By Pete Petersen

Purchasing like most professions require continuous training and upgrading of our skills in order to keep up with the changing times. Yes we can go to work and do what we have always done day after day, but is this the way we want to approach our profession, is this the best we can do for ourself and the companies we work for.

First of all, I don't think our membership is made of those with the same old day after day mentality or you wouldn't spend your time and money to belong to NAPM-SA. I believe our members want to better themselves, to be innovative and to be on the cutting edge of their profession. NAPM-SA wants to be the catalyst to help you acheive these goals.

NAPM-SA's goal is to provide a platform through which you can further your knowledge in the purchasing field by providing speakers that can share their expertise and knowledge, CPM review classes to prepare those wanting obtain their certification and seminars that provide information that is on the cutting edge of our profession.

NAPM-SA does not just exist, it takes the efforts of many in order to make our affiliate work. This is where we turn to you our membership for help. We need the help of those in our membership to step up and volunteer for positions on the Board, chair positions or to help out in one of the many functions that are necessary to keep our affiliate going. Taking part in the leadership of the affiliate is not without its rewards, it offers opportunities to further your leadership skills and other talents, the chance to work and network with many talented people. If you are interested contact one of the Board members. There is a place for you.!!!!

Last months dinner meeting was a real success in our joint meeting with APICS. In march we will join with them again on a plant tour of Raytheon which should be exciting being one of Tucson's largest employers in a highly technical field.

In the month of February we will be having our Annual Table Top Trade Show with a variety of different vendors to talk to, there will be door prizes and a good time for all. I hope to see you there.
 

by Myles Zimmerman

Due to our successful January dinner meeting with the APICS group, we will present the final video tape in the Fundamentals of Purchasing series at the February meeting. This tape's focus is "Strategy, Supplier Management and Quality" and corresponds with Module 1 of the C.P.M. exam.

It will be shown promptly at 5:30 pm, because the exciting, action-packed annual Table Top Trade Show & Dinner immediately follows. There will not be a Professional Development meeting in March. A plant tour is being planned and organized even as this goes to press. These next few months will be very exciting at the NAPM meetings and we encourage everyone interested to join us. Even if you are not a member and/or have never attended a meeting, we welcome you to come out and see what all the excitement is about! If you are a member, you probably already know what a great time and experience the Trade show and the plant tour are going to be, so make plans now to RSVP and join us. Hope to see you on Feb. 17th. See the cover of this newsletter for directions, time, etc.

If you are interesting in attending the C.P.M. Review Class that Ralph Long will be teaching . Please make sure that you contact Ralph at (520) 206-4759.

By Mare Allen

NAPM understands that the changes being made to the C.P.M. program can be a be confusing. Hopefully with the following information some of your questions will be answered. All of the information applies only to those taking the computer-based exam after January 1, 2001.

As a reminder, the Certification Committee has been announcing for the past several years that effective January 1, 2001, exams may be no more than five years old at the time the candidate applies for the C.P.M. or A.P.P. Candidates should keep this in mind as they develop a timeline to complete testing.

If you already have your C.P.M. you do not need to retake the updated C.P.M. exam. However, after five years you do have to renew your .P.M. unless you are a lifetime.

The content of the exam as been updated to reflect current practice. Further, Module 4: Management, will include at least 25 questions which give the candidate the opportunity to show they can apply what they have learned. The updated C.P.M. exam will be available January 1, 2001, through the same delivery channel NAPM uses currently, Sylvan Prometric. The computer-based exam is available by appointment Monday through Friday (and Saturday at many locations). The test vary by test center.

If you have completed some C.P.M. modules, what you need to do if you still have on or more modules to pass now that the updated exam has been introduced. Modules will substitute one for one. For example, if you passed Modules 1 and 3 of the exams prior to January 1, 2001, simply take Modules 2 and 4 of the updated exam. However, please note the following exceptions that do apply currently. Module 4 of the current C.P.M. exam can be used towards the C.P.M. designation up through December 31, 2001 ONLY. After December 31, 2001 candidates apply for the C.P.M. designation must use only the updated Module 4. If you have earned your A.P.P. prior to January 1, 2001 the modules you still need for the C.P.M. are as follows:

1. Through December 31, 2001, take modules 2 and 3 of the updated C.P.M.
2. Start January 1, 2002, take modules 3 and 4 of the updated exam.

Study materials for the C.P.M. and A.P.P. programs have changed. The content of study material has been updated and new material will be added. Existing study material should not be used to study if you test after December 31, 2000. (study material dated 2000 or later should be used if you plan to test on January 1, 2001 or later). Study Guides will be available the second quarter of 2000 along with the Diagnostic Kit and other study materials.

