Recent Changes to Simplify Recertification

May 22, 2017

Dear CFM,

On behalf of the CFM® Scheme Committee, I want to provide you with an update on some changes and enhancements regarding your credential that are being implemented to simplify the recertification process, bring management of the CFM credential up-to-date, and to better align with the requirements of ISO 17024, Conformity assessment – General requirements for bodies operating certification of person, an ISO/ANSI accreditation which we are pursuing. The CFM Scheme Committee has worked with the IFMA staff and various focus groups on these changes for over a year and implementation will start next month, in June, 2017. Full implementation will be phased in over the next several years.

• New CFM Applicant Eligibility Requirements:
Rationale:  In 2016, a Focus Group of CFMs met to discuss eligibility requirements for CFM credential candidates. It was determined that practicing facility managers would be required to have five (5) years of FM experience, regardless of their educational background. The only exception would be for those with a B.S. or Master’s degree in Facility Management.
Process:  Effective July 1, 2017, CFM eligibility requirements will be revised to meet the requirements listed below.

• All CFMs Will Move to a December 31 Expiration Date:
Rationale:  Moving to a December 31 expiration date for all CFMs will eliminate confusion regarding expiration dates since the three-year term for all CFMs will expire on December 31.
Process:  Beginning July 1, 2017, all new CFMs, as well as CFMs submitting a recertification, will have an expiration date of December 31, of the final year of the CFM term. For example, if a current CFM term is September 30, 2017 to September 29, 2020, the renewal will be submitted in September 2017 and the term expiration will now be December 31, 2020. Moving forward, the next CFM term would be January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023.
Impact:
    • New CFM applicants can continue to pursue certification year-round. 
    • Current CFMs will submit their recertification as usual, but may have several                 months added to their current CFM term during this transition.

• New Ethics Requirement:
Rationale:  IFMA is a member of the International Ethics Standards Coalition (IESC), which has created an ethical framework for the global property market. As a result, the CFM Scheme Committee has determined that an Ethics Assessment will be required for all current CFMs, as well as CFM credential applicants.
Process:  The “go live date” for the Ethics Assessment Requirement will be September 1, 2017. The CFM Scheme Committee will determine the criteria for programs meeting the standards of the IESC.
Impact: 
    • CFM applicants will be required to complete an Ethics Assessment before                     achieving the CFM credential. 
    • All recertifying CFMs will complete the assessment to recertify. 
    • CFMs will be required to complete the assessment every six (6) years, or every            other renewal term. 

• Revised CFM Recertification Requirements:
Rationale:  The Recertification requirements have been revised, to simplify the renewal process.
Process:  Beginning January 1, 2018, CFMs will have four (4) categories of activities to select from. Upon renewal, CFMs will need to have three (3) activities from a minimum of two categories for a total of six (6) renewal activities. The Recertification Form in CAMP and the Certification Maintenance Worksheet will reflect these changes in January 2018.
CFMs are encouraged to enter renewal points into CAMP as they are earned. 

A copy of the new Certification Maintenance Worksheet is available to view and download here. 

• Annual Payment Option for CFM Recertification Fees:
Rationale:  An annual renewal option allows CFMs to pay 1/3 of their recertification fees each year in January, offering an affordable choice for candidates renewing their CFM.
Process:  Beginning for those CFMs with renewal dates in 2020, 1/3 of the renewal fee will be invoiced in January 2018, with the remaining amounts invoiced in January 2019 and January 2020. The annual payment is an option and not required. 
The CFM recertification term will remain a three-year term. Maintenance points will be submitted at the end of the three-year term, as they are currently. CFMs who have not taken advantage of the annual payment option, will owe the entire recertification fee when they submit their recertification form.

• New CFM Connect Web Page
Rational:  To maintain consistent communication with CFMs so that those holding the CFM can more easily stay abreast of activities that affect and benefit the credential holder, IFMA will host “CFM Connect,” a web page dedicated to the CFM credential. 
Process:  CFM Connect will debut ​August, 2017. CFM credential holders will be able to follow updates to the profession, information regarding recertification, opportunities for continuing education and other items of interest.

The changes listed above, will help to simplify the CFM application and renewal process. If you have any questions regarding these changes, please do not hesitate to contact me (dthitchcock@hotmail.com). For questions regarding the CFM Recertification form and/or process, please reach out to Rhonda Hager, IFMA’s Credentials Specialist, (rhonda.hager@ifma.org)

Regards,

Dean Hitchcock
Chair, CFM Scheme Committee