Increase Profits
In this era of increased competition, clients and prospective customers alike are seeking credentials that substantiate knowledge and experience. Your competitors know that these designations give your company the "competitive edge."

Expand Knowledge
Applicants must successfully complete and pass a comprehensive, full-day examination. By using the CBSE examination preparatory materials available from BSCAI, you gain a thorough knowledge of building service contracting in every aspect of this profession.

Enhance Recognition
The CBSE designation is a symbol of accomplishment and is recognized with great respect by other building service contractors and customers throughout the world. After successfully completing the program, you can use your designation on business cards, personal stationery and in company brochures and proposals - wherever your name appears.

Eligibility Requirements
If you are a building service executive who actively performs policy-making functions and have been in this field for three years, two of those in a managerial capacity, you should definitely consider BSCAI's Certified Building Service Executive Program.

The Application
Complete the CBSE application form and submit it with your certification fee payment of $350 (if you plan on paying by check, download a PDF of the application). Your enrollment in the Certification Program - and any information you provide on the CBSE application - is kept confidential prior to your attainment of the CBSE designation. The application remains valid for a period of one year, during which the remaining steps in the process must be completed. Failure to submit to the examinations process within one year from the date of your application will require re-application and fee payment.

Preparing for the Examination
After filing your application visit BSCAI's online store to order the CBSE preparatory materials. Then set up your own personal study schedule to prepare for your examinations.

The Examination
The next step is to take the CBSE examination. The CBSE exam is only offered in English. You have the option of taking the examination by proctor or on a test date scheduled in conjunction with a BSCAI educational program.

Passing / Retesting
Your examination will be graded by BSCAI's Certification and Registration department. Candidates must achieve a minimum passing score of 70% on each of (4) four sections. Any section that a candidate does not pass must be taken again within one year.

ELIGIBIITY REQUIREMENTS
You must be an executive of a building service contracting firm who actively performs policymaking, managerial functions.
You must have acceptable character, ability, and reputation.
You must pledge in writing to adhere to the BSCAI Code of Ethics.
You must have been in the building service field for a minimum of three (3) years before making an application for certification and must have been in a management capacity for at least two (2) of those years.

THE EXAMINATION
The CBSE examination is prepared and updated regularly by BSCAI's Certification and Registration Board. The examination process begins at 8:45 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. BSCAI schedules examination dates each year in conjunction with BSCAI's educational programs, such as its Annual Convention and Trade Show. These scheduled tests are proctored by BSCAI staff.
Examinations may also be taken by means of a proctor in your hometown. To do so, you must submit the name, address and phone number of your chosen proctor to certification@bscai.org for verification at least four (4) weeks before your preferred examination date. You would be responsible for paying any fees charged by the proctor for administering the examination. BSCAI required that the proctor be a professional educator who is not employed as a building service contractor, manufacturer or distributor of sanitary supplies or related to the examinee in any way.
To ensure confidentiality and objectivity in the grade of each examination, a number system is used to identify each applicant.

Subjects covered in the CBSE examination are as follows:

Arbitration

Accounting & Bookkeeping

Bidding & Estimating

Bonding

Budgeting

Business Law

Business Structure

Communications

Customer Relations

Employee Benefits

Employee Motivation

Employee Recruitment

Employee Relations

Employee Retention

Employee Scheduling

Employee Training

First Aid

Fiscal Controls

Inspection & Rating

Insurance

Inventories

Labor Law

Office Management

Marketing & Sales

Public Relations

Purchasing

Quality Control

Safety & Fire

Taxes

Technology of the Industry

Trade Practices

Unions

Warehousing

EXAM PREPARATION - CBSE PREPARATORY PACKAGE
You are encouraged to study for the examination by using the CBSE Preparatory Package, The Building Service Management Program and other available educational materials. CBSE applicants can purchase the preparatory package and many other educational materials on the BSCAI's online shop.

AWARDING THE DESIGNATION
Your completed examination is scored by the Certification department. Candidates must achieve a minimum passing score of 70% in each section of the examination. Any section that a candidate does not pass may be taken again within one year. A $75 re-examination fee will be assessed.

