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OAC 260:115-5-3 - Certified Procurement Officers (CPO)

  1. Training. The State Purchasing Director shall provide training for state agency purchasing officials and other purchasing staff pursuant to 74 O.S. §85.5. For the purposes of this section, “State Purchasing Director” does not include personnel of state agencies to whom the State Purchasing Director has delegated authority. 
  2. Certification. The State Purchasing Director shall certify state agency purchasing officials and other purchasing staff who demonstrate proficiency in principles of state procurement practices, basic contracting, provisions of the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act, provisions of State Use Committee and other matters which relate to procurement practices. 
  3. Authority. A CPO shall be authorized to make acquisitions for state agencies. 
  4. Duties. A CPO shall provide assistance and oversight to a state agency to ensure acquisition processes meet the requirements of the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act, the Central Purchasing rules, other statutory provisions and the state agency’s internal purchasing procedures. 
  5. Decertification. The State Purchasing Director may revoke certification of a CPO if the State Purchasing Director reasonably believes the CPO did not make state agency acquisitions pursuant to the Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act, the Central Purchasing rules, other statutory provisions, or the state agency’s internal purchasing procedures. 
  6. Continuing education. To maintain certification, a CPO shall attend continuing education as required by the CPO Procurement Training Program established by the State Purchasing Director. Continuing education courses must be related to procurement practices and approved in advance for CPO education credit by the State Purchasing Director. The State Purchasing Director shall establish a policy relating to how often courses may be repeated to qualify for continuing education credit. 
    1. A CPO shall submit documentation verifying continuing education course attendance to the State Purchasing Director as required by the CPO Procurement Training Program. The burden of proof rests solely upon the CPO to demonstrate, in advance of taking a course and to the satisfaction of the State Purchasing Director, that all continuing education courses reported meet all of the requirements as to content and subject matter related to procurement practices. 
    2. A CPO may claim continuing education credit only for the compliance period in which the course was completed and credit granted. 
    3. Failure by a CPO to complete required continuing education within the allowed time period will result in suspension of the CPO’s purchasing authority. 
    4. A suspended CPO must repeat the CPO certification course and demonstrate proficiency in procurement practices by passing the CPO prescribed certification examination in order to be reinstated and restore purchasing authority. 
    5. In the event of extenuating circumstances, a CPO may submit a written request to the State Purchasing Director for reinstatement and an extension of time to allow the CPO to fulfill required continuing education credits. The State Purchasing Director may approve the request for a reinstatement period not to exceed three (3) months to provide time to fulfill education credits. 
  7. Change in status. A CPO or the state agency employing such CPO shall immediately notify the State Purchasing Director when they: 
    1. are no longer performing as a CPO; 
    2. transfer to another state agency; or, 
    3. terminate their employment with the state. 

Associated Statutes

Oklahoma Central Purchasing Act
74 O.S. § 85.5 Powers and Duties of State Purchasing Director

Purchasing Reference Guide

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Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services
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Oklahoma City, OK 73105

 

 

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