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FacilitiesManagementCandidate Guide: Associate Assessment

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT02

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Published by: RICS, Parliament Square, London SW1P 3AD

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT 03

Introduction Section A Associate: giving you a competitive edge 04Section B Three stages of the process 05 Section C Are you eligible for Associate Assessment? 06Section D The pathway and its competencies 08Section E The people 10

Stage 1 – Registration

Section 1.1 How to register 11 Section 1.2 Facilities Management competencies 13

Stage 2 – Assembling your evidence

Section 2.1 The Managed Learning Environment 22Section 2.2 Written evidence 23Section 2.3 Commentary 26Section 2.4 Structured development 27

Stage 3 – Associate Assessment

Section 3.1 Ready for assessment 30Section 3.2 Online ethics module 33Section 3.3 The Associate Assessors 34Section 3.4 After the Associate Assessment 34Section 3.5 Audit and quality assurance 36Section 3.6 Associate Glossary 37

Appendix

Managed Learning Environment (MLE) User Guide 38

Contents

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT04

Introduction

Section A Associate: giving you a competitive edge

Membership of RICS gives you a genuine competitive

advantage in your career and is highly regarded by employers

and clients around the globe.

Becoming an RICS Associate (AssocRICS) provides

the opportunity, if you have relevant work experience or

vocational qualifications (or a combination of the two), to

enhance your status and gain the recognition you deserve.

It also provides a stepping stone to advance to full

professional qualification (MRICS).

As an Associate you will have access to valuable professional

knowledge and information and the opportunity to network

with land and property experts around the world.

This guide takes you through the process of gaining

your Associate qualification in your chosen pathway,

Facilities Management.

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT 05

Section B Three stages of the process

The Associate qualification is gained by submitting workplace

evidence for assessment by RICS, and undertaking

structured development.

There are three main stages on the journey to your

Associate qualification

1. Registration – this is the stage where you become an

Associate Candidate. The registration system determines

whether you are ready for Associate Assessment now, or

whether you need to gain more qualifications or experience

before being assessed.

2. Assembling your evidence – you will do this using the

online Managed Learning Environment (MLE), where

you upload your evidence and record your structured

development.

3. Associate Assessment – when you have assembled the

evidence, you submit it to RICS Associate Assessors

who decide whether you have met all the requirements

to become an Associate.

These stages are outlined in more detail in this guide.

Introduction

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT06 06

Introduction

Section C Are you eligible for Associate Assessment?

The requirements for the Associate Assessment vary

depending on a candidate’s prior work experience and

qualifications. Each candidate will be given an assessment

plan (through the MLE) which sets out what must be done to

become an Associate. Candidates who already have proven

competence through specific surveying related qualifications

and/or membership of a specific professional body may

be eligible for direct entry to Associate membership on

successfully completing the ethics module (see page 33).

If you have only a short period of experience you must

discuss with your employer the best option for you to reach

the Associate requirements. This might be by completing a

relevant academic or vocational qualification. It might on the

other hand simply mean gaining more years of experience

before applying for Associate Assessment. In these cases,

you can enrol as an Associate Candidate as soon as you

have the support of your employer and an understanding

of how to meet the requirements. The MLE can be used as

a tool to log your development and training as you progress

towards assessment.

Various qualifications (academic or vocational) can reduce the

length of experience you require. Typical subject areas for the

Facilities Management pathway include Facilities Management;

Construction Project Management; Construction Engineering;

Construction Contracting Operations and Property Management.

Other built environment qualifications in subjects such as

Building Control, Building Technology and Building Surveying

can also be relevant.

The diagram below illustrates the various routes to becoming

an Associate.

RICS Associate Qualification

Candidate Profile Requirements

No vocational/academic qualification

Minimum 4 years’experience

Minimum 2 years’experience

Minimum 12 months’experience

Direct entry

AssociateAssessment

Ethics Module Associate(AssocRICS)

RICS approvedprofessional

body membership

RICS approved NVQ 4

Relevant NVQ 3Relevant HND/HNC,

DipHE/FD

Relevant degree

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT 07 07

Here are some possible examples to illustrate how you

could progress. Note, though, that whatever your current

situation you can enrol as an Associate Candidate NOW,

and work towards Associate Assessment at your own pace.

No relevant qualifications?

You could look at several different ways to ensure you

are eligible for Associate Assessment, such as

Introduction

Further qualification Enrol on an academic or vocational qualification which reduces the amount

of experience you need. This applies only to specified qualifications – For advice

email [email protected]

Work experience Continue in relevant employment until you have four years’ experience,

and collect evidence as you go

Professional body If you are already preparing for a qualification from another professional body,

that qualification may count towards AssocRICS

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT08 08

Introduction

Section D The pathway and its competencies

RICS members practise in a wide range of technical

disciplines, each of which has its own unique mix of

competencies known as a ‘pathway’. Your pathway is

Facilities Management.

What is Facilities Management?

This pathway is suitable for an individual embarking on

a career as an advisor (in-house or external) in facilities

management for commercial and public sector occupiers.

Facilities managers assist businesses to plan and safely

deliver essential property decisions.

Once established within the premises, businesses must

make their buildings and offices as efficient as possible.

Facilities managers will look at the best use of space,

suitable technology solutions, human resources and

safe surroundings.

Running a company also means complying with legal

responsibilities including health and safety, building

regulations, fire regulations, access and security. Facilities

managers advise on these and other essential services such

as catering, cleaning and maintenance.

The scope for facilities managers is extremely varied and

services are likely to include

• business operations

• business re-location

• business support

• health and safety

• outsourcing

• performance measurement

• procurement

• property management

• strategic planning and advice

• utilities and services.

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT 09 09

What are the RICS competencies?

RICS judges whether you meet its requirements by

assessing your competence. To be competent is to have

the skill or ability to perform a task or function. RICS has

defined the competencies for the Facilities Management

pathway, as follows.

Six technical competencies - the technical skills needed

for this pathway. These are at the heart of the Associate

qualification – it is a qualification that demonstrates your

knowledge, understanding and practical application of the

competencies. You must achieve the following SIX technical

competencies for AssocRICS in Facilities Management

• Analysis of client requirements

• Contract practice

• Procurement and tendering

• Project financial control and reporting

• Property management

• Supplier management

Eight mandatory competencies - the ‘softer’ skills that all

responsible practitioners need, regardless of their RICS

pathway. These competencies are essential: they demonstrate

your ability to work with colleagues, meet client requirements,

manage your own work and act with honesty and integrity.

They are

• Client care

• Communication and negotiation

• Conduct rules, ethics and professional practice

• Conflict avoidance, management and dispute

resolution procedures

• Data management

• Health and safety

• Sustainability

• Teamworking

How do I demonstrate the competencies?

To become an Associate you must satisfy RICS that you

have achieved all the technical and mandatory competencies

required for your pathway.

To do this you meet the following assessment requirements

1. written evidence – 24 pieces of written work taken

from your everyday role, four for each technical

competency (the written evidence will also demonstrate

your mandatory competencies)

2. commentary – your 300 word explanation for each piece

of written evidence, saying why you have chosen it

and explaining the extent of your own involvement.

3. structured development record – a description of your

learning activities

4. you will also complete the RICS online ethics module.

Introduction

10 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT 010

Introduction

Section E The people

You will work with a number of people to achieve the

Associate qualification.

Associate Assessors - there will be two assessors involved

in assessing your evidence

• Associate Assessor – an Associate (AssocRICS), MRICS or

FRICS who assesses your submitted evidence via the MLE

and decides whether you have met the requirements of

your pathway

• Lead Associate Assessor – as above, but with the

extra responsibility of writing the feedback for referred

candidates, and managing the contact between the two

assessors before a decision is reached.

Associate Proposer - must be an Associate (AssocRICS)

of four years’ standing, or a Member or Fellow (MRICS

or FRICS), who will endorse your application by signing a

declaration form at Associate Assessment to confirm that

you are a fit and proper person to practise.

Associate Supporter – it is not compulsory to have an

Associate Supporter, but nominating someone to this task can

be a great help to you in achieving the Associate qualification

especially if you are building your evidence over time. Your

Associate Supporter would normally be your line manager

r a suitable person in your organisation, who is able to give

you help and guidance in interpreting the requirements for

Associate Assessment and verify the evidence submitted

is substantially your own work. S/he should know your

work and should be prepared to understand the RICS

competencies and help you through the Associate process.

You are now ready to enter the first stage of the process.

