FEMA Cadre Management 

Guide 

October 2014 
 

 

. 

Table of Contents 

Chapter 1: Introduction................................................................................................................... 1 

Authorities and Foundational Documents................................................................................... 2 

Purpose and Scope ...................................................................................................................... 3 

Chapter 2: The FEMA Cadre Management Framework................................................................. 4 

FEMA Cadres.............................................................................................................................. 4 

Title V Employees (5 U.S. Code) ........................................................................................... 4 

Stafford Act Employee ........................................................................................................... 5 

Cadre Management ..................................................................................................................... 6 

Certifying Authority................................................................................................................ 8 

Certifying Official................................................................................................................... 8 

Cadre Coordinator................................................................................................................... 9 

Cadre Training Manager....................................................................................................... 10 

Reservist Program Manager.................................................................................................. 11 

FTE Coordinator ................................................................................................................... 12 

IM CORE Program Manager................................................................................................ 12 

Regional Incident Workforce Management Liaison Team................................................... 13 

Cadre Management Oversight................................................................................................... 15 

Incident Workforce Executive Steering Committee ............................................................. 15 

Cadre Coordinators Working Group..................................................................................... 16 

Cadre Management Support...................................................................................................... 17 

Incident Workforce Management Division .......................................................................... 17 

Office of Equal Rights .......................................................................................................... 18 

Office of the Chief Component Human Capital Officer....................................................... 19 

Office of the Chief Financial Officer.................................................................................... 19 

Office of the Chief Information Officer................................................................................ 19 

Logistics Management Directorate ....................................................................................... 20 

Office of the Chief Counsel .................................................................................................. 20 

Chapter 3: Staffing Force Structure .............................................................................................. 21 

Principles of FEMA’s Force Structure Model .......................................................................... 21 

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Staffing a Cadre......................................................................................................................... 22 

Force Structure versus Actuals Report ................................................................................. 22 

Filling Vacant Force Structure Positions .............................................................................. 24 

Interagency Augmentation to a Cadre’s Force Structure...................................................... 25 

Availability................................................................................................................................ 25 

Special Considerations for Managing Availability............................................................... 26 

Support to Cadres for Staffing Force Structure .................................................................... 29 

Chapter 4: Educating and Training Members of a Cadre ............................................................. 31 

Cadre Responsibilities in FQS .................................................................................................. 32 

Types of Training...................................................................................................................... 34 

FEMA’s Training Philosophy................................................................................................... 35 

FEMA’s Training Mandate ....................................................................................................... 35 

Principles of Training................................................................................................................ 35 

Train for Operations.............................................................................................................. 36 

Require Leadership Involvement and Ownership................................................................. 36 

Train to Standards................................................................................................................. 36 

Use Performance-Oriented Training..................................................................................... 37 

Promote Team Operations .................................................................................................... 37 

Challenge Employees............................................................................................................ 37 

A Mission Essential Task List Approach to Cadre Training Development.............................. 37 

Mission Essential Task List Fundamentals........................................................................... 37 

Mission Essential Task List Development............................................................................ 38 

Training Standards................................................................................................................ 38 

Training Assessment............................................................................................................. 38 

Required (FQS) Training .......................................................................................................... 39 

Enrollment for Scheduled FQS Courses............................................................................... 40 

Mandatory Training................................................................................................................... 41 

Programmatic Updates .............................................................................................................. 42 

Chapter 5: Qualifying Members of a Cadre.................................................................................. 43 

FQS Documentation.................................................................................................................. 43 

Revisions to FQS Documentation ......................................................................................... 44 

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Managing the Paperwork .......................................................................................................... 44 

Assignment of an Initial Position Title ..................................................................................... 45 

Initial Assignment................................................................................................................. 45 

Subordinates Titles................................................................................................................ 48 

Issuance of Position Task Books............................................................................................... 49 

Issuance Policy...................................................................................................................... 49 

Position Task Book Issuance Form....................................................................................... 50 

Time Limits for Completion of PTBs................................................................................... 50 

PTB Completion/Submission Process .................................................................................. 50 

Candidate Selection for Advancement.................................................................................. 50 

Certifying Qualification of a Position Title............................................................................... 51 

Certification and Recertification Processes .......................................................................... 51 

Decertification Process ......................................................................................................... 52 

Reconsideration Process ....................................................................................................... 52 

Specialties.................................................................................................................................. 52 

Chapter 6: Performance Management .......................................................................................... 54 

Principles of Performance Management ................................................................................... 54 

Individual Incident Performance Evaluation............................................................................. 54 

Chapter 7: Equipping Members of a Cadre .................................................................................. 56 

Principles for Equipping Members of a Cadre.......................................................................... 58 

Primary Responsibilities for Equipping a Cadre....................................................................... 58 

Cadre Coordinators ............................................................................................................... 58 

Reservist Program Manager and IM CORE Program Manager ........................................... 59 

Office of the Chief Information Officer................................................................................ 59 

Office of the Chief Security Officer ..................................................................................... 60 

Incident Workforce Management Division .......................................................................... 60 

Federal Coordinating Officers .............................................................................................. 60 

Logistics Management Directorate ....................................................................................... 60 

Processes for Equipping Cadre Members ................................................................................. 61 

Information Technology Equipment..................................................................................... 61 

FEMA Branded Clothing ...................................................................................................... 63 

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Government Issued Charge Card.......................................................................................... 63 

Badging Information............................................................................................................. 63 

Cadre Specific Equipment .................................................................................................... 64 

Reasonable Accommodations............................................................................................... 64 

Support in Equipping a Cadre............................................................................................... 64 

Chapter 8: Cadre Readiness Assessment ...................................................................................... 66 

Principles of Cadre Readiness Assessment............................................................................... 66 

Readiness Scores................................................................................................................... 67 

Assessment Methodology ..................................................................................................... 67 

Chapter 9: Communication and Coordination .............................................................................. 68 

Principles of Communication.................................................................................................... 68 

Data Sharing.......................................................................................................................... 68 

Cross Cadre Collaboration .................................................................................................... 69 

Coordination/Communication with Cadre Members ................................................................ 70 

Annual Individual Readiness Cadre Call.............................................................................. 70 

Quarterly Cadre Coordination Call....................................................................................... 71 

Annex 1: Acronyms ...................................................................................................................... 73 

Annex 2: Glossary......................................................................................................................... 76 

Appendix A: Guidance for Working at the Residence of Record or at an Alternate Location when 

on Temporary Duty....................................................................................................................... 80 

Appendix B: Systems Approach to Training ................................................................................ 83 

A Systems Approach to Training Management ........................................................................ 83 

System Phases....................................................................................................................... 84 

Appendix C: Entry Employee Request Form ............................................................................... 87 

Appendix D: QRB Employee Request Form................................................................................ 89 

Appendix E: Transmittal Log Form.............................................................................................. 92 

Appendix F: New Specialty Request Form .................................................................................. 93 

Appendix G: Processes for Assignment of a FQS Job Title......................................................... 94 

Initial Assignment ..................................................................................................................... 94 

Reservist................................................................................................................................ 94 

IM CORE.............................................................................................................................. 94 

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FTE ....................................................................................................................................... 95 

Appendix H: PTB Issuance Form................................................................................................. 97 

Appendix I: Reservist Equipment Guidance................................................................................. 98 

Malfunctioning Equipment Guidance for Reservists................................................................ 98 

Reservist at Home with Malfunctioning Equipment (Laptop) ............................................. 98 

Reservist at Home with Malfunctioning Equipment (Phone)............................................... 99 

Reservist at FEMA Location with Malfunctioning Equipment (Laptop, Phone)................. 99 

Appendix J: List and Description of FEMA Cadres................................................................... 100 

Purpose of Each Cadre ............................................................................................................ 101 

Appendix K: Positions and Responsibilities............................................................................... 104 

Appendix L: Administrative Processes....................................................................................... 111 

Appendix M: Cadre Coordinator’s Resource List ...................................................................... 112 

Appendix N: Travel Authorization and Information Email Template........................................ 113 

Appendix H: Staffing a Force Structure Vacancy ...................................................................... 115 

Appendix O: Certification/Decertification Process .................................................................... 120 

Certification Process ............................................................................................................... 120 

Decertification Process............................................................................................................ 121 

Appendix P: Cadre Coordinator Role in QRB Review .............................................................. 123 

Appendix Q: Employee Self – Certification Health and Safety Checklist ................................. 125 

Appendix R: Telework Application and Agreement .................................................................. 126 

Appendix S: Workforce Analysis ............................................................................................... 128 

Appendix T: Office of Chief Counsel......................................................................................... 129 

List of Figures 

Figure 1: Cadre Management Structure.......................................................................................... 8 

Figure 2: Regional Coordination Structure................................................................................... 14 

Figure 3: Communication and Coordination among Cadre Management Elements .................... 17 

Figure 4: Process for Equipping a New Reservist and IM CORE: FIWA.................................... 62 

Figure 5: Process for Equipping a New Reservist and IM CORE: Deployment to a JFO ........... 62 

Figure 6: Process for Equipping a New PFT and New CORE ..................................................... 63 

Figure 7: Process for Equipment Replacement............................................................................. 63 

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Figure 13: SAT Process ................................................................................................................ 84 

Figure 8: Staffing a Force Structure Vacancy for a FTE - Initial Assignment of Title, NonSupervisory ................................................................................................................................. 115 

Figure 9: Staffing a Force Structure Vacancy for a FTE - Initial Assignment of Title, Supervisory 

..................................................................................................................................................... 116 

Figure 10: Staffing a Force Structure Vacancy for a FTE – Hiring............................................ 117 

Figure 11: Staffing a Force Structure Vacancy for a Reservist - Hiring and Initial Assignment of 

Title............................................................................................................................................. 118 

Figure 12: Staffing a Force Structure Vacancy for an IM CORE - Hiring and Initial Assignment 

of Title......................................................................................................................................... 119 

List of Tables 

Table 1: Positions and Responsibilities within Cadres................................................................... 7 

Table 2: Incident Workforce Executive Steering Committee Structure ....................................... 16 

Table 3: Cadre Coordinator Working Group Structure ................................................................ 17 

Table 4: Example Force Structure vs. Actuals Report.................................................................. 23 

Table 5: Hiring Process Steps....................................................................................................... 24 

Table 6: Deployment Availability Requirements by Employee Type.......................................... 26 

Table 7: Staffing Force Structure Roles and Responsibilities ...................................................... 29 

Table 8: Training Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................... 32 

Table 9: Training Descriptions ..................................................................................................... 34 

Table 10: Initial Assignment of Title Process Step for FTE, Non-Supervisory ........................... 47 

Table 11: Initial Assignment of Title Process Step for FTE, Supervisory ................................... 48 

Table 12: Certification/Recertification Process ............................................................................ 51 

Table 13: Decertification Process ................................................................................................. 52 

Table 14: FQS Support Roles ....................................................................................................... 53 

Table 15: Performance Management Support Roles .................................................................... 55 

Table 16: Roles and Responsibilities for Equipping Cadre Members.......................................... 57 

Table 17: Cadre Equipping Support Roles ................................................................................... 65 

Table 19: FEMA Cadres ............................................................................................................. 100 

Table 18: Cadre Management Positions and Responsibilities.................................................... 104 

Table 20: Cadre Coordinator's Resource List ............................................................................. 112 

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) workforce has one central goal – to 

ensure the Agency builds, sustains, and continuously improves upon its capability to prepare for, 

protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. During an incident, the 

Agency’s entire workforce supports this goal, despite their job series, grade, or employee type. 

To achieve this goal successfully, FEMA trains, qualifies, equips, and evaluates its workforce to 

provide rapid, expeditionary support to fulfill statutory requirements. The incident workforce is 

committed to FEMA’s core values of compassion, fairness, integrity, and respect as outlined in 

FEMA Publication 1. 

FEMA actively engages in programs and partnerships to manage, enhance, augment, support, 

and deploy the Agency’s workforce. Overall management of the workforce requires an agencywide collaborative approach and clear definitions of roles and responsibilities to ensure that 

FEMA is able to meet its statutory requirements. 