Please pay particular attention to the following two polices:

1. Effective January 1, 2001, modules may be no more than five years old at the time the candidate applies for the C.P.M.
2. Module 4 of the C.P.M. exam taken through December 31,2000 may be used toward the C.P.M. until December 31,2001 only. As of January 2, 2002 only module 4 of the updated C.P.M. exam can be used toward the C.P.M. Designation.

More information is available on the NAPM Web site www.NAPM.org and click on Certification. Or, call Customer Service at 800/888-6276 or 480/752-6276, ext. 401. The certification department can be reached at the same telephone number but ext. 3094.

NAPM-SA is very happy and proud to have five members of the affiliate, who received their C.P.M. certification last year. Congratulations to those individuals and good luck and best wishes to those trying to achieve their C.P.M. this year.

The next Satellite Seminar will be February 1, 2001 entitled "Contract Administration and Management". What makes a good contract and who should manage it? The answers are particularly important for contracting outsourcing, large services, management consulting, or research activities. This program will review important components of contracts, including statements of work, key term and conditions or clauses, and tools for effective administration. It will discuss how to administer performance-based contracts.

The Satellite Seminars are an excellent learning opportunity at a very reasonable rate only $30.00 for members and $35.00 for non-members if you have any questions contact Pete Petersen @ 648-8590 or Pancho Hernandez @ 733-1733.

By Elliott Chaitt, Global Resources Chairman

Those of us who deal with domestic contracts and purchase orders are aware of the :boilerplate: clause that designates the jurisdiction where legal issues emanating from the contract will be decided. Some of these clauses merely identify the state while others are more specific and designate the specific and designate the specific court in the state which is to have control over legal issues. Sometimes the supplier will ask that the "ApplicableLaw" clause be changed to provide that jurisdiction be in their state. Usually these difference can be negotiated successfully.

However, these clauses can often be source of contention in an international contract when the buyer and seller each want the clause to favor their interests. The parties to the contract want to assure that they would not be required to appear in a foreign country to have a contractual dispute adjudicated. The U. S. Supreme Court has noted, "a contractual provision specifying in advance the forum in which disputes shall be litigated...is ... an almost indispensable pre-condition to achievement of the orderliness and predictability essential to any international business transaction.

Enforcement of the clause can be costly in terms of travel expenses and hiring local lawyers and interpreters. Assume that a U. S. buyer inters into a contract with a foreign supplier which designates the courts of the foreign country as having jurisdiction in the event of a dispute. Further assume that the supplier then fails to comply with the terms of the agreement. The buyer may decide to ignore the breach of contract and take its losses rather than incur the added cost of trying the case in a foreign court which may be biased in favor of the supplier.

In practice, courts have attempted to avoid these clauses by interpreting them as permitting rather than requiring the case to be heard in the specified jurisdiction. In other cases courts have ruled that the jurisdiction specified in the clause was unreasonable in that the chosen court did not have the power to hear the case; or that litigation in the designated court would be inconvenient for the parties or witnesses; or that the clause was imposed on one of the parties to the contract due to lack of bargaining power.

In conclusion, when contracting globally the buyer must be wary and recognized that the "applicable Law" clause may prove to be more than "boilerplate." Careful consideration must be given to the possible consequences of agreeing to a court of jurisdiction which favor the foreign supplier. The buyer should question why a supplier insists on having disputes heard in a court in his country. To accept such a provision may not provide the protection needed and force the buyer to accept unanticipated expenses.

This article is based on an article by Ralph K. Pope which appeared in the May 1, 1994 issue of Napm Insights, p.26

In March we will join with APICS on a plant tour of Raytheon.There will be no dinner and no charge. A picture I.D. and R.S.V.P. will be required in order to take the tour.The meeting time and place will be announced at our next dinner meeting and in you March newsletter.

Beginning in January 2001 the program for refunding of monies for passing C.P.M. modules will require the follows criteria be met.

1. The attendance of the NAPM-SA C.P.M. review class of the module being reimburse.
2. The attendance of any (3) three dinner meetings within that calendar year.
3. The passing of that module.

Maximum of $25.00 will be reinburse for each module meeting requirements.
NOTICE
We are asking all members that plan on attemdimg any of the dinner meetings that you please R.S.V.P. Julie Cooper.
"NO SHOWS WILL BE BILLED."

For information, please contact Pancho Hernandez @ 733-1733 or Joe Herber @ 648-8740.

Name: _________________________ Company ___________________________

Phone: __________________________Fax: ____________________________

Enclosed Check for $ __________________