Help

• Technical Help
• Using the Procurement and Contract Management Portal Tutorial
• Navigating the PCMP Web-based Course Tutorial
• PCMP Learning Portal Trouble Shooting Guide
• System Requirements
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Contact Technical Support
• Registration Help
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Contact the Procurement and Contract Management Program Office
• Curriculum Information
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Contact the Procurement and Contract Management Program Office

Technical Help

• Using the Procurement and Contract Management Portal Tutorial
• Navigating the PCMP Web-based Course Tutorial
• System Requirements
• Frequently Asked Questions
  1. Why can't I log in?
     
  2. You may not be registered. Click "Register for a course" under the Log In area and follow the directions.
     
  3. You may have made a mistake typing in your password. Your user name and password are case-sensitive. Be sure that your Caps Lock key is not on, and try logging in again.
     
  4. You may have the wrong password. Click "Forgotten Password?" to reset your password.
     
  5. Double check to make sure you are using the correct URL. Please see Course Procedures for more details.
  6. Why can't I open PDF documents?
  7. This is caused by individual settings on the user’s computer. Be sure that a current version of Adobe Reader is installed. You should uninstall Adobe Reader completely and then reinstall it, ensuring it is the most recent version.
  8. Why am I unable to view/use certain links or images?
  9. You may not have the required tools installed on your computer. Before logging in, click "System Requirements".
  10. When I click on a "Try It", why I don't see anything?
  11. You may need to disable your browser's Pop-up blocker. In Internet Explorer: Select "Tools" from the main toolbar at the top of the browser page and click "Internet Options." Click the "Privacy" tab and below "Pop-up Blocker" unclick "Block pop-ups." In Mozilla Firefox: Select "Tools" from the main toolbar at the top of the browser page and click "Options." Click "Web Features" from the toolbar on the left side on the page and unclick "Block Pop-up Windows."
  12. How do I change my password/user information?
  13. After you log in, click "My Details" on the left-hand navigation. Make changes or add more information. Click "Update" when finished.
  14. What do the icons mean?
  15. View the icon definitions here.
  16. Where do I find explanations of the terms used in PCMP?
  17. Click "Definitions". You are then able to search for specific terms or search through the definitions by selecting the appropriate search, enter the term or description and click "Search". To start another search click "Clear Search".
  18. If I want to stop before I finish a course, how do I save my spot?
  19. When you reach a spot where you wish to take a break within a module you can bookmark the page you are on. Click on "Favorites" (if you are using Internet Explorer) or "Bookmark" (if you are using Firefox) at the top of your browser and select "Add to Favorites" or "Bookmark this Page" (keyboard shortcut: hold down the Ctrl key and type the B key). You can leave the automatic title as is or chose your own title. You may file the bookmark in a folder of your choosing. Click "OK".
  20. To continue working from where you left off, log into the PCMP Learning Portal, and then select your saved bookmark from "Favorites" or "Bookmarks" from the menu bar of your browser. You will be taken to where you stopped within the module.
  21. How do I change the size of the font on the PCMP Learning Portal and in the modules?
  22. After you have logged into the PCMP Learning Portal, click "My Details". Under User Preferences, click on the Text Size drop-down menu. Medium is the default, but you may also select Regular, Large, or Even Larger. After selecting the appropriate size, click "Update". This does not change the font sizes in pdf documents.
• Contact Technical Support

Registration Help

• Frequently Asked Questions
  1. How do I register?
  2. For more information visit the Training and Development area of the BC Public Service Agency's Frequently Asked Questions page.
  3. What course should I register in?
  4. Decisions on which level and courses to take are up to you and your supervisor. A Self Assessment Tool and Learning Resource Framework are available on the Portal (link found in the left hand navigation) to assist you in developing your learning plan. Some additional direction may also be available from Ministry Procurement Council representatives and learning contacts.
  5. I am registered for a course but when I go to the portal it says I am not and I don't have access to any courses.
  6. When a PCMP course is confirmed 3-4 weeks before the classroom session, you will receive a confirmation email from the course registration system. This email includes instructions to follow in order to gain access to the course you are registered in. Because the registration system and the Procurement Learning Portal are separate, you will not automatically gain access to courses on the Procurement Learning Portal by registering through BCPSA. Please refer to your confirmation email or call the Project Management Office for assistance.
• Contact the Procurement and Contract Management Program Office

Curriculum Information

• All experienced procurement and contract management staff should be encouraged to self-assess their competencies using the self-assessment tool. This can be done anytime. The results of the self-assessment will highlight the competencies that the employee needs to develop. All of the competencies in the Self-assessment Tool are connected to courses listed in the Learning Resource Framework. All of the courses the employee plans to attend should contain the competencies they need to develop. If an employee already considers themselves competent, they should confirm their understanding with their supervisor and could plan to challenge those courses, at their convenience, once the "challenge" process is implemented. The decision to attend, not attend, or challenge courses is up to the employee and their supervisor, however, certification requires that the employee either attend or challenge the courses in the PCMP to receive credit towards graduation

• Frequently Asked Questions
  1. What is the purpose of all the quizzes?
  2. The pre-reading portion of the training is all knowledge based. Once you enter the instructor-led portion you will only work on skills development and the instructor will assume all the learners have a similar understanding of the subject matter. The pre-reading quiz confirms that for both the learner and the instructor.
     
