CIPS study guide
CIPS · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
CIPS Procurement Qualifications are the professional credentials offered by CIPS, the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, for people who buy, source, contract, or manage suppliers on behalf of an organisation. They suit candidates moving into procurement from operations, finance, projects, or supply chain roles, as well as experienced practitioners who want a structured, externally recognised marker of competence. Because the qualifications are modular and build from operational buying through to strategic and leadership-level practice, they are also used by employers as a development pathway for procurement teams. The syllabus areas centre on four connected themes. The CIPS study guide has 4 sections and about 1,562 words.
01Procurement and Supply Fundamentals
This domain tests the vocabulary and process logic of the profession: how procurement differs from purchasing, the stages of the procurement cycle, the 'five rights' of a requirement, and how value is created beyond price. Questions are scenario-based, asking which stage, which right, or which value lever applies.
393 words, about 2 min02Procurement Strategy and Stakeholder Management
This domain tests whether you can link procurement activity to organisational strategy and manage the people who influence it. Expect questions on the strategy hierarchy, spend and category analysis, the Kraljic portfolio matrix, make-or-buy and outsourcing decisions, and stakeholder mapping and engagement.
383 words, about 2 min03Contracting, Negotiation and Supplier Management
This domain covers how contracts are formed and managed, how negotiation is prepared and conducted, and how supplier performance is sustained. Questions often hinge on a single legal or process point: was a contract formed, is that clause enforceable, what is the negotiator's next move, which KPI applies.
385 words, about 2 min04Commercial and Ethical Procurement Practice
This domain tests commercial judgement and ethics: the standards expected of a procurement professional, the legal framework around bribery, modern slavery and competition, and how sustainability is embedded in sourcing. Questions are often ethical dilemmas where the correct answer protects integrity and the audit trail.
401 words, about 2 min