To ensure an effective and organized incident response, the workforce is categorized into four 

categories: 

• Incident Management – positions at the incident level that support the Initial Operating 

Facility, Joint Field Office (JFO), Area Field Office, or other locations 

• Incident Support – positions during incident operations at the regional or national level in 

either the Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) or the National Response 

Coordination Center (NRCC) 

• Ancillary Support – positions that, in both their steady-state and/or incident roles, support 

the NRCC and/or RRCC and incident field offices 

• Mission Essential – positions at headquarters, the regional offices, and other designated 

offices that must be filled to maintain basic Agency operations (e.g., payroll, information 

technology, and maintenance). Mission essential functions must always be performed, 

but may require less than the full complement of staff at any one time. As a result, 

holding a mission essential function may not exclude an employee from deployment. The 

Emergency Relocation Group is part of mission essential. Emergency Relocation Group 

personnel report to a pre-selected continuity site to perform essential functions or other 

tasks related to continuity operations 

Because of what FEMA asks of its incident workforce, and what they will experience conducting 

response and recovery operations, it is imperative that they are fully supported in gaining and 

maintaining optimum operational readiness. Operational readiness is how FEMA works to 

prepare their incident workforce for an activation and deployment. Readiness is achieved 

through a constant cycle of planning, equipping, training, exercising, monitoring, and evaluating 

to ensure the workforce is ready at a moment’s notice. At FEMA, this is accomplished through 

sound cadre management. FEMA’s incident workforce cadres are the initial operational 

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mechanism essential to maintain a supporting presence to both satisfy the Agency’s statutory 

requirements and honor its national commitments. As such, a standardized, agency-wide cadre 

management system is vital. 

Authorities and Foundational Documents 

• Section 503(b) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-296 as amended 

by the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (PKEMRA), Pub. L. No. 109-

295 (Oct. 4, 2006) (codified at 6 U.S.C. § 313(b)(2)(C)) assigned FEMA the mission to 

“develop a Federal response capability that, when necessary and appropriate, can act 

effectively and rapidly to deliver assistance essential to saving lives or protecting or 

preserving property or public health and safety in a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or 

other man-made disaster.” 

• Section 510 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-296, as amended by 

PKEMRA, Pub. L. No. 109-295 (codified at 6 U.S.C. § 320) requires that FEMA 

collaborate with its emergency management partners to develop standards for deployment 

capabilities, including on credentialing of personnel and typing of resources necessary to 

respond to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters. 

• FEMA Incident Management and Support Keystone, January 2011 

• FEMA Incident Workforce Management Manual, working draft, March 10, 2014 

• FEMA Qualification System Guide, October 3, 2012 

• FEMA Directive FD010-6, Revision Number 01, FEMA Reservist Program, June 14, 

2012 

• FEMA Directive FD010-7, National Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) 

Pilot Directive, April 19, 2013 

• FEMA Directive FD010-8, FEMA Incident Workforce Deployment, January 29, 2014 

• FEMA Directive FD010-9, Cadre Management Directive, June 9, 2014 

• FEMA Directive FD119-7 REV: 02, Federal Personal Property Management, September 

24, 2013 

• FEMA Manual 119-7-1, Federal Personal Property Management Manual, April 13, 2011 

• FEMA Directive FD141-1, Records Management Program, March 6, 2014 

• FEMA Manual 119-7-1, Federal Personal Property Management Manual, April 13, 2011 

• FEMA Manual 123-9-1, FEMA Telework Policy, January 9, 2013 

• FEMA Manual 1430.1, Reasonable Accommodations for the Federal Emergency 

Management Agency — Change 1, December 3, 2002 

• “Compensation for FEMA Reservist Coordination and Training Requirements,” Assistant 

Administrator for Response’s Memorandum, June 27, 2013 

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Purpose and Scope 

The purpose of this guide is to describe the composition, governance, and principles of the 

FEMA cadre management system. It is specifically designed for FEMA Cadre Coordinators and 

their subordinate staff. It will expand upon the responsibilities outlined in the Cadre Management 

Directive, outlining resources, providing required information, and explaining processes and 

procedures to successfully manage an operational incident workforce cadre. The scope of this 

guide is limited to incident management positions. 

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CHAPTER 2: THE FEMA CADRE MANAGEMENT 

FRAMEWORK 

FEMA’s cadre management framework is designed to effectively maintain a cadre’s operational 

readiness on both the individual and collective level. Effective cadre management equates to 

optimum operational readiness allowing the Agency to satisfy its requirements in the mitigation, 

response, and recovery mission areas. 

FEMA’s vision of a ready workforce is one that is adequately staffed, available, trained, 

qualified, and equipped to conduct its mission and is continuously monitored on performance to 

ensure accountability in mission accomplishment and facilitate constant improvement. The cadre 

management framework detailed in this chapter provides organizational mechanisms for cadre 

management, oversight, and support. The framework underscores the importance that each 

individual employee increases our readiness and facilitates the execution of FEMA’s missions. 

FEMA Cadres 

A cadre is defined as a group of FEMA full-time equivalent (FTE) and intermittent (Reservist) 

employees organized by operational or programmatic functions and are assigned incident 

management FEMA Qualification System (FQS) positions (either primary or subordinate) that 

perform incident-related duties during FEMA incident operations. Cadres are grouped 

organizationally by program area within corresponding directorates and offices throughout the 

Agency. A cadre is the operational mechanism the Agency maintains to effectively deliver 

FEMA programs in support of our National Preparedness Goal. These cadres are composed of 

two types of FEMA employees hired under Title V and the Stafford Act hiring authorities. 

Title V Employees (5 U.S. Code) 

Employees hired under 5 U.S. Code, or Title V, make up FEMA’s permanent workforce, which 

is responsible for achieving the Agency’s mission and administering programs in the 

headquarters and regional offices. In keeping with the concept outlined in the January 20, 2012, 

memorandum from the Deputy Administrator, “Every Employee is an Emergency Manager,” 

and consistent with the FEMA Force structure implementation, FEMA qualifies Title V 

employees to fill incident roles. By utilizing their varied incident experience, the Agency is able 

to enhance its ability to respond to, recover from, and mitigate all types of incidents. 

Title V employees are eligible to hold positions in any of the FEMA incident categories (incident 

management, incident support, ancillary support, and mission essential). These employees are 

compensated out of FEMA’s operating budget and not the Stafford Act. 

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FEMA is composed of the Title V categories listed below: 

• Permanent Full Time (PFT) 

• Temporary Full Time (TFT) 

Stafford Act Employee 

The Stafford Act gives FEMA the authority to establish a temporary workforce that is not subject 

to Title V hiring in support of incidents.1

 These employees must provide support to Stafford Act 

activities. These employees are a major component of FEMA’s incident workforce at 

headquarters, regional offices, and incident-level facilities to respond effectively and rapidly to 

deliver assistance essential to disaster survivors. 

Stafford Act employees include those in the following categories: 

• Cadre of On-call Response Employees (CORE) 

• Incident Management (IM) CORE 

• Reservist 

• Local Hire 

Cadre of On-call Response Employees 

COREs are full-time employees that support Stafford Act activities. They can be deployed to 

fulfill any role specifically related to the incident for which they were hired. 

Incident Management CORE 

IM COREs are Stafford Act COREs whose primary job is to perform an FQS incident 

management position. FEMA IM COREs are deployed to the greatest extent possible. 

Reservists 

Reservists work on an intermittent basis and are deployed as needed to fulfill incident 

management roles within their cadre function. This can include interviewing disaster survivors; 

conducting and verifying damage assessments; providing administrative, financial, and logistical 

support; and performing a wide variety of other tasks as identified by staffing needs and 

operational requirements.2 

1 “In performing any services under this act, any Federal agency is authorized to appoint and fix the compensation of 

such temporary personnel as may be necessary, without regard to the provisions of Title V governing appointments 

in competitive service.” – Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Section 306 (b) (Public 

Law 93-288, 108 as amended, 42 U.S.C. 5149) 2 FEMA Directive FD010-6, FEMA Reservist Program, June 14, 2012. 

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Cadre Management 

Cadre management is the effective administration, coordination, and professional development 

of a FEMA Cadre ensuring the individual and collective operational readiness to perform 

incident-related duties. 

The primary function of cadre management is to ensure optimum operational readiness. Inherent 

in maintaining optimum operational readiness for a FEMA cadre involves five operating 

principles – Staffing Force Structure; Educating and Training Cadre Members; Qualifying Cadre 

Members; Equipping Cadre Members; and Performance Management. These principles are 

equally critical to the collective operational readiness of teams and to the individual cadre 

member. 

Each incident workforce cadre will establish and maintain a management structure, based on 

cadre size, employee composition, and other extenuating factors deemed necessary through 

human capital staffing analysis, to effectively perform cadre management functions and maintain 

optimum operational readiness. At a minimum, a cadre’s workforce structure will consist of a 

Certifying Authority (CA), Certifying Official (CO), and Cadre Coordinator, which make up the 

cadre leadership. To ensure an effective and efficient management structure, cadre leadership 

will tailor their structure based on administrative needs, complexity of the incident mission, and 

training requirements. This can include a Cadre Training Manager, Reservist Program Manager 

(RPM), FTE Coordinator, IM CORE Program Manager, Assistant RPMs, and FTE Specialists as 

required. Assistant RPMs and FTE Specialists, when needed, support the RPM and FTE 

Coordinator respectively. When these positions are filled, they are full-time responsibilities. For 

cadres who do not warrant additional personnel beyond the CA, CO, and Cadre Coordinator, 

these responsibilities will be shared amongst existing cadre management personnel. Table 1 

outlines the required and potential positions for each incident workforce cadre. 

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Table 1: Positions and Responsibilities within Cadres 

Position Responsibilities 

All Cadres 

Certifying Authority 

A CA serves as the highest-ranking FEMA official —Assistant 

Administrator equivalent or higher— for each of the incident workforce 

cadres. 

Certifying Official A CO is designated by the CA to manage FQS for a specific incident 

workforce cadre. 

Cadre Coordinator 

A Cadre Coordinator manages each incident workforce cadre. This 

individual has delegated authority from the CA and CO to oversee all 

aspects of day-to-day cadre management including staffing, equipping, 

training, qualifying, and performance of the cadre and its members. 

Dependent on size and composition 

Cadre Training 

Manager 

A Cadre Training Manager reports to the Cadre Coordinator, serves as 

the cadre’s primary point of contact for the development and delivery of 

all FQS related training, and oversees the prioritization of all training 

within the cadre. 

Reservist Program 

Manager 

An RPM reports to the Cadre Coordinator and serves as the supervisor 

of record for the cadre’s Reservist population. Assistant RPMs may also 

be assigned based on the size of the cadre’s Reservist force structure 

in accordance with established Agency hiring procedures. 

FTE Coordinator 

An FTE Coordinator reports to the Cadre Coordinator and facilitates 

cadre requirements for headquarters’ FTE cadre members and their 

supervisors of record, and coordinates regional FTE requirements with 

Regional Incident Workforce Management (IWM) Liaison Teams. This 

position may also serve as the IM CORE Program Manager for smaller 

cadres. FTE Program Specialists may be assigned based on the size of 

the cadre’s FTE force structure. 

IM CORE Program 

Manager 

An IM CORE Program Manager reports to the Cadre Coordinator and 

serves as the supervisor of record for IM CORE cadre members. 

Assistant IM CORE Program Managers may be assigned based on the 

size of the cadre’s IM CORE force structure. The position of IM CORE 

Program Manager may be staffed by an IM CORE within the cadre for up 

to a two-year appointment. This is particularly important for IM CORE 

positions that have a required deployment threshold of 300 days per 

year. 

Figure 1 identifies the cadre management structure. It is a standardized, scalable structure that is 

used to manage each FEMA cadre. Cadre management will be a centrally controlled, but decentrally managed function. Cadre management personnel do not need to be located at 

headquarters. In this guide, actions for cadre management refer to the positions in table 1. 

