Cost Management Certification

Become a Certified Purchasing Cost Management Professional

The APD Cost Management Certification is a 4-month on-line certification program designed to provide purchasing professionals with the knowledge, skills and take-away tools required to understand and achieve direct and indirect material costs.

We provide a fresh look at Purchasing 101 foundations while accelerating individuals to Purchasing 4.0 where data is leveraged with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning to move to optimal pricing, should-be costs and predictive cost modeling.

Course materials are based upon the processes, techniques, and real-world insights we have gained during our 18 year in-the-industry experience helping clients identify, analyze, predict and negotiate better pricing with their suppliers.

After completing the program participants have learned how to:

  • Conduct best practice sourcing events/construct effective market tests for new and existing business
  • Understand manufacturing costs
  • Evaluate supplier pricing with or without supplier cost breakdowns
  • Build several types of cost models to estimate pricing on new programs and to evaluate supplier quotes
  • Choose the right cost methods and models for their commodities
  • Conduct effective knowledge-based negotiations to obtain cost transparency and move pricing towards optimal
  • Identify cost reduction opportunities with detailed cost breakdowns and cost models
  • Respond rapidly to sales and engineering cost inquiries

Standard Rate: $1,250 for the 4-month development program


Each month all participants will complete a module by:

  • Attending a live, two-hour group session that delivers/reinforces content and responses to any questions
  • Watching 4-5 video podcasts that enables participants to self-pace
  • Performing 2-3 exercises that reinforces content and builds should-be skills
  • Completing the certification exam for the materials presented in the module

Following is a month-by-month breakdown:
Month 1 – Constructing Effective Market Tests – Understanding Costs & Effective Use of Cost Breakdowns

  • Constructing effective market tests
  • Understanding supplier costs with manufacturing cost accounting
  • Building effective cost breakdowns
  • Analyzing quotes with and without supplier provided cost breakdowns
  • Introduction to collaborative cost negotiations

Month 2 – Building and Using Price and Cost Models

  • Building an effective data warehouse
  • Developing and using linear, multivariate and statistical models to estimate price and manufacturing process parameters (machine size, cycle time and scrap)
  • Estimating pricing using models on new programs and to evaluating supplier quotes (beginning)
  • Segmenting commodities for optimal cost modeling and choosing the most effective cost model for a commodity

Month 3 – Validating Optimal Costs

  • Analyzing supplier quotes against your cost models (Advanced), industry cost models and actual open book cost models
  • Assessing the effectiveness of a cost model
  • Using a cost model and supplier quote history to develop probability pricing
  • Negotiating with cost models
  • Learning how to use preparation, knowledge, and aspiration to improve negotiation results

Month 4 – Total Acquisition and Relationship Costs

  • Calculating the impact of manufacturing inflation and currency on cross border purchases
  • Evaluating the total cost of maintaining a supplier relationship
  • Including the time value of money for sourcing decisions using Net Present Value
  • Exploring cross cultural and team negotiation techniques

Flexible start dates that work with your schedule.