Frequently Asked Questions
Questions and Answers about:
Introduction to CMMI Instructor / SCAMPI Lead Appraiser
Questions about the SEI Partner Network
What is the SEI Partner Network?
How can I learn more about the SEI Partner Network?
Who can be an Instructor? Appraiser? Coach?
How does an organization become an SEI Partner?
Who is authorized and who is certified?
What is the difference between Commercial-Use SEI Partners and Internal-Use Only SEI Partners?
What is a "U.S. Government" SEI Partner?
What does "NON-U.S. DELIVERY" mean?
How do I select an SEI Partner?
Is there a fee to apply to become an SEI Partner?
Are there periodic fees SEI Partners must pay?
Must I pay for all SEI services in U.S. Dollars?
What are some benefits of being an SEI Partner?
Questions about Code of Professional Conduct
Why did you create the code of professional conduct?
Where can I find the Code of Professional Conduct document?
How do I commit to the Code of Professional Conduct?
What is the deadline for committing to the Code of Professional Conduct?
What are the consequences if my organization does not commit to the Code of Professional Conduct?
Questions about Introduction to CMMI Instructor / SCAMPI Lead Appraiser
Answers about the SEI Partner Network
What is the SEI Partner Network?
A core element of the SEI mission is to broadly disseminate software engineering knowledge and methods to improve the state of the practice of software engineering worldwide. The SEI Partner Network is a group of organizations and individuals that are selected, trained, and licensed by the SEI to deliver authentic SEI services. These services include courses, consulting methods, and management processes that aid in the implementation of the SEI's software engineering technologies. By delivering services worldwide, the SEI Partners provide a critical distribution channel for accomplishing the SEI mission. When you obtain these services from SEI Partners, you can be sure that the services have the same high quality as those delivered directly by the SEI. The SEI stands behind the SEI Partner Network and is accountable for the skills and training of partner-sponsored individuals.
How can I learn more about the SEI Partner Network?
You can contact the SEI Partner Network by email at partner-info@sei.cmu.edu. At SEI-sponsored conferences or event, you can speak to anyone wearing a button that says "Ask me about the SEI Partner Network.”
Who can be an Instructor? Appraiser? Coach?
To become an instructor, appraiser, or coach, you must
- be sponsored by an organization with the appropriate license agreement
- agree to the code of professional conduct
- successfully complete the authorization process
How does an organization become an SEI Partner?
The process for becoming an SEI Partner varies by SEI product. The process typically includes an application procedure and review by SEI staff of the applicant organization's capabilities and experience. In addition, we typically evaluate the credentials and experience of the employees that a partner applicant plans to sponsor for authorization or certification. Specific instructions on how to become a partner can be found at the SEI Partner Network Web site.
Who is authorized and who is certified?
SCAMPI High Maturity Lead Appraisers, Implementing Goal-Driven Measurement Instructors, SEI-Certified PSP Developers, and SEI CERT-Certified Computer Security Incident Handlers are certified. All other instructors, coaches, and lead appraisers are authorized. For more information about certification, visit www.sei.cmu.edu/certification.
What does "licensed" mean?
The permission to use SEI intellectual property and to deliver SEI services is conveyed to a commercial or internal-use partner organization through a license agreement. We sometimes refer to SEI Partners as licensed partners.
What is the difference between Commercial-Use SEI Partners and Internal-Use Only SEI Partners?
A commercial partner has a license arrangement that allows its authorized individuals to deliver an SEI service or course outside the partner organization. You can think of commercial partners as consulting or training organizations. You can contract with them to provide your organization with SEI courses and services. Most commercial partner agreements also provide the partner organization with permission to deliver the SEI course or service inside their organization.
An internal-use-only partner has a license arrangement to deliver an SEI service or course only within the partner organization. Most internal-use-only partners are large organizations with internal training and consulting groups.
What is a U.S. Government SEI Partner?
The SEI has created agreements that provide U.S. government organizations and individuals with access to join SEI authorization and certification programs and to deliver authentic SEI services to the U.S. government. Organizations that participate in these agreements are called U.S. Government partners.
