CPCM™ Exam Prep

For experienced contract professionals ready to demonstrate mastery.

The Certified Professional Contract Manager™ (CPCM™) is NCMA’s premier certification, recognized as the gold standard in contract management. Accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) and grounded in the internationally recognized Contract Management Standard™ (CMS™), it validates your ability to lead complex contracting initiatives with expertise and confidence.

Prepare to achieve CPCM certification through comprehensive exam prep, available in the virtual classroom or with flexible self-paced content, designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed on the exam and advance your career.

Virtual Classroom

(Self-Paced Content included)
Duration: 12 weeks
Credits: 45 CPE/CLP*

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Self-Paced

Duration: 25 hours
Credits: 25 CPE/CLP

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*(20 CPE credits for the virtual classroom + 25 CPE credits for the self-paced content which can be used toward the credits needed to sit for the exam)

Who Should Take the Exam Prep

Buyers and sellers who participate in government-to-business (federal, state, and local) and business-to-business (small, medium, and large) contract and subcontract activities;
Buyers interested in understanding how their actions impact sellers and sellers interested in understanding how their actions impact buyers; and
Contract management professionals who have a general material interest in contract management (e.g., scholars, consultants, researchers, regulatory authorities, representatives of accrediting organizations, representatives of other organizations, etc.

CPCM Prerequisites

Bachelor’s Degree.
Degrees from outside the United States must be evaluated by an independent third party, such as World Education Services, Scholaro, GEO Credential Services (GCS), Info Check USA, or SpanTran
Five years of work experience in contract management or related field
A minimum of 120 hours of CPE/CLP (see our Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Guide for details)

What You'll Learn

At the end of the CPCM Exam Prep, you will be able to:

Define key leadership and business management terms including emotional intelligence, vision, and competence
Identify major contract types and their core components
Distinguish between cost, price, and cost realism analyses
Describe the role of acquisition planning and market research in contract success
Explain the relationship between ethics and conflicts of interest in contracting
Recognize key legal and regulatory sources that impact contract management
Outline the Pre-Award process and its alignment with the CMBOK competency system
Compare effective and ineffective contract managers and dynamics
Discuss the purpose and structure of financial statements and cost estimating techniques
Apply best practices to review solicitation documents and assess offer quality
Describe the negotiation process and roles within the Negotiation Team
Organize contract elements by order of precedence
Identify types of contract changes and termination procedures
Explain the importance of continuous learning and third-party certification in professional development

Exam Prep Overview

Introduction

CPCM Exam Overview
Contract Management Framework
CMBOK Overview

Leadership

Competence
Character
Collaboration
Emotional Intelligence
Vision

Management

Business management
Change management
Financial management
Project management
Risk management
Supply chain management

Guiding Principles

Skills and roles
Contract principles
Standard of conduct
Regulatory compliance
Situational assessment
Team dynamics
Communication and documentation

Pre-Award Life Cycle Phase

Plan solicitation
Request offers
Plan sales
Prepare offer

Award Life Cycle Phase

Analyze price/cost
Plan negotiations
Select source
Manage disagreements

Post-Award Life Cycle Phase

Administer contract
Ensure quality
Manage subcontracts

Learn

Continuous learning
Individual competence
Organization capability