11 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT


Registration is the stage at which

• you tell RICS about your qualifications and experience,

and RICS tells you whether you need to gain more

experience before Associate Assessment

• you pay your Associate Assessment fee and join RICS

as an Associate Candidate. Details on fees can be found

at www.rics.org/associate

Section 1.1 How to register

Go to the Registration page at www.rics.org/associate

The instructions on screen will take you step by step through

the Registration process. There are a few preliminary steps

• enter your personal details

• tell RICS how you heard about the Associate qualification

• confirm your pathway

• enter your employment details.

You will then get to the area where you register your relevant

experience and qualifications.

Years of relevant experience

Use whole years only. Round the number up if you have

completed ten or more months in the latest year – for example

if you have completed three years and ten months, enter ‘4’.

How do I know whether my work experience is ‘relevant’?

Count only experience that is genuinely connected with your

pathway. You have to exercise some judgement on this. If in

any doubt, ask your Associate Supporter for a second opinion.

The experience

• must be in the facilities management sector

• must, in each of the years counted, use at least some of

the technical competencies for the Facilities Management

pathway (see section 1.2). By the time you reach Associate

Assessment, you must have experience in all of them.

Relevant academic, technical/vocational or professional

qualifications

• Select from the dropdown menu your highest relevant

academic qualification.

• Select from the dropdown menu the subject of your

qualification (if you have a qualification in a subject which

is not on the list but which you think is relevant, contact

us at [email protected] giving full details).

• Select from the dropdown menu your highest relevant

technical/vocational qualification (if you have a

qualification which is not on the list but which you think

is relevant, contact us at [email protected] giving

full details).

• Select from the dropdown menu your highest grade

of membership held in a related professional body

(if you have a professional body membership which is not

on the list but which you think is relevant, contact us at

[email protected] giving full details).

Before you complete the Associate Assessment you will be

asked for evidence of any qualification or professional body

membership you have registered.

Getting the outcome

The Registration system will assess your qualifications and

advise how many years of relevant experience you need in

order to be ready for Associate Assessment. This will be

between 0-4 years. Your assessment plan will be given to

you on screen.

If the result screen tells you a period of experience is required,

this does not necessarily mean you need to gain more

experience before Associate Assessment: you can count

experience retrospectively.



Completing the Registration process

You are now ready to complete the Registration process and

become an Associate Candidate. As an Associate Candidate

you will be given access to the MLE and can start putting your

evidence together.

• Complete the data protection screens

• Agree the terms and conditions.

You will then reach the payment screen where you will pay

your Associate Assessment fee. Details on fees can be found

at www.rics.org/associate

There are two methods of payment

• credit card online or

• with your employer’s account (available to RICS corporate

partners – you should check with your employer whether

this applies to you).

Once you have paid your Associate Assessment fee, you will

not be required to pay any other fee until 1 January in the

following calendar year – from then on, you will pay an annual

subscription fee.

When the payment process is completed you will be an

Associate Candidate, and you will be ready to enter the MLE.

• You will receive an email confirmation of your membership,

including your membership number and directions to the

member zone on the RICS website.

• You will sign in as a member – once in, you can change

your password.

Reminder: You will need your RICS membership number and

password every time you log on, so make sure you keep a

careful note of it.

Once logged into the member zone, select ‘My Details’ and

click on the Associates tab. This will take you to the MLE

where you will put your evidence together. When you are

confident you have completed the 24 pieces of evidence,

submit your portfolio of evidence for Associate Assessment.

If you take the option ‘register later’, the information you gave

RICS during the Registration process will be stored until you

do wish to register. You will not be able to make any further

progress towards Associate Assessment until you do so.

On the next page you will find the competency table for

Facilities Management. This is also available online at

www.rics.org/associate

The first part of the table shows the technical competencies

• column 1 is a description of what the competency relates to

• column 2 sets out what you must achieve

• column 3 gives examples of the likely knowledge, skills

and experience

• column 4 shows the evidence you will have to submit.

Take some time (ideally with your Associate Supporter) to go

through these descriptions and decide how you will provide

the evidence.

The second part of the table shows the mandatory

competencies. You will not have to produce separate

evidence for these. The evidence will be from your 24

pieces of work-based evidence, your structured development

record, and the ethics module. For example, your written

work will demonstrate your communication skills; a report

or exchange of correspondence could show how you have

worked collaboratively with colleagues.

Do you have the breadth and length of experience to

achieve all the competencies? If so, you could apply for

Associate Assessment straight away. If there is still some way

to go, do not be discouraged. You do not have to assemble

all your evidence in one go: you can build up your evidence

over time. It will be assessed only when you have put the full

package together and are ready for Associate Assessment.

So go ahead with registration, start collecting your evidence,

and submit it for assessment only when you are ready.



RequirementsDescription Examples of likely knowledge, skills and experience

Evidence

You must provide four different documents as evidence for each competency. The examples in this column are not a definitive list but are for illustration only. It is for you to ensure that the documents provide evidence of the knowledge, skills and experience in column three.

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the need to collect data, analyse and define the needs of clients. Provide evidence of the practical application of that knowledge and understanding. This should include the development of strategies and methodologies and, where appropriate, undertaking feasibility studies, design proposals and costings.

This competency is about the establishment and agreement of a client brief, but primarily deals with the inception stage of a project. This requires a sound understanding of the relevant law, the preparation of outline service delivery proposals in various formats, the preparation of budget costs, project programmes, and advising on various procurement options. It also requires an understanding of matters concerning energy efficiency, sustainability and alternative energies.

Knowledge

•themethodsofdatagatheringincluding client briefings and site based information

•thelawapplicabletofacilitiesmanagement activities and in particular those relating to consents and approvals

•theprinciplesofenergyefficiency, sustainability and alternative energy sources

•theprinciplesofthepreparationof alternative outline design proposals including sketch drawings

•themethodologyofpreparingan option appraisal

•theprinciplesofpreparingoutline service level agreements, budget costs and a project programme of works

•thevariousprocurementoptions

•theneedforspecialistconsultants and options for engaging them

•principlesofservicedeliveryand service improvement.

Activities

•analysingthedatagatheredthrough the client briefing process and formulating a detailed client brief

•consultingwiththestatutoryauthorities on the consents and other approvals required

•consideringtheimpactofenergy efficiency sustainability and the need for alternative energy sources

Evidence should demonstrate involvement with the preparation of the following

•theestablishmentofagreed client briefs

•outlineservicedeliveryproposals

•budgetsandprogrammes

•procurementoptionappraisals

•serviceimprovementreviewstomeet changing client requirements.

Documents must clearly show the candidate’s involvement with the piece of work and how they dealt with matters such as

•gatheringinformationfrom client representatives to inform the development of strategies and methodology

•liaisingwithoutsidebodies to establish requirements and constraints

•co-ordinatinginformationfromconsultants and incorporating it into proposals

•preparingcomplaintproposals

•helpingtobriefclientdepartmentson feasible options.

Section 1.2 – Facilities Management technical competencies

Analysis of client requirements



Evidence


•preparingalternativeoutlineservice delivery proposals and preparing option appraisals

•preparingoutlineschedulesofwork with approximate quantities

•preparingbudgetcostsincludingelemental cost plans

•preparingaprojectprogramme of works

•analysingcontract procurement options

•consideringtheneedforspecialistconsultants and the options for engaging them.

Analysis of client requirements (continued)




Evidence


Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the various forms of contract used in the construction industry and/or your area of business. Apply your knowledge of the use of the various standard forms of contract at project level, including the implications and obligations that apply to the parties to the contract.

This competency covers the various forms of contract used in the facilities management sector. Candidates should have an awareness of all of the main standard forms of contract and an understanding of contract law, legislation and the specific forms that they have used.

Knowledge

•basiccontractlawandlegislation

•contractdocumentation

•thevariousstandardformsofcontract and sub-contract and when the different forms would be used

•basiccontractualmechanismsand procedures at various stages of the contract

•thirdpartyrightsincludingrelevant legislation and the use of collateral warranties.

Activities

•producingcontractdocumentation

•carryingoutthecontractualmechanisms and procedures relevant to the financial management aspects of your project, such as change procedures, valuations, loss and expense and final accounts

•understandinggeneralcontractual provisions such as letters of intent, insurances, retention, bonds, liquidated and ascertained damages, early possession, practical completion and other common contractual mechanisms.


•contractdocumentationforavariety of contracts relevant to the facilities management sector

•managementofcontractstodemonstrate compliance.


