Institute for Supply

Management, Inc™
 Certification Overview
• What is Certification -- why would you want it?
• ISM’s Certification Programs
• Program Requirements
• International acceptance
• Exam Content and Process Levels
• Types of Questions on the Exam
• Four types of Certification/Accreditation
• Study Materials
• Costs
 Certification vs. Certificate
Certificate Programs: Continuing education programs that
are usually 18 to 24 hours in length, typically self-study,
smaller in magnitude and shorter in time than degree
programs; designed to instill, expand, or enhance
competencies by learning new skills, attitudes, and
performance behaviors.
Certification Programs: Process by which an association
or non-governmental agency acknowledges an individual
has met certain predetermined qualifications specified by
that organization. It is a credential; a formal
acknowledgement granted to an individual to designate to
the public that this person has met the requirements in the
designated area of certification.
 Why Certification?
• shows commitment to a profession
• promotes continuous professional growth and
development - lifelong learning
• universally accepted standard for identifying &
recognizing supply management professionals
• world-wide recognition
• commitment to yourself, your employer, your
customers & suppliers to hold yourself to a
professional ethical standard of conduct
 ISM’s
Certification Programs

Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.)

• Established in 1974

Accredited Purchasing Practitioner

(A.P.P.)
• Established in 1996
 Accredited Purchasing Practitioner
(A.P.P.) Program

Accredited Purchasing Practitioner (A.P.P.) Program

Those involved with the tactical and operational side
of purchasing and supply management.

Accredited Purchasing Practitioner (A.P.P.) Program

- Intended Audience
Buyers and those outside the organization’s
purchasing and supply management department
with definite procurement (supply management)
responsibilities, including members of cross-
functional teams.
 A.P.P. Program
Requirements
A.P.P. Exam
Must pass Modules 1 and 2

Experience:
One year professional purchasing/supply
management experience and at least a two-
year degree OR two years professional
purchasing and supply management experience

Note: Job must have at least a secondary supply

chain management responsibility component.
 Certified Purchasing Manager
(C.P.M.) Program
Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.) Program
Those involved with the managerial, administrative, and
strategic as well as tactical aspects of the purchasing and
supply management process.

Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.) Program

- Intended Audience
Those in charge of a purchasing/supply management
department including managers, directors, and vice
presidents. Those working for such a department (e.g.,
supervisors and seasoned buyers, agents and other
professionals). Researchers, teachers, department heads,
directors, and deans of academic institutions, concerned
with the field. Others defined by program policy and those
working in the field aspiring to any of the above positions.
 C.P.M. Program
Requirements
C.P.M. Exam:
Pass all four modules of the exam

Experience:
Three years professional purchasing/supply
management experience and at least a
four-year degree from an accredited
institution OR five years professional
purchasing/supply management
experience.
 Age of Modules Rule

Effective January 1, 2001, module scores

submitted with an application for either
the A.P.P. or the C.P.M. must have been
taken within 5 years of the postmarked
application date.
 International Acceptance
 Australia  Hong Kong
 Argentina  India
 Bahamas  Ireland
 Belgium  Japan
 Brazil  Kenya
 Taiwan  Korea
 France  Nigeria
 Germany  Philippines
 Spain  South Africa
 China  Singapore
 C.P.M. Program Growth
45,000
40,000
35,839 39,034
35,000
30,000 30,980 32,835
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000 7,514 8,415 9,142 10,130
4,299 4,734 5,454 6,556
5,000
0
1999 2000 2001 2002
Total Original C.P.M. Certifications
Lifetime C.P.M. Recertifications
Total A.P.P.s
 Exam Construction
Module 1: Purchasing Process
Module 2: Supply Environment
Module 3: Value Enhancement Strategies
Module 4: Management

Modules 1, 2, & 3 = 95 questions (90 scored)

105 minutes to complete.
Module 4 = 120 questions (110 are scored)
130 minutes to complete.

Examinees will not know which of the questions are

not part of the scoring process for each module.
 Exam Content
Module 1- Purchasing Process (C.P.M./A.P.P.)
Part A: Identifying Requirements
(5 Tasks - 23 questions)
Part B: Preparation of Solicitations
(4 Tasks - 22 questions)
Part C: Supplier Analysis (3 Tasks - 19 questions)
Part D: Contract Execution, Implementation, and
Administration (8 Tasks - 26 questions)
 Exam Content
Module 2- Supply Environment (C.P.M. /A.P.P. )

Part A: Negotiations (2 Tasks - 13 questions)

Part B: Information Technology
(3 Tasks - 16 questions)
Part C: Quality Issues (2 Tasks - 12 questions)
Part D: Internal Relationships
(4 Tasks - 22 questions)
Part E: External Relationships
(6 Tasks - 27 questions)
 Exam Content
Module 3 - Value Enhancement Strategies
(C.P.M. Only)
Part A: Sourcing Analysis (3 Tasks -17 questions)
Part B: Supply & Inventory Management
(4 Tasks - 19 questions)
Part C: Value Enhancing Methods
(3 Tasks-26 questions)
Part D: Forecasting and Strategies
(5 Task -28 questions)
 Exam Content
Module 4 - Management (C.P.M. Only)

