AACE International (Association for the Advancement of
Cost Engineering
Cost engineering is "the engineering practice devoted to the management of project cost, involving such activities as estimating, cost control, cost forecasting, investment appraisal and risk analysis". "Cost Engineers budget, plan and monitor inv ...
) was founded in 1956 by 59 cost estimators and cost engineers during the organizational meeting of the
American Association of Cost Engineering at the
University of New Hampshire
The University of New Hampshire (UNH) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Durham, New Hampshire, United States. It was founded and incorporated in 1866 as a land grant coll ...
in
Durham,
New Hampshire
New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
. AACE International Headquarters is located in
Morgantown,
West Virginia
West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...
, USA. AACE is a
501(c)(3)
A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, Trust (business), trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of ...
non-profit professional association. AACE International is a member of the Board of the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB).
Activities
AACE is a non-profit organization with about 15 employees at its headquarters in Morgantown, WV. A variety of other organizations in the United States provide similar certifications, often specialized for particular industries, such as power, manufacturing, gas and oil.
AACE is the publisher of ''Cost Engineering'', a bi-monthly technical journal, ''Skills and Knowledge of Cost Engineering'' (currently in its 6th edition), Source magazine (a bi-monthly magazine), 20 different AACE International ''Professional Practice Guides'', approximately 120 Recommended Practices, and its most comprehensive publication, the ''
Total Cost Management Framework: An Integrated Approach to Portfolio, Program and Project Management''.
Certification programs
AACE currently manages eight
certification
Certification is part of testing, inspection and certification and the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestatio ...
programs, as listed below. All require agreeing to adhere to canons of ethics, and passing an examination. Most require prior industry experience, and also involve recertification by continuing education or reexamination.
*''Certified Cost Technician'' (formerly known as Interim Cost Consultant), an entry-level certification and is not eligible for renewal
*''Certified Scheduling Technician'', an entry-level certification
*''Certified Cost Professional (formerly Certified Cost Consultant / Certified Cost Engineer),'' which additionally requires a technical paper submission
*''Certified Estimating Professional''
*''Certified Forensic Claims Consultant'', which has additional requirements, including submission of a publication
*''Decision & Risk Management Professional''
*''Earned Value Professional''
*''Planning & Scheduling Professional''
Since becoming a charter member of the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards in 1990, six of its certification programs (CCP, CCT, CEP, CST, EVP and PSP) have been accredited by the CESB.
Membership
As of 2012, AACE reported over 8,000 members. To network in local areas, there are over 80 local sections located in 80 countries. There are also 11 technical subcommittees and 17 special interest groups.
References
Further reading
* "Total Cost Management Framework: An Integrated Approach to Portfolio, Program and Project Management," 2nd Edition, AACE International, Morgantown, West Virginia, 2016
* "Skills and Knowledge of Cost Engineering," 6th Edition, AACE International, Morgantown, West Virginia, 2016.
External links
AACE InternationalWhat is cost engineering?
- a white paper
A white paper is a report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body's philosophy on the matter. It is meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision. Since the 199 ...
The Total Cost Management Framework; An Integrate Approach to Portfolio, Program and Project Management
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Professional associations based in the United States
Cost engineering
Engineering societies based in the United States