The perceived value of public procurement and contract management certification

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to gain insight into how public procurement and contract management (PPCM) officials perceive the value of professional certification in their field. A survey instrument was sent to PPCM officials who are members of PPCM professional associations. Responses to the survey were received from 1809 PPCM officials and included both managers and non-managers. Officials were asked to provide their perceptions of the intrinsic and extrinsic values of certification, their perceptions of the value of certification to PPCM as a profession, and their perceptions of the value of certification to the organisations/agencies that employ PPCM practitioners. The results indicate that compared to uncertified PPCM respondents, certified PPCM respondents have higher intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to seek certification and view certification as more valuable to the profession and the organisation.