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Certifying Authority 

Certifying Official 

Cadre Coordinator 

FTE Cadre 

Coordinator 

FTE Program

Specialist 

Reservist Program

Manager 

Assistant Reservist 

Program Manager 

IM CORE Program

Manager 

Cadre Training

Manager 

Figure 1: Cadre Management Structure 

The following task lists for the cadre management framework are provided as a reference for 

cadre management personnel and should be used as the basis for developing and coordinating 

cadre management activities and procedures. 

Certifying Authority 

• Ensures cadre has available, trained, qualified, and equipped staff to meet force structure 

requirements and to effectively perform incident duties 

• Certifies that employees are qualified for FQS positions within the cadre in accordance 

with the FQS guide 

• Provides information related to cadre readiness as defined and directed by the Incident 

Workforce Executive Steering Committee (IWESC) 

• Serves as senior-ranking official with oversight of a cadre and retains accountability for 

its readiness and performance 

• Establishes performance metrics for cadre 

Certifying Official 

• Ensures readiness requirements established by the IWESC, or the program, are conveyed 

to and met by the cadre 

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• Administers FQS for all cadre members in accordance with the FQS Guide or 

superseding doctrine 

• Serves as the supervisor of record for the Cadre Coordinator 

• Ensures performance metrics are communicated to and met by the cadre 

• Ensures coach evaluators are available within the cadre 

Cadre Coordinator 

• Oversees the staffing, equipping, training, qualifying, availability, and overall readiness 

and performance of an incident workforce cadre 

• Serves as the supervisor of record to Cadre Training Managers, RPMs, IM CORE 

Program Managers, and FTE Coordinators assigned to the cadre 

• Coordinates changes to the cadre’s force structure in accordance with policy established 

by the IWESC 

• Recruits and selects individuals to fill vacancies in the cadre’s force structure based on 

cadre vacancies 

• Maintains the accuracy and currency of the cadre’s FQS elements in compliance with the 

FQS Guide or superseding doctrine 

• Recommends candidates for FQS progression and qualification to the CO 

• Oversees the development and performs final review of Qualification Packages for FQS 

Qualification Review Boards (QRBs) in coordination with the Regional IWM Teams, as 

required, and present candidates for qualification to the QRB 

• Recommends decertification of cadre members as needed to the CA and CO 

• Coordinates with the Office of the Chief Component Human Capital Officer (OCCHCO) 

regarding hiring, termination, and resignations of Reservists or IM COREs within the 

cadre 

• Ensures budget allocation for training and other needs are properly executed within the 

cadre 

• Ensures the equipment needs of cadres are properly sourced and fulfilled and that all 

cadre members maintain access to fully functional, position-appropriate equipment to 

achieve readiness for assigned incident duties 

• Identifies required FQS training in coordination with the Cadre Training Manager, the 

Incident Workforce Management Division (IWMD), and the Emergency Management 

Institute (EMI) 

• Oversees administrative responsibilities for IM CORE and Reservist members of the 

cadre 

• In consultation with the Office of Equal Rights (OER), the Disability Employment 

Program Manager, and the applicable employee, expeditiously makes decisions in 

accordance with existing FEMA reasonable accommodation policy guidance on 

reasonable accommodation requests made under Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act 

from employees under their supervision 

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• Coordinates with the Regional IWM Liaison Teams regarding cadre implementation for 

regional FTEs 

• Ensures quality control over all internal cadre communications to ensure that all cadre 

members receive supportive customer service, (e.g., phone calls, e-mails, cadre 

coordination calls, newsletters, etc.) 

• Ensures cadre members have access to program-specific information that is required to 

perform effectively during incident operations 

• Assists with the development of force packages in coordination with the regions and 

IWMD 

• Provides input for incident workforce policy and doctrine 

• Initiates personnel actions, when appropriate, against employees for whom he/she is the 

supervisor of record, including discipline or termination for misconduct or poor 

performance. Prior to affecting any personnel actions, the Cadre Coordinator must 

consult with OCCHCO Employee Relations to ensure that any such actions are consistent 

with Merit Systems (only for Title V employees) and Equal Employment Opportunity 

principles as well as FEMA policy 

• Serves as a second-line supervisor of record to any Program Specialists or Assistant 

Program Managers assigned to the cadre 

• Manages the performance of FTE employees in accordance with FEMA Manual 255-1-1, 

Employee Performance Management Program 

• Coordinates with IWMD FEMA Corps Branch on FEMA Corps team projects and 

incident support 

• Performs the functions of the Cadre Training Manager, FTE Coordinator, RPM, and IM 

CORE Program Manager when the cadre’s population does not support additional staff 

for those positions 

• Coordinates with IWMD FEMA Corps Team Training on cadre related training content 

• Coordinates with IWMD Surge Capacity Force (SCF) on Department of Homeland 

Security (DHS) Surge Training on cadre related training 

Cadre Training Manager 

• Facilitates development, revision, and delivery of FQS training for each cadre position 

and serves as cadre’s point of contact to the IWMD FQS Branch 

• Ensures FQS required training is consistently delivered to meet force structure 

requirements for qualified individuals within the cadre 

• Ensures program priorities and budget allocation for training development and delivery 

requirements are met and properly executed within the cadre 

• Identifies FQS and mandatory training requirements in coordination with IWMD, EMI 

Course Managers, and other partners as required 

• Identifies cadre training needs and develop strategies to eliminate shortfalls 

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• Coordinates with programs and appropriate course managers regarding development and 

revisions of curriculum and training materials 

• Identifies instructors to coordinate delivery of accurate and timely training 

• Facilitates cadre participation in exercises as required 

• Coordinates with other Cadre Training Managers to maintain awareness of curriculum 

changes that may impact FQS within their own cadre of responsibility 

Reservist Program Manager 

• Serves as the supervisor of record for Reservists in the cadre 

• Recruits Reservists based on vacancies within the cadre’s force structure 

• Assists, tracks, and provides guidance on FQS progression for Reservists 

• Identifies appropriate staff for FQS training courses through the Cadre Coordinator or 

Cadre Training Manager for coordination with the IWMD FQS Branch 

• Prepares Reservist Qualification Packages for QRBs 

• Implements the Cadre Coordinator’s quality control responsibilities over internal 

communications for all Reservist cadre members to ensure they receive supportive 

customer service and coordinate with the Cadre Coordinator and other cadre management 

staff to ensure communications are consistent throughout the cadre 

• Monitors and actively tracks Reservist availability 

• Recommends FQS decertification of Reservists as needed and forwards to the Cadre 

Coordinator for decision by the CO and CA 

• Collects and maintains incident performance evaluations of Reservists from temporary 

duty supervisors after every deployment equal to or greater than 20 days and collects and 

maintains all other documents related to performance and/or conduct of employees for 

whom they are the supervisor of record in accordance with FD141-1, Records 

Management Program 

• In consultation with OER, the Disability Employment Program Manager, and the 

applicable employee expeditiously makes decisions in accordance with existing FEMA 

reasonable accommodation policy guidance on reasonable accommodation requests made 

under Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act from employees under their supervision 

• Initiates personnel actions, when appropriate, against Reservists or other employees for 

whom the RPM is the supervisor of record, to include discipline or termination for poor 

performance and misconduct after consulting with OCCHCO, ensuring that the reasons 

for any such action are documented, and that the action and documentation are forwarded 

to OCCHCO for further action 

• In coordination with the Cadre Coordinator, terminates or renews the appointments of 

Reservists and other employees under direct supervision as required based on lack of 

work or other mission-related needs 

• Serves as supervisor of record for any Assistant RPMs assigned to the cadre 

11 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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FTE Coordinator 

• Supports FTEs with FQS job titles assigned to the cadre in meeting FQS and cadre 

requirements 

• Coordinates with Regional IWM Liaison Teams and headquarters components to recruit 

FTEs for appropriate cadre vacancies 

• Assists, tracks, and provides guidance on FQS training and qualification progress for 

FTEs 

• Implements the Cadre Coordinator’s quality control responsibilities over internal cadre 

communications for all FTE cadre members to ensure they receive supportive customer 

service and coordinates with the Cadre Coordinator and other cadre management staff to 

ensure communications are consistent throughout the cadre 

• Identifies appropriate staff for FQS training courses through the Cadre Coordinator or 

Cadre Training Manager for coordination with the IWMD FQS Branch 

• Provides support in identifying FQS required assignments and training opportunities in 

coordination with the Cadre Training Manager, Regional IWM Liaison Teams, and 

IWMD 

• Reviews FTE Qualification Packages for approval by CA/CO to present to the QRB 

• Monitors and actively tracks FTE availability in coordination with Regional IWM 

Liaison Teams and IWMD 

• Recommends FQS decertification of FTEs as needed and forwards to the Cadre 

Coordinator for decision by the CO and CA 

• Performs the functions of the IM CORE Program Manager when the cadre’s IM CORE 

population does not require this function as a full-time position 

• Responds to FTE requests for cadre vacancy information 

• Coordinates with OCCHCO and IWMD during the onboarding of FTE personnel 

designated to hold an incident management title and identify those who require additional 

entry-level incident training 

IM CORE Program Manager 

• Serves as the supervisor of record for IM COREs in the cadre 

• Recruits IM COREs based on vacancies within the cadre’s force structure 

• Assists, tracks, and provides guidance on FQS progression for IM COREs 

• Identifies appropriate staff for FQS training through the Cadre Coordinator or Training 

Manager for coordination with the IWMD FQS Branch 

• Reviews and coordinates IM CORE Qualification Packages for QRBs 

• Implements the Cadre Coordinator’s quality control responsibilities over internal 

communications to IM CORE cadre members to ensure they receive supportive customer 

service and coordinates with the Cadre Coordinator and other staff to ensure 

communications are consistent throughout the cadre 

• Monitors and actively tracks IM CORE availability 

12 
 

 

 

 

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• Recommends FQS decertification of IM COREs as needed and forwards to the Cadre 

Coordinator for decision by the CO and CA 

• Collects and maintains incident performance evaluations of IM COREs from temporary 

duty supervisors after every deployment equal to or greater than 20 days and collects and 

maintains all other documents related to performance and/or conduct of employees for 

whom they are the supervisor of record in accordance with FD141-1, Records 

Management Program. All documentation must be submitted to the supervisor of record 

• In consultation with the OER, the Disability Employment Program Manager, and the 

applicable employee expeditiously makes decisions in accordance with existing FEMA 

reasonable accommodation policy guidance on reasonable accommodation requests made 

under Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act from employees under their supervision 

• When appropriate, initiates adverse personnel actions against IM COREs or other 

employees for whom they are the supervisor of record, to include discipline or 

termination for poor performance and misconduct after consulting with OCCHCO, 

ensuring that the reasons for any such action are documented, and that the action and 

documentation are forwarded to OCCHCO for further action 

• In coordination with the Cadre Coordinator, terminates or renews the appointments of IM 

COREs and other employees under direct supervision as required based on lack of work 

or other mission-related needs 

• Serves as supervisor of record for any Assistant IM CORE Program Managers assigned 

to the cadre 

• Manages the performance of all IM COREs in accordance with FEMA Manual 255-1-1, 

Employee Performance Management Program 

• Coordinates with Regional IWM Liaison Team for assistance in placing available IM 

COREs in regional JFOs and/or regional program areas during steady-state periods 

Regional Incident Workforce Management Liaison Team 

FEMA regions will institute a Regional IWM Liaison Team in lieu of the former IWMD Liaison. 

Each FEMA region is required to maintain a Regional IWM Liaison Team to support regional 

readiness through implementation and maintenance of incident workforce initiatives for regional 

incident operations. 

The Regional IWM Liaison Team reports to the Regional Administrator (RA) or his/her delegate 

and supports implementation and maintenance of incident workforce initiatives in regional 

incident operations. The team maintains incident workforce subject matter expertise, provides 

assistance to regional staff, facilitates monitoring of regional incident workforce readiness, and 

supports regional implementation of FQS. 

Figure 2 depicts the Regional coordination structure. 

