Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)) - Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC)

National Credential
Credential: Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC)
Credentialing Agency: Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I))

The Department of Defense (DoD) Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC) program is sponsored by the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)) to professionalize the defense intelligence workforce by establishing a common standard of the fundamental knowledge and skills expected of all who serve and support, and those who hope to serve and support, in the Defense Intelligence Enterprise (DIE). The IFPC is based on the Defense Intelligence Fundamentals standards, which are cross-cutting and enterprise-wide, and depict the Department’s core expectations of what all Defense Intelligence Professionals, regardless of Service/Agency, Function/Specialty and experience level, must know and/or be able to do to successfully execute and/or contribute to the execution of intelligence missions, functions, and activities at the fundamental level. The IFPC will also serve to ensure incoming defense intelligence professionals meet knowledge standards. IFPC candidates must meet minimum eligibility requirements and pass a written exam.

More information can be found on the certifying agency's website.

Renewal Period: 3 years

Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC)

The following Marine Corps Enlisted MOSs provide training and/or experience that contributes to attaining this credential:

Enlisted Occupation Occupation Type Related As COOL$
0211 Counterintelligence/Human Intelligence (CI/HUMINT) Specialist MOS some COOL$ 
0231 Intelligence Specialist MOS some COOL$ 
0241 Imagery Analysis Specialist MOS some COOL$ 
0261 Geographic Intelligence Specialist MOS some COOL$ 
0291 Intelligence Chief MOS some COOL$ 
0321 Reconnaissance Marine MOS some COOL$ 
0511 Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Planning Specialist MOS some COOL$ 
0521 Military Information Support Operations (MISO) Marine MOS some COOL$ 
1711 Cyberspace Exploitation Operator MOS some COOL$ 
1721 Cyberspace Defense Operator MOS some COOL$ 
1799 Cyberspace Operations Chief MOS some COOL$ 
2621 Communications Intelligence / Electronic Warfare Operator MOS some COOL$ 
2631 Signals Intelligence/Electronic Warfare Analyst MOS some COOL$ 
2651 Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) Systems Engineer MOS some COOL$ 
2659 Intelligence Technology & Data Chief MOS some COOL$ 
2691 Signals Intelligence/Electronic Warfare/Cyberspace Operations Chief MOS some COOL$ 
2841 Ground Electronics Transmission Systems Maintainer MOS some COOL$ 
2847 Ground Electronics Telecommunications and Information Technology Systems Maintainer MOS some COOL$ 
2862 Ground Electronics Systems Maintenance Technician MOS some COOL$ 
6483 Communication/Navigation/Cryptographic/Countermeasures Systems Technician, IMA MOS some COOL$ 
Marine Security Guard Collateral Duty/Out of Billet MOS most COOL$ 

Marine Occupations Table Legend

Related As

The military occupations shown in this table are related to this credential in one of three ways: Most, Some, or Other.

Most: This credential is directly related to most of the major duties associated with the military occupation (at least 80%). Note that the credential may require additional education, training or experience before you are eligible for it.

Some: This credential is related to some tasks associated with the duties of the military occupation (related 80% to at least one or more critical tasks but less than 80% of all of the entire military occupation). Note that the credential may require additional education, training or experience before you are eligible for it.

Other: This credential is related to this military occupation, but is more advanced or specialized and therefore will most likely require additional education, training, or experience.

COOL$ COOL Bucks icon

Contact usmccool@navy.mil or call 850-452-6337/6583 for a Marine Corps COOL Program Analyst.

Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC)

Eligibility Requirements ()

Note: This credential may have multiple options for becoming eligible. Listed below are the minimum requirements based on the minimum degree required. To view other options, see the Eligibility tab.

  • Credential Prerequisite
  • Experience
  • Education
  • Training
  • Membership
  • Other
  • Fee

Exam Requirements ()

  • Written Exam
  • Oral Exam
  • Practical Exam
  • Performance Assessment

Renewal Period: 3 years

  • Continuing Education
  • Exam
  • Continuing Education OR Exam
  • Fee
  • Other

Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I))
5000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC  20301-5000
Phone: 571-305-5268
Email: osd.pentagon.ousd-intel.mbx.ifps-pmo@mail.mil

Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC)

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Category 1: Candidate must be a Military or Civilian person currently employed by the DoD (waivers can be provided to personnel currently employed by a federal, state, tribal, or local government entity supporting DoD-recognized intelligence missions).

