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Welcome to the UPPCC Website

About UPPCC

In order to more effectively promote and ensure professionalism in public sector procurement, the Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council was established as an independent entity in 1978. The organization later changed its name to Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC®) in 2010. 

UPPCC® develops and administers the Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO®) and Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB®) programs.  For over 45 years, the CPPO® and CPPB® have been considered the “gold standard” by public procurement practitioners and their employers with over 15,977 professionals certified to date.  To learn more, please visit www.uppcc.org.

Address

333 West Vine St, Suite 1740 Lexington KY 40507

The functions of the Council are as follows:

To establish, monitor, and revise requirements for certification

To continue research efforts relating to the certification of public buyers and procurement officers

To coordinate with other UPPCC Strategic Partnership programs in order to further the certification of public procurement professionals.

To do all things necessary and proper to promote and insure professionalism in public procurement

The UPPCC offers two distinct levels of professional certification for the public procurement professional;

the Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO)

and the Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB).

The CPPO level applies to individuals holding supervisory and/or management positions while the CPPB level applies to buyers at the non-management level. UPPCC programs are applicable to all public procurement personnel in federal, state and local government organizations and agencies.

Today, the CPPO and CPPB programs are the most highly regarded and well-respected certifications among procurement professionals and their employers in the public sector. To date, the UPPCC has certified well over 14,000 professionals primarily within the US and Canada, but in other nations around the globe.

The UPPCC is composed of two volunteer-led Boards; a governing body known as the Board of Directors and the Board of Examiners whose primary responsibility is exam development and administration.

[ Articles of Incorporation ]– last updated 4/28/2023

[ Bylaws ]– last updated 4/28/2023 

[ Code Of Ethics ] 

Mission

To set public procurement standards of knowledge and competency and assess individuals against those standards.

Vision

To be the global, premier, independent resource in public procurement.

Values

  • Integrity
  • Excellence
  • Passion
  • Responsiveness
  • Collaboration

UPPCC Strategic Plan Summary – Updated 2021

Achievement of Excellence in Procurement (AEP) Award

Since 2010, UPPCC has been a proud sponsor of the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement (AEP) award program provided by the National Purchasing Institute (NPI).

In 1995, the National Purchasing Institute (NPI) founded the (AEP) award program. NPI is the public sector affiliate of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). The AEP is awarded annually to those organizations that demonstrate excellence by obtaining a minimum score on a rating of standardized criteria. The program is designed to measure innovation, professionalism, productivity, and leadership attributes of the procurement organization.

The program was created by the National Purchasing Institute to:

1. Recognize organizational excellence in public and non-profit procurement,
2. Encourage development of excellence,
3. Provide benchmarks for continued excellence, and
4. Increase awareness of public procurement as a profession.

More information including the electronic application and a list of all previous AEP recipients, visit the AEP Award page.

Exam Schedule

All UPPCC certification examinations are administered via computer at a Prometric testing center. Examinations will be delivered daily, Sunday through Saturday at a time and location selected by the candidate. Beginning with the 2025 exam year, Spring examinations will be administered on May 1st – 15th and Fall exams will be administered on October 17th – 31st each year. Candidate exam results will be posted approximately eight (8) weeks following the close of the exam window. Please see the schedule below for exam deadlines.

 Spring  ExaminationsFall Examinations
Exam Application Window OpensNov 10thMay 25th
Application Submission DeadlineMar 3rdAug 20th
Application Submission Late DeadlineMar 17thSept 3rd
Approved Candidates Schedule Exam ByMar 31stSep 17th
Exam DatesMay 1-15Oct 17 – 31

Professional contributions in procurement

Applicants may claim credit in the form of contact hours for professional contributions that are directly related to procurement, such as leadership on a Board of a professional procurement organization, authoring a procurement-related article or book, speaking or teaching at procurement-related meetings and/or events, and performing activities in support of UPPCC. Contact hour values for qualifying procurement-related activities are as follows:

Officer of a Board – 3 per yearBoard Member – 2 per year
Task Force/Committee Member – 1 per yearConsulting Engagement – 2 per year
Authoring a published book – 3Authoring a published article – 2
Authoring a chapter in a published book – 2Teaching/Speaking at a meeting/event – 1
Earning an individual award/certification – 1Developing a course – 1
UPPCC Job Analysis survey participant – 1Teaching a course – 1

A maximum of 20 contact hours is permitted in this section.

Continuing education and professional development

Applicants earn 1 contact hour for each clock hour of education that is related to procurement or designed to prepare or enhance one’s ability to perform in a current or future procurement role. Includes online and in-person classes, conferences, seminars, webinars, and workshops. Networking, tradeshows, entertainment and social events are excluded and not applicable for contact hours.

Employment experience in public procurement

Recertification Definitions

 

  • CPPO or CPPB (Active/Non-Lapsed) – A CPPO or CPPB certification that is within the designated 5-year certified period. The certification is not lapsed, expired or retired.
  • CPPO or CPPB (Lapsed) – A CPPO or CPPB certification that has passed the designated 5-year certified period but by no more than 1 year.
  • Dual Certification (Active/Non-Lapsed) – Both CPPO and CPPB certifications are combined into one, streamlined recertification process with one common expiration date at a reduced cost.
  • Dual (Lapsed) – A Dual Certification that has passed the designated 5-year certified period but by no more than 1 year.
  • CPPO-Ret. or CPPB-Ret. (Retired Status) – Special designation(s) offered to active/non-lapsed CPPOs and/or CPPBs who are currently or are preparing for retirement. Allows for continued recognition without subsequent recertifications.