CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply · Elective module

CIPS L5M6 Category Management

CIPS L5M6 Category Management is an elective module of the CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply, worth 6 credits. It is assessed by a 1.5-hour objective-response (multiple-choice) exam. It teaches you to evaluate approaches that can be adopted to develop category management of both direct and indirect organisational expenditure and plan for the associated strategic processes.

Practice papers
21
Questions
505+
Exam length
1.5 h
Credits
6
Start practice See the syllabus
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CIPS L5M6 Category Management

CIPS level 5 · 21 practice papers · 505+ questions

Original price was: $ 19.00.Current price is: $ 4.99.

Prepare for the CIPS Diploma in Procurement and Supply with ease. Failing and retaking exams can be costly, but fret no more. Our meticulously crafted set of questions is designed to assist you in acing your exam on your first attempt. This bundle includes  lifetime access to newly uploaded papers.

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This course includes

  • 📝21 timed practice papers
  • ✓505+ exam-standard questions
  • ⚡Instant auto-marking & worked answers
  • ⏸Pause & resume any paper
  • 📊Track your scores over time
  • 📱Works on any device
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2 free to try · 2 of 21 unlocked — enrol to open the rest
▶L5M6 Paper 1Free25 questionsStart▶L5M6 Sample ExamsFree5 questionsStart🔒L5M6 paper 225 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 325 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 425 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 525 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 625 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 725 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 825 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 925 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 1025 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 1125 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 1225 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 1325 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 1425 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 1525 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 1625 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 1725 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 1825 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 1925 questionsUnlock🔒L5M6 paper 2025 questionsUnlock

What the L5M6 syllabus covers

The official L5M6 syllabus has 3 learning outcomes. Every Gradezup L5M6 paper is written to these outcomes and their assessment criteria.

1.0 Understand approaches that can be used to develop category management strategies

  • 1.1
    Critically compare strategic and conventional sourcing processes and their role in category management
    Key topics (4)
    • Defining strategic sourcing and category management
    • The stages of a conventional sourcing process
    • Transactional and strategic sourcing activities
    • Differentiating account management and category management
  • 1.2
    Critically compare models for the adoption of category management
    Key topics (3)
    • Models of strategic sourcing such as AT Kearney's 7 step model
    • Models of category management such as the CIPS Purchasing and Supply Model and CIPS Category Management Model
    • Analysis of similarities and differences between models for strategic procurement, strategic sourcing and category management
  • 1.3
    Identify the technical and behavioural skills required to implement category management
    Key topics (2)
    • Technical skills such as financial management and cost analysis, supply chain analysis, supply base research, sourcing processes, risk management, legal aspects and negotiation
    • Behavioural skills such as communication, influencing, working with teams, cross functional working and change agents

2.0 Understand the concepts, tools and techniques associated with managing expenditure

  • 2.1
    Contrast the types of expenditure that can be analysed for category management processes
    Key topics (3)
    • Expenditures that are related to direct costs
    • Expenditures that are related to indirect costs
    • Applying Pareto analysis to expenditures and key suppliers
  • 2.2
    Compare and contrast the tools and techniques that can be applied to map categories of direct and indirect expenditure
    Key topics (6)
    • Matrices
    • Supply chain mapping
    • Porter's 5 forces model
    • Market share/market growth
    • STEEPLED and SWOT
    • Technology route maps

3.0 Understand the strategic impact of a category management process

  • 3.1
    Analyse the data required for the development of a category management process
    Key topics (5)
    • Historical and forecasted data on categories of spend
    • Demand patterns for category groups
    • Current contracts with suppliers and terms that are being applied
    • Reviews of existing relationships and performance
    • Market trends
  • 3.2
    Examine the requirements for initiating and preparing the introduction of a category management process
    Key topics (6)
    • Producing category hierarchies for both direct and indirect expenditures
    • Applying portfolio tools to map the categories of expenditures
    • Creating total cost models for category management
    • Conducting stakeholder needs analysis
    • Forming cross functional teams and preparing responsible, accountable, consultative, and informing roles within the team
    • Reviewing the implications of existing legislative requirements and standards
  • 3.3
    Analyse supply market factors that impact on the development of a category management process
    Key topics (6)
    • Analysing industry dynamics, competitiveness, and pricing behaviour
    • Analysing financial data on potential suppliers
    • Using requests for information (RFIs) to assess market factors
    • Conducting impact assessments of CSR/ sustainability factors
    • Conducting supply chain and value chain analysis
    • Analysing supplier perceptions

From the official CIPS L5M6 syllabus.

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Frequently asked questions

  • What is CIPS L5M6?

    CIPS L5M6 Category Management is an elective module of the CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply, worth 6 credits. It is assessed by a 1.5-hour objective-response (multiple-choice) exam. It teaches you to evaluate approaches that can be adopted to develop category management of both direct and indirect organisational expenditure and plan for the associated strategic processes.

  • Is L5M6 a core or elective module?

    L5M6 is an elective module of the CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply, worth 6 credits.

  • What type of exam is L5M6?

    L5M6 is assessed by a 1.5-hour objective-response exam made up of multiple-choice questions.

  • What is the L5M6 pass mark?

    You need 70% to pass an objective-response exam.

  • How many L5M6 practice papers are there?

    Gradezup has 21 timed L5M6 practice papers with 505+ questions, written to the official syllabus, each marked the moment you submit with an explanation for every answer. At least one paper is free to try, no payment needed.

  • Are these the official CIPS L5M6 past papers?

    No. CIPS does not publish its live exam papers. Gradezup papers are original exam-style practice papers written to the official L5M6 syllabus and modelled on the style and difficulty of the real exam.

  • What do I get when I enrol?

    21 timed practice papers, 505+ exam-standard questions in total, each one auto-marked the moment you submit, with a worked answer and the reasoning behind every option. Your scores are tracked across attempts so you can see what is improving.

  • Do I have to work through the papers in order?

    No. Every paper in CIPS L5M6 Category Management unlocks as soon as you enrol, so you can start wherever you are weakest and retake any paper as often as you like.

  • How long do I have access?

    Access does not expire. Once you enrol the course stays on your account, including any papers added to it later.

  • Can I pause a paper and finish it later?

    Yes. Any paper can be paused mid-attempt and resumed from the same question, which makes short practice sessions workable.

  • What device do I need?

    Any device with a browser — desktop, tablet or phone. There is nothing to install and nothing to download.

  • How close are these to the real CIPS level 5 exam?

    Every paper is written against the current CIPS level 5 syllabus and mirrors the structure, question style and difficulty of the real exam, so practising here rehearses the exam itself rather than the topic in the abstract.

  • What is peer review?

    Written answers cannot be auto-marked, so this course lets you submit yours for review by other learners working the same papers — and review theirs. Marking someone else against the rubric is usually the fastest way to see what an examiner is looking for.

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