Certified
Purchasing Manager Exam Review
About
This Course
This 5-day course will review the
topics upon which applicants will be tested by the Certified Purchasing Manager
(C.P.M.) Examination. You will learn the
topic contents of the exam as well as how best to prepare yourself to maximize
your performance. Through review of the subject matter followed by sample
testing, you will gain a good understanding of your areas of strengths and
weaknesses and be prepared to develop a follow-up self-study program on any
areas in which you want more depth. This
course is also an excellent learning experience for participants in basic
purchasing principles, and attendees will leave this seminar with enhanced
understanding of purchasing techniques that can be applied immediately when you
return to work. This course, as well as the examination, is geared towards the
manufacturing, service, institutional and government procurement sectors.
Participants will learn not only major
portions of the content of the exam but also how the exam is constructed, how
questions are written and how best to read them, and how to prepare to take the
exam. Often knowing how to approach the exam is the difference between passing
and failing. At the end of each module's content review, participants will take
a full-scale practice examination to test their knowledge in the subject area
and to sharpen test-taking
skills.
The
Program Agenda
Day 1. C.P.M. Exam Overview +
Module 1 - The Purchasing Process
Background of the C.P.M.
examination:
The process for determining exam
content. Types of questions and how to
approach them. (Who writes those
questions anyway?) Test-taking tips. How to maximize your chances for
success. Criteria for
certification.
Module
1:
The requisition process: forms of requisitions, applicable laws,
budgetary considerations.
Purchasing procedures: make or buy decisions, cost issues,
competition, leasing.
Source evaluation and selection: minority suppliers, finding sources,
performance issues.
The process of determining price: specifications review, price vs value, cost
justification. Competitive bidding: bidders lists, late bids, types of RFQs, bid
evaluation, regulations.
Day 2. Module 1 (continued) - The Purchasing Process
Negotiations: appropriateness, strategies, tactics,
preparation.
Purchasing's role in obtaining
quality: definition of quality, UCC
provisions.
Contract administration: work plans, progress payments, contract
compliance.
Legal considerations in
purchasing: anti-trust laws, contract
elements, UCC, Robinson-Patman, bankruptcy, contract problems, FOB issues.
Sample exam for Module 1.
Day 3. Module 2 - The Supply
Environment
Negotiations: Developing strategies and tactics; conducting negotiations to obtain maximum
value.
Information technology: Developing and utilizing purchasing systems,
from basic systems to electronic commerce;
maintaining data bases for specifications, suppliers, products and
services; inventory and capital
equipment tracking systems.
Quality: Resolving quality problems with suppliers and
users; developing measurements for
quality improvement and target-setting;
benchmarking.
Internal relationships: Developing and managing internal
relationships; cross-functional teams;
supply management and material usage policies and procedures; internal training.
External relationships: Supplier partnerships, strategic alliances,
supply chain management, supplier training;
reviewing information with suppliers and relations with sales personnel; inquiries, protests and appeals; disadvantaged supplier development; representing the organization.
Sample exam for Module 2.
Day 4. Module 3 - Value Enhancement Strategies
Sourcing analysis: Make / buy decisions, privatization and
outsourcing; leasing; financing and leverage strategies.
Supply and inventory management: Material storage concepts; inventory and restocking levels, just-in-time
strategies; inventory accuracy and error
reconciliation; obsolete, surplus and
scrap.
Value-enhancing processes: Standardization; process improvement; cost
reduction, cost avoidance and containment strategies; new product introduction.
Forecasting and strategies: Using forecasted data to plan purchasing
strategies; forecasting to
suppliers; market awareness; forecasting to internal users.
Sample exam for Module 3.
Day 5. Module 4 - Management
Management and organization: Strategic plans and objectives; goal alignment; operating policies, guidelines and
procedures; management reporting; audits;
departmental performance evaluation;
budgets; forms management.
Human resource management: Supervision;
hiring, promotion and dismissal;
performance evaluation; training; resolving performance problems; dealing with discrimination or harrassment.
Sample exam for Module 4.
