+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| **STANDARD OPERATING           | **SOP \# 335-2 (BPR)**              |
| PROCEDURE**                    |                                     |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| **NOAA, Workforce Management   | **Subject: 20 Business-day          |
| Office**                       | Certificate**                       |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| **Approved by:**               | **Date: June 24, 2008**             |
| ![](media/image1.png           |                                     |
| ){width="1.3541666666666667in" |                                     |
| height="0.6770833333333334in"} |                                     |
|                                |                                     |
| Eduardo J. Ribas               |                                     |
|                                |                                     |
| Director, Workforce Management |                                     |
| Office                         |                                     |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| **Replaces:** Previous SOPs or |                                     |
| equivalent operational         |                                     |
| guidance currently in effect.  |                                     |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

**A. SUMMARY:**

The purpose of this SOP is to implement a hiring recommendation
resulting from the NOAA Business Process Reengineering effort. SOP \#
335-2 establishes procedures for the 20

business-day Merit Assignment Plan (MAP) and Delegated Examining (DE)
Certificate of Eligibles enabling Hiring Officials to better ensure
availability of best qualified candidates, and to hire qualified
candidates in a timelier manner.

A certificate of eligibles is a list of applicants who have been deemed
qualified for a position through the assessment process. From this list,
a hiring manager (or selecting official) may select individuals to
interview and hire.

**B. OBJECTIVES:**

The objective of this SOP is to set forth the procedure for
implementation and maintenance of the 20 business-day MAP and DE
certificates and extensions to ensure consistency throughout the NOAA
Line and Corporate Offices.

**C. REFERENCES:**

1.  [NOAA MAP](http://www.wfm.noaa.gov/pdfs/MAPFinal.pdf), January 20,
    2006

2.  [DAO
    202-335](http://dms.osec.doc.gov/cgi-bin/doit.cgi?204:112:a78e087ee56095722203bec9fa574c6db1ba2d3640e7604ca18c99e374b5ddea:85),
    DOC Merit Assignment Program Policy, October 1979

3.  [DOC OHRM HR Bulletin \#
    004](http://ohrm.os.doc.gov/s/groups/public/@doc/@cfoasa/@ohrm/documents/content/prod01_001182.pdf),
    FY 2005

**D. RESPONSIBILITIES:**

1.  **Human Resources Advisors (HRAs)** are responsible for issuance of
    20 business-day certificate and extension of certificate when
    applicable.

2.  **Hiring Officials** are responsible for planning activities
    associated with receipt of the certificate to ensure their ability
    to make a selection within the 20 business-day timeframe;
    communicating the status of interviews, selection, etc. to the HRA
    and the Line/Corporate Office (LO/CO) Chief Financial Officer (CFO);
    requesting an extension in writing[^1] with LO/CO CFO, if
    extenuating circumstances warrant; and providing the HRA written
    approval if the extension is granted.

3.  **Line Office Chief Financial Officers (LO CFO) and Corporate Office
    (CO) equivalent** are responsible for monitoring certificates that
    are outstanding for more than 20 business-days, carefully
    considering extension requests, ensuring they meet established
    criteria, and providing a written decision regarding approval or
    disapproval of the 20 business-day extension to the Hiring
    Official[^2].

4.  **LO Deputy Assistant Administrators (DAA)/Corporate Office Deputy
    Directors (CO DD)** are responsible for ensuring any additional 20
    business-day extension meets the critical extension criteria and
    providing written approval of the additional 20 business-day
    extension to the Hiring Official via the LO CFO (or equivalent). [A
    second extension should only be granted in rare and unusual
    circumstances]{.underline}^2^.

E. PROCEDURES:

  ------------------------ ----------------------- ------------------------------------------------
  **[Task]{.underline}**   **[Responsible          **[Action]{.underline}**
                           Person]{.underline}**   

  1                        HRA                     Advises Hiring Official during the strategic
                                                   conversation of the hiring timeline indicating
                                                   when the certificates will be issued.

