QEP Recertification by Point Submission
CM Cycle Length | QEP Minimum Requirements in PDH Points |
Overall Credit | ||
Group I | Group II | Group III – Ethics | ||
60 Months | 10 Points | 20 Points | 1 Point (2 hrs.) | 50 Points |
Group I – Contributions and Services to the Profession and Community requires the diplomate to earn at least 10 PDH points. The point categories are listed in the table below, using the terminology previously used for reporting QEP recertification credit along with BGC’s categories.
QEP Category 2 – Environmental Technical or Professional Committee Service | |
a1 | Holding office |
a2 | Committee member |
a3 | Meeting/Conference chair or vice chair |
a4 | Session chair or vice chair |
QEP Category 3 – Publications | |
a5 | Author or co-author |
QEP Category 5 – Teaching/Presenting | |
a6 | Adjunct teaching |
a7 | Teaching certificate review course |
QEP Category 7 – Other: Formal Mentoring of EPIs | |
a8 | EPI mentor |
QEP Category 7 – Other: Writing for the QEP Exam | |
a9 | QEP test item contributor |
QEP Category 7 – Other: Environmental Certification Exam Proctor or Panelist | |
a10 | Certification exam proctor/panel member |
QEP Category 7 – Other: Pro Bono Activities | |
b | Community/Professional involvement |
c | School and public presentations |
QEP Category 3 – Publication of Environmental Papers or Books | |
d | Publication in peer reviewed journal |
e | Author/editor of published book |
f | Co-Author of a published book |
Group II – Continuing Professional Development requires the diplomate to earn a least 20 PDH points. The point categories are listed in the table below, using the terminology previously used for reporting QEP recertification credit along with BGC’s categories.
QEP Category 7 – Other: Professional Memberships | |
a | Membership in national or international environmentally-related professional societies or organizations |
b | Membership in local or regional chapter of environmentally related professional societies or organizations |
QEP Category 1 – Active Environmental Practice | |
c | Active employment in the environmental profession |
QEP Category 4 – Attendance at Educational Programs | |
d | Attendance at annual or semi-annual meetings, seminars, or special conferences of environmentally related organizations |
e | Graduate education courses from an accredited college or university |
f | Environmentally-related short courses (1 day in length) |
g | Environmentally-related seminars (Less than 1 day in length) |
h | Attendance at employer’s seminar or training program |
QEP Category 7 – Other: Other Professional Certifications | |
i | New (environmental) certification |
Group III — Ethics – BGC requires that diplomates take 2 hours (1 point) to a maximum of 3 points every 5-year cycle.
QEP Category 4 – Attendance at Educational Programs |
||
a | Ethics coursework |
Overall Credit – If the Diplomate has met the minimum requirement for Groups I to III, the remaining 19 PDH points needed to reach 50 can be obtained by any combination of activities in Groups I, II, and III. Diplomates can submit more than 50 PDH points, but they are not required if the first 50 points meet all requirements. Excess points cannot be transferred to another recertification cycle.
CM Point Submission ProcessCM point submission (attestation) is available through the BGC website. BGC will only accept CM worksheets that have been issued by BGC. Diplomates are expected to follow the most current CM rules as posted on the BGC website.
BGC sends several reminder communications during the last 6 months of the CM cycle. During this time period, it is important that the Diplomate’s contact information is up to date. Submissions should be completed at the end of the CM cycle according to the reporting calendar. Diplomates can check their CM cycle Due Date by viewing the QEP Diplomate Public Roster. (Note: The expiration date on the Diplomate’s paper certificate is not the CM Cycle End Date or CM Point Submission Due Date.) |
Activities claimed on the submission must be supported through a written impartial record. If a written, objective record is not available, the Diplomate should not list the item on the worksheet. Examples of satisfactory records are listed in each of the category sections (see CM Point Categories). CM point submissions are initially submitted without proof-of-participation records.
Submissions are reviewed in the order in which they are received. The review process can take 4 weeks. Allow ample time if you need to align your BGC re-certification with other certifications. There is no charge for reviewing submissions; however, if a Diplomate is in fees arrears, the submission will not be processed until the fees are paid.
BGC reviews each submission to ensure that the minimum requirements are achieved. BGC will contact the Diplomate if the minimums are not achieved or if there is anything unclear or missing on the submission. CM credit earned in excess of the minimum requirements does not earn extra credit nor does it carry over to a future CM cycle.
Being recertified does not mean that everything listed on the submission was acceptable for CM points. If a Diplomate has questions about what was or was not acceptable (for purposes of future submissions), the Diplomate should contact BGC.
CM AuditsDuring each CM cycle, five percent (5%) of Diplomates are randomly selected for a CM audit. Activities claimed on the CM Point Submission Form are verified through written, impartial records. The purpose of the audit is to:
The annual CM audit notifications are sent at the start of each cycle for the prior year’s reporting cycle. If selected for an audit, individuals must provide evidence of previously-reported CM activities that meet the criteria described on this website. (If you self-claim activity hours, be sure to keep detailed records.) Individuals selected for a CM audit will be notified via email. The deadline and requirements for returning supporting documentation will be included in the email. Diplomates selected for an audit are notified regarding which records are required. The provided records must be consistent with the dates and activities listed on the CM Point Submission Form. Examples of satisfactory records are listed in each of the CM category descriptions (see CM Point Categories BGC may review the records of diplomates or course sponsors in the manner it deems appropriate to determine compliance with the requirements set forth in this guidance. Submitting false information may result in revocation of certification. Diplomates are normally allowed four weeks to send the records to BGC. This may occasionally be adjusted to account for holiday time periods. Additional time can be granted in some cases due to circumstances where the Diplomate does not have access to the records, e.g., extended business or personal travel, location shutdowns, medical illnesses, or family illnesses. The Diplomate must contact BGC to request additional time, which may or may not be granted. Audit results are reported to the Diplomate. If the provided records support that the Diplomate achieved the required minimum CM credit, a re-certification letter and new certificate are mailed. If the provided records do not support that the required minimum points were achieved, the Diplomate will be contacted to secure other records or look for additional, overlooked CM point opportunities. The Diplomate will have failed to maintain certification if:
Record RetentionRecords acceptable for CM are described in CM Category descriptions (see CM Point Categories). Ideally, the Diplomate should establish a records folder that can be built throughout the cycle. A single storage folder or location will also increase the chance that documentation will be available when needed. You can also upload your documentation to your online account; however, make sure you retain original copies. Practitioners often leave valuable records at a previous employer when changing jobs. After the Diplomate has received the recertification letter and certificate from BGC, records pertaining to the previous CM cycle will not be needed by BGC. Records can be retained for personal, professional, and tax purposes, but BGC does not require that they be kept for purposes of its certification. Persons who have retired or voluntarily surrendered their certification or have had their certification revoked should retain their records to accommodate future re-activation efforts. |
QEP CM Handbook