Recertification FAQs
- About MyUPPCC Accounts
- Applying for Certification
- Changes to Certification Eligibility Requirements
- About the Exam
- Scheduling an Exam Appointment
- Exam Day
- Exam Results Notification
- Job Analysis Process
- About Recertification
- Changes to Recertification Requirements
- About CPPO-Ret. and CPPB-Ret. (Retired Status)
About MyUPPCC Accounts
About MyUPPCC Accounts
The UPPCC application is available online and through the MyUPPCC portal. To access an application, you must first access your MyUPPCC account or create a new account. Once you have an account you will be able to access all available applications from the MyUPPCC dashboard area.
If you are currently certified, lapsed, expired, lifetime or retired – you already have a MyUPPCC account and should not create a new one. If you are or were ever certified, creating a new account will not permit you to access your certification information. If you applied or tested for certification in the past you too may already have a MyUPPCC and should also not create a new account. If you have never been certified or attempted certification in the past, you most likely do not have an account and will need to create one. The MyUPPCC system will prevent you from creating a new account if you attempt to use an email address to create your account that is already associated with an existing MyUPPCC account
You can click here or visit the UPPCC home page and click on the MyUPPCC button. You will be prompted to enter login information or use the Forgot Password/New Customer option. Clicking on the Forgot Password option will allow you to locate your existing account using the preferred email address on file. If you do not know the preferred email address listed on the account, please email [email protected] for assistance.
Visit the UPPCC home page and click on the MyUPPCC button located on the right side of the page, or click here. Clicking on the New Customer option will allow you to proceed with creating a new MyUPPCC account.
Absolutely! Having a MyUPPCC account and keeping your contact information current is the best way to receive updates and reminders about our certifications and upcoming deadlines.
Applying for Certification
Yes. Interested individuals can submit an application online through the MyUPPCC portal by the published application deadline. Only approved applicants will be eligible to continue to the next stage in the process which is to schedule an examination appointment. (View the Exam Schedule on the UPPCC Website for future testing dates and deadlines.)
Yes, but for a 2-week period following the regular deadline and for an additional fee. Following the 2-week late period the application submittals portal will be closed to any new online submissions.
Applications may be submitted to UPPCC Staff for review during the application window deadlines as noted on the UPPCC home page. You may also click here to view the schedule.
Yes, individuals without a formal education degree may apply under Option 2 for the CPPB program. Option 2 requires 2 additional years of procurement experience but does not require a formal degree.
The completion of an educational program that consists of a minimum of 4 full-time semesters or the part-time equivalent of post-secondary study and results in a degree, diploma or certificate being earned. The 2-year, post-secondary educational program is the minimum requirement. Higher levels of formal education such as an Associates, Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate will also satisfy this requirement.
No; however, an official transcript is required to support 2-years of full-time study or the equivalent of part-time study.
Yes. Bachelor’s Degrees earned from either a U.S. regionally or nationally accredited, post-secondary institution of higher learning (or the international equivalent) satisfies the Bachelor’s Degree requirement.
Yes, only 50% of the total years of experience required must be from public sector. The remaining years may be from either public or private sector. For example, if the total years of procurement experience required is 5 years, a minimum of 2.5 years must be in public sector, but the other 2.5 years may be from private sector as long as all experience is within the previous 10 years.
Coursework/training completed more than 10 years prior is not considered relevant to the practice of procurement as it exists today and are therefore excluded for earning credit.
UPPCCs primary means of communication is via email. Applicants should be sure to keep their preferred email address on file current and up to date in their MyUPPCC account to ensure they receive all notifications regarding their application's review. If additional information is needed to complete the review process, UPPCC staff will email the applicant at the preferred email address on file.
Changes to Certification Eligibility Requirements
No. Applicant's must meet current UPPCC eligibility requirements as set forth in the UPPCC Guide to Applying and Testing for Certification, pages 9-16.
No. Any previous applications will remain accessible from your MyUPPCC account for future access regardless of the status. You will be able to view all logged activities and access uploaded documentation; however, you will need to rekey and re-upload that information to the new application.
No. Once an application has been marked as invalid it cannot be returned to pending status.
Coursework/training completed more than 10 years prior is not considered relevant to the practice of procurement as it exists today and therefore is being excluded for credit in the new requirements.
Yes! If you have not earned a formal educational degree, you may now be eligible to apply for the CPPO or CPPB certification under the new requirements. Please see the CPPO Certification Program link for the latest updates on eligiblity requirements.
The completion of an educational program that consists of a minimum of 4 full-time semesters or the part-time equivalent of post-secondary study and results in a degree, diploma or certificate being earned. The 2-year, post-secondary educational program is the minimum requirement. Higher levels of formal education such as an Associates, Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate will also satisfy this requirement.
