The memo is one component of the AACE International (AACEI) Certified Cost Professional (CCP) exam, alongside its multiple-choice questions, and it is easy to overlook. AACEI publishes guidance on what the memo should contain, but no sample memo. This guide explains that guidance and shows how its parts fit together.

CCP memo at a glance

What is the CCP memo and how much is it worth?

The CCP memo is a short business memo based on a scenario, according to AACEI’s memo writing guidance. It tests the ability to communicate in writing with a project manager, project executive or other stakeholder about a problem, and to make a recommendation when the information is incomplete or conflicting.

How much of the exam is the memo?

AACEI states that the memo makes up 25% of the overall exam result. Passing the memo on its own is not required, because the overall score decides whether you pass.

Where did the technical paper go?

AACEI retired the separate technical paper and moved to 119 multiple-choice questions plus the memo, as set out in its exam update.

What format should a CCP memo follow?

A CCP memo follows a traditional business memo format, with a header and a body that fits on one page. AACEI guidance says the memo should be no longer than a full typewritten page, and that a longer memo detracts from your opportunity.

Each key part of the memo should stand on its own.

The header uses five fields, and the guidance also asks for the titles of the people named.

Who is the reader?

The reader is a project manager, project executive or other stakeholder who may not know the issue as well as its author. The guidance asks for professional, precise writing that explains the problem clearly enough for someone outside the detail to follow.

What structure should the memo body follow?

The body should run from the problem to the options, the analysis, your recommendation and a conclusion that hands the decision on. AACEI’s published guidance comes in two versions, one with five parts and one with four, so the table below shows the five-part version and marks where the four-part version merges the solutions into the analysis.

Every version includes an introduction, analysis, recommendation and conclusion. Check the current AACEI guidance as you prepare, and follow whichever version it shows.

What does the conclusion hand over?

The conclusion gives an operational handoff to the project manager. AACEI guidance says the memo should explicitly pass the final decision and the implementation action to the project manager.

What should the analysis cover?

The analysis compares each option on cost, schedule, risk and/or quality, using the data provided in the scenario. AACEI guidance says to support the recommendation with calculations and technical analysis, and to work within the parameters provided.

What if the information is incomplete or conflicting?

AACEI describes the memo as a test of making a recommendation based on incomplete or conflicting information. The reasoning behind the recommendation therefore matters as much as the choice itself.

What makes a memo drift from the guidance?

A memo drifts from the guidance when it skips a part, runs long or never hands the decision over. Use the list below to check any memo against the guidance.

• It runs past one typewritten page.
• The introduction needs the rest of the memo to make sense.
• The options are described but not compared on cost, schedule, risk or quality.
• The recommendation is hedged instead of clear and unambiguous.
• The conclusion leaves the decision and the implementation unassigned.
• The memo goes beyond the parameters provided in the scenario.

How should you prepare for the memo?

Start with AACEI’s own guidance, then learn the structure until each part’s job is clear. Use the table above as a checklist for any memo you review.

What should preparation look like?

Read the guidance, learn the header fields and the parts of the body, and check any memo you come across against them. Reread the recommendation on its own to see whether it stands without the rest. Our AACE CCP study plan shows where memo preparation fits with the question domains, and the CCP study guide covers what else to study. For question practice, see our CCP sample exam questions.

FAQ: CCP exam memo

Where does 3FOLD Training fit?

3FOLD Training is an AACEI Approved Education Provider, licensed by KHDA (Knowledge and Human Development Authority) in Dubai. Our CCP exam preparation program is a self-paced program on the 3FOLD Learn LMS (learning management system), with a memo writing guide, full-length mock exams and a complete CCP study guide. 3FOLD Training was established in 2008. 3FOLD Training has prepared 30,000+ learners. LMS access terms are listed on the course page. You can also read the self-paced course review or check the CCP eligibility guide.