13 
 

 

 

 

 

 

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Regional Administrator 

Regional IWM Liaison

Team 

Cadre Coordinator 

FTE Coordinator 

Figure 2: Regional Coordination Structure 

Staffing the Regional IWM Liaison Team is based on regional operational requirements as 

determined by the respective RA. The IWM Liaison Team: 

• Provides incident workforce subject matter expertise and conveys incident workforce 

related policy and readiness standards 

• Supports the recruitment of FTE cadre members by ensuring that individuals within the 

region who do not hold an FQS position, but are eligible for an IM or IS title, are 

identified and coordinate with Cadre Coordinators, FTE Coordinators, and FTE 

supervisors of record to obtain appropriate FQS assignment 

• Coordinates with IWMD and headquarters cadre management offices, regional 

supervisors, and employees to facilitate cadre readiness, training, qualification, and 

availability during non-deployment for all regional FTEs, PFTs, TFTs, and COREs 

• Assists the FTE Coordinator in preparing regional FTE Qualification Packages for QRBs 

• Supports regional implementation of FQS with the Cadre Coordinators and assist, track, 

and provide guidance on FQS progression of Regional FTEs in coordination with the 

cadre’s FTE Coordinator 

• Identifies regional FTE cadre-specific training requirements and staff for FQS training 

course in coordination with the cadre’s FTE Program Coordinator and Training Manager 

• Monitors readiness of regional FTEs for deployment in coordination with the cadre FTE 

Coordinator 

• Assists with development of force packages in coordination with the Cadre Coordinator 

During an incident, the IWM Liaison Team: 

• Coordinates with cadres and IWMD Deployment Unit on ensuring all information is 

provided to cadre management so that they are able to make informed decisions 

regarding deployment requests 

• Conducts demobilization interview with cadre members to capture best practices and 

lessons learned 

14 
 

. 

• Provides liaison support to FEMA Corps 

• Provides liaison support to SCF when activated by providing assistance with Receiving, 

Staging, Onward Movement, and Integration 

• Communicates with Cadre Coordinators on incident workforce initiatives 

Cadre Management Oversight 

Two bodies provide general oversight to ensure effective and appropriate standardization in 

cadre management. The senior body is the IWESC. The IWESC provides executive oversight for 

the development, maintenance, and revision of all policy and doctrine for FEMA’s incident 

workforce. The second body is the Cadre Coordinators Working Group (CCWG), an actionoriented working group that raises policy-level issues and recommendations to the IWESC for 

decision, and supports the IWESC through the operationalization of their executive decisions. 

Incident Workforce Executive Steering Committee 

The IWESC is a group that meets at least twice per year to make policy, doctrine, and other 

pertinent decisions pertaining to the incident workforce. The IWESC is necessary to integrate 

stakeholder input from across the Agency. The IWESC establishes the framework, prioritizes 

criteria for, and resolves conflicts related to budgeting for the incident workforce; and maintains 

oversight of the CCWG. Table 2 depicts the IWESC structure. 

15 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Table 2: Incident Workforce Executive Steering Committee Structure 

Incident Workforce Executive Steering Committee Role 

Director of Disaster Operations Chair 

Associate Administrator, Federal Insurance and Mitigation 

Administration Permanent Member 

Associate Administrator, Office of Policy, Program Analysis, and 

International Affairs Permanent Member 

Associate Administrator Office of Response and Recovery Permanent Member 

Associate Administrator, Mission Support Permanent Member 

Chief Financial Officer Permanent Member 

Chief Component Human Capital Officer Permanent Member 

Director, External Affairs Permanent Member 

Director, Equal Rights Permanent Member 

Director, Office of Federal Disaster Coordination Permanent Member 

Reservist Ombudsman Permanent Member 

Chief Counsel Permanent Member 

Superintendent, Emergency Management Institute Permanent Member 

Director, IWMD Permanent Member and 

Executive Secretary 

Regional Administrator (x2)3 Rotating Member 

Cadre Coordinator4 Rotating Member 

Cadre Coordinators Working Group 

The CCWG is a group chaired and coordinated by the Director of IWMD, and consists of all 

designated Cadre Coordinators and Regional IWM Liaison Teams. The CCWG supports the 

development, implementation, and maintenance of incident workforce initiatives; discusses and 

addresses challenges associated with staffing, equipping, training, qualifying, and managing the 

performance of the incident workforce; and develops consistent processes for recruiting and 

appointing new members into cadre vacancies. 

While the CCWG is not a decision-making body, it is a critical action arm of the IWESC as 

discussions in the group can identify policy-level issues to be raised to the IWESC for resolution. 

The CCWG will meet as required but at least twice per year in coordination with the IWESC 

meetings. 

Table 3 depicts the CCWG structure. 

3 Two RA representatives will be appointed in writing by the Director of Disaster Operations (DDO) for a term of 

two years. These two positions will rotate among RAs and will be staggered, so only one RA representative changes 

each year.

4 This position will be nominated by the CCWG as a representative for the working group to be confirmed by the 

DDO and rotates on an annual basis. 

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Table 3: Cadre Coordinator Working Group Structure 

Incident Workforce Executive Steering Committee Role 

Director, IWMD Chair 

Regional IWM Liaison Team Member 

Cadre Coordinator Member 

Figure 3 shows the coordination that occurs between all of the cadre management elements both 

within and across cadres. 

Executive Steering Committee 

Cadre Coordinator s Working 

Group 

Cadre Management Structure 

CA 

CO 

Cadre Coordinator 

Additional Cadre Mgmt. 

Provides executive oversight for 

the development maintenance 

and revision of all policy and 

doctrine for FEMA’s incident 

Supports the development, 

implementation, and maintenance 

of incident workforce initiatives, 

and makes recommendations for 

improvements 

Establishes and maintains a 

structure based on cadre size and 

employee composition to 

effectively perform cadre 

management functions and 

maintain operational readiness in 

the following areas: 

• Staffing 

• Equipping 

• Training 

• Qualifying 

• Performance Management 

Guidance 

Advice/Request 

Inform 

Comprise 

Figure 3: Communication and Coordination among Cadre Management Elements 

Cadre Management Support 

The following organizations maintain key responsibilities in supporting the Agency’s operational 

cadres and should be considered critical components of FEMA’s Cadre Management 

Framework. 

Incident Workforce Management Division 

The IWMD supports FEMA’s operational cadres through the management and administration of 

the FQS, maintaining the Agency’s force structure, coordinating and executing deployments, and 

providing critical data and information on cadre readiness. 

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The IWMD is responsible for: 

• Coordinating and managing the programs, processes, and procedures required to develop, 

organize, deploy, and sustain a professional incident workforce, to include supplemental 

programs such as DHS Surge and FEMA Corps 

• Monitoring and assessment of the mission capability pursuant to readiness requirements 

and any related performance measures established by the IWESC 

• Providing funding for approved reasonable accommodation equipment and services 

• Planning and executing the budget for incident workforce programs to ensure operational 

readiness 

• Overseeing the FQS program 

Pasadena Call Center 

The Pasadena Call Center is a support component of the IWMD, Response Directorate at FEMA 

Headquarters. The Pasadena Call Center operates as the principal point of communications 

between Agency employees and IWMD by providing answers to questions on workforce 

transformation initiatives for accurate dissemination of employee information. The key 

responsibilities of the Pasadena Call Center include: 

• Serving as coordination element between Reservists and the Cadre Coordinators 

• Providing personnel notification and correspondence on FQS actions (initial and 

subsequent notifications) for all Agency employees 

• Communicating workforce trends and analysis to IWMD based on feedback and 

information gathered through communications with Agency employees 

• Serving as a coordination element on FQS sponsored training 

• Serving as coordination element with Cadre Coordinators on employee issuance of 

Position Task Books (PTBs), Qualification sheets, and updated program information 

dissemination 

Office of Equal Rights 

Responsibilities for cadre management include: 

• Providing technical resource information about reasonable accommodation to employees, 

applicants for employment, incident personnel, temporary duty supervisors, Cadre 

Coordinators, and supervisors of record, in accordance with existing FEMA reasonable 

accommodation policy guidance 

• Providing civil rights, equal employment opportunity (EEO), sexual harassment, 

diversity, and other EEO-related training to cadre members 

• Maintain adjudicated reasonable accommodation documents and files for recordkeeping 

and reporting purposes 

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• Ensuring fairness in hiring, training, qualification processes, and terms and conditions of 

employment for the incident workforce 

Office of the Chief Component Human Capital Officer 

Responsibilities for cadre management include: 

• Validating incident workforce hiring requests with IWMD and Cadre Coordinators to 

ensure such requests are based on force structure vacancies 

• Ensuring timely classification of incident workforce positions for FEMA job 

announcements, offers, and hiring actions, so that the FEMA incident workforce has 

sufficient personnel to meet force structure requirements 

• Establishing policies and procedures for incident performance evaluations 

• Providing direct support to temporary duty supervisors regarding how to properly 

document poor performance and misconduct and to provide support to the supervisor of 

record regarding what disciplinary action to take 

• Advising the Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO)/Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator 

(FDRC)/Office Director, after coordinating with the temporary duty supervisor and the 

supervisor of record, as to whether the release of an individual from an incident is 

appropriate due to misconduct or poor performance 

• Providing direct support to incident personnel with respect to individual issues requiring 

action in connection with the administration of pay, benefits, and other personnel matters 

Office of the Chief Financial Officer 

Responsibilities for cadre management include: 

• Ensuring timely review of position justifications and decisions on funding approval for 

CORE and IM CORE positions 

• Adjudicating issues related to incident workforce budget and funding 

Office of the Chief Information Officer 

Responsibilities for cadre management include: 

• Reviewing and approving the development of IT systems required to support the incident 

workforce, including training and deployment systems 

• Informing IWMD and Logistics Management Directorate (LMD) on the information 

technology equipment FEMA has approved for procurement to support equipping the 

incident workforce 

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Logistics Management Directorate 

Responsibilities for cadre management include: 

• Ensuring, in coordination with Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and 

Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (OCAO), the effective tracking of equipment 

assigned to the incident workforce 

• Ensuring, in coordination with OCIO and OCAO, Cadre Coordinators have access to data 

to track equipment issued to cadre member 

• Managing a lifecycle maintenance program for equipment assigned to members of the 

incident workforce 

Office of the Chief Counsel 

Responsibilities for cadre management include: 

• Supporting IWMD leadership and cadre management with solution-oriented, articulate, 

legally sufficient, and timely counsel 

• In coordination with OCCHCO and OER, supporting IWMD and cadre management in 

the development of incident workforce policy and doctrine 

• Providing all new employees with initial ethics orientation and annual ethics training 

• Designating ethics attorneys to provide ethics advice to incident workforce members 

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CHAPTER 3: STAFFING FORCE STRUCTURE 

This chapter discusses the role of cadre management in staffing force structure and provides the 

Cadre Coordinator with information on the steps required to staff force structure. It will provide 

background information on the Agency’s force structure model, as well as discuss the 

requirements of availability, and outline available support to the cadres as they navigate the 

processes and procedures. 

Principles of FEMA’s Force Structure Model 

The FEMA force structure is a model that establishes incident personnel staffing requirements. 

The force structure model establishes the staffing requirements that enable FEMA to support 

State, local, tribal, and territorial, (SLTT) governments during simultaneous events. The FEMA 

Incident Management and Support Keystone defines three levels of disasters: Level I, II, and III, 

with Level I being the most severe, and Level III the least. The force structure model modifies 

these levels by dividing Level I into two levels for more accurate planning. The FEMA incident 

workforce levels are: Catastrophic Level I, Level I, Level II, and Level III. These force structure 

levels guide the identification of appropriate FEMA incident workforce staffing required to 

adequately respond to potential or actual incidents. When generating the force structure data, it is 

assumed that the FEMA incident workforce structure requires the ability to respond to the 

following: 

• one catastrophic event 

• three Level I events; two of which are concurrent 

• 28 Level II events; 20 of which are concurrent 

• 70 Level III events with the capability to support 30 Level III teams 

The development of force structure requires a comprehensive analysis of the workforce, 

organized by FQS job title. This workforce analysis looks at what positions are required for 

FEMA to conduct its response, recovery, and mitigation missions. This analysis is based on a 

thorough mission analysis, which delineates the essential tasks of each position within each 

cadre. It incorporates a review of historic and current incident workforce data and considers the 

impact of technological advances, improvements in FEMA’s qualification systems, and the 

impact of mitigation efforts. 

