What is a Certified Estimating Professional (CEP)?
AACE International’s Certified Estimating Professional (CEP) certification program is designed to establish credentials for those individuals working in the estimating field. This certification program will give professionals a means to validate their skills and knowledge. CEP certification will distinguish you as a Certified Estimating Professional who has the knowledge and skills that impact the bottom line.
Summary of CEP Certification Process
Candidates for the CEP designation must meet these minimum requirements:
- Experience requirements
At least 8 full years of professional experience, of which up to 4 years may be substituted by a college/university degree. Related degrees include: engineering, building construction, construction technology, business, economics, accounting, construction management, architecture, computer science, mathematics, etc.
Please note that AACE cannot accept your resume/vitae as verification of employment or your degree.
Verification of work can simply be a short paragraph from your supervisor stating how long you have worked there and a brief description of your duties. If you are unable to contact a previous employer, we will accept a statement from your current employer that they did check your previous employment and verifying what they found. If you are self-employed, you can write a short paragraph explaining your work situation and then have the signature notarized.
To verify a degree, we will accept a copy of your diploma or transcripts from the awarding college/university.
- Submit Application Instructions and fees
There are two steps in making a complete application for the CEP exam: Apply & Make Payment and Submit Supporting Documentation.
- STEP ONE: All candidates must apply and make payment online or submit a downloadable application with payment information provided.
Certification fees are US$500 for AACE Members, and US$625 for Non-Members. All fees are non-refundable.
- STEP TWO: All candidates must submit experience/education verification documentation* to AACE Certification Staff.
*Please note: if you are retesting, chances are you will not have to resubmit your eligibility verification documentation. If you want to be sure, please contact certificationsubmittals@aacei.org.
After we have received ALL of your information to complete an application, it will take approximately 45 days to properly verify your eligibility to sit for our exam and enroll you in the program. Once you have been cleared to sit for the exam and enrolled, you will receive instructions on how to schedule your examination with our computer based testing (CBT) vendor, Kryterion and an access voucher code valid for 6 months.
NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
- If you have not completed all three steps within 6 months of applying, you will be required to reapply, paying full fees again.
- If you are unsuccessful at passing the exam the first time, you can apply to resit at a reduced fee (within 6 months of your enrollment).
- Pass the examination
To become a CEP, an overall passing score of 70% must be achieved, as determined by the Certification Board.
It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure they have met the experience requirements prior to submission. AACE reserves the right to deny any candidate if it has been determined, after review of documentation, they are not eligible to sit for the exam. By registering and submitting payment you are claiming you have met the minimum requirements to take the exam. All fees are non-refundable.
EXAM STRUCTURE
The CEP exam contains multiple choice questions and a written memo assignment. The multiple choice questions and the written assignment scores are averaged together for an overall exam score. You must receive a minimum average of 70% in order to successfully pass the exam.
- MULTIPLE CHOICE EXAM: The exam is delivered through computer based testing (CBT) and is comprised of multiple-choice and compound, scenario questions. The topics covered in the exam are: basics of estimating knowledge & principles and estimating knowledge, principles, processes and practices in solving more complex estimating problems.
- MEMO ASSIGNMENT: The memo assignment will allow the candidate to choose from an onscreen list of suggested scenarios and will require the candidate to demonstrate professional writing skills and a general knowledge around an estimating competency. The memo will be written in the text box provided onscreen and should demonstrate a candidate’s ability to organize thought and communicate effectively. The memo will need to be addressed properly, include a purpose statement, propose a solution with supporting details and include a closing statement. The memo should include 300 words, at a minimum.
The exam is closed book. Candidates are permitted to bring any style of calculator, including programmable calculators, to use during the exam.
If you want to know what our CBT exam will look like, please view the CBT Certification Exam Tutorial by selecting the link on the right hand side.
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As your career advances, CEP goes with you
The CEP designation is versatile. It is a mark of distinction. As with any specialty certification, a primary concern is to ensure that all credentials are always up to date. That is why the program requires you to recertify every 3 years by either professional credit plan or re-testing. The recertification program is designed to ensure that you have maintained continued expertise through work experience, continuing education, professional development, and active involvement in the profession.
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. All exam candidates should download and study these definitions as in some cases they are different than the current RP10S-90.
