Winner of
"Best People Development Initiative" Award

The programme distinguishes essential, important and useful subject areas and includes rigorous assessment, which targets the most important aspects of the subject. Within this context the aims of the course are as follows:

• To prepare Commercial Officers for their responsibilities as holders of a Commercial Licence;
• To promote professional development within purchasing and supply (both within and outside of the MOD and Government Departments) through accreditation of the course by professional awarding bodies (e.g. Office of Government Commerce and CIPS);
• To provide opportunities for raising levels of commercial awareness within non-commercial staff;
• To provide opportunities for experienced staff to refresh their commercial knowledge.

• Commercial Licence;
• Commercial Awareness;
• Office of Government Commerce Certificate of Competence in Purchasing & Supply;
• CIPS professional qualifications;
• A refresh of Commercial knowledge;
• Continuous Professional Development (CPD);
• Other professional qualifications.

For personnel requiring Commercial Awareness, a refresh of commercial knowledge or Continuous Professional Development (CPD) the programme consists of 12 e-learning modules.

For those pursuing Commercial Licence, Office of Government Commerce Certificate of Competence in Purchasing & Supply, CIPS professional qualifications or other professional qualifications the programme content is as follows:

• e-learning modules 1 to 6;
• Commercial Practitioner Workshop 1 (CPW1);
• e-learning modules 7 to 12;
• Commercial Practitioner Workshop 2 (CPW2).

• On-line study materials only - £810.00 + VAT
• On-line study materials and two 2-day workshops - £1720.00 + VAT

• Appreciate the role of the Commercial Officer and how the work of the Commercial Officer contributes to all aspects of procurement within the MOD;
• Establish the importance of meeting customer requirements to the overall success of the procurement process and to highlight the commercial aspects of requirement setting;
• Explore the range of possible routes to purchase and to highlight the importance of the procurement strategy;
• Describe the mechanisms by which goods and services can be sourced;
• Explain the effect of European Union Legislation on the procurement process;
• Highlight the importance of advertising in the context of MOD procurement and the procedures and rules by which advertising is governed;
• Explain the tendering process and the inclusion of terms and conditions;
• Clarify the origins and purpose of formalising procurement agreements through the mechanism of a contract;
• Emphasise the contribution of good customer supplier relationships towards the successful management of a contract;
• Explain the role of Category Management Teams and the value they add to the procurement process;
• Raise awareness of the wider issues of procurement including sustainable development, social and ethical responsibility and e-commerce.