•handlingqueriesrelatingtotheproduction of contract documents

•dealingwiththereviewofcontractproposals to establish compliance

•dealingwithlettersofintentandthe placing of contracts

•dealingwiththecontractualaspects of valuations, variations, claims and final accounts

•involvementininsuranceissues,liquidated damages, phased possession etc.

Contract practice





Evidence


Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the main types of procurement. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the tendering and negotiation processes involved in procurement. Apply your knowledge to the implementation of the procurement routes selected for your projects and to carrying out tendering and negotiation processes relevant to them.

This competency relates to services and goods rather than construction. It covers the selection of service providers – pre-qualification, tender lists, selection criteria; contract selection – alternative forms of contract; and pricing documentation. In this context contracts might cover single service providers or multi service management and implementation.

Knowledge

•pre-qualificationprocedures

•selectioncriteria

•tenderlists

•specifications

•servicelevelagreements

•pricingdocumentation

•tendernegotiation

•in-houseandoutsourcedservice provision.

Activities

•workingwithin-houseandexternal stakeholders to contribute towards the establishment of an agreed procurement solution

•implementingprequalificationprocedures using selection criteria to draw up tender lists

•devisingtenderdocumentationincluding statements of scope of service and pricing schedule

•participatinginpricingand/orvetting of tenders.


•invitationstotender

•thecreationoftenderlists

•thepricingand/orvetting of tenders

•appointmentofexternal service providers.


•gatheringinformationtoinformthe decision on the most appropriate procurement and tendering solution

•helpingtoestablishselectioncriteria

•analysingreturnstoidentifysuitable contenders

•assistingwithpre-qualificationand selection procedures.

Procurement and tendering




Evidence


Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the effective control of costs during a project. Demonstrate understanding of the legal and contractual constraints and the effect of time and quality on the cost of a project. Apply your knowledge to the management of project costs. This should include the preparation and presentation of financial reports on the performance of a project at appropriate intervals, to provide effective forecasting of costs, risks and their financial implications.

This competency covers the effective cost control of facilities management related projects, such as space planning, energy management, recruitment and management of staff, security and/or contingency management. Candidates should be aware of the principles of controlling and reporting costs on any project. They should have an understanding of the control and reporting processes used on their projects. (Please note: for surveyors working in contracting this competency covers externally issued cost advice and reports).

Knowledge

•effectivecostcontroloffacilitiesmanagement activities

•thelegalandcontractualconstraints on the cost of a project such as changes in legislation and design risk allocation

•reportingandforecasting of costs

•principlesofcontingencies/ risk allowances.

Activities

•managingbudgetsandcosts

•reportingandforecastingcostsfor different procurement routes and client types

•usingcash-flowsinfinancialmanagement

•managingprovisionalsums/contingencies/risk allowances

•managingvariancesbetweenbudgets and costs.


•financialreportsinrelationtoarange of facilities management activities

•costreconciliationreportsbetweenbudgeted costs and out-turn costs, both at the end of a contract and at progress review points

•cashflowreports

•reportsontheexpenditureofcontingent sums

•calculatingthefinancialimpact of acceleration or delay.


•preparingcostreportsat various stages

•dealingwiththefinancialaspectsof valuations, variations, claims and final accounts

•identifyingvariancesbetweenactual and anticipated expenditure

•assistingwithcashflowprojections.

Project financial control and reporting




Evidence


Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of property management and the relationship between owner and occupier.Apply the principles of property management to provide solutions to issues affecting both owners and occupiers of real estate.

This competency covers all aspects of day to day functions associated with property and/or maintenance management. It includes issues relating to works, health and safety, landlord and tenant relationships, and service charges. In general, any matter associated with the smooth running of a property.

Knowledge

•keyfactorsdeterminingthelandlord and tenant relationship in relation to the running of a property

•operationalobjectivesandmanagement

•plannedmaintenanceandreactive maintenance

•maintenanceandstatutoryinspections and resultant corrective actions

•compliancerequirements

•prioritisingforwardmaintenance

•integratingmaintenance activity with the occupant’s operational needs

•legalrequirementsassociatedwith multi let property and/or managed property

•propertymanagementaccounting principles from the landlord and tenant perspective, and also the requirements of law and of RICS

•coursesofactioninrelationtobreaches of lease by landlord and tenant

•howdisputesandproblematicalissues can be resolved, and how to prioritise key tasks.

Activities

•managingpropertyfrombothalandlord and tenant perspective, and understanding the key factors from each viewpoint

•maintainingrecordsystems

•identifyingmaintenancerequirements


•creationofmaintenancesolutions

•managementofmaintenancecontracts to demonstrate compliance

•maintenancemanagementincluding recommendations for improvements.


•establishingmaintenancerequirements in accordance with legislation, good practice and/or the provisions of a lease

•assistingintheprioritisationofmaintenance tasks

•preparingandmaintainingrecords

•managingarangeofmaintenanceactivities using in-house or external providers

•assistinginthereviewofmaintenance activities to identify potential change and improvements.

Property management



Evidence


•implementingmaintenancepolicy prioritising activities in terms of changing operational and legislative requirements

•placingcontracts(orders) for maintenance

•confirmingsatisfactorycompletion of work.

Property management (continued)





Evidence


Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how to manage suppliers using a logical process to ensure that the cost and quality of the service received meets organisational requirements. Apply your knowledge and understanding by using an existing process to manage suppliers to ensure that the cost and quality of the service received meets organisational requirements.

This competency relates to the management of internal and external facilities service providers.

Knowledge

•contracts

•servicelevelagreements

•keyperformanceindicators

•performancemonitoring

•benchmarking

•stakeholdermanagement

•supplychainmanagement.

Activities

•performancereviewmeetings

•auditingofsuppliers

•budgeting

•orderingvariationstotheservice

•paymentofsuppliers.


•reportsonthesupplychainincorporating both internal and external suppliers and stakeholders

•reportsontheperformanceofinternal staff teams comparing performance to agreed targets

•reportsontheperformanceofexternal suppliers, comparing performance to agreed targets

•reportsontherangeofsupplierswho could carry out a future task

•reviewofthepastperformanceofpotential suppliers.


•assessingsupplierperformance

•reviewingperformancewithsuppliers and with clients and building occupiers

•identifyingvariancebetweenservice requirement and service provision

•reportingonsupplierperformance

•assistinginthereviewofsupplierperformance to identify potential changes and improvements.

Supplier management



RequirementTitle

Mandatory competencies

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles and practice of client

care including

•theconceptofidentifyingallclients/colleagues/thirdpartieswhoareyourclientsand

the behaviours that are appropriate to establish good client relationships

•thesystemsandproceduresthatareappropriateformanagingtheprocessofclient

care, including complaints

•therequirementtocollectdata,analyseanddefinetheneedsofclients.

Demonstrate practical application of the principles and practice of client care in your

area of practice.

Client Care

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of effective oral, written, graphic and presentation

skills including the methods and techniques that are appropriate to specific situations.

Demonstrate practical application of these skills in a variety of situations, specifically including

where negotiation is involved.

Communication and negotiation

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the techniques for conflict avoidance,

conflict management and dispute resolution procedures including for example

adjudication and arbitration, appropriate to your pathway.

Conflict avoidance, management and dispute

resolution procedures

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the sources of information and data, and

of the systems applicable to your area of practice, including the methodologies and

techniques most appropriate to collect, collate and store data.

Data management

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles and responsibilities imposed

by law, codes of practice and other regulations appropriate to your area of practice.

Demonstrate practical application of health and safety issues and the requirements for

compliance, in your area of practice.

Health and safety

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of why and how sustainability seeks to

balance economic, environmental and social objectives at global, national and local

levels, in the context of land, property and the built environment.

Sustainability

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles, behaviour and dynamics

of working in a team. Teamworking

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the role and significance of RICS and its

functions. Also an appreciation of your personal professional role and society’s expectations

of professional practice and RICS code of conduct and conduct regulations, including the

general principles of law and the legal system, as applicable in your country of practice.

Demonstrate practical application in your area of practice, being able to justify actions at all

times and demonstrate personal commitment to the rules of conduct, and RICS ethical

standards. Demonstrate that you have applied these in the context of advising clients.

Conduct rules, ethics and professional practice

*Although this is achieved through the RICS

ethics module you should still refer to it

(where applicable) in any 300-word commentary



Section 2.1 The Managed Learning Environment

The Managed Learning Environment (MLE) is an online

resource which enables you to upload evidence, write your

300-word commentaries and record structured development

for the Associate Assessment. It is accessible from any

computer connected to the Internet. Once you have entered

the MLE you can progress at your own pace.

