CSCM Program (Certified Schedules Contract Manager)

There are no experience requirements for CSCM certification. Many participants came to the CSCM program as their respective work duties increased to include responsibility for or involvement in the administration of their company’s Federal Supply Schedule Contract, and involvement in in open market procurements. Although no work experience is required, successful CSCMs have good organizational skills and demonstrate the ability to understand complex issues covered by Federal statute and regulation, and to assume more progressively responsible positions and assignments.

When budgets are tight, training is often among the first items to be cut. Employers must carefully way training for the return on the investment. The costs of the CSCM Program pale in comparison to the cost of non-compliance under a Federal Supply Schedule Contract. Non-compliance can result in a poor Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) assessment, contract termination, and perhaps even lead to suspension and debarment depending on how egregious the non-compliance. Failure to comply with the Trade Agreements Act could potentially result in enforcement, to include civil and criminal penalties under the False Claims Act. A company’s Federal Supply Schedule Contract is a significant company asset and should be protected as all company assets are. An investment in the CSCM Program is an investment in the company’s Federal Supply Schedule Contract’s administration. Although the cost of non-compliance may never be known or realized, it must be avoided at all cost.

This is a frequently asked question. And while there are no prerequisites to training, we strongly encourage everyone to take Federal Contracting Basics or Federal Procurement Boot Camp. We all like to think as we advance in our careers, we have learned everything needed from the basics. But even seasoned acquisition professionals tell us this training is beneficial to them—especially given the dynamic and ever-changing nature of legislation and implementing regulations. Currency is critical in the acquisition profession. Participants who bypass the basics can find themselves in situations where they are not on par with their fellow participants which detracts from the training experience. The basics provide a great foundation on which to build a great acquisition professional.

This will depend largely on the participant’s needs, objectives, and goals. There is a sufficient variety of classes to meet a wide spectrum of training needs and interests.

Centre’s flagship event, Annual Review: Hot Issues in Federal Contracting, provides everything you need to know to stay current in the ever-changing field of government contracts. This one-day event serves as a refresher on the developments in contracting over the past year and as an opportunity to network with your peers. The fast-paced agenda hosts a series of distinguished speakers and panelists, both from government and industry, covering vital topics to help prepare you for business growth in the upcoming year and beyond. Targeted, interest-specific breakout sessions will fill the afternoon with topics covering GSA and VA Schedule updates, Trends in Bid Protests, Legal Compliance Issues, FAR Updates, small business program updates, and more. This event has grown significantly over the years but is uniquely personal.

Currency in any profession is important but is especially critical in the acquisition profession. Even the Federal government has continuing education requirements for its acquisition professionals, and the CSCM Program recognizes this need as well. Centre’s Annual Review provides a comprehensive training forum meeting the needs of re-certification. In fact, many CSCMs attend this event each year—notwithstanding the biennial re-certification requirement.

GSA does not provide contract administration benefits to its contractors based on the qualifications or certifications of the contractor’s contract administrators. The benefit to contractors from CSCM certification is having trained contract administrator(s) nuanced in the administration of Federal Supply Schedule contracts. The CSCM program was established to train individuals in the Federal Supply Schedule Program so they may become subject matter experts in this area in order to protect their company’s interests in administering the Federal Supply Schedule and establishing a certification which recognizes the individuals’ training and professional accomplishments.

CSCM certification for contract administrators is especially helpful to a company, especially those new to the world of Federal Supply Schedule contracting. There are many moving parts to Federal Supply Schedule Contracts which if not administered properly can be costly to a company, such as disturbing the basis of award and triggering the Price Reduction Clause. In addition, there are myriad reporting and compliance requirements which if not properly administered could jeopardize continued performance of your contract and potentially result in the contract being terminated.

The CSCM Program provides a pathway to developing expertise in administering Federal Supply Schedule contracts which can allows contract administrators to go toe-to-toe with government contracting officers, ensure stellar contract administration simultaneously reducing your company’s risks and increasing its compliance.