What Is a Competency (Partner Program)?
A competency is a vendor credential certifying that a partner has the skills, certified staff and track record to deliver in a defined solution area. Closely related to a specialization, it is the unit many programs use to recognize capability - and competencies frequently serve as the requirement a partner must hold to reach a tier or qualify for a rebate.
Why it matters to IT channel partners. Competencies translate skills into program standing. Holding the right competencies keeps a partner eligible for the tier, pricing and incentives its practice depends on, while a missing or lapsed competency can disqualify it from a rebate it would otherwise have earned. Knowing which competencies each vendor requires, and what holds them, is core to protecting payout. Rebates-On tracks the requirements behind each one.
Related terms
FAQ
They overlap. Both credential the partner organization in a solution area; vendors use the terms differently, and some programs require competencies as the path to a specialization or tier.
Keep every competency current and its rebates intact → Explore Rebates-On