MLE user guide

At the end of this guide, there is a complete step-by-step

guide to using the MLE. When you are using the MLE,

you will see tips and guidance on screen.

What is the MLE for?

In the MLE you will build up, piece by piece, evidence to

show your knowledge and skills. When you consider you

have met all the required competencies, you apply for

Associate Assessment. RICS Associate Assessors will view

all your evidence and decide whether they agree that you have

met the requirements to become an Associate. If successful,

you will be awarded the AssocRICS designation: if you are not

successful, you will be given feedback about what you need to

work on. You will then collect further evidence as directed, and

along with paying a re-assessment fee you can then re-submit

for Associate Assessment.

The requirements fall into three categories

• written evidence – examples of written work prepared

by you, during the course of your day-to-day employment,

submitted electronically to the MLE

• commentary – with each piece of evidence you will write

a 300-word commentary which clearly identifies your

personal input and learning from the evidence provided,

which you input direct into the MLE

• structured development – an account of your learning

activities and outcomes over the last twelve months,

explaining what you have done in order to build up your

competence; this is text typed into the MLE.

The MLE has additional functions to help you keep track

of your uploaded evidence and structured development

• alerts – to notify you of any important changes and

developments, new guidance notes, or new learning

resources available

• events – RICS will use this section to advertise events that

could count towards your structured development.

To see how each of these additional functions work, please

see sections 1.4 and 1.5 of the MLE user guide.

Career history

You must complete, in the MLE, a table setting out your career

history to demonstrate the years of relevant experience you

declared in the Registration process. See section 2.1 of the

MLE user guide.



Section 2.2 – Written evidence

Documents

The evidence you submit for Associate Assessment should

be in the form of material you have produced (or contributed

significantly to) in the course of your day-to-day work.

Associate Assessors want to see real work outputs. You

should provide as much variety as possible to illustrate the

breadth of your knowledge and application.

These must be

• your own work (or have your own contribution

clearly identified)

• uploaded by you to the MLE.

There are several different types of evidence you may submit.

These include, for example

• letters or emails sent to key parties

• notes taken at meetings (these will be your hand written

notes, not a typed up version)

• work sheets

• query lists

• back up notes or calculations

• finished work.

How recent must the evidence be?

You can build up your evidence, using the MLE, over time.

However

• all the evidence must have been produced in the last four

years (that is, no piece of evidence should be more than

four years old when you submit it); and

• at least one piece of evidence per competency must have

been produced during the 12 months immediately prior

to Associate Assessment.

You must be able to show that your evidence meets these

time requirements – for example, any correspondence

should include dates, and any report should also be dated.

Evidence such as site surveys or work specifications should

contain a reference to the date the work was done or the

communication produced. If the dates are not clear from the

evidence itself, make sure you clarify in the commentary (see

section 2.3 of this guide).

Choosing what documents to submit

You have seen, in section 1.2, the list of documents selected

by RICS for the Facilities Management pathway. The following

examples should give you a clearer idea of the depth and

detail the Associate Assessors want to see.

Example 1: If you are submitting a client brief, it should

demonstrate to the client your clear understanding of the

project and should be the output from preliminary discussions

with the client. The scope and nature of the project must

be clearly explained in the brief and should be one of the

preliminary documents prior to formal contract. Its contents

should include

• your overview assessment of the project

• options that might be considered

• service delivery proposals

• budget estimates and programme timescales

• procurement options

• client support and project review.

Your submission is aimed at demonstrating your competency

in working with a client to professionally support them in

delivering a facilities management project that will meet their

core organisational needs, is safe, legally compliant and

delivers an effective efficient project.

Example 2: If you are submitting evidence of a supplier

review, your report should be comprehensive and demonstrate,

on behalf of the client, that a full examination of options

has been undertaken. Evidence will be in report form, but

should include relevant communications between parties

and demonstrate how cost and quality issues have been

addressed. The report contents should cover

• performance examination of supply chain (internal external)

• review of performance against service requirements

• evidence of wider market comparisons (benchmarking)

• options for future provision

• future procurement methodology that might be used.

Your aim in this case would be to show that you understand

the process of delivering a value for money service to a client

and that you have a detailed knowledge of the service area

and are able to offer options for future consideration. Examples

of how benchmarking might be used within such a project

and the value of occupier/customer feedback within the

business process are relevant matters that can be used as

support evidence.



Uploading your evidence

When you have decided to submit a piece of evidence you

must produce it as an Adobe .pdf file. This is the only format

accepted by the MLE. Then upload it following the instructions

in section 3 of the MLE user guide. If you want to submit a

document you have only in hard copy, it must be scanned for

uploading. You must give each document a unique title when

you upload it, for identification.

NB: If you do not have access to scanning facilities at your

workplace you should use public services such as your local

library or internet café.

Make sure you keep a copy and keep a relevant backup as you

would in your normal practice.

You do not have to submit the documents in any particular

order, and at any time before you submit your evidence for

assessment you can change your mind about a document.

Say, for example, you have uploaded an internal report

showing your work on certain aspects of a task. Later, you

produce a particularly good piece of work in the same subject

area which in your view demonstrates your abilities better than

the first one. You can replace the earlier work with the later.

Do not try to submit extra evidence for Associate Assessment:

the MLE will not allow you to submit the incorrect number of

pieces of evidence.

Remember that the Associate Assessors want to see only work

that is relevant and concise: do not submit a massive document

in which only a few sections relate to the competency.

Submit only the relevant extract(s), and explain in the

300-word commentary what the context was.

Linking your evidence to the competencies

You must submit four pieces of evidence for each technical

competency. Do not be concerned if one piece on its own

does not demonstrate the whole range and depth required.

Choose evidence that taken together builds up a picture,

reflecting different aspects of your work. For each competency,

the Associate Assessors will be considering all four pieces

together and looking at the bigger picture they present.

Follow the process to link each document to your

competencies – see section 3.1 of the MLE user guide.

Work that covers more than one competency

Don’t forget that you must submit four pieces of evidence

for each technical competency.

Each piece of evidence can be linked in the MLE to one

technical competency only – so choose the one it mainly

reflects. It will then count as one of your four pieces for that

competency, and the MLE will ‘count down’ until you have

lodged the required number for all your competencies.

What if you have produced a piece of evidence that you think

demonstrates more than one of your technical competencies?

The Associate Assessors want to see brief, concise, relevant

documents. If you have already submitted a document for

one technical competency, but want to use parts of it towards

another, you should prepare another version of this evidence

for the second technical competency and upload it as a

separate document. It must be given a separate title and you

will write a separate 300-word commentary for it. Remember

that the Associate Assessors will want to see the breadth of

your work experience. You should, therefore, try to use as

many different examples as you can rather than re-using a

single piece of work several times.



Work produced for another qualification

Generally the evidence you submit for Associate Assessment

must be produced in the course of your work – the Associate

qualification is awarded in recognition of your practical

competence. However, if you are studying for a relevant

academic qualification your tutors might set you work-

based assignments. And if you are doing a relevant vocational

qualification, you will have been producing work-based

evidence for that qualification.

You can include written course work from an academic

qualification towards your evidence, provided it relates

directly to your job, rather than to the general role of the

Facilities Manager. RICS advises that no more than half

your evidence should be from course work produced for

an academic qualification.

You can also use evidence you have already used for a

vocational qualification.

All the other rules apply – that is, like any document you

submit, the evidence must have been produced within the

last four years, with at least one piece per competency from

the 12 months prior to assessment.

It is for you to decide how many pieces of evidence you could

use from another qualification. Much will depend on how closely

related that qualification is to your Associate pathway. The more

closely related it is, the more likely it is to help you demonstrate

the necessary Associate competencies.

Vocational qualifications require the submission of work-

based evidence. So if you have recently completed a relevant

vocational qualification or are working towards it, you should be

able to use much of your evidence for Associate Assessment.

You should discuss carefully with your tutor (and with your

Associate Supporter, if you have one) before deciding

to submit any individual piece of course work towards the

evidence for Associate Assessment.

Confidentiality

Your evidence is confidential and will not be disclosed by

RICS to any third party without your authority or used for

any purpose other than assessing your competence.

You may however need to ensure, for commercial reasons,

that you do not include names of clients, the location of

a development, etc. If that is the case, and you choose

for example to replace the name of your client with a

pseudonym, you should include a statement with your

evidence such as “the names in this document have been

changed to preserve confidentiality”.

