NIGP CPP Module A Exam Study Guide 2026 - Exam Ready A+ Scored

NIGP CPP Module A Exam Study Guide 2026 - Exam Ready A+ Scored A strategic plan is a course of action to achieve long-range goals, generally up to five years. Strategic plans reflect the company's direction and its purpose as stated in its mission statement. To develop strategic plans, top management must develop and use summary reports on finances, operations, and the external environment. - answer - Strategic Plan A tactical plan is a course of action to achieve short-term goals, generally within a year or less. Tactical plans are concerned with what the units beneath top management must do, how they must do it, and who has the responsibility. These plans have shorter time frames and narrower scopes than strategic plans. - answer - Tactical Plan Obtain the Entity and Departmental (if available) Mission, Goals, and Objectives. Establish and train a Strategic Procurement Planning Team. Review Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) of the procurement function. Update the Procurement Department's mission, goals, and objectives, if necessary, based on the above SWOT review. Review the projected budget for the entity to determine likely procurements for the coming year. - answer - Steps to take to create a Procurement Strategic Plan Is the objective logically related to an identified goal? Does each objective describe an output or outcome in terms of identified targets, and are they time based? Is each objective realistic and attainable? Is the objective related to a specific foreseeable result or outcome instead of some internal process or output? - answer - The creation of Strategic Procurement Objectives should include: SMART is an acronym that spells out the requirements for establishing effective goals and objectives. Creating objectives that meet these criteria will enable the entity to move forward more efficiently, with clear direction and within stated timelines. Specific: Objectives that are detailed and clear so that they are easy to understand. Measurable: Quantifiable objectives that include definite numbers and well-defined action plans. Attainable: Realistic (another word used may be "Achievable"). Relevant: The objective matters and it matches our overall goals. Time Bound: Set a specific time frame to accomplish your objectives. - answer - SMART Obtain input from key stakeholders (those to whom performance will be reported). Ensure that measures are simple and relevant to the intended audience (e.g., public, stakeholders, elected officials). Ensure that measures are specific, consistently applied, and within the control of the procurement function. Identify any dependencies among other stakeholders, functions, or departments that will be related to the measures. Define a specific time period for reporting measures that is directly related to the attainment of goals and objectives in the strategic plan (e.g., 6 months, 1 year). Utilize measures in the decision-making process that support informed decision making and lead to appropriate action. The measures should represent a balance of the types of measures critical to achieving specific objectives and goals. - answer - In order for procurement managers to know "what" they are measuring, accurate planning must be completed before the process of developing the performance metrics. Is descriptive and conceptual. Qualitative data can be categorized based on traits and characteristics. Example: Provide response options for feedback on the pCard program survey such as: Highly effective, effective, ineffective, highly ineffective. - answer - Qualitative Feedback Can be counted, measured, and expressed using numbers. Example: Provide response options for feedback such as the number of solicitations awarded or time it took to process an award. - answer - Quantitative Feedback Is a more organized and documented communication. - answer - Formal Feedback Is the everyday casual conversation regarding the work being done. - answer - In