  2                        Hiring Official         Puts in place processes in advance of the
                                                   vacancy announcement closing to ensure time is
                                                   blocked for interviews and panels have been
                                                   established (if applicable).

  3                                                Identifies an alternate person, with hiring
                                                   authority, in the event the Hiring Official is
                                                   unavailable, to take action on the certificate
                                                   in their absence once it is issued.

  4                        HRA                     Issues MAP or DE certificate.

  5a                       Hiring Official         Returns certificate to HRA indicating
                                                   selection(s) and/or non-selection within 20
                                                   business-days; or

  5b                                               Requests in writing 20 business-day extension
                                                   from LO/CO CFO. Justification is required and
                                                   should only be requested in rare circumstances;
                                                   criteria are listed in Exhibit 1. [Request
                                                   should be made prior to the 20 business-day
                                                   certificate expiration date.]{.underline}

  6                        LO/CO CFO               Reviews request for extension to 20 business-day
                                                   certificate^2^.

  6a                                               If extension is granted, responds in writing to
                                                   Hiring Official and new certificate deadline is
                                                   established.

  6b                                               If extension is disapproved, responds in writing
                                                   to Hiring Official and selection must be made by
                                                   original expiration date of the certificate.

  7a                       Hiring Official         If extension is granted, forwards LO/CO CFO
                                                   extension approval to HRA to extend certificate.

  7b                                               If extension is disapproved, returns certificate
                                                   to HRA by the original certificate deadline
                                                   indicating selection and/or non-selection.

  8a                       HRA                     Takes appropriate action on returned
                                                   certificate; or

  8b                                               Extends certificate for an additional 20
                                                   business-days.

  9                        LO/CO CFO               Reviews certificates that are outstanding for
                                                   more than 20 business-days^2^.

  10a                      Hiring Official         Returns certificate to HRA indicating selection
                                                   and/or non-selection; or

  10b                                              If necessary, due to extreme circumstances,
                                                   requests from LO DAA/CO DD through the LO/CO
                                                   CFO, a second 20 business-day certificate
                                                   extension; provides original extension
                                                   justification and CFO approval
                                                   memorandum/e-mail, and additional written
                                                   justification for the delay in selection, with
                                                   written concurrence from the LO CFO for second
                                                   extension. Request should be made prior to the
                                                   second 20 business-day certificate expiration
                                                   date. [This extension should only be used in
                                                   extremely rare and unusual
                                                   circumstances.]{.underline}

  11                       LO DAA/CO DD            Reviews request for second extension to 20
                                                   business-day certificates that have been
                                                   previously extended by LO/CO CFO and the request
                                                   and justification for second extension^2^.

  11a                                              If the second extension is granted, responds in
                                                   writing to Hiring Official and LO/CO CFO and new
                                                   deadline is established.

  11b                                              If second extension is disapproved, selection
                                                   must be made by the expiration date of the
                                                   initial extended certificate, or certificate
                                                   expires and position is readvertised.

  12a                      Hiring Official         If second extension is granted, forwards LO
                                                   DAA/CO DD approval to HRA to extend certificate.

  12b                                              If second extension is disapproved, returns
                                                   certificate to HRA by the expiration date
                                                   established by the first extension indicating
                                                   selection and/or non-selection, or requests that
                                                   position be readvertised.

  13a                      HRA                     Takes appropriate action on returned
                                                   certificate; or

  13b                                              Extends certificate for an additional 20
                                                   business-days; or

  13c                                              Cancels certificate if no selection is made by
                                                   the final 20 business-day extension.
  ------------------------ ----------------------- ------------------------------------------------

**F. EXHIBITS:**

Exhibit 1: Extension Justification Criteria

Exhibit 2: Certificate Extension Request to LO/CO CFO

Exhibit 3: Certificate Extension Request to LO DAA/CO DD

EXHIBIT 1 SOP 335-2

**[EXTENSION JUSTIFICATION CRITERIA]{.underline}**

The normal life of a certificate of eligibles is 20 business-days.
Hiring officials are expected to plan at the beginning of the hiring
process to accommodate vacation schedules for themselves and Subject
Matter Experts, work related travel, etc.