How to view your documents

You can view your uploaded evidence at any time

– see MLE user guide, section 3.3.



Section 2.3 – Commentary

For each piece of evidence, you must submit a 300-word

commentary, which is input directly into the MLE.

The commentary serves three purposes

• to demonstrate how you have understood the requirements

of the technical competency, and say how the piece of

evidence demonstrates that you have achieved it – in effect,

you are explaining why you chose this particular piece

• to demonstrate your understanding of the mandatory

competencies, and show how they are reflected in the

work that led to the piece of evidence (for example, did

you have to work with other team members, demonstrate

communication skills, etc)

• to set out the process you followed to complete the activity

covered by your evidence.

The commentary is important. It shows how you have reflected

on what is required, and on your own work, and builds up a

picture of what your work involves and how you go about it.

You must be concise, as you have a strict word limit. There

is no prescribed form for a commentary but you may find it

helpful to use the following headings.

How is the competency demonstrated?

The requirements set out in the second column of the chart

in section 1.2 should guide you in this.

Wider skills

Other than the main technical competency, what else does

this evidence show about your work? Look particularly at the

definitions of the mandatory competencies and say how this

piece of evidence shows that you have achieved one or more

of them.

Background

Describe the work that led to the piece of evidence.

Where, when, how? Who was working with you? How

much supervision? Is the activity part of your everyday

role? How much experience do you have in it?

You can edit your 300-word commentaries at any point up to

the time you submit your evidence for Associate Assessment.

At that point they are locked and you have no further access.

RICS strongly recommends you prepare your 300-word

commentaries as word-processed documents, and spell-

check them, then copy and paste them into the MLE. This will

make it easier for you to get your work to the best possible

standard, and will also prevent you losing your work if you lose

your internet connection.

If you exceed the 300-word commentary limit

If you have uploaded a piece of evidence but exceeded the

300-word commentary limit, the MLE will reject the piece

of evidence you have just uploaded. To remedy this, simply

upload the evidence again once you have reduced your

commentary to 300 words or fewer.



Section 2.4 – Structured development

Your structured development record is a log and evaluation of

the learning activities that have built up your skills towards your

mandatory and technical competencies.

Structured development is private learning, organised learning,

work-based learning or other activities which you undertake in

order to reach the required standard for your qualification.

It should be

• gained in a systematic, structured manner

• based on a process of selecting, planning and evaluating

the activities.

Private learning: reading, online learning or similar which

you have undertaken independently.

Organised learning: a learning event provided by a training

company, college or similar. May be a CPD event.

Work-based learning: training provided in your workplace.

May include in-house training courses or events put on by

your employer; instruction or mentored practice in new tasks;

reading, study or online learning required by your employer in

order to equip you for your role.

Other: any activity not falling into one of the previous

three categories.

You must have recorded a minimum of 48 hours

structured development in the 12 months prior to your

Associate Assessment.

If you are ready for Associate Assessment now, you can

complete your structured development record by reviewing

your learning activities over the last year (if you have no

diary records of your learning activities you may have to use

approximate dates).

If you are working towards Associate Assessment in the future,

you should complete the record as you go.

There is no strict rule about the precise number of hours

of structured development you record for each individual

competency. You should ensure that you achieve a reasonable

spread of hours across the competencies, and record a variety

of activities and learning methods. You do not have to record

something for every competency. Some of your activities can

relate to more than one.

Completing the structured development record

You complete your structured development record by typing

direct into the MLE. To do this, you access the structured

development recording area.

Follow the instructions on screen to log your activities. Detailed

guidance on the process is in section 4 of the MLE user guide.

Do not log any activity that took less than half an hour.

Start a new entry for each activity.

You must follow the prompts to record

• a brief description or ‘title’ (for example “event to learn

about new forms of contract”)

• the start date and time (when you commenced the

learning activity)

• the end date and time (when you completed it)

• a description of the activity – for example “lecture at [venue]

on the subject of…” [followed by a description of what the

lecture covered]. Make sure the description relates directly

to the competency: show how it was relevant and useful.

• an ‘activity review’, in which you reflect on what you have

learned and describe the learning outcome – for example,

“raised level of skill from basic awareness to a good

working knowledge”.



Some examples of structured development

Analysis of client requirements

PurposeCode Description Learning outcomes

To develop my understanding

of the client’s operational

requirements

Work-based CPD lecture on company

procedures.

I have an understanding of the

need to gather detailed

information in a structured

manner so that we can develop

an effective operational solution

To develop my understanding

of the client’s operational

requirements

Work-based Attended in-house induction on

the client’s organisational structure

I have a clearer understanding of

the parties that I need to talk to,

and the operational requirements

of the organisation, so that I can

help to develop service delivery

proposals

Procurement and tendering


Strengthen my knowledge of

procurement and tendering; how

much it was being applied in

practice and to further my

understanding on the

procurement options

Organised CPD Lecture - outlining the main

forms of procurement as well as

knowledge and understanding of

the tendering and negotiation

processes involved in procurement

I learnt that with procurement

options, there are so many

variables which determine the

option that is eventually chosen,

there is no standard way of

analysing it but certain options

will be better suited to certain

projects

Contract practice


To develop my knowledge of the

use of various forms of contract

Work-based Attended in-house training

workshop on contractual awareness

I developed an awareness of

various forms of contracts and

potential contract scenarios,

including the implications and

obligation that apply to the

parties to the contract

Health and safety


The course aimed at making

delegates familiar with relevant

health and safety legislation and

industry standards and procedures

Organised Attended CPD training workshop

on health and safety

The course provided a brief

understanding of procedures and

legal requirements regarding

these subjects. It increased my

knowledge of the systems and

my potential role



Linking your structured development

to your competencies

Once you have recorded a structured development activity

you must make sure you link it to your competencies. The MLE

user guide, section 4.2, shows you step by step how to do this.

Keeping track of your evidence and

structured development

The MLE will track your progress to show you how far you have

got with recording the right amount of evidence and structured

development. It allows you to see, for each competency,

what documentary evidence you have uploaded and how

many more pieces of evidence you need to upload in order to

meet the requirement for the competency. It also allows you

to review all the structured development you have recorded.

You can edit your record at any time before you submit your

portfolio for Associate Assessment.

See section 5 of the MLE user guide for a detailed description

of these operations.

Presentation matters

The RICS brand stands for the highest standards of work.

The appearance and presentation of your work is important.

Would a client have faith in your competence if you presented

her with a report that had spelling and grammatical errors,

lacked clarity or was full of inaccurate wording? Make sure

that the work you submit for Associate Assessment has been

properly proof-read and spell-checked, and that the language

you use is appropriate.


Stage 3 – Associate assessment

Section 3.1 – Ready for assessment

You are ready for Associate Assessment when you have

• uploaded four pieces of evidence with a 300-word

commentary for each of the technical competencies

• uploaded a copy of your relevant qualification if you have

registered one – this should be the certificate or a letter

of confirmation

• completed your structured development within the MLE

• uploaded declarations for you and your Associate

Supporter/Proposer (see below).

Submitting your evidence for Associate Assessment

The MLE user guide, section 6, shows step by step the

process for submitting your evidence.

Declarations

Before submitting your evidence for Associate Assessment,

you and your Associate Supporter/Proposer must sign

declarations verifying your work and your suitability for

RICS membership.

The Associate Supporter must be from the same

organisation as you, and must declare that your evidence is

substantially your own work and reflects your job role.

The Associate Proposer must be an RICS member

(Associate of four years’ standing, MRICS or FRICS) but

does not necessarily have to work for the same organisation

as you. S/he must declare that you are a fit and proper person

to be an Associate.

A single person can act as both your Associate Supporter and

Associate Proposer if s/he is an RICS member as described

above and works for the same organisation as you. In this

case your Associate Supporter/Proposer will complete one

combined declaration form.



Which declarations do you need?

The MLE contains all the possible declarations. They are

• Declaration 1 – Associate Candidate’s declaration

• Declaration 2 – combined declaration for RICS member acting as both Associate Supporter and Associate Proposer

• Declaration 3 – non-RICS member, who works for your organisation, acting as Associate Supporter

• Declaration 4 – RICS member from a different organisation, acting as Associate Proposer.

Below there is a flowchart which takes you through the options. To summarise, every Associate Candidate

must sign, date and upload Declaration 1. In addition you will upload the other signed and dated declarations which

reflect your circumstances. You have only two options, either

• Declarations 1 and 2, or

• Declarations 1, 3 and 4.