The IWESC will determine policy and criteria for establishing and updating FEMA’s incident 

force structure. The CCWG establishes procedures in support of this policy which include 

mechanisms to ensure consideration of force structure recommendations from programs, cadres, 

and regions. IWMD, on behalf of the Director of Disaster Operations (DDO), coordinates the 

day-to-day implementation of force structure policy and procedures. 

21 
 

 

 

 

 

 

. 

The force structure model is reevaluated not less than every three years as outlined in FD010-6. 

This reevaluation includes a comprehensive examination of historic and current force structure 

data, FTE deployment patterns, redevelopment and reorganization of force packages and cadre 

force structure by FQS position, as required. A number of FEMA offices participate in and 

support this review, to include Office of Policy and Program Analysis (OPPA), Office of the 

Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), Mission Support, and Regional Leadership. Cadre leadership 

should continually assess operational requirements in the field to recommend modifications to 

FEMA force structure and related policies and procedures to IWMD. 

Staffing a Cadre 

Staffing a cadre is a shared effort between various organizations and supporting personnel within 

FEMA. The roles and responsibilities of these varying organizations and supporting personnel 

are delineated in table 4. Although this activity is a shared effort, ensuring effective and optimal 

staffing of a cadre is the responsibility of the Cadre Coordinator. 

IWMD distributes to cadre personnel bi-weekly the force structure vs. actuals report (FS vs. 

actuals as table 5 shows). This report enables the reader to determine if there is force structure 

availability within an FQS job title, as well as within a specific employee type. 

Force Structure versus Actuals Report 

Table 5 is an illustrative example of a force structure versus actuals report. The table shows 

staffing of the positions against a specific FQS job title is reflected by employee type (Reservist, 

IM CORE, or FTE) and by cumulative position force strength. “ADAD FQS Identifier,” within 

the ADR Cadre, reflects when fully staffed at optimal levels, there are 40 Reservists (“RSV FS”). 

However, the number in the “RSV Actual 4/14/14” column demonstrates only 32 Reservists are 

currently holding the position title. Therefore, the cadre needs 8 people, which is shown in the 

“RSV Left to Fill” column, to be at force strength for Reservists in this position. The following is 

a description of the column titles for each employee type: 

• RSV FS/IM CORE FS/FTE FS: The total number of positions allocated to an FQS job 

title, based upon employee type (i.e. RSV, IM CORE, or FTE). This is the cadre’s force 

structure for a specific position per employee type. 

• RSV Actual/IM CORE Actual/FTE Actual (Date): Data from the IWMD Deployment 

Branch and the National Finance Center is used to determine the number of persons 

actually holding the FQS job title as of the date the report was run. This is the cadre’s 

force strength for a specific position. 

• RSV Left to Fill/IM CORE Left to Fill/FTE Left to Fill: The difference between the 

force structure and actuals results in a number of positions that are “left to fill”. These 

positions are available to be staffed by the cadre. 

• Total FEMA Workforce: This is the total force structure for the cadre when fully 

staffed. A Cadre Coordinator may staff a force structure vacancy. 

22 
 

 

 

 

. 

Table 4: Example Force Structure vs. Actuals Report 

FQS 

Identifiers Cadre FQS Position KEY RSV FS 

RSV 

Actual 

04/14/14 

RSV 

Left 

to 

Fill 

IM 

CORE 

FS 

IM CORE 

Actual 

04/14/14 

IM 

CORE 

Left 

to Fill 

FTE 

FS 

FTE Actual 

04/14/14 

FTE 

Left 

to 

Fill 

Total FEMA 

Workforce 

(PFT/TFT/ 

CORE/RSV) 

ADAD ADR ADV Advisor ADV 40 32 8 5 0 5 0 20 -20 45 

ADSP HM HM Administrative 

Specialist SP 48 22 26 0 0 0 15 28 -13 63 

AEAC EA 

EA Assistant 

External Affairs 

Officer – 

Congressional 

Affairs 

MG 3 5 -2 2 0 2 12 12 0 17 

AEIC EA 

EA Assistant 

External Affairs 

Officer – Joint 

Information 

Center 

MG 4 9 -5 5 0 5 12 4 8 21 

AEIG EA 

EA Assistant 

External Affairs 

Officer – 

Intergovernmental 

MG 4 5 -1 4 4 0 12 3 9 20 

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Filling Vacant Force Structure Positions 

When a vacancy in force structure has been identified, the Cadre Coordinator is responsible for 

filling the force structure vacancy. Table 5 describes the process by which an individual, 

depending upon employee type, is hired into the Agency and is able to achieve initial FQS 

qualifications. 

Intrinsic to the concept of “Every Employee is an Emergency Manager,” is that every FEMA 

employee will be trained and qualified to respond to an incident. To bring this initiative into 

fruition, there must be an impetus on the cadre level to recruit employees to get FQS qualified in 

their respective cadres. Not only will this help readiness on a cadre level, but also will aid the 

entire Agency’s goal of maintaining a robust, qualified workforce. 

Recruitment to a cadre can take many forms: from organizational events such as FQS Job Fairs 

down to the individual recruitment level. Cadre leadership are encouraged to coordinate with 

Regional IWM Liaison Teams and FTEs who do not have an FQS position to help achieve 

FEMA’s overarching goals, as well as striving toward achieving optimal cadre readiness levels. 

Table 5: Hiring Process Steps 

Responsible Party (by employee type) 

Reservist IM CORE 

1. Force structure vacancy identified Cadre Coordinator Cadre Coordinator 

2. Submit SF-52 Cadre Coordinator Cadre Coordinator 

3. Coordinate SF-52 package within 

Directorate and budget, forward to 

Human Capital Division 

n/a n/a 

4. Review SF-52 to determine appropriate 

action for processing 

Human Capital 

Division 

Human Capital 

Division 

5. Review and approve draft vacancy 

announcement* Cadre Coordinator Cadre Coordinator 

6. Advertise vacancy, prepare CERT* Human Capital 

Division 

Human Capital 

Division 

7. Review CERT* n/a n/a 

8. Make a Selection based on the CERT* Cadre Coordinator Cadre Coordinator 

9. Once favorable clearance is received, sets 

Entry on Duty date 

Human Capital 

Division 

Human Capital 

Division 

10. Create profile in training tracking system. Pasadena Call 

Center 

Pasadena Call 

Center 

11. Notify employee and data management 

team 

Pasadena Call 

Center 

Pasadena Call 

Center 

12. Enter FQS data and inform deployment 

branch for entry into the deployment 

system 

FQS Data 

Management Team 

FQS Data 

Management 

Team 

* Steps 5-8 are optional for CORE, Reservist, or other excepted service. 

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Interagency Augmentation to a Cadre’s Force Structure 

FEMA also utilizes other personnel resources that are not FEMA employees to supplement the 

incident workforce. These include FEMA Corps members and volunteers from other Federal 

agencies that are part of the SCF. Supplemental workforce personnel hold FQS position titles, 

but do not count toward a Cadre’s force structure. 

Cadre Coordinators are responsible for coordinating with the IWMD FEMA Corps Unit and with 

the IWMD SCF to ensure they understand the support that can be provided by these programs 

and are prepared to facilitate coordination for their support during disaster operations. While 

these entities augment the incident workforce, they do not count against a cadre’s force structure. 

FEMA Corps 

FEMA Corps is a FEMA-funded component within the AmeriCorps National Civilian 

Community Corps (NCCC). While FEMA Corps is not deployed through FEMA’s deployment 

system, its members must provide updated information on location, activities, etc., and update 

the system for tracking and accountability purposes. Traditionally, FEMA Corps teams are 

required to check-in with the Deployment Unit within seventy two hours after receipt of an 

emergency deployment notice or pursuant to the timeline requested for less urgent assignments. 

At the start of their appointment, FEMA Corps members complete approximately one month of 

NCCC based training, one week of FEMA training, and two weeks of FQS-specific training. 

Excluding team leaders, FEMA Corps members may be issued a PTB for their FQS position, but 

they are not counted against force structure numbers. FEMA Corps teams can be comprised of 

one or mixed FQS positions. FEMA Corps members are pre-funded response workforce assets 

that can be requested by regions, field offices, program areas, or cadre leadership to complete 

any Stafford Act authorized work. 

Surge Capacity Force 

The SCF is comprised of volunteers from non-FEMA DHS components and other Federal 

agencies who receive just-in-time training to support, but are not limited to, the following FEMA 

program areas: logistics, DSA, Individual Assistance, and Public Assistance. In an effort to 

increase enrollment across DHS and other Federal agencies, cadre leadership with SCF 

opportunities are encouraged to support recruitment efforts of any permanent full or part-time 

Federal employee, who is not credentialed in any disaster specific skill, and offer education 

and/or guidance about joining FEMA in a SCF role. To the greatest extent possible, FEMA SCF 

staff use the job series of each volunteer in order to assign them to missions in their area of 

expertise based on the needs of the FCO/FDRC and operational requirements. 

Availability 

“Available” is the status of a FEMA incident workforce member who can readily deploy in 

support of an incident in either an incident management or incident support role. If on leave, an 

25 
 

 

employee must ensure his or her availability status is updated in the deployment tracking system. 

Upon receipt of the notification to deploy, personnel may be unable to deploy for their assigned 

incident position for a variety of reasons (e.g., approved annual or sick leave, Leave Without 

Pay, Family Medical Leave Act, etc.). Employees are responsible for ensuring their availability 

status and accurate contact information is maintained and up-to-date in FEMA’s deployment 

tracking system, and that availability status is approved by the supervisor of record. 

Supervisors of record, in coordination with their employees who are members of the incident 

workforce, are responsible for monitoring and ensuring their individual availability is reported in 

accordance with FD010-8, FEMA Incident Workforce Deployment, Section VII.B or 

superseding policy. Cadre Coordinators or RPMs, if applicable, are the supervisors of record for 

their Reservist cadre members and are responsible for monitoring the availability status of all 

categories of employees that constitute the cadre. Each type of employee has requirements that 

govern their required amount of availability. Table 6 lists these responsibilities. 

Table 6: Deployment Availability Requirements by Employee Type 

Type of 

Employee Availability to Deploy 

IM CORE 

• Must be available for a minimum of 300 days a year 

• Must coordinate with supervisor of record and update the deployment 

system if unavailable for deployment 

PFT, TFT, CORE • Must coordinate with supervisor of record and update the deployment 

system if unavailable for deployment 

Reservist 

• Must be available except if on Pre-Approved Non-Availability (PANA) or 

other approved leave per FD010-6 

• Must coordinate with supervisor of record and update the deployment 

system if unavailable for deployment 

Special Considerations for Managing Availability 

Pre-Approved Non-Availability (PANA) 

Reservists may take up to 60 days per calendar year of PANA when not deployed. Unexpended 

PANA may not be carried over from one calendar year to a subsequent calendar year. PANA 

may be used for any purpose and Reservists shall request PANA in writing from their Cadre 

Coordinators. Cadre Coordinators shall grant PANA for periods of not fewer than 15 days per 

request, and may not approve leave requests made in response to an activation request. When on 

PANA, a Reservist is not available to deploy on demand and the IWMD will not place them in 

rotation for deployment. 

Workers’ Compensation for Deployed Employees 

A FEMA employee who sustains an injury or illness while in the performance of duty may be 

eligible for benefits under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act. Once an incident occurs, 

it is imperative that the employee notifies his/her temporary duty supervisor, supervisor of 

record, and the Safety Officer from the Safety, Health, and Medical Readiness Division and 

26 
 

 

 

 

 

completes the requisite forms found at: 

http://on.fema.net/components/msb/OCCHCO/es/Pages/WrkCmp.aspx. 

Employees injured on the job are responsible for keeping the Agency informed of any changes to 

their medical condition. Fully recovered or partially disabled employees who have debilitating 

medical conditions as the result of on-the-job injuries are obligated to seek suitable employment 

and accept suitable offers of employment when medically feasible. The Agency has an 

obligation to restore an employee injured on the job to his/her former position or a comparable 

position. 

