A federal vendor now has to prove, on every release, that its software was built the way it says it was, not just once at contract signing. What a compliance team does to turn that proof into something a procurement officer can actually query, instead of a stack of PDFs assembled by hand before every audit.
Nothing. Every course, exam, and certificate on the catalog is free — including retakes. All you need is a free Safeguard account.
None. The flagship course, Safeguard Certified Practitioner, is a beginner-level course — basic familiarity with how software is built helps, but every exam question is answerable from the lessons themselves.
You can retake it after a 24-hour cooldown, as many times as you need. Retakes are free, and each attempt draws a fresh random set of questions.
The Safeguard Certified Practitioner credential is valid for 24 months from issue. The expiry date is printed on the certificate and shown live on its public verification page. Renewing means passing the current exam again.