Your evidence will not be assessed until you have uploaded all the required declarations.

Which Declaration is required?

OnlyDeclarations

1 and 2required

RICS member(acting as both Associate Supporter and Proposer)

signs Declaration 2

Declarations1, 3 and 4required

Identify a non RICS memberin your organisation who can

confirm your involvement in the work. This person acts as your Associate Supporter and signs

Declaration 3

Identify an RICS member from your own or another

organisation who will propose you as a fit and proper person for

RICS membership by signing Declaration 4

Is there an RICS memberin your organisation who can

verify the evidence submitted is substantially your

own work

All candidates signDeclaration 1 Yes

No

And



After declarations are signed

Once the declarations are signed and dated, they remain

valid for 28 days. After that time they will no longer be

accepted by RICS.

To proceed to Associate Assessment when you have

obtained the necessary declarations

• uploadthemtotheMLE

• scananduploadacopyofyourhighestqualification,

if you identified one at Registration

• followtheinstructionsforsubmittingyourportfoliofor


See MLE user guide section 6.2 for details of all these

processes.



Section 3.2 – Online ethics module

After you have submitted your portfolio in the MLE

In addition to submitting your evidence and structured

development record, you must successfully complete the

online ethics module before you can become an Associate.

As a professional body RICS has a responsibility to protect the

public by ensuring its members operate to the highest ethical

standard. This is monitored by RICS Regulation, with reference

to the RICS Rules of Conduct. To practise as a member of RICS

at any level you must prove you are ethically sound.

Before you can become an Associate, you must successfully

complete the online ethics module to show your understanding

of RICS’ ethical requirements. The module consists of brief

ethical scenarios, each of which is followed by five possible

solutions. In each case there is one ideal solution. You must

select what you consider to be the ideal solution.

There is then a final test consisting of 20 questions. You

must pass this test before your Associate Assessment can

be completed.

The ethics module is based on RICS’ professional and

ethical standards.

More about these ethical standards, together with useful

guidance, can be seen at www.rics.org/ethics

Once you have submitted for Associate Assessment, RICS

will send you a personal link and password for the online ethics

module. You will then have two weeks in which to complete

this module successfully.

Please note: passing the online ethics module on its own does

not give you any RICS qualification. You must pass the ethics

module AND the overall Associate Assessment before you can

qualify as an Associate.

If you do not pass the online ethics module you will be

notified by RICS, and told when you can re-sit.

Once you pass the ethics module RICS will accept that you

have met the requirements for the mandatory competency

‘Conduct rules, ethics and professional practice’.

There is a time limit of 12 months from the date you pass the

module. If more than 12 months passes between that date

and the date on which you pass your Associate Assessment,

you will have to re-take the ethics module before you can be

awarded the Associate qualification.

Please note, however, that RICS expects you to maintain your

ethical knowledge and understanding – passing the ethics

module is not a ‘once-and-for-all’ achievement, but must be

maintained throughout your career.



Section 3.3 – The Associate Assessors

The Associate Assessors are specifically trained RICS members

who assess your submitted evidence via the MLE and decide

whether you have met and satisfied the requirements of your

chosen pathway. Two Associate Assessors will review your

evidence and structured development online and, if you

successfully meet the competency requirements and pass

the online ethics module, you will qualify as an Associate.

Candidates who do not meet all the competency requirements

will be referred, and given feedback on what additional evidence

they need to submit (and possibly what extra experience they

need to gain).

The Associate Assessors will base their decision on an all-

round assessment, taking account of all your evidence, your

commentaries and your structured development.

Section 3.4 – After the Associate Assessment

Results

Approximately four weeks after you have been accepted for

Associate Assessment, RICS will notify you by email that your

result is available online. It will be either ‘Pass’ or ‘Refer’.

Pass

If you pass the Associate Assessment your membership

will be upgraded from Associate Candidate to Associate –

AssocRICS. You will be directed to the RICS members’ zone

to ensure all your details are correct. A welcome pack will

be sent to you.

Refer

If you do not achieve the Associate qualification you will be

directed back to the MLE where your feedback report will be

stored. The Associate Assessors will

• providefeedbackoneachofthecompetencies

• identifyanypieceofevidenceonwhichtheyweresatisfied

– these are ‘banked’ for a maximum of 12 months from the

date of your result (see below)

• providefeedbackonyourstructureddevelopment

• giveaclearexplanationofwhatyouwillneedtodoinorder

to be ready for re-assessment.

For example, the feedback will

• sayifparticularpiecesofevidencewereconsiderednotto

reach the required standard, or did not clearly display your

skills - you will have to produce new or updated evidence

for your re-assessment

• recommendspecificexperienceyouneedtogain(which

you will record in your structured development).

If additional experience is required, in no case will this be

more than 12 months from the date of your result. This means

that you will always be able to use any evidence you have

‘banked’ (see the next section on banking evidence) for at

least one Associate Assessment after a referral.

You should discuss the feedback with your Associate

Supporter and plan to resubmit within 12 months. If you go

over that period, and there is more than 12 months between

referral and re-submission, you will be starting again – that

is, you will have lost the right to rely on the banked evidence,

and all the evidence you submit must be new or updated in

accordance with your feedback report.

You will be required to complete and record a minimum

of four hours of structured development for each month

between assessments.

You can submit for re-assessment as soon as you have

assembled the new or updated evidence you need, and a

minimum of four weeks has passed since your previous

Associate Assessment. Naturally, if the Associate Assessors

specify that you must complete a longer period of additional

experience, you will not be able to re-submit for Associate

Assessment until you have completed that period.

There is a re-assessment fee, payable for each Associate

Assessment after your first one.



Banking evidence

If you are referred, the Associate Assessors will identify

what further evidence you will have to provide for your next

Associate Assessment. They will also identify which individual

pieces of evidence submitted for your first Associate

Assessment were satisfactory. Those pieces of evidence they

identify as satisfactory are banked for 12 months from the

date on which your result is posted on the MLE.

For example, suppose for one of your technical competencies

two pieces of evidence were satisfactory and two were not.

Although you will be referred on that competency, the two

satisfactory pieces will be banked – so, when you submit for

re-assessment, you need supply only two new pieces for

that competency.

Appeals

You have the right to appeal against a referral. You cannot

appeal simply because you disagree with the decision of the

Associate Assessors. For an appeal to be successful you must

be able to show fault in the way the Associate Assessment

was conducted, leading to an unfair decision. Examples would

be administrative error or procedural unfairness.

You will have 21 working days from the date you received

the result of your Associate Assessment to make an appeal.

Details of how to make an appeal are on www.rics.org/associate

Appeals must be submitted using the standard template

included in the appeal guidance with an appeal fee.

You should state, in no more than 1000 words, the reasons for

the appeal. No further supporting documentation is permitted

and no representations may be submitted by another party,

eg Associate Supporter or Associate Proposer.

Only an appeal directly from you (the candidate) will be

considered, and no third party may appeal on your behalf.

The appeal will be considered by two appeal panel members

who have experience of Associate Assessment but were not

involved in the original decision.

If the panel dismisses the appeal, the referral will stand and

you must provide the additional evidence specified in the

feedback report before you can be re-assessed.

If the panel allows the appeal, RICS will write to you advising

you that the original Associate Assessment result and

feedback report are now void. You will be invited to re-apply

for Associate Assessment with different Associate Assessors

using your existing evidence and structured development

record. You may not submit any new documentation for the

re-assessment. The appeal fee will be refunded.

If the two members of the appeal panel cannot reach a

unanimous decision, your appeal will be allowed.

The appeal panel’s decision is final. There is no further

right of appeal.



Section 3.5 – Audit and quality assurance

RICS is committed to ensuring that the Associate qualification

is supported by rigorous processes so that employers, clients

and the public can have confidence that anyone who achieves

it is competent to practise as an Associate. RICS will audit all

assessments through monitoring and comparing assessment

outcomes and standards. This will not only help to ensure

confidence in the qualification but also consistency in the

assessment across pathways, countries and candidates.

RICS will select a number of Associate Assessments for an

audit as part of the quality assurance process. If your evidence

is audited, you and your Associate Supporter/Proposer may

be asked for further evidence that the work is all original and

reflects your job role.

One in ten candidates will be subject to a telephone

based interview.

