• Suggestions for Continuing Education Credits
• Calculating Continuing Education Credits
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Recertification Forms

Every individual who has attained an MCCPO designation will be required to earn at least 25 continuing education credits during the three year period following his/her designation date and every three years thereafter, in order to maintain his or her MCPPO designation. This requirement replaces the previous 60-credit recertification requirement.

As of January 1, 2004, every individual who has attained an MCPPO will be required to attend one of the following three seminars during the recertification period; Supplies and Services Contracting (17 continuing education credits), Design and Construction Contracting (17 continuing education credits) or MCPPO Advanced Topics Update (14 continuing education credits). The remaining continuing education credits required to fulfill the 25-credit requirement may be obtained through other professional affiliations and training - and/or by attendance at one or more of the above mentioned seminars (see attached list for suggestions). Individuals attending or re-attending an MCPPO seminar for recertification are not required to take seminar examinations.

As before, an individual with an MCPPO designation applying for recertification must submit an application form with all the requested information, a CORI check release form signed by the applicant, and a check for $75.00 payable to the Office of the Inspector General. Applicants will be required to certify that they have earned the required number of continuing education credits beyond those awarded for MCPPO seminars.

Suggestions for fulfilling your continuing education credits:

• You can receive two continuing education credits per year for belonging to and attending two educational meetings of the Massachusetts Association of Public Purchasing Officials (MAPPO) or similar professional organizations. Your recertification applications must be accompanied by:
  a. The agenda of the meetings attended.
  b. Information verifying that the meeting program was at least (1) hour in length.
  c. Information verifying that the program consisted of a direct educational activity regarding municipal purchasing, finance, construction bidding or other related topics. (Program must be unbiased and not promote or market any company's products or services.) Members can only get credit for the same program once every three years.
  d. The professional organization must maintain attendance records that this office could use to verify attendance.
• You can earn approximately seven continuing education credits for attending MAPPO's annual spring conference. (Check the conference schedule for the exact number of hours.)
• You can receive continuing education credits for every workshop you attend at the annual STAR conference (held in the spring), which is sponsored by the state Operational Services Division (OSD). This program generally offers the opportunity to earn up to 6 credits and the program is free for public officials.
• You can also receive continuing education credit for attending the Buy Recycled Fair (held in the fall). This program is also free and allows you the opportunity to earn up to 6 credit hours. For more information about this conference, visit www.mass.gov/osd/enviro.
• You can earn up to 15 continuing education credits for professional contributions, such as authoring an article for the OIG's Procurement Bulletin or other professional publications.

*If you find yourself hunting for continuing professional education credits, you can always take more than one of the required seminars for MCPPO recertification or you may enroll in an MCPPO half-day or one-day seminar offering up to 6 credits.

Calculating Continuing Education Credits

In most instances, for each fifty (50) minutes of attendance and participation in activities that qualify, an applicant earns one (1) continuing education credit. Programs held during a meal will not qualify for continuing education credit, although programs held prior to or after a meal may qualify. Only activities that are fifty (50) minutes or longer will be counted; hence a 30-minute presentation will not satisfy any portion of the continuing education requirement. After the first credit, additional credits may be earned in half-hour increments. The following rules will apply to college or correspondence courses, presentations and to publications:

• For the successful completion of a relevant university or college class, ten (10) continuing education credits may be earned for each semester hour of credit (e.g., one semester, three-credit class equals thirty (30) continuing education credits).
• For the successful completion of a correspondence course or independent study program deemed acceptable by the MCPPO Program, the number of continuing education credits earned will equal the average number of hours required to complete the course as stated by the program sponsor.
• For the successful presentation to or instruction of others, the number of continuing education credits earned will be equivalent to the presenter's actual preparation and presentation time, provided that the total credits awarded will not be more than twice the presentation time. An instructor or presenter may not earn continuing education credits for presenting substantially the same material more than once within a two-year period.
• For the publication of an article, book or course material deemed acceptable by the MCPPO program, the number of continuing education credits earned will be equivalent to the amount of time devoted to writing the book, article or course material. No credit will be granted for more than one publication on substantially the same topic.
• For serving as an active board member of an organization deemed acceptable by the MCPPO program, two (2) continuing education credits may be earned for each complete year of service in which you attended at least one-half of the board meetings.
• For serving as an officer of a professional public procurement or purchasing organization, five (5) continuing education credits may be earned for each complete year of service.

Recertification Forms

The forms for applying for recertification in appropriate categories and information about the requirements are available online in PDF format. (A free reader for PDF files may be obtained from Adobe Systems, Inc.)

1. Application for Recertification of Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Officer (MCPPO).[PDF]
 
 
2. Application for Recertification of Massachusetts Certified State Purchasing Officer (MCSPO).[PDF] 
    
3. MCPPO CORI Request Form

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