The CPSM

Program
Why the CPSM

Program Was Developed

The purchasing and supply management profession has been changing. Those involved in
purchasing in the past are now much more involved in most aspects of the supply chain. ISM
recognizes that changes in the field demand that the CPSM

reflect the sills necessary for both

today and tomorrow.
The CPSM

addresses globalization and e!panded competencies that supply management

professionals employ to drive value in their organizations. "s the scope of the #ob has evolved$
and technology became ey to most supply management activities$ there was a need to develop
a %ualification program to certify those performing these types of #obs.
In developing the specifications for$ and content of$ the &!am$ ISM developed a definition of
supply management'
The identification, acquisition, access, positioning, management of resources and related
capabilities the organization needs or potentially needs in the attainment of its strategic
objectives.
Supply management involves many components. It involves a scan of all organizations and
processes in the supply chain$ from original creation of products and services through the
organization obtaining and using them$ all the way out to the customer eventually ac%uiring and
consuming them. This involves analyzing steps and flows$ handlings$ movements$ transactions$
costs and information. ISM maintains a list of supply management components.
Components of Supply Management
(isposition)Investment *ecovery
(istribution
Inventory Control
+ogistics
Manufacturing Supervision
Materials Management
Pacaging
Product)Service (evelopment
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Purchasing)Procurement
2uality
*eceiving
Strategic Sourcing
Transportation)Traffic)Shipping
3arehousing
The following chart shows the results of an ISM #ob analysis survey asing supply managers to
rate each component and indicate whether each component is part of his)her personal #ob
responsibilities and)or part of his)her supervisory responsibilities.
How the CPSM

Program Was Developed

In -..4$ ISM contracted with a firm to conduct a maret research study comparing the Certified
Purchasing Manager 5C.P.M.6 to other certification programs. "s a result of this study$ ISM elected
to discontinue issuing new "ccredited Purchasing Practitioner 5".P.P.6 designations$ although
current ".P.P.7s can still recertify. " strong recommendation from the study was that ISM should
conduct a #ob analysis to determine the scope of responsibilities of supply management
professionals in the real world.
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ISM completed the recommended #ob analysis in -..8. " complete review of the results showed
that there was a si!ty percent 59.:6 difference between the sill sets necessary for supply
management and the C.P.M. The conclusion was that this gaping difference made it too difficult to
stay with the C.P.M. Combined$ the maret research study and the #ob analysis set the stage for
the CPSM

.
So$ you can see that significant maret research was conducted in developing the CPSM

. The
#ob analysis process ranged from surveying to focus groups of and meetings with supply
management professionals with varied amounts and e!panse of e!perience. Participating
individuals wored at a level of manager or higher and were employed by organizations with
revenues of more than ;S </ billion from various industries.
The CPSM

&!ams are not =final e!ams> in the field of supply management. The &!ams are not
designed to cover the content of any particular course or curriculum in the area of supply
management. *ather$ they are designed to reflect the nowledge areas needed to perform the
important occupational duties of professionals employed in the field of supply management.
?ased on the results of the research and #ob analysis$ ISM7s Professional Credentials Committee
recommended program content for the CPSM

to the ISM ?oard of (irectors.

Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M. !nformation
The Certified Purchasing Manager 5C.P.M.6 program is not going away@ however$ no more C.P.M.
&!ams will be given. "lthough all original applications for certifications must be sent in by
(ecember A/$ -./A$ C.P.M.7s in good standing may continue to recertify indefinitely. If a current
C.P.M. would lie to apply for a lifetime C.P.M.$ the applicant must meet all re%uirements and
apply by (ecember A/$ -./A. "lso note that Continuing &ducation Bours 5C&Bs6 may be used to
recertify for C.P.M. as well as to certify or recertify for the CPSM

