UPPCC Announces Application and Fee Changes

January 20, 2012 - The Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC) announced today that it will be restructuring the application submission process for its CPPO and CPPB certification programs and unbundling the associated certification fee.

Currently, applicants for CPPO and CPPB certifications submit one non-refundable certification fee at the time of application. The certification fee includes among other administration fees the cost of reviewing the application and the testing fee. The original philosophy behind bundling multiple fees into one was to reduce paperwork and increase efficiencies for the applicant, the applicant’s public agency and the UPPCC.

Effective July 1, 2012, the UPPCC will unbundle the certification fee and require an application fee at the time an application is submitted. A separate testing fee will be due when the applicant registers for testing. The unbundling of the fees allows for an applicant to pay only for the review of the application and if qualified pay the additional fee for testing.

New Schedule of Certification Fees - Effective July 1, 2012

* Member refers to applicants who are current members of NASPO or NIGP.

With the unbundling of the certification fee, the UPPCC Governing Board has agreed to restructure the application process and shorten the eligibility period of an application from 2 years to 1 year. The eligibility period is the timeframe that a candidate for certification has to complete the testing requirement. "The two year eligibility period is really a carry over from the days of paper-based testing when exam logistics were more time consuming to coordinate" says UPPCC director, Ann Peshoff, CAE, CMP.

Individuals who submit an application after the late deadline for the May 2012 testing window of February 20, 2012 will be applying under the new 1 year eligibility period; applications received prior to February 20, 2012 will remain active under the current 2 year eligibility period.

The UPPCC is currently accepting applications for the May 7-19, 2012 testing period through Feb 6, 2012 (February 20, 2012 with the $50 late fee).

The Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC) is an independent entity formed to govern and administer the Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) and Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) certification programs. The CPPO and CPPB programs are highly regarded and respected among procurement professionals and employers involved in the public sector. To date, the UPPCC has certified well over 10,000 professionals primarily within the US and Canada as well as in other nations around the globe.