The
Key Benefits of Attending
1.
Learn the major content areas that represent the core of purchasing.
2.
Assess your readiness to take the Certified Purchasing Manager Exam.
3.
Learn proven skills to maximize your performance on the exam.
4.
Identify any areas needing follow-up study.
5.
Develop a follow-up self-study program to enhance those skill areas.
Bonus!
Each attendee will receive a copy of The C.P.M. Study Guide, 7th ed. Revised,
the C.P.M. Diagnostic Kit and a copy of the Hardings' book Purchasing (an exam reference text)
a
total value of $100.00 in texts.
Who
Should Attend?
-
Candidates preparing for the C.P.M. exam.
-
Purchasers determining whether to attempt certification.
-
Professionals preparing for recertification by retaking exam modules.
About
Your Program Leader
Mary Lu Harding is a principal of
Harding & Associates, specializing in manufacturing and materials related
consulting and education. Mary Lu is a
contributing author to the C.P.M. Study
Guide, 6th ed. (revised). She has
written and reviewed questions for the C.P.M. exam. Mary Lu co-authored the book Purchasing published by Barron's Press
which is an exam reference text and co-authored a video film on Systems Contracting. She has over 20
years experience in manufacturing, as a practitioner and as a coach and trainer
of others. Her primary areas of
expertise include materials management, especially MRP II and Purchasing,
Just-In-Time, Team Development and Total Quality Management. She is certified by NAPM (C.P.M.) and APICS
(CPIM & CIRM). She is also an
officer in the local chapters of both societies. She is a frequent speaker for APICS and NAPM
chapter and national meetings on the subjects of People Empowerment, Purchasing and Ethics,
MRP II, Inventory Management and Total Quality Management.
Certified
Purchasing Manager Exam Review
About
This Course
This 5-day course will review the
topics upon which applicants will be tested by the Certified Purchasing Manager
(C.P.M.) Certification Examination. You
will learn the topic content of the exam as well as how best to prepare
yourself to maximize your performance. Through review of the subject matter
followed by sample testing, you will gain a good understanding of your areas of
strengths and weaknesses and be prepared to develop a follow-up self study
program on any areas needing more depth.
This course is also an excellent immediate learning experience for
participants in basic purchasing principles, and all attendees will leave this
seminar with enhanced understanding of purchasing techniques that can be
applied immediately when you return to work. This course, as well as the
examination, is geared towards the manufacturing, service, institutional and
government procurement sectors.
Participants will learn not only major
portions of the content of the exam but also how the exam is constructed, how
questions are structured and how best to read them, and how to prepare to take
the exam. Often knowing how to take the exam is the difference between passing
and failing.
At the end of each module's
presentation, participants will take a full-scale practice examination to test
their knowledge in the subject area and to sharpen their test-taking skills.
The
Program Agenda
Day 1 & 2. Module 1 - The Purchasing Process
The requisition process: forms of requisitions, applicable laws,
budgetary considerations.
Purchasing procedures: make or buy decisions, cost issues,
competition, leasing.
Source evaluation and selection: minority suppliers, finding sources,
performance issues.
The process of determining price: specifications review, price vs value, cost
justification.
Competitive bidding: bidders lists, late bids, types of RFQs, bid
evaluation, regulations.
Negotiations: appropriateness, strategies, tactics,
preparation.
Purchasing's role in obtaining
quality: definition of quality, UCC
provisions.
Contract administration: work plans, progress payments, contract
compliance.
Legal considerations in
purchasing: anti-trust laws, contract
elements, UCC, Robinson-
Patman, bankruptcy, contract problems, FOB issues (U.S. commercial law).
Day 3. Module 2 - Administration of the Purchasing
Function
Purchasing department
organization: structure,
responsibilities, issues.
Purchasing goals, objectives and
policies: priorities and
measurements.
Departmental procedures and
controls: work assignment,
responsibility vs authority,
release systems.
Administration of budgets: constructing budgets, capital budgets, direct/indirect
costs.
Forms development and control: operational forms, costs, objectives, record
retention.