You are notified of your final score by the Certification and Registrations department. Additionally, press releases from BSCAI's Headquarters are made available to you, which you may submit to your local media.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU DON'T PASS THE FIRST TIME
If you fail to receive your designation, you are invited to take the examination over again. A $75 re-examination fee will be assessed.

MAINTAINING THE CBSE DESIGNATION
Continuing education is essential in order to maintain professionalism in any business practice. Therefore, as a CBSE, you are required to demonstrate your continuing education efforts. CBSEs must accumulate 40 professional credits and submit a completed recertification form to BSCAI's Certification and Registration Department every three years. Credits are earned for the following activities:

Membership in BSCAI.

Participation in BSCAI educational programs.

Successful completion of college and university courses.

Attendance at BSCAI conventions, seminars and Webinars

Participation in education programs of other industry organizations.

Participation in other industry-related management programs.

Other activities as approved by the Certification and Registration Board, including giving speeches, writing articles on building service contracting, contributions to trade publications on building service contracting, authoring of publications, and completion of relevant home-study courses.

The credit-value of activities is determined by the Certification and Registration Board. During the review of your recertification form, the Certification and Registration department may request additional information from you to validate activities or to determine credit-value.

A recertification form will be forwarded to you in the mail upon receiving the CBSE designation. Your recertification form must be mailed to the Certification and Registration department by April 1st of your renewal year. No later than March 1 of your renewal year, a certified letter will be sent to you if you have not filed your recertification form. Your renewal date is April 1 of the last year that appears on your CBSE plaque.
Upon receipt of the recertification fee and verification of the professional credits earned, new certification will be issued.

DESIGNATION SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION
If you do not acquire a sufficient number of professional credits toward designation maintenance, you will have your designation terminated. Your designation may also be revoked for failure to abide by the BSCAI Code of Ethics. In such cases, you will be offered a hearing by the Certification and Registration Board and notified of the views of the complainant and of the hearing date and location. Notice shall be given to you at least 30 days in advance of the hearing.

USE OF THE CBSE DESIGNATION
CBSEs can use the designation with their name on company letterhead, business cards, and other appropriate advertising. Certification is, however, for individuals only. The CBSE designation may not be used to imply that any building service contracting firm is certified.

REINSTATEMENT
The Certification and Registration Board has set the following policy for CBSEs failing to renew their designation as required every three years:

Contractors who do not acquire a sufficient number of professional credits by their April 1 renewal date will be notified in writing that their designation has been terminated. Such persons can no longer use the CBSE designation and will not be listed as a CBSE with BSCAI until such time that the contractor:

1. Re-submits to the process of acquiring the designation and successfully meets again the designation criteria by personal data information and examination, or,

2. Acquires professional credits at a rate equal to 14 per year for every year since receiving the designation or since the last date of successful designation renewal.

401 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
(312)321-5167 (800)368-3414
FAX: (312)673-6735

LIFE CERTIFICATION
All CBSEs designees, upon reaching the age of sixty-two, are designated for life. No further reporting is necessary other than notifying the Certification department, in writing, of meeting the age requirement.

ADMINISTRATION
Responsibility for this Certification Program rests with the Certification and Registration Board. The Board is composed of BSCAI members holding the CBSE designation who are appointed by the President of BSCAI with the approval of the BSCAI Board of Directors. The program is administered by a BSCAI employee appointed by BSCAI's Executive Vice President.

The qualification of candidates for the CBSE designation is based strictly on compliance with criteria as established by the Certification and Registration Board. It is not the intent of the Certification and Registration Board to determine who can or cannot practice as a Building Service Executive. The Board specifically disclaims any intention to interfere with or limit, in any way, the professional activities of anyone in the practice of building service contracting. That a person is not certified does not indicate that he or she is unqualified as a building service executive, only that such individual has not fulfilled the requirements for the CBSE or has not applied for the designation.

FEES
CERTIFICATION FEE:
Must accompany your application.
$350

Re-examination fee:
For each re-examination, the fee is $75.

Renewal fee:
For each three-year renewal, the fee is $125.

All fees are not refundable or transferable.