In order for an extension to be granted at any stage of the recruitment
process there must be extenuating circumstances. Therefore, the
justification submitted to the LO CFO must be very specific regarding
the reason for the extension.

Justification criteria for requesting an extension for either of the 20
business-days extensions (first or second extension) would include:
Emergency hospitalization of hiring official or hiring official's
immediate family, unforeseen military duty; emergency travel with no
back-up available; mission critical requirements had to be met; a
disaster such as was experienced under 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, or a
major weather event (blizzard, flood, etc), or other relevant extreme
event.

Note that a second extension of an additional 20 business-days (i.e.,
certificate could be valid for up to 60 business-days total) should be
an exceedingly rare event, and should only be requested and granted
under extenuating circumstances.

If an extension is required from the LO DAA/CO DD, the Hiring Official,
with concurrence from the LO CFO (or equivalent), will be required to
submit the original justification, subsequent approval from the L/CO
CFO, and additional justification for the extension.

Exhibits 2 and 3 provide examples of justification memoranda.

EXHIBIT 2 SOP 335-2

**[Certificate Extension Request to LO/CO CFO]{.underline}**

MEMORANDUM FOR: LO/CO CFO

FROM: Hiring Official

SUBJECT: Request for 20 Business-day Extension -- MAP and/or DE
Certificate #XXXXXXX, Official Title, Pay Plan, Series and Grade

In accordance with SOP 335-2, I hereby request approval for a 20
business-day extension to the subject certificate. Justification is as
follows:

The certificate was issued on XXXXXXX and the next day I had a personal
emergency (e.g., unscheduled military leave, spouse was hospitalized)
and I was on unscheduled leave until XXXXXXX. The selection had to wait
until my return since there was not an appropriate backup to serve in
this capacity while I was unavailable. I returned to work on XXXXXXXX
and therefore have been unable to review the names or resumes on the
certificate.

It is anticipated that I will be able to review the names, resumes,
schedule interviews and make the necessary selection within the next 20
business-days. I respectfully request approval for an extension in order
for me to make these arrangements and complete the hiring process.

Approve Date Disapprove Date

EXHIBIT 3 SOP 335-2

**[Certificate Extension Request to LO DAA/CO DD]{.underline}**

MEMORANDUM FOR: LO DAA/CO DD

FROM: Hiring Official Through LO/CO CFO

SUBJECT: Request for 20 Business-Day Extension -- MAP and/or DE
Certificate #XXXXXXX, Official Title, Pay Plan, Series and Grade

This letter is in reference to subject certificate, which was previously
extended until XXXXXXX by the LO/CO CFO. Due to the blizzard conditions
experienced in the Boulder, CO area, local federal government facilities
were closed from January 12--19, 2007. As a result, I was unable to
complete the interview and selection process, and I am requesting an
additional 20 business-day extension in order to interview the
candidates.

Since all of the interviews have been scheduled, it is anticipated that
the final selection will be made within the requested extension time.

I respectively request approval to extend subject certificate an
additional 20-business days.

Attachment

Approve Date Disapprove Date

[^1]: HRAs will only accept written approval of certificate extensions
    (may include e-mail) and must be filed with the DE/Merit Assignment
    Plan file.

[^2]: This SOP does not and can not preclude the CFO and/or DAA from
    assigning the approval or disapproval of extensions of certificates
    within their line or corporate office to others. This internal line
    office/corporate office administrative approving process by the CFO
    and/or DAA should not be confused with the legal authorities vested
    in the Workforce Management staff. Should a CFO and/or a DAA wish to
    assign the administrative approval process for extension of
    certificates to others named in their office, it should be provided
    in writing to the Director of the Workforce Management Office and
    will be retained as part of the annual agreement with that Office.
    CFOs and DAAs remain accountable to the consequences of extending
    certificates in meeting the 70-day hiring cycle time performance
    metric. All other processes remain the same and the HR staff will
    process extensions accordingly.