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Professional Credentials
(Formerly Known As Certification)
CPSM and Pilot Testing
Be one of the first supply
management professionals to take your career to the next level. ISM's brand-new
designation, the Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM), reflects
the expanded education, skills and experience needed to be a successful supply
management professional. The internationally relevant
program has just begun pilot testing. All over the globe, affiliates and
companies sponsoring pilot testing have scheduled and begun taking their exams.
What an exciting time for the profession! For individuals who would like
to participate, ISM is sponsoring pilot testing at the
19th Annual North American Research and Teaching Symposium on Purchasing and
Supply Chain Management in Phoenix on Saturday, March 29, 2008. You may
participate in pilot testing without attending the symposium. To register for
pilot testing at the symposium, call Customer Service at 800/752-6276, extension
401 or e-mail certification@ism.ws —
new dates and locations may be added. Save More Than 60% — Order Your
CPSM Pilot Study Package
Get your CPSM Pilot Study
Package for only $99. It includes the new CPSM Study Guide and the
ISM Professional Series. You do not have to be registered to take an exam in
order to get the special savings price. The CPSM Pilot Study Package for $99
will only be available until March 31, 2008. Standard pricing will start on
April 1, 2008. The CPSM Study Guide
is applicable to both pilot and bridge exam candidates. It provides information
on test specifications, examples of the testing format and question styles. With
the use of additional reference materials to round out your knowledge, the CPSM
Study Guide is an essential part of your study program. The ISM Professional Series
focuses on challenges, goals and skill sets managers will need to acquire in
order to be successful in strategic supply management. With methodologies to
investigate and strategies to pursue, the ISM Professional Series is an
essential resource for every supply management professional. To place your order for the CPSM
Pilot Study Package, visit us online at www.ism.ws or call customer service at
800/752-6276, extension 401. The Debut of the CPSM Bridge
Exam
Calling all C.P.M.s in good
standing! If you are a current C.P.M. in good standing, you have a distinct
advantage to getting your CPSM. You only have to take a single bridge exam
instead of three exams. When you submit your application for the CPSM, you must
meet all of the requirements. The CPSM Bridge Exam will be
offered for the first time at ISM's 93rd Annual International Supply Management
Conference and Educational Exhibit in St. Louis. The bridge exam will be held on
Wednesday, May 7, 2008. Don't forget: If you register
for the entire Conference or two- or three-day pre-Conference seminar, you may
take the bridge exam at a significantly reduced rate. Registration for testing
and the Conference are available online at www.ism.ws or by calling Customer
Service at 800/752-6276, extension 401. Changes to the A.P.P. Program
Two years ago, ISM announced a change to the Accredited Purchasing
Practitioner (A.P.P.) designation. ISM will issue Original and Original Lifetime
A.P.P.s. through While the A.P.P. Exam has already been discontinued, candidates may take the C.P.M. Exam Modules 1 and 2 in order to qualify for the A.P.P. An extensive study of ISM's credentialing programs, conducted in association
with Knapp & Associates International, Inc., initiated ISM's decision to free up
resources to strengthen other programs and undertake new initiatives. Individuals already holding the A.P.P. designation before The A.P.P. will still be recognized and honored within the supply management profession. ISM encourages individuals who have achieved the A.P.P. designation to continue citing it as part of their professional identity.
Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM)
ISM has a new professional qualification: Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM). The CPSM is relevant internationally and reflects the expanded education, skills and experience needed to be a successful supply management professional. ISM's Board of Directors approved the recommendation by the ISM Certification Committee that ISM develop a new professional qualification that recognizes those expanded competencies. The ISM Board directed that the CPSM program be available in 2008. Changes to the C.P.M. Program
ISM's Board of Directors, with a recommendation from ISM Certification
Committee, has voted to issue Original (new) C.P.M.s through
The last day to register for the C.P.M. Exam is This decision by the Board of Directors and by the Certification Committee is partly based on an extensive study of the C.P.M. program, conducted in association with Knapp & Associates International, Inc. All current C.P.M.s may continue to recertify and all Lifetime C.P.M.s will remain as such — even when ISM stops issuing Original & Original Lifetime C.P.M.s. Those C.P.M.s who do not meet the minimum requirements for the new CPSM qualification are encouraged to maintain their expertise through C.P.M. recertification. Those who want to reinstate their C.P.M. (once it has expired) are required
to pass all four C.P.M. Exam modules. These individuals should be aware that
they will not be able to register for the C.P.M. Exam after ISM has developed a bridging process toward the new CPSM designation for those C.P.M.s who have a bachelor’s degree. The bridge will be one exam that covers the contemporary content of supply management. The C.P.M. Exam tests a specific segment of supply management. The C.P.M.'s main focus covers the operational aspects of purchasing, but also includes supply functions such as agreements, negotiations, technology and relationship management. It has remained a highly credible professional designation because ISM has continuously updated the C.P.M. Exam modules to reflect the changes in purchasing. The C.P.M. designation does not lend itself to being re-purposed to the extent required to cover the broader spectrum of supply management competencies. Also, the name, C.P.M., does not reflect the inclusion of supply management. The C.P.M. will continue to be a valuable designation within the supply management profession. ISM has granted nearly 46,000 C.P.M.s over the 31-year history of the program. Your C.P.M. signifies a level of knowledge that no one can take away.