.
Cou can find additional information on the C.P.M. on ISM7s 3eb site.
CPSM

"ridge #$am %imeline

The CPSM

?ridge &!am is a single e!am for C.P.M.s in good standing who wish to earn the
CPSM

designation. 3hen a C.P.M. applies for the CPSM

after passing the ?ridge &!am$ they

must also meet the nonD&!am re%uirements for CPSM

$ including minimum wor e!perience and

educational %ualifications. The CPSM

?ridge &!am was developed for supply management

professionals who hold a valid C.P.M. It is e!pected that those who hold the C.P.M. credential
already have a thorough grasp of the nowledge covered in the C.P.M. &!am. Thus$ content that
is C.P.M.Dspecific is not part of the CPSM

?ridge &!am. The &!am is comprised of /E.

%uestions 5all scored6 and candidates will be allowed three 5A6 hours to test.
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Candidates may register for the CPSM

?ridge &!am until (ecember A/$ -./A$ and have up to

one year from the date they register for the ?ridge &!am to tae the &!am. The last day to
register for the CPSM

?ridge &!am is (ecember A/$ -./A and the last day to tae the CPSM

?ridge &!am is (ecember A/$ -./4.
CPSM

&e'uirements
In order to attain the CPSM

designation$ a candidate must meet the following re%uirements'

/. Bave three 5A6 years of fullDtime professional 5nonclerical$ nonsupport6 e!perience
-. Bave a bachelor7s degree from a regionallyDaccredited college or university or
international e%uivalent
o For bachelor7s degrees earned outside the ;nited States$ ISM has compiled a list
of accepted degrees by country. Giew them at www.ism.ws@ select Professional
Credentials$ then Certification Forms$ then International (egrees "ccepted by
ISM. There are instances when a degree may re%uire further evaluation.
A. Pass the three CPSM

&!ams' &!am / H Foundation of Supply Management$ &!am - H

&ffective Supply Management Performance and &!am A H +eadership in Supply
Management
o Iote that C.P.M.7s in good standing with a bachelor7s degree have the option of
taing the CPSM

?ridge &!am. It is a single e!am covering contemporary

content and material not covered in the C.P.M. &!am.
4. Jnce all re%uired CPSM

&!ams have been passed$ apply for certification

CPSM

&ecertification &e'uirements
?ecause the profession continues to increase in comple!ity$ continuing education plays a ma#or
role in maing sure supply management professionals stay current on the latest supply
management best practices. CPSM

s are re%uired to recertify every three 5A6 years with si!ty 59.6
Continuing &ducation Bours 5C&Bs6.
Categories for earning C&Bs include college courses and seminars$ taen or taught@ contributions
to the profession@ and publication of articles. Candidates who do not recertify every three years$
will be given a oneDyear grace period in which to recertify with no penalty. Candidates in their
grace period will not be recognized as CPSM

s nor will they be allowed to use the designation.

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*ecertification within the grace period will reset the certification date to a new date of approval
and new e!piration date. "dditionally$ candidates will be able to retae each CPSM

&!am for -.
C&Bs each$ but only in the last year of certification or within the grace period year.
*emember that the same Continuing &ducation Bours 5C&Bs6 may be used to recertify for both
the C.P.M. and the CPSM

.
Cost(&egistration()pplication !nformation
(etails about program cost$ registering for &!ams$ and applying for certification are all available
on the ISM 3eb site at www.ism.ws)certification. Candidates may register online$ by telephone$
by fa!$ by mail or by special courier. To register online$ candidates may go to www.ism.ws@ select
Professional Credentials$ then Certification Forms. Jnce they are registered$ ISM will send them
information to schedule their &!ams with Pearson G;& Testing Centers.
Information available on the 3eb site includes'
Cost
Bow to *egister
Scheduling computerDbased &!ams at Pearson G;&
CPSM

"pplication Form
F"2s)+ins
Content of the CPSM

Exam and Bridge Exam

The CPSM

program includes three &!ams.

