New Exams for October 2021

The Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC), the recognized leader in universal public procurement certification, announced new examinations for both the Certified Public Procurement Officer® (CPPO®) and Certified Professional Public Buyer® (CPPB®) effective with the October 18 – 30, 2021, examination window.

The change to the examinations comes after the completion of the most recent universal Job Analysis in June 2020. The examinations are based on the competencies that underpin the profession of public procurement.

The CPPO exam focuses on all competencies needed to demonstrate leadership in the six domain areas, while the CPPB exam focuses on the practice-level knowledge required to be proficient in this important work.

The six new major domain headings and associated weightings for each examination are provided in the UPPCC Body of Knowledge & Competency (BoK-C) summary table below.

UPPCC Body of Knowledge & Competency (BoK-C) Domain Areas	CPPO Exam	CPPB Exam
Legal Framework	15%	14%
Procurement Planning and Analysis	17%	18%
Sourcing and Solicitation	20%	23%
Contract Development and Management	17%	21%
Leadership	18%	11%
Business Principles	13%	13%

FAQ

How long will I have to take the current examinations?

The current examination will be available through the May 2021 exam window. Applicants and candidates interested in taking the current exams but do not already have an approved application on file with UPPCC, will need to apply by Feb 11, 2021 for the May 2021 examination window. May 2021 will be the final exam window where the existing exams will be offered.

When will further details be provided for the programs?

The UPPCC intends to have details available over the next month and will post these on our website when they are available. We also intend to provide these to our educational partners to enable them to begin planning their training programs.

Will eligibility requirements be changing in October 2021 as well?

There are no current plans to change eligibility requirements for either program.

Will fees for certification increase with the new exams?

No, fees for certification are expected to remain as they are today through the launch of the new examinations.

How will I prepare for the new exams? Will there be prep courses available for October 2021?

The UPPCC is working with our partners to have prep courses and other resources available for October 2021 candidates. The UPPCC will expand the area on our website where CPPO and CPPB Prep Courses are posted to include other training and education resources aligned with the new exams.

How will UPPCC test for competency on the new exams?

Each new Job Analysis process results in subsequent updates to the certification examinations, and the UPPCC has progressively added more competency-based test items to its examinations with each update. Application-level or situational questions were introduced in 2008 for both exams in 2008 and analysis level questions were introduced for CPPO in 2014. The 2021 examinations will again raise the bar and with even more focus given to a candidate’s 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.

Does UPPCC have plans to provide immediate scores to candidates following the completion of the examination?

Yes, incorporated in the new test design plan, the UPPCC will have the ability to issue scores to candidates immediately following the examination beginning in 2022.