C.P.M. Work Experience
Before a candidate commits to taking the C.P.M. Exam, it is recommended that they first see if they qualify. C.P.M. experience must be full-time and requires decision making and independent judgment (rather than clerical or support experience) to be eligible. A majority of the applicant’s job responsibilities must be in purchasing and supply management. Supply management experience is defined as a person working in, or in charge of, a supply management department, or a related department essentially concerned with procurement or supply management in all of their phases. Other eligible areas include supply management research and education, value analysis, supply management, inventory control, materials management, quality, legal staff, marketing, engineering, or any other activity or function which is related to the procurement, materials and supply processes. ISM also considers those who have supply management professionals reporting to them even if they themselves do not have supply management as their primary job function. A teacher, research specialist, department head, director, or dean of a college, university or other academic institution who is concerned with supply management or other related fields or subjects as part of his or her regular assignment may also qualify for the C.P.M. A consultant whose job includes major hands-on emphasis in supply management would be eligible, as well.
C.P.M. and A.P.P. Employment Verification
There is a work experience requirement for ISM's credentialing programs. ISM requires documentation of employment in one of the following ways:
1.
A letter from your supervisor. The supervisor does not have to be
currently employed with the company where you both worked. He or she just needs
to have been your supervisor at the time of your employment.
2.
Signed job description from the company (usually from the human
resources department).
3.
A letter from a coworker. This person does not have to be currently
employed with the company where you both worked. He or she just needs to have
been your coworker at the time of your employment.
4.
A letter from a supplier with whom you worked.
5.
Your most recent employer can verify all your past work experience;
however, ISM would need to know how they verified that experience. All documentation needs to have the following: Your name, dates of employment, job title(s), job description for each job title, signature of supervisor or company representative, their job title and their contact phone number. ISM has samples of work experience letters on its Web site. Résumés and business cards are not accepted by ISM as proof of employment.
How to Register for the C.P.M. Computer-Based Exams
Please note that payment is required at time of registration. A.P.P. candidates can register for the C.P.M. Exam Modules 1 and 2, which can
be used to apply for the A.P.P. before All of our computer testing is done at Prometric Testing Centers and can be scheduled at your convenience. Domestic examination fees are $130 per module for ISM members, while international fees for members are $175 per module. Domestic fees for nonmembers are $190 per module, while international fees for nonmembers are $230. Once you are registered, you will receive a confirmation e-mail from ISM with instructions on how to schedule an exam and locate test centers via Prometric's Web site. Exam registrations are valid for one year from the date of registration.
Onsite C.P.M. Training and Testing
ISM offers both a written and computer-based version of the C.P.M. Exam
onsite. Approximately 23 percent of all the exams administered in the 2005-06
fiscal year were
onsite
exams. This includes exams administered at the ISM Annual International
Conference, by ISM affiliates and at individual organizations in the Over the past several years, ISM has worked with a number of organizations to administer onsite testing for their employees. To keep costs at a minimum, ISM has proctor policies to allow individuals within an organization, who meet certain criteria, to proctor an exam. For more information about onsite testing contact Kathy Braase or Trish True: Kathy Braase: 800/888-6276 or 480/752-6276, extension 3061 Trish True: 800/888-6276 or 480/752-6276, extension 3086
Reimbursement by the VA Under the
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|
PRORATED LIFETIME SCALE (CEHs = Continuing Education Hours) |
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|
|
C.P.M. |
A.P.P. |
|
Held
latest certificate one year or less? |
21 CEHs |
8 CEHs |
|
Held
latest certificate less than two but more than one year? |
35 CEHs |
17 CEHs |
|
Held
latest certificate less than three but more than two
years? |
56 CEHs |
25 CEHs |
|
Held
latest certificate less than four but more than three
years? |
70 CEHs |
34 CEHs |
|
Held
latest certificate less than five but more than four
years? |
84 CEHs |
42 CEHs |
If a C.P.M. applicant reaches their 18th year during their one-year grace
period, then they will need to document another 21 hours (total of 105 hours).