&!am /' Foundations of Supply Management
&!am -' &ffective Supply Management Performance
&!am A' +eadership in Supply Management
C.P.M.7s in good standing 5i.e.$ have not let their certification lapse6 who meet the educational and
e!perience re%uirements of the CPSM

$ may elect to tae the ?ridge &!am. The ?ridge &!am is

a single e!am covering sub#ect matter from all three CPSM

&!ams. It includes content that is

either new material or has been updated from the C.P.M. &!am. In other words$ the ?ridge &!am
covers content that was not included on the C.P.M. &!am. 3hen discussing the ?ridge &!am with
potential candidates$ it may be useful to remember that there is a si!ty percent 59.:6 difference
between the CPSM

and C.P.M. &!am Specifications.

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Cou already now from the discussion in the previous section that the content of the CPSM

&!amination is based on the findings of a #ob analysis of the supply management professional
position. The test specifications were drawn to reflect the results of this #ob analysis as thoroughly
and as accurately as possible.
The CPSM

&!am Specification identifies the various tass that a supply management

professional may be re%uired to do as well as the Knowledge$ Sills and "bilities 5KS"s6
necessary to perform these tass. The three CPSM

&!ams may include %uestions on any of

these tass.
Content of the CPSM

#$am
The three CPSM

&!aminations are based on the CPSM

&!am Specification. The following table

shows the three &!aminations$ the number and names of categories covered as well as the
number of tass involved. It also states the number of %uestions per &!amination and the time
allowed for taing the &!am. Cou will notice that in each &!am there are /8 %uestions that are not
scored. This is because ISM includes some =nonDscored> %uestions in each &!am as a way of
=testing> the %uestion itself. The e!aminee will have no way to tell which %uestions will not be
scored.
Exam 1: Foundation of Supply
Management
Exam 2: Effeti!e Supply
Management
Performane
Exam ": #eadership in Supply
Management
Si! categories$ -8 tass
". Contracting L
Iegotiations
?. Cost L Finance
C. International
(. Social *esponsibility
&. Sourcing
F. Supplier *elationship
Management
/98 %uestions 5/8. scored6
Time limit of - hours and 48
minutes
&ight categories$ -4 tass
". Forecasting
?. +ogistics
C. Materials L Inventory
Management
(. Jrganizational)(epartme
ntal "ssessment
&. Planning
F. Product (evelopment
M. Pro#ect Management
B. 2uality
/98 %uestions 5/8. scored6
Time limit of - hours and 48
minutes
Three categories$ A- tass
". +eadership
?. *is L Compliance
C. Strategic Sourcing
/E. %uestions 5/98 scored6
Time limit of A hours
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Content of the CPSM

"ridge #$am
The CPSM

?ridge &!am is also based on the CPSM

&!am Specification. *emember that the

?ridge is a single e!am covering content not in the C.P.M. &!am H these content areas are
highlighted in the CPSM

&!am Specification. The ?ridge &!am is for C.P.M.s in good standing

who wish to attain the CPSM

. It will be available to test through the end of -./4$ but candidates

must register $y the end of 2%1".
The content of the CPSM

?ridge &!amination is a subset of the three CPSM

&!ams with
%uestions from parts of all /N categories. It consists of /E. %uestions$ all of which are scored$ and
candidates are allowed A hours to tae the &!am. The following table shows the component
areas covered on the &!amination as well as the number of tass covered from each &!am.
Exam 1: Foundation of
Supply Management
Exam 2: Effeti!e Supply
Management
Performane
Exam ": #eadership in
Supply
Management
From -. of -8 tass
". Contracting L
Iegotiations
?. Cost L Finance
C. International
(. Social *esponsibility
&. Sourcing
F. Supplier *elationship
Management
From /O of -4 tass
". Forecasting
?. +ogistics
C. Materials L Inventory
Management
(. Jrganizational)(epartmental
"ssessment
&. Planning
F. Product (evelopment
M. Pro#ect Management
B. 2uality
From -- of A- tass
". +eadership
?. *is L Compliance
C. Strategic Sourcing
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