The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) has phased out the CPM certification, and now offers the Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) program, which comes with its own specific requirements. It must be noted that the CPM exam is not available after December 2009 through the ISM. If you have completed the exam by then, you can apply for certification up until Dec. 21, 2010. CPM certification requires passage of the four modules of the CPM exam. The modules are purchasing process; supply environment; value enhancement strategies; and management. CPM exam fees as of September 2009 include $130 per module for ISM members, and $190 per module for non-members.
To meet CPM certification requirements, you are required to have at least five years of full-time professional purchasing and supply management experience. You can substitute work experience with a four-year degree from an accredited program and three years of full-time purchasing experience. Documentation of work experience is required in one of the following ways: a letter from your supervisor; a signed job description from the company's human resources department; a letter from a co-worker; a letter from a supplier you worked with; or verification from your most recent employer concerning your past work history.
For CPM certification, you are required to complete an application that can be obtained through ISM. As of September 2009, application fees are $90 for ISM members and $150 for non-members. Standard application processing time usually is four to six weeks from the date of receipt.