For the A.P.P., another 7 hours would be required (total of 49 hours).
Certificates lapsed less than one year after the expiration date on your certificate (also known as your "grace period"):
Reinstatement Process: Complete and sign a Recertification/Reaccreditation application form, documenting 84 Continuing Education Hours (for the C.P.M.) or 42 Continuing Education Hours (for the A.P.P.).
Certificate Dates: Reflect where your previous certificate dates
left off. For example, if your C.P.M. expired
Certificate lapsed more than one year after the expiration date on your certificate:
Reinstatement Process: Pass all four current exam modules (for C.P.M.) or Modules 1 and 2 (for A.P.P.). Complete and sign only the front portion of an Original Certification/Accreditation application form and include (1) copies of your score reports and (2) the year you were first certified/accredited.
Keep in mind that A.P.P.s, whose accreditations have expired for more than
one year, have until
Certificate Dates: Your certificate dates will be changed. A new five-year period will be calculated from the date that the application is approved.
NOTE: If your designation has lapsed (even during your one-year grace period), ISM expects individuals to refrain from using the designation (on business cards, résumés, correspondence, etc.) until it has been reinstated.
The New York Board of Regents Program on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction (NYBOR PONSI) reviewed the C.P.M. program and recommended that colleges and universities consider awarding college credit to those who have passed the C.P.M. Exam.
In the year 2000, the C.P.M. program was re-evaluated and the A.P.P. program was evaluated for the first time. The NYBOR PONSI recommended college credit for passing both modules of the A.P.P. Exam, and the college credit recommendation for the C.P.M. was increased. Since 2001, the NYBOR PONSI recommends that students receive additional credit for experience (provided candidates complete the appropriate project as outlined in the recommendation) for earning the C.P.M.
Those seeking college credit should carefully review the recommendation from the NYBOR PONSI relating to the period in which the candidate tested. The review provides a recommendation only so colleges and universities can award credit at their discretion.
For those individuals who are currently using a company tuition reimbursement program to earn their degrees, the NYBOR PONSI recommendation can be a valuable tool in convincing the company to reimburse for the costs incurred while working toward the C.P.M. Because candidates can be awarded up to 12 college credits for earning the C.P.M., the cost of doing so may significantly decrease the cost of earning 12 hours of college credit.
Candidates who have already earned their C.P.M. and are now working toward an undergraduate degree may find that their school will award credit based on the NYBOR PONSI recommendations. To find out if your school will award college credit for earning the C.P.M. or A.P.P., please refer to the Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction College Credit Recommendation for the Institute for Supply Management™. The most current recommendation information is available from ISM's Web site at www.ism.ws — select Professional Credentials, then Certification Forms and then College Credit Information and Transcript Request. Pay particular attention to the recommendation for the program you completed.
ISM is changing the Accredited Purchasing Practitioner (A.P.P.) program.
The A.P.P. Exam is no longer offered. However, A.P.P. candidates can simply register for C.P.M. Modules 1 and 2 instead. C.P.M. Exam modules can be applied toward the A.P.P. And though candidates have to take the C.P.M. Exam, they are not obliged to pursue the C.P.M.
Under current ISM policy, candidates who wish to reaccredit their A.P.P. may
continue to do so — even after
Beginning
Exam Registration Fees — as of January 2007:
ISM Member — Domestic* $130
Nonmember — Domestic* $190
ISM
Member — International $175
Nonmember — International $230
*Domestic =
C.P.M. and A.P.P. application fees will remain the same for 2007
ISM also has a C.P.M./A.P.P. automated telephone message system at 800/888-6276 or 480/752-6276, extension 3027. The automated system provides information about certification, accreditation and continuing education.
To speak with someone about Certification:
·
Customer
Service
(extension 401;
custsvc@ism.ws)
— To order C.P.M. study or other materials, register for exams and obtain
answers to general questions.
·
Althea "Al"
Levine
(extension 3094;
alevine@ism.ws) — Processes C.P.M. and A.P.P.
applications.
·
Lyndsey
Ferro
(extension 3044;
lferro@ism.ws)
— Performs department administrative duties.
·
David
Migliore
(extension 3074;
dmigliore@ism.ws) — Assists in the day-to-day
administration of the C.P.M. and A.P.P. programs, sets up special test centers
and handles other matters.
·
Karen P.
Collins, C.P.M., A.P.P., Manager, Certification (extension 3123;
kcollins@ism.ws) — Directs activities of the department
and all related programs and policy matters.
·
Christina
Foster, SPHR,
Vice President of Certification and Diversity (extension 3011;
cfoster@ism.ws) — Develops
new international alliances and advances the certification process.