Certification is the process through which it is determined that an individual meets the mandatory education, experience, and training standards established for an Acquisition Functional Area (AFA) and to a specific Acquisition Functional Area Foundational/Professional, Practitioner and Advanced in effect at the time of request for certification. Certification is granted when a designated AFA Certifying Official (CO) validates, by signature, on the official document of record that the mandatory AFA standards for certification have been met.