Part A: Management and Organization

(8 Tasks - 61 questions)

Part B: Human Resources Management

(6 Tasks - 49 questions)
 Exam Characteristics &
Technical Properties
• Validity – the test measures what it is
supposed to measure
• Reliability – dependability or accuracy of test
score
• Scoring – no curve or quota, one point for
correct answers, no points for
incorrect answers
• Equating – maintains consistency between
exam versions
• Scaling – converts all scores to a range of
25 to 75
• Criterion Referenced – protect the public
 Multiple Choice Exam
All items appearing in the C.P.M. Exam
have four choices, identified by the letters
“A” through “D”. Candidates choose the
“best” answer.

• Closed-stem • Complex Multi-choice

• Sentence Completion • Master List Format
• Case Study Format
• EXCEPT Format
• MOST/LEAST/BEST
Format
 Closed Stem Format
Which of the following is the
professional designation of the supply
management profession?

(A) C.P.A.
(B) C.P.M.
(C) CPM
(D) PEP

Answer (Key): B
 Sentence Completion
The degree to which a test actually
measures what it purports to measure is
referred to as test

(A) validity
(B) reliability
(C) equating
(D) weighting

Answer (Key): A
 EXCEPT Format
All of the following are types of
certification EXCEPT

(A) Recertification
(B) Original Lifetime Certification
(C) Lifetime Certification
(D) Original Recertification

Answer (Key): D
 Most/Least/Best Format
The demand for which of the following
commodities will be LEAST affected by any
significant increase in its price?

(A) Coal
(B) Tobacco
(C) Cotton
(D) Aluminum

Answer (Key): B
 Complex Multi-Choice
An application for certification must include which of
the following?
I. Copy of the exam score report
II. Work experience verification
III. Continuing education attended
IV. Valid signature
(A) I and II only (C) I, II, and IV only
(B) II and IV only (D) I, II, III, and IV

Answer (Key): C
 Exam Process Levels
Knowledge (Recall)
Remembering ideas, material, or phenomena
Comprehension
Grasp a meaning of the material presented in a
novel way.
Application
Understanding material to a point where it can be
applied to a situation new to him or her.
 Types of
Certification/Accreditation
• Original Certification or Accreditation

• Original Lifetime Certification or Original

Lifetime Accreditation

• Recertification or Reaccreditation

• Lifetime Certification or Lifetime

Accreditation
 A.P.P. Reaccreditation &
Lifetime Requirements
A.P.P. Reaccreditation Requirements
a. every 5 years.
b. 42 CEH’s

Categories available for CEH accumulation:

a. Module 1 or 2 of the A.P.P. exam or
Modules 1, 2, 3 or 4 of the C.P.M. exam
b. Formal Education
c. Seminars and continuing education

A.P.P. Lifetime Requirements

Minimum of 18 years relevant verifiable experience.
 C.P.M. Recertification &
Lifetime Requirements
C.P.M. Recertification Requirements
a. every 5 years.
b. 12 C.P.M. points (84 CEHs)
Categories available for point accumulation:
a. Module 3, and/or 4
b. Formal Education
c. Seminars and continuing education
d. Contributions to the profession
C.P.M. Lifetime Requirements
Minimum of 18 years relevant verifiable
experience.
 Current Costs
Exam Registration Fees per Module (as of 1/03)
Member Non-Member
Domestic Testing $120. $160.
International Testing $165. $200.

Application Fees (as of 1/03)

Member Non-Member
C.P.M. Original $ 90. $150.
C.P.M Recertification $ 65. $100.
A.P.P. Original $ 65. $105.
A.P.P. Reaccreditation $ 50. $ 80.
 Study Materials Available
 Study Guides
 Diagnostic Kits
 Bibliographic Reference Keys
 Articles for Exam Preparation
 ISM Knowledge Series - Volumes 1 through 4
 Review Programs ISM and others
 The Purchasing Handbook
 Annual conference proceedings
 Certification is about……
• building a knowledge foundation
• meeting an objective standard
(valid/reliable exam + experience)
• showing serious career intent
• ongoing learning
 Next Steps
 Commit to a realistic  Work with ISM and
but specific timeline the local affiliate to
 Create an environment increase awareness
that celebrates risk-  Budget for self-
taking and goal setting development
 Develop a meaningful  Help Management
way to recognize understand the
certification w/in the value certification
organization, involve returns to the
your suppliers organization
 Certification Contact
Information
 C.P.M. / A.P.P. Automatic Telephone Messaging
System - 800/888-6276, extension 3027
 ISM’s Home Page - http://www.ism.ws
 Certification email address: certification@ism.ws

 Althea (Al) Levine (extension 3094)

 Judy Tolliver (extension 3044)
 Karen P. Collins, C.P.M., A.P.P., (extension 3123)
 Christina Foster, SPHR (extension 3011)
 Customer Service (extension 401)
Questions???