     The pre-course assessment is an extremely valuable tool and is only used for comparison purposes once the learner successfully completes the Post-course Validation after the instructor-led portion. The two scores are compared, providing confirmation of the success of training. Alternately, it alerts us to areas which are not covered appropriately.
  3. I failed the pre-course assessment. Now what?
  4. As the pre-course assessment is based on what you will learn in the classroom, rather than what you read in the pre-reading it is common to receive a low score.
  5. Is there a certification process?
  6. The Procurement and Contract Management Program (PCMP) contains twenty (20) courses and seminars. To attain certification as a program graduate, a participant must complete all of the courses up to and including proficiency Level 3.
  7. How does a graduate maintain certification?
  8. To maintain certification, a graduate will be required to annually attend an update session, or participate in an appropriate Level 4 course. (Update sessions will be available November 2008.)
  9. How do I get a certificate?
  10. See the Program Overview to learn more about the program and certification requirements.
  11. What are the requirements needed to pass a course?
  12. See PCMP Certification Requirements to learn more.
  13. How do I search for specific course documents, templates, and guidelines that were referenced in a course?
  14. Click "Library" and use one of two methods:   - Method A allows you use keywords to find articles. By selecting a category from the drop-down menu you are able to filter the results.   - Method B allows you to select a category and view all the resources associated with that category.
  15. Where do I find explanations of the terms used in PCMP?
  16. Click "Definitions". You are then able to search for specific terms or search through the definitions by selecting the appropriate search, enter the term or description and click "Search". To start another search click "Clear Search".
  17. What should I do if I have already taken Managing Government Contracts, Advanced Contract Management, Contract Administrative Support Services, or Procurement: The RFP in Detail?
  18. None of the previous procurement and contract management courses transfer over to the new program as complete course equivalencies. Therefore you are requested to assess your competencies in relation to those identified for each role and course before deciding which courses you need to take (e.g., the old Managing Government Contract course competencies are now spread across the Procurement Foundations (Level 1), Contract Management Planning (Level 2), and Advanced Contract Management Planning (Level 3)). Each one of the new courses also contains many competencies that did not previously exist in any corporate learning programs.
  19. Can I get credit for courses I have previously taken?
  20. Learning Centre is not giving credit for courses previously taken, nor is it assessing employees to determine which level they are currently performing at. In conjunction with your supervisor and ministry, you are required to assess yourself and take responsibility for deciding what you need to learn. You must determine which competencies you need to develop and match to the appropriate courses, recognizing that training is not the only way to build competencies.
  21. Are the course pre-requisites mandatory?
  22. It is strongly recommended that course pre-requisites are completed for all courses with the exception of 350 and Program Certification. All courses in the curriculum are required prior to graduation and program certification.
  23. What courses should I register for?
  24. The Learning Resources Framework and Self Assessment Tool are there to assist you with ascertaining their level and what you need to learn. The self-assessment will clarify, which competencies you need to develop and at what level. The Learning Resource Framework will then tell you which courses those competencies are in. You will require different courses depending on your range of job duties, level of authority, years of experience, and type of procurement. Crossover between the levels is expected for some jobs.
      
      Click the link below for the summary of competencies by role.
      
      http://gww.bcpublicservice.gov.bc.ca/competencies/technical_models/pdfs/summary_by_role.pdf
  25. How do I know what proficiency level I am currently operating at?
  26. If you are not sure what level you are currently operating at, or what level you should aspire to, then please talk to your supervisor or ministry procurement/contract specialist and read the course outlines. If you are already competent at what the course is covering, then you do not need to take or challenge the course, unless you are planning to pursue certification in the Program. Use the Self Assessment Tool to assess your competencies against the Procurement Competency Model.
  27. How many courses make up the Procurement and Contract Management Program?
  28. Click the link below to view the Program development schedule.
      
      PCMP Course Titles and Delivery Timeframe.
  29. Why don't I get a certificate after completing each course?
  30. Certificates are not being issued for individual courses that are completed in Levels 2, 3 or 4. Level 1 consists of only one course and participants do receive a certificate at the end of completing that level. Please be sure you print your certificate when it pops up upon successful completion of the post-course validation. That is your only opportunity to access it. Certificates will be issued upon completion of each Level. A PCMP Program completion certificate is issued upon completion of Levels 1, 2 and 3.
  31. What is the Communication Centre?
  32. The communication centre is an online collaborative tool used in 210, 310 and 350 for class discussions and assignments. You will only have access to the communication centre if you are enrolled in 210, 310 or 350.
  33. Do you need assistance in navigating the communication centre?
  34. Click here for a copy of the communication centre instructions, or contact the Project Management Office for assistance.
• Contact the Procurement and Contract Management Program Office