PPM Certification Types and Qualifications

General – The FAC-P/PM is based on essential competencies established by a cross-government, cross-functional working group. Certification is based on attaining competencies and experience associated with each of the three levels and ensuring 80 hours of continuous learning is achieved every two years. The competencies and experience are cumulative across levels. An applicant can satisfy the competency requirements through successful completion of suggested training, completion of comparable education or certification programs, or demonstration of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Additional guidance can be found at http://www.fai.gov/certification/management.asp or by contacting your agency Acquisition Career Manager.

Competencies – The establishment of core competencies ensures the acquisition community develops common skills across the Federal spectrum. OFPP and Department of Defense retain responsibility for development and management of civilian and defense agency acquisition workforces respectively. The objective of the FAC-P/PM is to align a base of essential competencies across the Federal government’s acquisition workforce. The current base of competencies for acquisition program and project managers will be maintained by FAI on www.fai.gov. These essential competencies will be updated periodically, expanded or otherwise modified to meet the current and future acquisition workforce requirements and emerging trends in the government’s acquisition practices.

Certification Levels – FAC-P/PM has three levels of certification— (1) entry, (2) mid-level/journeyman and (3) senior/expert. Below are the detailed requirements for each level.

  1. Entry Level – At this level, program and project managers should have:
    • Knowledge and skills to perform as a project team member.
    • Ability to manage low-risk and relatively simple projects or to manage more complex projects under direct supervision of a more experienced manager.
    • Overall understanding of project management practices including performance-based acquisition.
    • Recognition of an agency’s requirements development processes.
    • Ability to define and construct various project documents, under supervision.
    • Understanding of and involvement in the definition, initiation, conceptualization or design of project requirements.


      • Experience
      At least one year of project management experience within the last five years. Project management experience includes experience constructing a work breakdown structure; preparing project analysis documents; tailoring acquisition documents to ensure that quality, effective, efficient systems or products are delivered; analyzing and/or developing requirements; monitoring performance; assisting with quality assurance; and budget development.
  2. Mid-Level/Journeyman – At this level, program and project managers should have:
    • Knowledge and skills to manage projects or program segments of low to moderate risks with little or no supervision.
    • Ability to apply management processes, including requirements development processes and performance-based acquisition principles, to support the agency’s mission to develop an acquisition program baseline from schedule requirements, plan technology developments and demonstrations and apply agency policy on interoperability.
    • Ability to identify and track actions to initiate an acquisition program or project using cost/benefit analysis.
    • Ability to understand and apply the process to prepare information for a baseline review and ability to assist in development of Total Ownership Cost (TOC) estimates.
    • Ability to manage projects as well as program segments and distinguish between program and project work.

      Experience
      At least two years of program or project management experience within the last five years that includes experience at the entry level as well as experience performing market research, developing documents for risk and opportunity management, developing and applying technical processes and technical management processes, performing or participating in source selection, preparing acquisition strategies, managing performance based service agreements, developing and managing a project budget, writing a business case, and strategic planning.
  3. Senior/Expert Level – At this level, program and project managers should have:
    • Knowledge and skills to manage moderate to high-risk programs or projects that require significant acquisition investment and agency knowledge and experience.
    • Ability to manage and evaluate a program and create an environment for program success.
    • Ability to manage the requirements development process, overseeing junior-level team members in creation, development, and implementation.
    • Expert ability to use, manage, and evaluate management processes, including performance-based management techniques.
    • Expert ability to manage and evaluate the use of earned value management as it relates to acquisition investments.

      Experience
      At least four years of program and project management experience on federal projects and/or programs, including managing and evaluating agency acquisition investment performance, developing and managing a program budget, building and presenting a successful business case, reporting program results, strategic planning, and high-level communication with internal and external stakeholders.