Michael Fischetti is the Executive Director of the National Contract Management Association and he joins us on Through the Noise to discuss the ins and outs of contract management, who does it, and why we need it. With 20,000 members, the NCMA is the professional association for professional contract management, including those that work with government agencies. Contracting officers are required for contracts that involve tax-payer funded projects and the NCMA provides continuing education credits, conferences, and opportunities for networking and idea exchange between its members. They also offer professional certification for their members to become a Certified Professional Contract Manager.  Michael P. Fischetti is the executive director of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA) located in Ashburn, Virginia. In that position, he is chief executive officer (CEO) responsible for managing a professional association representing over 20,000 contracting and acquisition professionals, with over 111 chapters worldwide, an annual budget of approximately $10M, and a professional staff of 30. The National Contract Management Association is the world’s leading professional resource for those in the field of contract management, providing books, an academic journal, an Annual Review, a monthly magazine, and the largest conferences in the world dedicated to acquisition.