Evaluating an Employee against the IFPM Standard

							 Evaluating an Employee
against the IFPM Standard
    A Human Resource
    Management Job Aid
    Prepared by the IFPM Implementation Team
       Minimum Qualification
         Standards (MQS)
 The IFPM Standard defines MQS for 13 key fire
  management positions. The MQS include:
   1. Basic OPM Requirements for GS-0455, GS-
     0462 or GS-0401 positions
   2. Specialized Experience for GS-0401 Fire
     Management Specialist positions
     (Supplemental Standards)
   3. NWCG Incident Management Qualifications
   4. Additional Required Training (if applicable)
      Minimum Qualification
        Standards (MQS)
 Before October 1, 2010
  Incumbents must meet all of the MQS by October
   1, 2010 to be considered fully qualified for their
   position.
  New hires will have until October 1, 2010 to meet
   the NWCG Incident Management Qualifications
   and Additional Required Training for their
   position. All OPM requirements must be met at
   the time of hire.
      Minimum Qualification
        Standards (MQS)
 On or After October 1, 2010
   All qualified applicants selected for IFPM
    positions must meet the minimum qualifications
    standards at the time of hire.


 Fire Management and Human Resource
  Specialists are responsible for determining when
  the MQS are met.
                                  Example of MQS
                       Unit Fire Program Manager -
                          Moderate Complexity
OPM Standard Requirements:                                     NWCG Incident Management Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in biological sciences, agriculture,                (Currency is not required):
natural resource management, or a related
                                                                       Primary Core Requirement:
discipline appropriate to the position being filled;
                                                                         Task Force Leader (TFLD)
OR
                                                                                   AND
a combination of education and experience as
                                                                      Secondary Core Requirement:
defined in the Supplemental Qualification Standard
                                                           Incident Commander Type 3 (ICT3) OR Prescribed Fire
for the GS-0401 Fire Management Specialist.
                                                                             Burn Boss (RXB2)

        Specialized Experience Requirements:
        Applicants must have a minimum of one year of
        creditable specialized wildland fire management                Additional Required Training:
        experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.           M-581, Fire Program Management

        Refer to the GS-0401 Supplemental Qualification
        Standards for Fire Management Positions for examples
        of specialized experience based on grade level.
    Evaluating the Employee

Incumbents and applicants are evaluated
 against the MQS differently:
  1. Incumbents: Use the “HR Qualifications Review
     Checklist for IFPM” found in Appendix D of the
     IFPM Implementation Plan (applicable only
     through October 1, 2010) or,
  2. Applicants: Job application

 In either case supporting documentation will
  be required (discussed later)
     Evaluating the Employee

 It’s important to know which IFPM position to
  evaluate the incumbent or applicant against to make
  sure the correct MQS are being used.
 It’s important to note that there are two different HR
  Qualification Review Checklists for IFPM positions,
  one for GS-0401 positions, and one for GS-455/462
  Positions
 In the example to follow, we will use the IFPM
  position of “Unit Fire Program Manager - Moderate
  Complexity”
   Unit Fire Program Manager -
   Moderate Complexity Example
 Evaluating GS-0401 Fire Management Specialist -
  Basic Qualification Determination
 The “Basic Qualification Determination” section of the HR
  Qualification Review Checklist has two sections:
    The first should be used if the employee has a degree in
     biological sciences, agriculture, natural resources
     management, or a related discipline.
    The second should be used if the employee is trying to
     qualify through a combination of education and experience
     as defined in the Supplemental Qualification Standard for
     GS-0401 Fire Management Specialists.
  Unit Fire Program Manager -
  Moderate Complexity Example
 Evaluating GS-0401 Fire Management Specialist -
  Specialized Experience Determination
    Does the employee have one year of specialized experience
     equivalent to the next lower grade of the position being filled
     as defined in the Supplemental Qualification Standard for GS-
     0401 Fire Management Specialists?
 NOTE: If the employee met the positive education
  requirements through a combination of education &
  experience, credit for experience given in the basic
  qualification section above cannot ALSO be used to
  determine specialized experience.
  Unit Fire Program Manager -
  Moderate Complexity Example
 Evaluating GS-0401 Fire Management Specialist -
  Specialized Experience
    For incumbent’s & applicants, specialized
     experience is evaluated by reviewing the
     supporting documentation submitted with the
     incumbents package
  Unit Fire Program Manager -
  Moderate Complexity Example
 Evaluating NWCG Incident Management
  Qualifications
    The Incident Qualification & Certification System (IQCS) is
     the System of Record for NWCG Incident Management
     Qualifications, training and experience
    The IQCS Responder Master Record (or equivalent for non-
     federal employees) should be used to determine if an
     incumbent or applicant meets the NWCG Incident
     Management Qualification requirements for the IFPM
     position
    HR should consult fire management on questions related to
     incident management qualifications
  Unit Fire Program Manager -
  Moderate Complexity Example
 Evaluating NWCG Incident Management Qualifications
     Continuing our example for a Unit Fire Program Manager –
     Moderate Complexity the NWCG Incident Management
     Qualification requirements are:
                    Primary Core Requirement:
                      Task Force Leader (TFLD)
                                AND
                   Secondary Core Requirement:
                Incident Commander, Type 3 (ICT3)
                                 OR
              Prescribed Fire Burn Boss, Type 2 (RXB2)
  Unit Fire Program Manager -
  Moderate Complexity Example
 Evaluating NWCG Incident Management Qualifications
  The IQCS Responder Master Record can be somewhat confusing.
  However, by locating the “Employee Qualified Jobs” list, the HR
  Specialist will find everything they need to determine position
  qualifications – including currency (if required).
  Unit Fire Program Manager -
  Moderate Complexity Example
 Evaluating NWCG Incident Management Qualifications
  Note that this employee meets the Primary Core Requirement
  (TFLD) and the Secondary Core Requirement (ICT3)
  Unit Fire Program Manager -
  Moderate Complexity Example
 Evaluating NWCG Incident Management Qualifications
  The CURRENCY DATE column can be used to validate currency.
  (Note that currency has expired for some of these positions.)
  Unit Fire Program Manager -
  Moderate Complexity Example
 Evaluating NWCG Incident Management Qualifications
  If you have questions please consult your FMO or your agencies
  wildland and prescribed fire qualification guides
  Unit Fire Program Manager -
  Moderate Complexity Example
 Evaluating Additional Required Training
    The last MQS that needs to be checked is the Additional
     Required Training. The Unit Fire Program Manager –
     Moderate Complexity requires Fire Program Management (M-
     581)
    The “Employee Training History” section of the IQCS Responder
     Master Record should be used to determine if the employee has
     the required training
  Unit Fire Program Manager -
  Moderate Complexity Example
 Completing the Evaluation Process
    After evaluating the employee against the MQS
     requirements of:
      1. Basic OPM Requirements for GS-0401 positions
      2. Specialized Experience for GS-0401 Fire Management Specialist positions
         (Supplemental Standard)
      3. NWCG Incident Management Qualifications
      4. Additional Required Training (if applicable)