An employee in a worker’s compensation status will be marked “not available” in the 

deployment system; once cleared for deployment, their status will be updated to “available.” 

Once ready to return, the employee will be offered the opportunity to return to work in a 

comparable role if there is a staffing need for the FQS position he/she holds. The Cadre 

Coordinator, in coordination with the Agency’s Workers’ Compensation Program, will be 

responsible for reintegrating the employee into the workforce in an appropriate capacity 

(light/alternate duty or regular duty). In the case of a Reservist, the Cadre Coordinator may need 

to assist in the creation of a position to satisfy the minimum return time of 90 days for a 

temporary, intermittent employee. 

Declinations 

Per FD010-8, all FTE employees listed as available within the Deployment System may be 

deployed without further supervisory approval. IWMD will regularly report declination trends of 

FEMA HQ component and Regional Offices to FEMA senior leadership. FTE employees who 

wish to have a declination deemed a “reasonable cause declination” must submit a narrative 

explanation to the appropriate CO and CA for adjudication. Cadre Coordinators should monitor 

FTE declinations and, in coordination with the employee’s supervisor of record, the regional 

IWM Liaison Team, the CO, and CA decertify or reclassify the employee as mission essential, 

incident support, or ancillary support as applicable. 

If a Reservist declines three deployments within one calendar year while in “available” status, 

and without reasonable cause for doing so, the Cadre Coordinator shall direct OCCHCO to 

terminate the Reservist’s appointment. IWMD will document the declinations in the deployment 

system and maintain deployment records in accordance with applicable records retention 

policies. Cadre Coordinators and/or Reservist Program Managers should routinely run reports 

from the deployment system and thoroughly review reasons for declinations to check on the 

status of Reservists. Further guidance on what constitutes reasonable cause for an excused 

27 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

declination can be found in the FD010-6 Reservist Program Directive and the FEMA 

Deployment Guide.5 

Remote Work 

FEMA has specific guidance for when employees may work from their residence of record or at 

an alternate location when on temporary duty. This guidance may include Reservists or IM 

COREs in specific situations. All employees who are deployed are on official travel, which is 

excluded from the definition of “telework” in the Telework Enhancement Act, OPM guidance 

and FEMA Manual 123-9-1 FEMA Telework Policy. Even though employees who are deployed 

are not considered to be teleworking, there are specific reasons an employee may be approved to 

work from an alternate location. Details related to when remote work is acceptable can be found 

in appendix A. 

Annuitants 

Annuitants are retirees from Federal service who are receiving a Federal retirement annuity 

(“annuitants”) and become reemployed by the Federal government. They differ from other 

incident employees because there are certain parameters that affect their pay. Annuitants will 

have their salaries reduced (“offset”) by the amount of the annuity they are entitled to receive 

during their period of reemployment. 

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has authority to waive annuity-offset requirements 

on a case-by-case basis. This salary offset can be waived individually by FEMA’s OCCHCO for 

the first 120 days of a Presidentially Declared Disaster. It is important to note that FEMA has not 

received the authority to apply this waiver to emergencies or for Other Duty Travel (e.g., 

training, exercises, meetings, course development). Waiver requests for employment exceeding 

the first 120 days of a Presidentially Declared Disaster must be forwarded to DHS for further 

transmittal to OPM per 5 U.S.C. § 8344(i). 

5 Reasonable cause for declining a deployment request includes, but is not limited to the following scenarios: An 

annuitant who receives a deployment to a specific incident site whose salary offset will not be waived at the time of 

deployment; a Reservist who submitted a timely request for approved leave to their Cadre Coordinator prior to the 

deployment request and whose request would have otherwise made them unavailable to deploy on the date of the 

deployment request; there is a spontaneous life event, as determined by the Cadre Coordinator, that qualifies for 

ERL and/or FMLA or receives military activation orders but was reasonably not able to notify their Cadre 

Coordinator of the life event or activation orders to obtain approved unavailability; a Reservist who has requested or 

is otherwise engaged in the reasonable accommodation process pursuant to Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 

1973 and cannot deploy without that accommodation or whose previously-agreed upon accommodation prevents 

them from accepting the deployment request; a Reservist who has already declined one deployment on the date of 

the deployment request; a Reservist who has already received activation orders for a separate deployment; a 

Reservist has a jury summons; a Reservist who declines a deployment immediately subsequent to their 

demobilization from another deployment, such that the Reservist was not provided one day of unavailability for 

every month of deployment that did not contain rotational travel; or deployment request occurred on the basis of an 

administrative error not already listed above. 

28 
Support to Cadres for Staffing Force Structure 

Table 7 illustrates the crosswalk between cadre personnel and their responsibilities for the 

categories described above. Specific tasks are listed below. 

Table 7: Staffing Force Structure Roles and Responsibilities 

Cadre Management 

Workforce 

Analysis 

Staffing/ 

Hiring Augmentation Availability Policies and Procedures 

Certifying Authority ●

Certifying Official ●

Cadre Coordinator ● ● ●

Cadre Support 

IWMD ● ●

Office of Equal Rights ●

OCCHCO ● ● ●

Office of the Chief 

Financial Officer ●

FEMA Corps ●

Surge Capacity Force ●

Supervisor of Record ●

Office of the Chief 

Counsel (OCC) ●

Incident Workforce Management Division 

• In coordination with the Cadre Coordinators, determines the necessary number of 

incident workforce personnel in each FQS position based on force structure to meet 

FEMA mission requirements articulated by RAs, FCOs, FDRCs, and Office Directors 

• In consultation with OCCHCO, Office of Chief Counsel, OER, the Office of Policy and 

Program Analysis, and cadre management, establishes and disseminates incident 

workforce policies and procedures to recruit, select, appoint, re-appoint, deploy, and 

evaluate FEMA personnel fairly, transparently, and efficiently 

• In coordination with OCCHCO, administers the policies for recruiting, selecting, hiring, 

activating, onboarding, re-appointing, and terminating FEMA personnel 

OCCHCO 

• In coordination with IWMD, develops and administers FEMA personnel recruiting, 

hiring, and performance management processes 

• Provides direct support to employees with respect to individual issues requiring action in 

connection with the administration of pay, benefits, and other personnel matters 

• Maintains records of all FEMA personnel actions – including but not limited to selection, 

appointment, re-appointment, termination, and resignation processing, as required by 

applicable records retention policies 

29 
 

 

 

• Provides direct support to the temporary duty supervisor regarding how to properly 

document poor performance and/or misconduct and to the Cadre Coordinator regarding 

what disciplinary action to take 

Office of the Chief Financial Officer 

• Manages the processing and maintenance of government credit cards for FEMA 

personnel 

• Develops, implements, and communicates the travel policies for the incident workforce 

• Maintains the CORE Position Identification Number for each respective cadre and 

provides budget oversight and support to fund force structure 

Equal Rights Office 

• Provides technical resource information about reasonable accommodation to employees, 

applicants for employment, incident personnel, temporary duty supervisors, cadre 

coordinators, reservist program managers, and other supervisors of record, in accordance 

with existing FEMA reasonable accommodation policy guidance 

• Provides civil rights, equal employment opportunity, sexual harassment, diversity, and 

information on processing complaints of discrimination involving affirmative 

employment, a discrimination-free workplace, and equal access to FEMA programs and 

benefits in accordance with Agency policy. All OER resources are available at 

http://www.fema.gov/oer/ 

• Provides guidance and technical assistance regarding the interpretation and application of 

the Agency’s non-discrimination policies, Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 

Emergency Assistance Act non-discrimination elements, and Federal non-discrimination 

laws (including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964), regulations (including 44 CFR), 

and executive orders 

30 
CHAPTER 4: EDUCATING AND TRAINING MEMBERS 

OF A CADRE 

As discussed in the previous chapter, staffing force structure is one of the most important 

responsibilities for cadre management. Once this critical step is complete, the cadre’s personnel 

must be set up for success in an incident environment. Cadre members must be afforded an 

effective continuum of education and training that effectively prepares them for the challenges 

they will face. They must have a solid foundation in FEMA programs and the Agency’s means 

of support, as well as an extensive working knowledge in their program area’s operations. Like 

staffing, these are shared efforts undertaken by a number of offices and organizations across the 

Agency as table 8 depicts. It is the responsibility of the Cadre Coordinator to ensure that the 

cadre’s training program is mission appropriate, effective, and successful. As Cadre Coordinators 

develop their training plans and programs, they must do so in the manner in which they intend to 

operate during a catastrophic incident. 

Accordingly, this chapter is designed to be a working reference for Cadre Coordinators and 

focuses on developing and administering education and training programs for their cadre to 

include required and mandatory training, elective training and professional development. The 

chapter also includes descriptions of the coordination functions that the Cadre Coordinators have 

with other FEMA offices responsible for varying segments of education, training, and 

professional development. Additional information regarding a systems approach to training can 

be found in appendix B. 

31 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 8: Training Roles and Responsibilities 

Cadre Manage 

Certifying 

Authority 

Establish 

Mission 

Essential 

Tasks 

ment 

●

Training 

Strategy 

●

Training 

Standards 

●

Training 

Development 

Training 

Assessment 

●

Training 

Delivery Funding 

Certifying 

Official ● ● ● ● ●

Cadre 

Coordinator ● ● ● ● ● ●

FTE 

Coordinator ● ●

Reservist 

Program 

Manager 

● ● ●

IM CORE 

Program 

Manager 

● ●

Cadre 

Training 

Manager 

Cadre Support 

IWMD 

● ● ● ● ●

●

●

●

●

●

Emergency 

Management 

Institute 

● ● ● ● ● ●

Pasadena 

Call Center ●

Cadre Responsibilities in FQS 

FEMA must be the most prepared when our nation is least prepared to respond to, recover from, 

and mitigate a catastrophic man-made or natural disaster. Success in an incident demands that an 

organization be led by well-educated, trained, and competent leaders to ensure that their cadre is 

prepared through thorough training. Such training ranges from individual training and readiness, 

to comprehensive team training and exercises. The following section outlines the cadre 

responsibilities in FQS. 

Certifying Authority: The CA has delegated authority from the FEMA Administrator to certify 

that employees are qualified for FQS positions within that cadre. The CA may delegate FQS 

authority (in accordance with the FQS Guide) and cadre management authorities to the CO 

and/or Cadre Coordinator, but ultimately bears responsibility for the effective management and 

performance of the cadre, specifically: 

32 
 

 

 

• Reviewing recommendations 

• Approving or disapproving the recommendations beyond the authority delegated to the 

CO 

• Signing supervisory certification documents (FQS transmittal log/FQS decision letter) for 

employee notification process 

• Ensuring that employees receive communication on requests for certification within 60 

days 

Certifying Official: The CO is designated by the CA to manage the day-to-day operation of 

FQS for a specific incident workforce cadre, including having the authority from the CA to issue 

PTBs and certify individuals for specific FQS positions. The CO cannot delegate this authority. 

Cadre Coordinator: The Cadre Coordinator maintains the accuracy and currency of the cadre’s 

FQS elements in compliance with the FQS Guide or superseding doctrine. The Cadre 

Coordinator recommends candidates for FQS progression and qualification to the CO and 

oversees the development and performs final review of Qualification Packages for FQS QRBs in 

coordination with the Regional IWM Liaison Teams as required, and presents candidates for 

qualification to the QRB. The Cadre Coordinator will also recommend decertification of cadre 

members as needed to the CA and CO. 

Cadre Training Manager (if applicable): The Cadre Training Manager serves as the cadre’s 

primary point of contact for coordinating development and delivery of all FQS related training 

and oversees prioritization of all training within the cadre. 

Coach Evaluator: The coach-evaluator holds one of the most important roles in FQS. The 

coach-evaluator mentors the trainee/candidate and verifies that he or she is capable and qualified 

to perform a task and ultimately perform his or her job. 

Coach-evaluators: 

• Are selected and approved by the senior cadre management 

• Are qualified and certified under FQS in the position being evaluated as a primary or 

subordinate position 

• Have completed “FQS Evaluator Training” (E/L/B 823) and “Overview of the FEMA 

Qualification System and Qualification Review Boards” (IS-207) 

The evaluator’s signature certifies competency in each task in the PTB. The evaluator must 

demonstrate the highest level of integrity when evaluating a trainee/candidate. An evaluator’s 

authority can be revoked if it is misused. For additional guidance, see the FQS Evaluator’s 

Guide. 