Yes. Bachelor’s Degrees earned from either a U.S. regionally or nationally accredited, post-secondary institution of higher learning (or the international equivalent) now satisfies the Bachelor’s Degree requirement. Previously, only degrees earned from U.S. regionally accredited institutions (or international equivalent) would satisfy the requirement. Also, if you do not have a formal educational degree, you may now be eligible to apply for the CPPO certification under the new requirements. Please see the CPPO Certification Program link for the latgest updates on eligibility requirements.
We have exciting news regarding the CPPO certification! UPPCC Board as agreed to allow applicants with no formal education the opportunity to apply for the CPPO certification! Please see the CPPO Certification Eligibility Reequirements for more details.
No, there is no requirement for the college or university to be accredited in order for the associated education to qualify for UPPCC Certifications; however, an official transcript is still required as documentation of completion.
Each credit hour of formal education is equivalent to 16 contact hours. A 3 credit hour course is equivalent to 48 contact hours.
Yes! The recent changes to eligibility require that only 50% of the total years of experience be from public sector. The remaining years of experience may be from either public or private sector. For example, the CPPB no-degree option requires 5 total years of procurement experience. Under the new requirements, a minimum of 2.5 years must be in public sector, but the other 2.5 years may be from private sector as long as all experience is within the previous 10 years.
About The Exam
There are a total of 175 multiple choice questions.
Candidates should allow 4 hours for the exam, which includes the 3.5 hours for the exam plus 30 minutes for check-in procedures, unscheduled breaks, as well as time to view the pre-test tutorial and test to complete the post-survey questionnaire following the exam.
Examinations are offered twice per year. For the first two full weeks in May and the last two full weeks in October.
Candidates should refer to the Guide to Applying and Testing for Certification page 24 and Appendix B for study resource and Body of Knowledge & Competency (BoK-C) information when preparing a plan of study. The staff and volunteers of the UPPCC do not participate in the development of any preparatory resource or course, and no specific preparatory resource or course is endorsed by the UPPCC. The UPPCC does not guarantee successful performance on the actual examination based off courses/curriculum taken by the candidate in preparation of the examination.
Each new Job Analysis process results in subsequent updates to the certification examinations, and the UPPCC progressively added more competency-based test items to it examinations with each update. The current examinations raise the bar with even more focus given to a candidates ability to apply knowledge and skill successfully and competently to effectively perform as a CPPO or a CPPB. UPPCC will continue to test candidates using multiple-choice questions, but with more emphasis on scenario-based test items, testlets and items that incorporate visual and graphic elements.
Scheduling an Exam Appointment
Candidates must reschedule exam appointments with Prometric. If rescheduling occurs more than 30 days from the start of the exam window, there is no rescheduling/cancellation fee assessed. However, if the exam appointment is scheduled 30-5 days before the appointment date, there will be a rescheduling/cancellation fee and Prometric does not guarantee that you will receive an appointment at a day/time/location convenient for you, as exam seats fill up quickly (both at testing centers and remotely).
Exam Day
Prometric takes their role of providing a secure testing environment seriously and has enhanced security check-ins. Candidates are encouraged to review Prometric's security/check-in policies prior to their exam appointment time. Please visit: https://www.prometric.com/test-center-security, and https://www.prometric.com/covid-19-update/test-center-policies, and https://www.prometric.com/covid-19-update/covid-19-update. Those testing Remotely should also visit: https://www.prometric.com/proproctorcandidate
No. The name you submit on your application must match EXACTLY as shown on your valid, government-issued ID. If you submit your application with your name spelled incorrectly, notify UPPCC staff prior to scheduling an appointment with Prometric and they will be able to update your name on your application. Otherwise, you will have to cancel your appointment and reschedule once your name has been corrected in the system.
Exam Results Notification
Yes. Once the exam has been completed and submitted, candidates will be sent an email notification from Prometric notifying them if they received a Pass/Fail results. Further details regarding exam results will be emailed to candidates in the weeks following the close of the exam window from UPPCC.
Yes. Examinations are offered two times per year, which amounts to 2 opportunities to test under the 1-year life of an application. If re-testing is necessary, an additional exam scheduling fee will be required.
Job Analysis Process
A systematic process used to define the various components of work and the essential knowledge, skill, and abilities at a level required for competent performance in a profession, occupation, or role.
A job analysis for a certification program provides research-based evidence that supports the content of the examinations and its relevance to the profession. The result of the analysis is a comprehensive outline of content (a.k.a., test specifications, BOK, exam blueprint) to be tested of candidates for certification. The process provides a high level of assurance that what is important for competent practice in the profession is rigorously tested during certification examinations and that examinations are comprehensive, valid, and fair.
A Job Analysis consists of several activities and involves input from and expertise from professional test developers to guide the process. Input from public procurement subject matter experts are critical to accurately capture the essential work that are required to do. The specific steps include:
- Preliminary research and planning
- SME Panel Meeting
- Validation Survey
- Data Analysis
- Create/Update Test Specifications
The UPPCC conducts a formal job analysis process every five years. Scheduled periodic analyses ensure that the examinations required for UPPCC certifications continue to evolve along with the profession.