As part of the audit process, RICS may require you, after

your Associate Assessment, to participate in a verification

interview. The interview is conducted by telephone by an

RICS auditor. Its purpose is not to re-assess your competence,

but to verify the extent of your involvement in the work

covered by your evidence, and the validity of the assessment.

Any element of the Associate Assessment is subject to audit.

Associate Assessors will nominate an Associate Candidate for

a verification interview if they have doubts about whether his

or her evidence is genuinely original – for example, if they

suspect plagiarism, or passing off another person’s work as

his or her own. The remainder will be selected randomly.

If the auditor is not satisfied, the individual and employer

concerned may be referred to RICS Regulation for a formal

investigation.



Section 3.6 – Associate Glossary

Associate Assessment – The process by which Associate

Assessors consider the portfolio of evidence you have

submitted, and decide whether you have achieved the

competencies for your pathway.

Associate Assessor – A person who assesses a candidate’s

evidence and decides whether he or she has met the

requirements. (Lead Associate Assessor – an Associate

Assessor who has the additional responsibility of writing the

feedback for referred candidates).

Associate Candidate – A person who has registered on the


Associate Proposer – An Associate or Chartered

member of RICS who supports the Associate Candidate’s

application to complete the Associate Assessment and

become an Associate. This person must sign a declaration

form at assessment.

Associate Supporter – Normally the Associate Candidate’s

line manager or similar, who is able to verify that the evidence

submitted is substantially the Associate Candidate’s

own work.

Banking evidence – If the assessors feel that an Associate

Candidate has provided some satisfactory evidence for a

competency, but not enough to pass that competency, the

Associate Candidate can bank the good evidence so that it

is automatically accepted for the next attempt at Associate

Assessment (there are certain conditions attached to this –

see guidance).

Competencies – The key skills that an Associate Candidate

must demonstrate.

Declarations – Forms completed by an Associate Candidate,

Associate Supporter and Associate Proposer confirming that

the evidence is the Associate Candidate’s own work, and that

he or she is a fit and proper person for membership of RICS.

Direct Entry – A process whereby people with certain

qualifications can become an Associate without undertaking

Associate Assessment. (Direct entry candidates are required

to complete the online ethics module).

Ethics Module – RICS online learning materials and test,

which enables you to demonstrate that you have achieved

the RICS conduct rules, ethics and professional practice

competency.

Evidence – Documents, reports etc that candidates submit

for Associate Assessment.

Feedback – Comments written by the Lead Assessor

explaining why an Associate Candidate did not succeed

at Associate Assessment and what must be done

before re-assessment.

Managed Learning Environment (MLE) – Online

system used to assemble your portfolio of evidence for


Pathway – The type of surveying that an Associate Candidate

is working in, eg Quantity Surveying, Building Surveying,

Facilities Management, etc. Each pathway has its own set

of technical competencies.

Registration – The online system where you complete

the preliminaries for becoming an Associate Candidate:

determines whether you are eligible for Associate Assessment

now, or need to gain further experience.

Structured Development – The range of activities by which

candidates extend their knowledge and practical skills in the

various competencies.


Managed Learning Environment (MLE) User Guide

Appendix

What is MLE?

The Managed Learning Environment (MLE) is an online

system which enables a candidate to upload evidence and

record structured development ready to be assessed online.

Main functions

Submission of Evidence

• Youmustusethissystemtosubmitallthesupporting

evidence for your application.

• Thesystemallowsyoutouploaddocumentsandattribute

them to one or more competencies

• Youmustalsocompleteyourrecordofstructured

development. This is a log of the activities you have

undertaken in the 12 months before you apply

for assessment.

Ready for Assessment

• Youarereadyforassessmentwhenyouhave

- uploaded four pieces of evidence for each of

the competencies

- uploaded a copy of your relevant qualification if you have

registered one, see section 1.1 of the Candidate Guide

- uploaded completed declarations for you, your

supporter and your proposer, see section 3.1 of the

Candidate Guide.

• TheMLEwilltellyouwhenyouhavecompletedall

these steps, at which point you can submit your evidence

for assessment.

What’s on the Homepage?

The MLE homepage takes you to the following

Welcome

• TheWelcomesectionallowsyoutonavigatetothemain

functions of the MLE

- Upload my qualification

- Upload some new evidence

- Record structured development

- Download the Candidate Guide.

Alerts

• Inthissection,RICSadministratorscannotifyyouof

important changes and developments, such as any changes

to the rules or new learning resources available.

Events

• RICSwillusethissectiontoadvertiseeventsthatcould

count towards your structured development.



The MLE screen by screen

1.1 Home Page

When you first log in to the MLE you will see the welcome page. Each section will expand if you click on it.

All the sections can be moved by clicking and dragging, so you can arrange your home page to suit

your preferences.

The first section displays your name. If you have to have completed further experience before you can apply for

assessment, this section also displays the number of years.

1.2 Welcome area

The second section is the Welcome area. This contains links which take you to the most frequently used

areas (upload a qualification, add evidence, add structured development, download guidance notes or submit

evidence for assessment).

1.3 Homepage applications

The homepage contains two further applications: Alerts and Events.

1.4 Alerts

Alerts are the notifications from RICS of any important changes. Each one has

• title

• messagedetails

• dateadded.

Click on the title of the Alert to open the full message.

1.5 Events

The events tab displays a selection of current RICS events that can help you develop your competencies. If you

click on the event title, you will be taken to the full event details. To subscribe to an event, click through to the

event website. To see a full list of RICS events, go to www.rics/events.com



1.6 Calendar

The calendar allows you to view on what dates you added your structured development, evidence and any event

reminders you have added.



2.0 Select Optional Competency

When you first login to the MLE the first screen that you will see is the Select Competencies page. If your

pathway has a choice of competencies, this is where you will choose the ones you want to submit evidence

against. Not all pathways have a choice of competencies.

2.1 Add work experience

When you first log in you must also complete your work experience record. From the homepage click My Details

and then Add Work Experience. Your work experience must be complete and up to date when you apply for


You can view the work experience you have recorded by going to the homepage, clicking My Details and

selecting Work Experience.



3.0 Add Evidence

This is the screen in the MLE where you

- upload your evidence

- add commentaries

(there is a shortcut to this page in the Welcome section of the home page, where it says ‘Upload some

new evidence’).

All the fields marked with a * are mandatory fields

1. ‘Title’ – this is the title of your piece of evidence for submission. Try to make it as clear and descriptive as

possible (character limit of 100 applies)

2. Commentary – this is a free text area where you provide your commentary on the piece of evidence.

There is a character limit of 300 words per entry. This will be part of your assessment: please ensure you

do not use abbreviations or shorthand.

The commentary is an important part of your evidence. It is essential that you read Section 2.3 of the

Candidate Guide carefully and include in your commentary all the required information.

3. ‘File Upload’

•YoucanuploadafileONLYifitisinAdobe.pdfformat.

•Ifyouusethebuttonmarked‘clickhereforhelpcreating.pdf’,thiswillgiveyouguidance.Seealsothe

Appendix at the end of this document.

•Toviewthefilesyouhavealreadyuploaded,gotothe‘FileUpload’tabandclickonthe‘Browse’button.

This will allow you to view your own file structure and navigate through your files until the required file is

found – click on the file and then click ’Open’.

•Onceyouarehappywiththeinformationyouhavesubmitted,clickon‘SaveDetails’.Thiswillthenallow

you to link your evidence to the competencies.



3.1 Linking your evidence to the competencies

1. Once you have saved your evidence, you will be taken to the screen that allows you to assign that piece

of evidence to your competencies.

2. The first screen shows all the technical competencies you are required to achieve for your chosen pathway.

3. Click in the box next to the title of the competency, and the piece of evidence will be linked to that competency.

You can link each piece of evidence to only one competency (if you also consider it relevant to one of the

mandatory competencies, you will explain this in your commentary).

4. Then click Save and View Source at the bottom of the page.



3.2 Linking your evidence to the mandatory competencies

1. Once you have saved your evidence and assigned it to the technical competencies, you will be taken

to the screen that allows you to assign that piece of evidence to the mandatory competencies.

2. The second screen shows all of the mandatory competencies you are required to achieve for your

chosen pathway.

3. Click in the box next to the title of the competency, and the piece of evidence will be linked to that competency.

You can link each piece of evidence to as many of the mandatory competencies as you wish (you will explain

in your commentary how it demonstrates these competencies).

4. Then click Save and View Source at the bottom of the page.



3.3 Confirmation of Evidence Submission Screen

This page allows you to view a summary of the evidence you have assembled.