33 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Types of Training 

Table 9 describes the four types of training and education recognized by FEMA that are used to 

train cadre members. In accordance with OCCHCO guidance on employee training, integration 

and workforce development, the four forms of training and education follow: required training 

(of which FQS training is the major source for the incident management/incident support 

workforce), mandatory training (DHS and FEMA training for all employees), elective training, 

and professional development education. Below are the definitions of each type of training. The 

remainder of this chapter will focus primarily on required training (requirements for certification 

in FQS) and mandatory training for Reservists. 

Table 9: Training Descriptions 

Training Type Description 

Required 

Training 

Required training is for a specific employee as a condition of their job/position or 

duty station (e.g., FQS training, Contract Officer Representative training, supervisor 

training, etc.). Required training is identified to maintain a prescribed level of 

proficiency by Federal statute, Federal regulation, the DHS Secretary, the FEMA 

Administrator and/or the chief of a FEMA Component Organization. FQS-required 

training can be found in the position title qualification sheet (see Chapter 5: 

Qualifying). Cadre Coordinators, Training Managers, and the employee type 

managers (FTE, IM CORE, and Reservist) completely manage every aspect of this 

training for their cadre. 

Mandatory 

Training 

Mandatory training is required for all FEMA employees, regardless of job/position 

or duty station (e.g., Ethics training, Equal Rights and Civil Rights training, 

Computer Security training, etc.). Mandatory training is established by Federal 

statute, Federal regulation, the DHS Secretary and/or the FEMA Administrator. 

Cadres are NOT required to track and manage mandatory training for full-time 

employees. The supervisors of record for the FTE’s steady-state position will retain 

this responsibility. The supervisor of record, dependent of cadre structure either 

the Cadre Coordinator, RPMs, or IM CORE Coordinator, must track mandatory 

training for Reservists and/or IM CORE. 

Elective 

Training 

Elective training is training that is taken voluntarily (neither required nor 

mandatory) by an employee (e.g., advanced Microsoft Excel skills, Senior Executive 

Staff Candidate Development Program, etc.) to improve their Agency job and/or 

mission related proficiencies and that requires coordination with and/or approval 

by their supervisor because Agency resources are used and/or participation occurs 

during an employee’s work hours. FTEs will request elective training through their 

steady-state supervisor. Reservist requests will process through the cadre’s RPM. 

Professional 

Development 

(FTE Only) 

In workplaces, professional development refers to the acquisition of skills and 

knowledge, both for personal development and for career advancement. 

Professional development encompasses all types of facilitated learning 

opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences, 

and informal learning opportunities situated in practice. It has been described as 

intensive and collaborative, ideally incorporating an evaluative stage. OPM 

standards and regulations can be found here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-dataoversight/human-capital-management/reference-materials/leadership-knowledgemanagement/developmenttraining.pdf 

OPM defines professional development as: professional development programs 

34 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Training Type Description 

provide technical and general knowledge and experience to career employees. 

Agencies may also establish leadership development programs to ensure leaders 

continue to develop and “grow” the knowledge and skill necessary to effectively 

lead the organization. 

Training encompasses the full range of duties, responsibilities, and missions required of FEMA’s 

incident workforce, and it must be embedded in all that the cadre does. Deploying personnel, 

operating equipment, communicating information, maintaining vehicles, and providing logistical 

support are all critical skills mastered only through training. Training provides the ability to 

follow procedures, to execute techniques, to apply tactics, and to integrate the capabilities of 

skills and services. 

FEMA’s Training Philosophy 

Effective training directly correlates to success in performance and mission. Successful 

organizations train as they intend to operate and operate as they were trained. A cadre’s training 

program needs to be based on this philosophy for cadre members to achieve future success 

during an incident. FEMA’s mandate to lead the nation in preparing for, protecting from, 

responding to, recovering from, and mitigating incidents as well as its obligation to ensure a 

professional workforce capable of executing this mission, necessitate this approach. 

FEMA’s Training Mandate 

FEMA’s mandate for training is simple and compelling: FEMA must be the most prepared when 

our nation is least prepared to respond to, recover from, and mitigate a catastrophic man-made or 

natural disaster. Catastrophic incidents place rigorous physical, psychological, and moral 

demands on emergency managers and the environment. These demands during an incident 

require substantial dedication, perseverance, and motivation to ensure the highest possible 

chance of success. Since FEMA must be prepared to meet the challenges posed by these 

incidents, catastrophic events determine training directions and goals. 

Success in the field/at the incident level during an incident also demands that an organization be 

led by well-educated, trained, and competent leaders to ensure that their cadre is mentally and 

physically prepared through thorough training. Such training ranges from individual training and 

readiness to comprehensive team-training and exercises. Pursuit of the highest possible quality 

training must become a professional imperative and second nature for FEMA. 

Principles of Training 

Cadre training philosophy has its roots in six fundamental principles: 

1. Train for Operations 

2. Require Leadership Involvement and Ownership 

35 
 

 

 

 

 

3. Train to Standards 

4. Use Performance-Oriented Training 

5. Promote Team Operations 

6. Challenge Employees 

All cadre managers must understand and apply these principles at every level of training. These 

principles provide sound and proven direction; they are flexible enough to accommodate the 

demands of local conditions and the judgment of individual leaders and other trainers. These 

principles are not inclusive, nor do they guarantee success. They are guides that all can use to 

design and assess organizational training programs. 

Train for Operations 

A catastrophic incident is the ultimate test of training. All FEMA training is fundamentally based 

on training employees on how to operate during a catastrophic incident. Therefore, all steadystate training must reflect the requirements levied on a cadre during a catastrophic event. 

All FEMA leaders must ensure that individual cadre members receive realistic training that 

simulates, to the greatest extent possible, the conditions of a catastrophic incident. Training 

should prepare cadre members to perform their tasks and meet operational standards during the 

complex, stressful, and dangerous situations they will encounter during a catastrophic incident. 

FEMA’s philosophy is to train well in steady-state so that it can perform well during a 

catastrophic incident. 

Require Leadership Involvement and Ownership 

Leaders at all levels are responsible for the training and performance of their personnel and 

organization. They do more than manage training. The leaders’ personal presence and 

involvement demonstrate to all that training is the number one priority. Senior leaders personally 

train each direct report; COs train their Cadre Coordinators; Cadre Coordinators train their cadre 

management staff, and so on. This simple but practical approach allows for standardization from 

above, for flexibility at the trainer’s level, and for a clear progression of skills and understanding. 

Train to Standards 

Standards-based training is the use of common procedures and uniform operational methods to 

create a common perspective within FEMA. Training standards are currently published as 

individual training core competencies for each incident management job title and will be 

published as mission performance standards for each organized team/unit. All training must 

conform to these standards as they allow the incident workforce to train, and operate from a 

common perspective and provide cadre managers/leaders with a firm foundation upon which to 

request needed resources to support the training. This method of training will be further reflected 

in FEMA doctrine, processes, and procedures. 

36 
 

 

Use Performance-Oriented Training 

All members of a cadre must be proficient in the basic skills required to perform their jobs 

during an incident, and all FEMA leaders need to believe in the ability of the workforce to 

perform with a high level of skill and competency. To achieve this objective and increase 

confidence in employee proficiency, all training must be performance-oriented. All cadre 

members will be trained to meet published standards, not merely to occupy the time designated 

for training. To successfully complete and receive credit for training, students need to 

demonstrate a propensity to execute program tasks. Cadre members will then refine these skills 

through experience as a “trainee” prior to attaining qualification. 

Promote Team Operations 

FEMA operates as one team during an incident despite distribution of operations across 

geographical locations. Because of this, intra- and inter-cadre teams must train together on a 

regular basis. To support this, routine employment of the full spectrum of cadre functions must 

be practiced regularly. 

Challenge Employees 

Training must be challenging and develop new skills in order to build competence and 

confidence. The pride and satisfaction gained by meeting training challenges instills loyalty and 

dedication. It inspires excellence by fostering initiative, enthusiasm, and eagerness to learn. 

A Mission Essential Task List Approach to Cadre Training 

Development 

To obtain maximum benefits, all cadre training programs derive from a mission analysis. The 

mission analysis provides a careful assessment of possible missions, identifies specified and 

implied tasks, and is the foundation for the development of a mission essential task list (METL). 

A cadre’s mission is the basis for the development and execution standards of the tasks. A cadre 

should not train for tasks that are not dictated by their mission during an incident. Cadres, units, 

and teams will be taught these tasks according to prescribed collective and individual training 

standards set forth in individual training core competencies or mission performance standards. 

Mission Essential Task List Fundamentals 

The METL is derived from the cadre’s mission statement, doctrinal employment, incident 

missions, and other related tasks. All cadres in FEMA will prepare METLs that are approved by 

the cadre’s CA. Each cadre’s METL is approved by the next higher organization in the 

operational chain of command (e.g., DSA Team METL is approved by the DSA Cadre 

Manager). Each cadre’s METL must support and complement the METLs of organizations 

above them in the chain of command (e.g., the METLs for a DSA team must support and 

compliment the METLs of the DSA Cadre). In similar organizations, mission-essential tasks may 

vary significantly because of different incident missions or geographical locations. 

37 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The availability of resources does not affect METL development. The METL is an unconstrained 

statement of the tasks required to accomplish incident missions. Since the METL forms the basis 

for the funding and resourcing of a cadre’s training plans, it is stabilized once approved. The 

METL is normally modified only if changes occur in the organization’s missions. Since incident 

plans are used as critical input to the METL development process, every effort should be made to 

solidify/stabilize incident missions in every plan. A significant revision of an organization’s 

mission can result in major changes to its METL and require subsequent major modifications to 

training plans and limited funding. 

The CA in coordination with their COs and Cadre Coordinators have the responsibility for 

developing a training strategy that maintains cadre proficiency for all tasks designated as mission 

essential. There should be no attempt to prioritize tasks within the METL. By definition, all 

METL tasks are equally essential to ensure mission accomplishment. CAs, COs, and Cadre 

Coordinators should involve members of their cadre in METL development to create a team 

approach to mission-oriented training. Cadre member participation develops a common 

understanding of the organization’s critical mission requirements so that METLs throughout the 

cadre are mutually supporting. 

After the collective mission-essential tasks required to accomplish the organization’s mission 

have been designated, individual tasks that support mission-essential tasks can be identified and 

documented in organizational training publication, handbooks, and FQS PTBs. 

Mission Essential Task List Development 

The Cadre Coordinator should review and identify those tasks essential to the accomplishment of 

the cadre’s incident mission for training priority. The objective is to establish training for these 

essential tasks to achieve proficiency. The cadre can train for all other tasks as resources allow. 

This process concentrates the organization’s steady-state training efforts on the most important 

collective training tasks required to accomplish the incident mission. This selection process 

reduces the number of training tasks because a cadre cannot achieve and sustain proficiency on 

every possible task. 

Training Standards 

After mission-essential tasks have been identified, Cadre Coordinators must extract supporting 

conditions and evaluation criteria for each task. The Cadre Coordinator will then set and 

maintain clear standards for training performance. 

Training Assessment 

The training assessment compares the cadre’s current level of training proficiency with the 

desired level of incident proficiency. The desired level of incident proficiency is defined in 

training standards. Training assessments will be conducted by a training assessment team, which 

will consist of the CO, the Cadre Coordinator, and the Cadre Training Manager, if applicable, of 

38 
 

 

 

 

 

 

a specific cadre in coordination with and assistance from IWMD. Training assessment will be 

conducted on a regular basis for each cadre. 

The training assessment team will determine current training proficiency levels of a cadre by 

reviewing all available training evaluations as well as incident performance evaluations. Each 

evaluation applies only to a portion of the total proficiency of an organization at a specific time. 

Therefore, the training assessment team will have access to all available evaluation data to 

develop an assessment of the organization’s overall capability to accomplish each task in the 

METL. In addition to past training evaluations, future events could influence the assessment. 