Departmental performance
evaluation: what to evaluate, rating
systems.
Management systems: motivational theories, MBO, span of control.
Management of personnel: motivation & supervision, training,
performance evaluations,
hiring, promotion & discipline.
Day 4. Module 3 - Management of the Supply Process
Traffic and transportation
management: carriers &
transportation costs, expediting & tracing, Types of carriers: advantages / disadvantages.
Inventory management: analysis of inventory & carrying costs.
EOQ, FOQ, ABC classes.
Inventory management systems: MRP, JIT and order point systems.
Stores and receiving systems: material segregation, inspection,
documentation, disposal.
Managing individual materials: private inventories, separation.
Purchase price standards: performance measurements, cost
targeting.
Cost reduction and cost avoidance
programs: implementation and documentation.
Managing surplus materials: control, disposal, hazardous waste.
MRP, MRP II and JIT as business
operating systems.
Day 5. Module 4 - Current Issues in Purchasing
Demand forecasting: elements, types of forecasts, quantity / timing issues.
Economic trends and their
implications: economic indicators,
sources & methods, inflation.
Strategic planning and objectives: buying strategies, hedging, futures.
Purchasing strategies and their
analysis: international buying, cycles,
and trends.
Relationships with suppliers: partnerships, early supplier
involvement.
Relationships with other internal
departments: communications, roles,
trust.
Use of computers: computerized purchasing systems and EDI
(Electronic Data Interchange).
Environmental issues: how to manage hazardous and/or regulated
materials.
The
Key Benefits of Attending
1.
Learn the major issues that represent the core of purchasing.
2.
Assess your readiness to take the Certified Purchasing Manager
Certification Exam.
3.
Learn proven skills to maximize your performance on the exam.
4.
Identify any areas needing follow-up study.
5.
Develop a follow-up self-study program to enhance those skill areas.
Bonus!
Each attendee will receive a copy of The C.P.M. Study Guide, 6th ed., the C.P.M.
Diagnostic Kit and a copy of the Hardings' book Purchasing (an exam reference text)
a
total value of $100.00 in texts.
Who
Should Attend?
-
Candidates preparing for the C.P.M. exam.
-
Purchasers determining whether to attempt certification.
-
Buyers
-
Purchasing Managers
-
Those desiring an intensive overview of the purchasing profession.
About
Your Program Leaders
Michael and Mary Lu Harding are
principals of Harding & Associates, a firm specializing in JIT
manufacturing and materials related consulting and education. Their clients include many of the Fortune
500 companies.
Michael Harding is the former Corporate
Manager of JIT Education & Training for Digital Equipment Corporation. He is the author of Profitable
Purchasing (Industrial Press) and Service
Velocity. Mr. Harding consults and
lectures on World Class Manufacturing throughout North and South America,
Europe, Russia, the Ukraine and the Far East.
He is a frequent speaker at APICS and NAPM chapter and national meetings on the subjects
of Manufacturing and Service Velocity, Just-In-Time, Inventory Management,
Quality, People Empowerment and Purchasing.
Mr. Harding holds degrees in Business, Purchasing and Law. He is on the board of directors of the
Association for Manufacturing Excellence and is certified by NAPM (C.P.M.) and
APICS (CPIM).
Mary Lu Harding is a contributing
author to the C.P.M. Study Guide, 6th ed.
and co-author of a video film on Systems
Contracting. She is a writer and
reviewer of questions for the C.P.M. exam.
She is a frequent speaker for APICS and NAPM chapter and national
meetings on the subjects of
Just-In-Time, People Empowerment, Purchasing and Ethics, MRP II and
Inventory Management. She has over 20
years experience in manufacturing, as a practitioner and as a coach and trainer
of others. Her primary areas of
expertise include materials management, especially MRP II and Purchasing,
Just-In-Time, Team Development and Total Quality Management. She is certified by NAPM (C.P.M.) and APICS
(CPIM and CIRM). She is also an officer
in the local chapters of both societies.
Michael and Mary Lu co-authored the
book Purchasing published by Barron's
Press which is an exam reference text.