37. Review of Acceptability of Required CPD Documentation If the corrected CPD documentation is not received after the second thirty (30) day period, the certificant will be notified by the Certification Manager that he or she has been placed in Inactive status and if the required CPD information is not submitted by the end of the calendar year he or she will have their certification revoked in which case he or she will not be permitted to perform specific activities as noted in Commission Policy 4.3.

38. Review of Acceptability of Required CPD Documentation In the above communication Inactive certificants will be informed that in the event a certificant is not able to comply within the designated time frame due to extenuating circumstances, he or she can submit a formal written request for an extension. Written requests for extension of time must be submitted to and approved by the Commission and their decision communicated in writing to the respective certificant within five days by the Certification Manager.

39. Review of Acceptability of Required CPD Documentation If the completed CPD documentation is not submitted to the Certification Manager by the end of the calendar year, the certificant’s designation is revoked and the individual will be notified by the Certification Manager that they can no longer use the respective designation and will be required to return their Certification Certificate and wallet card to the Certification Manager. Furthermore, the individual will also be informed that if they desire to become recertified in the future they must make formal application and take the respective certification examinations or apply for reinstatement following Commission Policy 4.7.

40. Review of Acceptability of Required CPD Documentation In the event that the certificant does not comply with the Commission request to cease the use of the AC or CPC designation and/or not return their Certification Certificate and wallet cad, the Certification Manager will so notify the Commission who in turn will take appropriate action in accordance to Commission Policy 4.3.

41. Review of Acceptability of Required CPD Audit Documentation Submitted CPC CPD Audit documentation is submitted by the Certification Manager to a member of the Skills and Knowledge Continuing Professional Development Subcommittee along with a copy of the Commission’s Skills and Knowledge Committee Continuing Professional Development Audit Subcommittee Operations Manual and Continuing Professional Development Audit Form for review for acceptance within five (5) days receipt. The member will conduct the review within fifteen (15) days and submit his or her findings to the Certification Manager on the signed Audit Form.

42. Review of Acceptability of Required CPD Audit Documentation If the review results in a positive outcome, the Certification Manager will inform the respective certificant that he or she has been recertified for a two year term beginning January 1 of the current year. In addition, the certificant will be sent a new wallet card, a copy of the CPD requirements and a copy of the Code of Conduct. If the review results in a negative outcome, the Certification Manager will communicate the results to the respective certificant requesting necessary follow up action and given thirty (30) days to do so.

43. Review of Acceptability of Required CPD Audit Documentation If the corrected CPD documentation is not received within the thirty (30) days, a second notice will be sent requesting the corrected information along with notification that if not received within the above-mentioned thirty (30) days, the certificant will be placed in Inactive status and as a result will not be able to use or display the CPC designation. If the corrected CPD documentation is not received after the second thirty (30) day period, the certificant will be notified by the Certification Manager that he or she has been placed in Inactive status and if the required CPD information is not submitted by the end of the year he/she will have their certification revoked.

44. Review of Acceptability of Required CPD Audit Documentation Inactive certificants should be informed that in the event a certificant is not able to comply within the designated time frame due to extenuating circumstances, he or she can submit a formal written request for an extension. Written requests for extension of time must be submitted to and approved by the Board of Governors and their decision communicated in writing to the respective certificant within five days by the Certification Manager.

45. Review of Acceptability of Required CPD Audit Documentation If the completed CPD documentation is not submitted to the Certification Manager within the current calendar year, the certificant’s designation is revoked and the individual will be notified that he/she can no longer use the respective certification designation and will be required to return their Certification Certificate and wallet card to the Certification Manager. Furthermore, the individual will also be informed that if they desire to become recertified in the future they must make formal application and take the respective certification examination in accordance with current Commission Policies and Procedures.

46. Review of Acceptability of Required CPD Audit Documentation In the event that the certificant does not comply with the Commission request to cease the use of the AC or CPC designation and/or not return their Certification Certificate and wallet cad, the Certification Manager will so notify the Commission who in turn will take appropriate action in accordance to Commission Policy 4.3.

47. Conclusion You now have been provided with a bit of Commission history, its mission, goals and objectives, an overview of its major processes and details about the responsibilities associated with your respective role in the work of the Commission along with related Commission Policies and Procedures and pertinent documents. If you have any specific questions relating to any of the material presented please contact the Chair of the body on which you serve or report to or the Commission Certification Manager. To complete this training session by completing certain Commission documents and assessments please proceed.

48. Required Commission Documents To comply with the Commission’s Policies and Procedures certain documents are required associated to your role. First the Commission will need a copy of your resume which needs to be updated to the current year. Second you are required to sign a Confidentiality Statement (Commission Document 25). These must be signed on an annual basis and you will be contacted by the Chair of your body or the Certification Manager to complete them when required.

49. Assessments As part of its training process, the Commission feels it is critical that it assess if the participants understood the information presented through the administration of a short ten question multiple choice evaluation. This assessment can also be used to substantiate your participation in the training. Your score on the evaluation will remain confidential and will be used to not only improve the training and training materials but also your performance in your role. You will receive feedback on how you did along with any recommendations for improvement.

50. Assessments Finally, the Commission, in its continuous improvement efforts, would appreciate it if you would complete an evaluation of the training session and materials using Commission Document No. 37 – Training Session Participant Evaluation. Thank you for your participation and we look forward to your productive role to promote constructor certification.