Category 2: Candidate must be enrolled and/or employed in the last six months at a U.S.-based, regionally accredited, post-secondary academic institution with a formal relationship with the DoD (i.e., institutions participating in the DoD Voluntary Education MoU program).

Category 3: Candidate must be employed by an organization eligible to pursue contracts with the U.S. Intelligence Community (i.e., organizations that hold a CAGE code). Note: This includes individuals currently working on a contract with a  Component of the DIE.

The IFPC Eligibility Policy was approved by the CGC on 23 May 2017.

The Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC) credential has the following other requirements:

  • Candidates must hold U.S. Citizenship.

Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC)

  • What is Intelligence? (19%)
    • Concepts, principles, history, and processes of intelligence
    • Role, responsibilities, and definition of intelligence
    • Categories of intelligence products
  • What are the intelligence disciplines? (15%)
    • Characteristics of intelligence disciplines (i.e., counterintelligence (CI), human intelligence (HUMINT), geospatial intelligence (GEOINT), measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT), open-source intelligence (OSINT), signals intelligence (SIGINT), and technical intelligence (TECHINT))
    • Cueing, tipping, corroborating relationships amongst INTs
  • Who is involved in intelligence? (9%)
    • Roles and Responsibilities for Intelligence Community members
    • Roles and responsibilities at strategic, operational, and tactical level
  • Why does intelligence require oversight? (12%)
    • Intelligence oversight concepts and principles
    • Considerations regarding collection on US persons
    • Intelligence Oversight program framework
    • Intelligence Oversight roles and responsibilities
    • Laws and policies that govern oversight of intelligence activities
  • How is intelligence conducted? (9%)
    • Purpose and function of each phase of the intelligence process
    • Roles and responsibilities of individuals who execute the intelligence process
  • How are classified and controlled materials protected? (16%)
    • Roles and responsibilities for security and intelligence professionals
    • Handling, marking, storing, transporting, and/or destroying classified or otherwise controlled materials
    • Security clearance concepts (e.g., reporting foreign contacts, financial changes)
    • Reporting security incidents and violations
    • Foreign intelligence service threat
  • How are classified and controlled materials shared? (10%)
    • Interagency and multinational intelligence sharing
    • Requirements and standards for intelligence sharing and cooperation
  • How do my actions affect my status as an intelligence professional? (10%)
    • Safe versus unsafe search and data capture
    • Online vulnerabilities
    • Behaviors that could lead to clearance revocation or denial
    • Insider Threat behavioral indicators
    • Insider Threat reporting requirements

There are a number of resources available to help you prepare for the Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC) examination:

An additional resource is Safari Books Online, a searchable digital library that provides online access to thousands of books, training videos and conference sessions. See the Educational Resources page here on COOL to learn how to get free access.

Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC)

Renewal Period: 3 years

The Intelligence Fundamentals Professional Certification (IFPC) credential has the following recertification information:

The IFPC credential is conferred for a three-year period, and will expire unless certificants meet one of the following options for maintaining their certification:

  1. IFPC certificants may choose to re-take the IFPC examination. Certificants who re-take the IFPC examination and pass are deemed to have renewed their certification, at which point their credential is automatically extended another three years.
  2. IFPC certificants may choose to obtain a USD(I)-conferred or -recognized intelligence tradecraft certification. IFPC certificants who meet all the requirements of a USD(I)- conferred or -recognized intelligence tradecraft certification are deemed to have renewed their IFPC credential on the date the secondary certification is conferred.

The IFPC credential is maintained as long as the certificant continues to maintain the USD(I)-conferred or recognized intelligence tradecraft certification. IFPC certificants must submit a copy of their USD(I)-conferred or recognized tradecraft certification (with conferral and expiration date clearly visible) to the CPMO as evidence; all submissions should be sent to osd.pentagon.ousd-intel.mbx.ifpc-pmo@mail.mil. 

IFPC candidates should contact the CPMO at osd.pentagon.ousd-intel.mbx.ifpc-pmo@mail.mil for information.
  • Note: Marine Corps COOL will only pay recertification fees for the current billing cycle. Voucher requests for recertification fees must be submitted with proof of the current status of the certification (for example, a screen shot of your credentialing agency dashboard or a copy of a current fee receipt).