4.0 Structured development

You can access the structured development recording area through the home page via the link ‘upload

structured development’. You can also reach it from the menu bar at the top of the home page, via the tab

‘structured development’ and then the sub menu ‘add structured development’.

For guidance on what should be included in your structured development record, please see section 2.4 of the

Candidate Guide.



4.1 Upload structured development

1. ‘Description’ - enter here a brief description of the structured development activity (for example, “attended

an event about…”; “studied an online module on…”).

2. Start date and time is the date and time you started the learning activity.

3. End date and time is the date and time you completed the learning activity.

4. ‘Type’ is the category of learning activity. The options (see Guide for Candidates section 10) are

a. Personal Learning

b. Organised Learning

c. Work Based Learning

d. Other

5. ‘Details’ – this is an overview of what the learning entailed. Follow the candidate guidance carefully here.

You must include your learning need and details of the learning activity.

6. ‘Add Activity Review’ – this tick box will only appear if the learning is a date that has passed. You can put

future events in as structured development but the system will let you know, when the date is past, that you

need to add an activity review. The activity review is where you record the time you spent on the activity and

reflect on what you have learned. You must describe the learning outcome and relate it to the competencies.

7. ‘Save and Link Competencies’: this allows you to assign your structured learning activities to the

competencies for your pathway.



4.2 Linking Competencies

Once you have clicked ‘save and link competencies’, the screen below will appear.

1. You will see a confirmation at the top that your structured development record has been saved.

2. You will then need to tick which technical competencies that particular structured development activity should

be assigned to. You can assign it to any number of the technical competencies. If you choose not to assign it

to any of them, you must assign it to one or more of the mandatory competencies (see next screen).

3. Then click ‘save’.



4.3 Linking Mandatory Competencies

Once you have assigned a structured development activity to your technical competencies you will then be

asked to assign it to the mandatory competencies.

1. You will see a confirmation at the top that your structured development record has been saved.

2. You will then need to tick which mandatory competencies that particular structured development activity

should be assigned to. If you have not already assigned the activity to a technical competency, you must

assign it to one or more of the mandatory competencies. If you have already assigned it to a technical

competency you are not obliged to assign it to a mandatory competency, but you may choose to assign

it to as many as you wish.

3. Then click ‘save’.



4.4 Summary Screen

Once you have clicked ‘save’, the screen below will appear.

1. If you click on the title of an entry you will be taken into another page where you will be able to edit the

entry or assign/remove competencies.

2. If you want to delete an entry, click in the ‘actions’ column and tick the box next to delete. Then click the

‘update’ button under the summary box.



4.5 Editing a structured development entry or an activity review

1. You can edit your structured development record by clicking on the title of an entry.

2. You will then see what you have entered. Click the ‘edit’ tab.



3. You can edit the information you have previously entered and then click ‘save’.

4. To add an activity review, click the tick box next to ‘add activity review’.



5. You can then enter the outcome of the learning and how many hours of structured learning it represented.

Then click ‘save’ at the bottom of the page.



6. You will then see a confirmation summary screen. If the task was completed successfully it will state this

at the top of the screen in green. If a mandatory field was not completed the screen will show in red where

further information is required.



4.6 Summary report of structured development

1. To view a list of the structured development that is ready for assessment, on the main menu bar at the

top click on ‘Structured Development’ and then ‘structured development summary’.

2. You will only see the structured development for which you have already added an activity review, as only

these entries are ready for assessment.

3. You will see a total number of hours completed at the bottom of the page.

4. To amend any entry, click on its title.



5.0 View Portfolio

There is a tab marked ‘View Portfolio’ on the top header bar of the MLE. There are four dropdown menus:

Technical Competencies, Mandatory Competencies, Type and Diary.

5.1 Technical Competencies

1. If you click on a competency it will expand, showing you what evidence has been submitted against

this competency.

2. In green you will see any structured development you have submitted against that competency.

3. If you click on an entry you will either be able to view the file you uploaded, or view the structured development.



5.2 Mandatory Competencies

1. If you click on a competency it will expand, showing you what evidence has been submitted against this

mandatory competency.

2. In green you will see any structured development you have submitted against that competency.

3. If you click on an entry you will either be able to view the file you uploaded, or view the structured development.



5.3 The Diary

The diary displays a log of what your have added by date.

6.0 Assessment

1. On the main header bar at the top you will see the heading ‘Progress’. If you hover over this and then

click ‘List Assessment’ you will see the screen below.

2. Under ‘actions’ there are four different types of action.



3. If you click on ‘Review progress’ under the Actions column, the following view will be displayed.

4. This view shows how many hours of structured development you have added and how many more are required.

a. Green – you have submitted all of the required pieces of evidence

b. Amber – more evidence is required

c. Red – you have not submitted any pieces of evidence against that competency yet.

All the competencies will have to display as green before you can proceed to Associate Assessment.



6.1 Ready for Assessment

When you have submitted 24 pieces of evidence with commentaries (four for each technical competency) and

recorded 48 hours of structured development over the last 12 months, recorded your work experience, uploaded

your declarations, you are ready for Associate Assessment. You submit your portfolio by doing the following

1. Go back to the menu item List Assessments (see above) where you will see another header ‘Ready for

Assessment’. Click on this; or go to the welcome section on the home page and click ‘I am ready to submit

my evidence for Associate Assessment’.

2. If you click on this without submitting everything required, the below screen will advise you what elements

are missing.



3. You will need to upload your signed declarations at this point, if you haven’t already done so.

The Candidate Guide explains in detail what declarations are required: see section 3.1 of that Guide

and follow the instructions carefully.

4. If, when you registered for AssocRICS, you selected an academic or vocational qualification, you must

upload it before assessment: click on Link to Upload Qualification Evidence. You must upload the certificate

or verification letter.



5. If you have added too many pieces of evidence for a competency it is ‘overloaded’. In this case you

will need to go into the system and remove or reassign the evidence. You can only submit 24 pieces of

evidence and 48 hours of structured development. Any more or any less than this and the system will

not allow you to progress.

6. Once you have submitted your assessment you will not be able to edit anything within the MLE.



7.0 My Details

1. To view the My Details page you can access it from the menu bar at the top of the screen (select ‘My Details’)

or from the Home page.

2. The first section of the My Details page contains your email, contact telephone number and name.

3. If you would like to edit this page you can click on the Edit button, this will take you to www.rics.org/mydetails

4. You must complete your Job Position and Workplace: this will ensure once you are ready for assessment there

is not a conflict of interest with the Associate Assessors.

5. The second two sections on the My Details pages allow you to view the pathway for which

you are registered. You cannot change your pathway. If you do wish to transfer to another pathway,

contact [email protected]

6. If you click Edit on the second section, this will allow you to enter the details about your qualification and

upload your relevant certificate.

7. The title of your qualification is automatically populated from your original application through the Registration

pages. If you need to amend this, contact [email protected]

RICS will need to re-evaluate your registration if you provided inaccurate information at the Registration stage.

8. If the screen reads ‘Not Set’ you did not enter any qualification when you registered for the process. If this is

due to error, and you do have a relevant qualification, contact [email protected]

9. Select your practice area. This will enable RICS to match you with an appropriate assessor. You must choose

either building or engineering. You must then select either ‘contractor’, ‘private’ or ‘public’.



Declarations uploaded and all details complete

1. Once everything has been uploaded and all your details are complete, go back to Submit Assessment for

Review (see 6.2 above).

2. The MLE will display a Warning message telling you that when you have clicked on Continue your evidence

will be locked and you will be unable to add or amend anything you have submitted as evidence.



8.0 Results

Once your assessment outcome has been agreed you will receive an email informing you your result is online.

Your results will be displayed under the Progress menu and then List Progress. If you have passed the result will

be displayed in the Actions column as Passed, if you are referred your feedback report will be displayed if you

click on Show Final Outcome in the Actions column.

The feedback report will display what competencies need more evidence submitting and feedback from the

assessors. A new assessment has now been opened and you are required to submit the requested amount of

evidence. You do not have to resubmit everything, just the areas the assessor has highlighted – more evidence,

structured development, work experience.

9.0 Help Menu

1. On the menu bar at the top of the screen select Help. There are three sub menus

a. Useful Links – contains links to websites for Associate Guidance, Training Guides and rics.org

b. Contact Us – via email addressed to [email protected]

c. Guidance – all you need to know about the Associate process

d. Creating a PDF – this will give you some guidance on creating a PDF.

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