Just like other SEI Partners, these U.S. government organizations and individuals has been selected and trained by the SEI to deliver authentic SEI services. They are subject to the same qualification requirements, authorization and certification processes, renewal and reauthorization processes, and other quality requirements as other SEI Partners.
What does Non-U.S. DELIVERY mean?
The SEI Partner is permitted to provide SEI services in any country except the United States.
Can an SEI Partner create materials based on SEI-licensed intellectual property for the Partner's specific needs?
In some cases, SEI intellectual property is marked with legends that clearly indicate that derivative works may be created. These legends may also provide restrictions on the use of any derivatives created. In most cases, derivative works are not allowed without prior written consent from the SEI. Please visit http://www.sei.cmu.edu/about/legal-permissions.html to request permission to create derivative works from SEI intellectual property.
How do I select an SEI Partner?
Decide which SEI services that you want to purchase from a partner so that you can make sure they are available through partners.
Review the directory listings in the SEI Partner Directory to select candidate partners.
Interview individuals from the partner organization to assess whether they have experience that is relevant to your needs. You may also want to interview the authorized or certified individual(s) who will be providing the specific services that you need. You may also want to ask for customer references and speak with those customers about their experiences and successes.
Check the SEI Partner Directory for the latest status information on the partner organization and on the authorized or certified individuals who will be providing your work.
When you have made your decision, contract directly with the SEI Partner to provide the SEI services you want to purchase.
Is there a fee to apply to become an SEI Partner?
Yes, there is a $250 application fee. This fee is waived for current Partners.
Are there periodic fees SEI Partners must pay?
Yes, a $1,000 organization fee is due annually in October. New SEI Partners will be invoiced for a fee pro-rated to October after their fully signed Agreement is in place.
Must I pay for all SEI services in U.S. Dollars?
All payments submitted to the SEI for SEI services must be in U.S. dollars.
What are some benefits of being an SEI Partner?
SEI Partner benefits include the following:
- Your organization is listed in the SEI Partner Directory and recognized worldwide as a provider of authentic SEI courses and services.
- Your organization's service providers are trained and approved by the SEI.
- Clients have confidence in the quality of the services they are receiving.
SEI services can dramatically improve the performance of a software engineering organization or team. Becoming an SEI Partner to offer these services legitimizes clients' improvement efforts, as well as your own.
Answers about the Code of Professional Conduct
Why did you create the code of professional conduct?
The code of professional conduct was created to provide a consistent base of professional conduct for the organizations and individuals that deliver (authentic) SEI (branded) products and services.
To whom does it apply?
The code of professional conduct applies to all organizations that are SEI Partners and all SEI-authorized and certified individuals. For a list of SEI-authorized and certified practitioners for which the code of professional conduct is applicable, see the Version 1.0 of the Code of Professional Code of Professional Conduct Web page.
How will it be enforced?
SEI-authorized professionals and candidates will sign the code of professional conduct to show their acceptance of the code. Each will be listed on the SEI Web site as active or inactive.
I am an SEI Partner. Why must I sign the code of professional conduct since it is explicitly referenced in my license agreement?
All partner licenses contain a reference to the code of professional conduct. At the time the license was signed, the code had not been completed. Therefore, since it is explicitly referenced in your license, we felt it necessary that you have a chance to review and approve it to show your commitment.
My organization has committed to the code of professional conduct. When will I receive the SEI Partner logo?
The distribution of the SEI Partner logo is limited to those SEI-licensed organizations that provide SEI-branded services. SEI-branded services are: Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), Team Software Process (TSP), CERT OCTAVE methodology, and CERT suite of courses. Your business point-of-contact will receive a CD-ROM containing the logo and guidelines for use by you once you have committed to the code of professional conduct.
I signed the code of professional conduct as an SEI-authorized/certified individual. May I now use the SEI Partner logo?
The SEI Partner logo and guidelines are being distributed to the SEI Partner business point-of-contact. Your business point-of-contact should be contacting you in reference to these guidelines.
Where can I find the Code of Professional Conduct document?
The code of professional conduct document is available on the SEI Web site.
How do I commit to the Code of Professional Conduct?