     an official “Determination of Qualifications” can be
     made.
    This is done by notifying the employee through
     official correspondence of their qualification status.
  Unit Fire Program Manager -
  Moderate Complexity Example
 Completing the Evaluation Process
    Each employee should be sent a copy of the HR Qualification
     Worksheet used in the determination process and a
     “Qualification Review Memorandum”
    Sample Qualification Review memos for both GS-0401 and GS-
     455/462 positions can be found in Appendix D of the IFPM
     Implementation plan
    The sample memos should only be used for incumbents,
     applicants for IFPM positions should be notified through
     normal HR processes
  Unit Fire Program Manager -
  Moderate Complexity Example
 Completing the Evaluation Process
    Management has an obligation to provide employees
     opportunities to successfully obtain the MQS requirements
     prior to October 1, 2010.
    The IFPM employee also has an obligation to fulfill the MQS
     requirements and work with management.
    In order to clarify these responsibilities each incumbent who
     does not meet the MQS is required to sign an “Employee
     Agreement”.
    Sample Employee Agreements can be found in Appendix D of
     the IFPM Implementation Plan
 Condition of Employment
• Applicants who are offered IFPM positions
  prior to October 1, 2010 and do not meet the
  NWCG Incident Management Qualification
  and/or additional required training
  requirements must sign a “Condition of
  Employment” which clearly identifies the
  missing requirements and states that the
  employee will be removed from their position if
  they do not meet the requirements by the
  implementation deadline.
                Summary
 A thorough knowledge of the following
  documents is critical to properly evaluating an
  employee against the MQS:
    DOI Personnel Bulletin 07-13: Qualification
     Requirements for GS-0401 Fire Program
     Management or Forest Service Equivalent
     document
    IQCS Responder Master Record
    Your agencies wildland and prescribed fire
     qualification guides
    HR NWCG Qualification Hierarchy Job Aid which
     can be found on the IFPM website
              Summary
 Human Resource(s) is encouraged to work
  closely with Fire Management throughout the
  IFPM Implementation process.
 Current developments and all supporting
  documentation can be found on the IFPM
  website: http://www.ifpm.nifc.gov
 If you have questions please contact your
  agency’s HR representative on the IFPM
  Implementation Team.
   IFPM Implementation Team
 The IFPM Implementation Team and advisors consists of human
  resources, training and fire management personnel from the
  USFS, BLM, BIA, FWS, NPS and DOI.
     Agency            Fire Management     Human Resources
     BIA               Dave Koch           Allison Beard
     BLM               Ted Mason           Tamara Neukam
     FS                                    Kasey McCeuen
     FWS               Kevin Conn          Joeanna Headen
     NPS               Mark Koontz         Melissa Anglin
     DOI                                   Linda Erwin
     DOI               Rosemary Downing (Liaison)
     BIA               Lyle Carlisle (NWCG Liaison)
     FS                Karen Wood (NWCG Liaison)
      Summary, cont.
• Your support of the IFPM program
  has been greatly appreciated.
• Thank you for your contribution
  toward effecting an important
  workforce development effort!