About Recertification
An application for recertification is due every 5 years to maintain an active status and to prevent additional contact hours and fees required if the certification lapses. Recertification is due before the end of the current 5-year certification period or the expiration date of your certified status. The expiration date is printed on the paper certificate and is also accessible from your MyUPPCC account or without login using the publicly available certification directory on the UPPCC website
UPPCC sends notifications to all certified individuals with valid email addresses advising them of their approaching recertification date as a courtesy. These reminders may not be received due to security firewalls, spam filters or invalid addresses. Certificants should maintain accurate contact information in their MyUPPCC account to increase the likelihood of recieving these reminders. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of the certified individual to initiate and complete the recertification process.
UPPCC advises certificants to begin the recertification process as soon as possible and log activities regularly via the MyUPPCC account. This will allow the certificant to easily track their progress towards meeting the recertification requirements.
The application for recertification is available to complete and submit online through your MyUPPCC account. Through your MyUPPCC account, certificants can log activities and upload documentation in real time and submit the application whenever the minimum requirements are met.
No, early recertification will not alter the certification period. For example, if an individual is due to recertify by May 15, 2020, but completes the recertification process on December 1, 2019, any activities the individual completes between December 1, 2019 and May 15, 2020 could not be counted toward the next recertification. Contact hours for the next recertification could only be earned for activities completed between the start and end date of the new 5-year certification period (May 16, 2020 - May 15, 2025), regardless of the date the last recertification application was submitted.
Individuals who have earned both UPPCC certifications may combine the two recertifications into one, simplified process and at a reduced cost. Both certifications must be active/non-lapsed to be eligible. See Dual Certification for further details.
No, ongoing employment within public sector procurement is not a requirement to recertify; however, certificants may earn and apply credit for continued employment in a public sector procurement position towards recertification. Certificants may earn 1 contact hour for each year of public procurement employment within their 5-year certification period. Employment time less than 1 year will be pro-rated at a rate of 0.083 contact hour for each month employed during the 5-year period.
No, only ongoing procurement experience in the public sector can earn contact hours towards recertification. Private, part-time, and consultant experience is excluded.
Yes, you may include any and all activities (including experience) from the date that your certification entered lapsed status through until the application is submitted.
Certificants who have both active/non-lapsed CPPO and CPPB certificates need to apply for the first time using the Dual First-Time Recertification application and submit the application fee. The system will find the recertification expiration date closest to the date of submission and use that date to combine the expiration date for both certificates. For example, if the CPPB expiration date is 12/31/2021, the CPPO expiration date is 12/31/2022, and the application for Dual Certification is submitted 12/20/2021, then the new expiration date for both certifications would become 12/31/2026.
Both certifications must be active/non-lapsed to be eligible for Dual Certification status at your next recertification. If one of your two certifications is in a lapsed status, you will need to first bring the lapsed certification back to current by completing a lapsed recertification application for the certification that has lapsed. Once both certifications are active/non-lapsed, you will be able to apply as Dual First-Time with your next recertification.
Changes to Recertification Requirements
You can still continue with completing the course and it will still be applicable for credit towards recertification; however, if you only registered for the course to meet the previous requirement to earn contact hours in a minimum of 2 out of 3 categories the course may no longer be necessary to meet recertification requirements.
Yes. Experience is not required to recertify. On-going public procurement experience is just another opportunity to earn contact hours towards the recertification of your CPPO or CPPB. For your experience to be applicable for credit towards your recertification the procurement experience must be on a full-time basis and within the public sector. Private sector and consultant experience are excluded.
No. On-going public procurement experience is just another opportunity to earn contact hours towards the recertification of your CPPO or CPPB. To earn contact hours for your experience, UPPCC only requires that the employment be in a procurement role within public sector. There is no additional requirement to have management or supervisory responsibilities for the purposes of recertification credit.
About CPPO-Ret. and CPPB-Ret. (Retired Status)
No, certified individuals may apply for Retired Status at any age.
An individual in Retired Status can return to active certified status, but only for a limited period of time. A certification can be reactivated within the 5-year period that follows the certification period in which the active status was retired. If the Retired Status is not reactivated to active certified status at the end of the 5-year period, the Retired Status becomes permanent.
Yes. The original certification number will be retained; however, a new expiration date will be issued 5 years from the date the individual is approved to return to active status. For example, if the application was approved March 2, 2022, the new certification period would be March 3, 2022 – March 2, 2027.
No, any type of employment within the field of procurement cause the individual to be ineligible for Retired Status. This includes public or private sector and self-employment as an independent contractor or consultant.
If the individual in Retired Status becomes re-employed with the procurement profession, he/she must notify UPPCC and discontinue use of the Retired Status designation immediately. If still eligible to do so, successfully complete the current recertification process to return to active certified status.