All individuals who become candidates, authorized or certified, need to type the necessary information directly online on the interactive hard copy form [pdf].
All organizations that become licensed Partners need to type the necessary information directly online on the interactive hard copy form [pdf].
What is the deadline for committing to the Code of Professional Conduct?
An individual must commit to the Code before any entrance to any advanced training class is permitted or an authorization is given.
An organization must commit to the Code before the final Agreement is signed by the SEI.
What are the consequences if my organization does not commit to the Code of Professional Conduct?
Failure to do so by a business point-of-contact will result in a discontinuance of your organization's permission to deliver SEI services under the referenced agreement according to the provisions of that agreement. If you have any questions, please send email to copc-info@sei.cmu.edu
What are the consequences if I, as an authorized/certified individual, do not commit to the code of professional conduct?
Failure to do so by an SEI authorized/certified individual will result in a 30 day notice of a discontinuance of your SEI authorizations and/or certifications. If you have any questions, please send email to copc-info@sei.cmu.edu
What is meant by 'Objectivity' relating to conflict of interest under Section 3.2 of the Code of Professional Conduct?
All affected parties must be made aware of conflicts of interest and strive to minimize those conflicts resulting from competing priorities, loyalties, and commitments. You will notice that section 4.2 refers to an online conflict of interest disclosure form for disclosing the conflict. At this time, the form is not yet available but will be placed at the stated location as soon as it is available.
Answers about Introduction to CMMI Instructor / SCAMPI Lead Appraiser
What courses provide credit toward becoming an SEI-authorized Introduction to CMMI Instructor or SCAMPI Lead Appraiser and where can I attend such courses?
To become an instructor or lead appraiser, you must successfully complete authentic SEI courses. The first prerequisite course for becoming either an instructor or lead appraiser is the Introduction to CMMI course, either staged or continuous representation. These courses are available from SEI Partners or from the SEI. The second prerequisite is the Intermediate Concepts of CMMI course available only from the SEI.
CMMI Instructor Training is the final course leading to candidacy as an Introduction to CMMI Instructor. After successfully completing this course, the candidate instructor must also be observed teaching the Introduction to CMMI course and be approved by the SEI Observer.
SCAMPI Lead Appraiser Training is the final course leading to candidacy as a SCAMPI Lead Appraiser. After successfully completing this course, the candidate lead appraiser must be observed leading a SCAMPI appraisal using a CMMI model and be approved by the SEI Observer.
If an authorized lead appraiser leaves the sponsoring partner organization, can this authorized lead appraiser be sponsored by another partner organization?
Yes, an authorized lead appraiser can be sponsored by another organization so long as the authorized lead appraiser's authorization is valid. It is the responsibility of the authorized lead appraiser to contact other partner organizations and arrange for another partner organization to become the authorized lead appraiser's sponsor.
When the arrangement is complete, the new sponsoring partner organization's business point of contact (BPoC) sends email to partner-info@sei.cmu.edu requesting that the authorized lead appraiser be sponsored by that partner organization. The new sponsoring organization will now be responsible for the fees associated with sponsorship of this authorized lead appraiser, including any unpaid past fees.
Does the exemption of an observation of SCAMPI B&C appraisals also hold true for existing candidate SCAMPI A lead appraisers who have already completed both the lead appraiser training and the SCAMPI B&C training?
If a SCAMPI A lead appraiser is authorized and has attended upgrade training, an additional observation is not required. If a candidate SCAMPI A lead appraiser has not attended the upgrade training, they must do so the authorized to deliver the B&Cs. If they attend the upgrade training prior to observation, they will be authorized to be SCAMPI A lead appraiser and SCAMPI B&C team lead at the same time.
Will the fee paid for a SCAMPI A lead appraiser allow that person to conduct the SCAMPI B&C appraisal services?
An SEI-authorized SCAMPI A lead appraiser who has attended the upgrade training will pay only the SCAMPI A support fee and will be permitted to conduct A, B, and C appraisals.
Do the fees for an Introduction to CMMI instructor and SCAMPI lead appraiser cover the individual for the entire year regardless which SEI Partner is the employer?
The fees are annual fees paid once, regardless of the SEI Partner.