Required (FQS) Training 

FEMA will train and certify all cadre members in accordance with guidelines established in the 

FQS Guide and Chapter 5: Qualifying Members of a Cadre. All cadres will carry out FQS 

required training development, scheduling, and delivery in accordance with the FEMA 

Qualification System Guide for Incident Management and Incident Support Positions (available 

at http://www.fema.gov/about/employees/fqs.shtm) and other authorized FQS supporting 

documentation. The point of contact for FQS funding, scheduling, course development, and 

delivery is fema-iwmd-curriculumdelivery@fema.dhs.gov. 

Funding for FQS training is centralized within IWMD and must be considered separate from 

mandatory training. Each Cadre Coordinator, and Cadre Training Manager, if applicable, is 

responsible for tracking their allocated budget for FQS training. Training provided through 

FEMA’s Federal Incident Workforce Academy (FIWA) is funded and sourced by IWMD. FIWA 

training is offered to all incident workforce employees, regardless of cadre, providing the first 

course required to achieve a FQS qualification and preparing employees for both follow-on 

program specific training and deployment activity. IWMD will coordinate with the Cadre 

Coordinator regarding available funding for the development of appropriate training, delivery, 

and prioritization of all FQS training needs within the allocated budget. All FQS required 

training, other than FIWA, is allocated based on the cadre’s force structure size for the cadres to 

manage. All development and course delivery costs should be planned and scheduled in the outyears with this funding target, based on a per-capita allotment, in mind. IWMD recognizes this as 

a target, not a red-line. Therefore, funding is negotiable based on demonstrated need. 

Scheduling courses, projecting current course revisions and modifications, and course 

development is ultimately the responsibility of the cadres and their Training Manager. IWMD 

manages the scheduling and out-year cost projection process, but it cannot do the work of course 

determination or modification for the cadre. Training priorities for the incident workforce, 

including course development and delivery, will be determined by each Cadre Coordinator based 

on policy and doctrine, FQS requirements, and other position-specific training requirements. 

Cadre Training Managers, if applicable, or a single designee will serve as the cadre’s primary 

39 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

point of contact for the development and delivery of all FQS related training, and oversee the 

prioritization of all training within the cadre. 

For this reason, the cadre management team must keep detailed records on what training their 

employees have and have not completed, using FQS data tools and National Emergency Training 

Center transcripts to validate their records. Each summer, at the start of that year’s fourth quarter 

(Q4), IWMD will publish a memorandum instructing Certifying Authorities and Officials to 

begin preparation for requesting courses in the “out-year” defined as October of the following 

year (i.e., instructions issued in July 2014 for scheduling in FY16). Along with this 

memorandum, IWMD will provide each cadre with their FQS Required Training budget as well 

as a list of employees that require each course. It is important to note that the FQS data has 

inherent time lags and may not represent reality with 100% accuracy. Further, the cadre will train 

some of these employees during training in that quarter and the next fiscal year. Therefore, when 

preparing an out-year schedule, the training manager must also account for training that is 

already scheduled to occur in the current and next FY. To that end, each cadre should use the 

following inputs when preparing out-year FQS schedules: FQS budget, force structure and 

current force strength, planned hiring, scheduled training, course development needs, and course 

need as determined by those with open PTBs. Once the Cadre Coordinator and Training 

Manager build a case for their out-year schedule, they should gain approval from their CO and 

submit the requests to their IWMD FQS Point of Contact no later than 31 August. Once vetted 

by IWMD against existing qualification data and negotiated between IWMD and the cadre 

management team, the request will be stamped and submitted to EMI for scheduling and location 

determination no later than 15 October, twelve months from the start of the next FY. When the 

cadre identifies a course need that is not currently offered by FEMA or an outside certification 

agency, the cadre management team, its associated EMI course manager, and the FQS branch 

will work with the cadre to generate a contract and fund course development, and then validate 

that new course through pilots and focus groups. In December, EMI will publish a training 

calendar for the next FY, identifying what courses it was able to schedule at EMI and which 

courses they will have to hold at off sites such as Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), 

Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC), or within a region. 

Enrollment for Scheduled FQS Courses 

The process of enrolling employees in FQS courses through course completion involves five 

main organizations: 1) Cadre Management Teams, 2) EMI Course Managers, 3) FQS Curriculum 

Delivery and Development Teams, 4) IWMD and Business Management Division budget 

offices, and 5) the Pasadena Call Center. The following are the impacts to cadres as they ensure 

that employees attend and complete the training required on their qualification sheet. 

• Prior to a given course, the FQS Branch will provide the course manager with a preapproved list of those employees with open PTBs who require that course. The Course 

Manager will then “announce” the course to this population, taking care to carbon copy 

40 
 

 

 

 

 

the affected Cadre Coordinators, cadre training managers, regional training managers, 

and regional IWMD liaisons. 

• The sponsoring cadre will coordinate with the assigned EMI Course Manager 6-12 weeks 

prior to a course to identify all pertinent travel requirements and special instructions for a 

course. This information submitted to IWMD to generate a blank group travel 

authorization (TA) for a given scheduled course. 

• Cadre Coordinators in conjunction with Cadre Managers will then identify those within 

their population who can attend the course and will compare it to the data provided by 

IWMD (FQS Branch). Cadre Coordinators and Course Managers will agree upon an 

initial roster of employees six weeks prior to a course. 

• Following a course invitation from National Emergency Training Center, Course 

Managers will publish, via email, the course details to the Cadre Coordinators impacted 

as well as all employees on the initial roster no earlier than four weeks from the start of a 

course. That course announcement will include a standardized notification as well as 

details specific to the course such as the TA and travel details. Any late additions to the 

course will receive all required information as soon as they are identified by the Course 

Manager as attending the course. 

• FQS Branch, through the Pasadena Call Center, will ensure that all attendees are added in 

the Integrated Financial Management Information System to the corresponding course 

travel authorization for payment purposes. 

• The Pasadena Call Center is responsible for coordinating with the OCFO for increasing 

all government travel card limits prior to IWMD training related travel. 

• The Pasadena Call Center processes requests for IWMD sponsored training for Reservists 

by activating and validating their WebTA account, processing deployment requests for 

FQS courses or pilots, and processing travel vouchers. 

• FTEs shall process all travel and time and attendance through their steady-state 

supervisor of record. 

• Cadre Coordinators and their training manager should have a mechanism in place to audit 

the official FEMA transcript system to ensure that the course certificates and credits are 

annotated accurately on individual transcripts. 

Mandatory Training 

Mandatory training is required for all FEMA employees, regardless of job/position or duty 

station. Mandatory training includes training that is necessary to introduce, reinforce, or clarify 

law to improve the function of the government, protect the safety of our employees, 

communicate FEMA core values, or to improve the function of FEMA. Mandatory training may 

be required by Federal statutes, Federal regulations, DHS policy, or FEMA policy. For instance, 

all employees receive training in fraud protection and prevention, equal rights, privacy, and 

security. Additionally, OCC Ethics shall provide all new employees with initial orientation and 

annual ethics training. 

41 
 

 

The default method of delivery for mandatory training will be distribution via web-based content 

or e-learning content. The training may also be available in the field for deployed personnel. For 

FTEs, it is the supervisor of record who is responsible for the cadre members’ mandatory 

training, not the Cadre Coordinator. For Reservists and IM CORE cadre members, Cadre 

Coordinators or Cadre Training Managers, if applicable, will ensure maintenance of mandatory 

training records. The FEMA/DHS learning management systems of record are the appropriate 

tools for proof-of-course completion and the location for certificates and transcripts. For 

Reservists, Cadre Coordinators or Cadre Training Managers, if applicable, will ensure that 

Reservist cadre members are taking the available mandatory training and are receiving 

appropriate compensation. 

The Assistant Administrator for Response’s June 27, 2013, memorandum on “Compensation for 

FEMA Reservist Coordination and Training Requirements” governs the process for 

compensation for mandatory training. Mandatory training and its associated pay processing must 

be properly documented as the entire process is subject to annual audit. IWMD will provide the 

funding for Reservists to take mandatory training. 

Annually, IWMD will re-publish the latest mandatory training list for Reservists. With this 

guidance, cadre management teams will ensure completion according to the pre-determined list 

of approved mandatory courses, which are not to exceed 40 total hours in a given calendar year. 

Programmatic Updates 

Cadre Coordinators will provide regular and timely communication to all cadre members and 

Regional IWM Liaison Teams on programmatic and administrative changes and/or issues. The 

Cadre Coordinator ensures cadre members have access to program-specific information that is 

required to perform effectively during incident operations. Programmatic updates and cadrespecific training may be accomplished through cadre calls. For more information regarding the 

process used for programmatic updates and cadre calls, refer to Chapter 9: Communication and 

Coordination. 

42 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 5: QUALIFYING MEMBERS OF A CADRE 

This chapter is designed to provide the Cadre Coordinators a working reference focused on 

administering the aspects of FQS. The application of all qualification processes, the general 

principles of equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination apply. The FQS Guide, 

Qualification Review Guide, and FQS Evaluator’s Guide are the reference documents that 

prescribe the functionality of the qualification and credentialing system and determine the 

requirements that the following topic areas address. There are three elements to qualification that 

an employee must do: 

1. Experience - Complete the required FQS experience 

2. Training - Complete the required training identified on the position's qualification sheet 

3. Demonstrated Performance - Complete an assigned PTB by demonstrated performance 

(in accordance with Coach-Evaluator program) 

FQS Documentation 

A qualification sheet and PTB are developed for each FQS position and a progression flowchart 

is created for each cadre. The qualification sheet lists the required FQS experience, training, and 

certifications needed to be considered for certification in a position title. The PTB outlines the 

technical competencies and general competencies that must be performed and validated to be 

considered for certification. The progression flowchart maps a path for career advancement for 

each FQS position. In addition, there is a qualification sheet that lists training required for all 

Command and General Staff positions based upon tier level. 

The IWMD FQS Branch manages the publication of a cadre's qualification sheets, PTBs, and 

progression flowcharts. It is important to ensure that any position-related training changes, 

including course numbers, are accurately reflected on the position qualification sheets. The 

qualification sheets are the basis for the FQS Curriculum Delivery team's determination of 

appropriate student requisite training needs. Additionally, where competencies can be migrated 

from a classroom delivery into a PTB determined task, cadres should enhance the PTB thereby 

reducing classroom training time and focusing on demonstrating the performance in the field. 

• Qualification Sheets – The qualification sheets are used as a basis for formal training, 

certifications, and experience requirements for each position. Specific courses must be 

listed on a qualification sheet before they can be scheduled for delivery. 

• Position Task Books – PTBs are designed to be a guide to on-the-job training as well as 

a formal record of performance evaluation. The behaviors and activities listed in the 

PTBs are not all inclusive to the actual requirements of a position; they are intended to 

reflect the spirit and intent of the position. Only designated evaluators are authorized to 

validate completion of tasks in an employee’s PTB. 

43 
 

 

• Progression Flowcharts – The progression flowchart diagrams the organizational 

structure of a cadre. 

Revisions to FQS Documentation 

Revisions and changes to qualification sheets, PTBs, and progression flowcharts must be based 

on identified deficiencies and mission essential needs. To request revisions, cadre management 

should submit change requests to the FQS Branch by email to fema-fqs-program@fema.dhs.gov 

with “FQS Documentation Revision” in the subject line. Some changes may require CCWG 

and/or IWESC approval before implementation. At a minimum, the request should include the 

following information: 

• Cadre 

• Positions affected 

• Specific changes 

• Justification of changes 

Managing the Paperwork 

This section will provide the background and support necessary to assign a title, issue a PTB, 

manage the programs’ coach-evaluator responsibilities, certify that an employee is qualified, and 

assist with other cadre responsibilities related to FQS. These processes often rely on specific 

forms completed by either cadre administrators or the employee. Supporting business rules and 

the forms (containing their detailed instructions for completion) are provided in appendices C-F. 

Frequently used forms include: 

• FQS Transmittal Log (FTL) – The official form to document employee certification 

actions 

• Candidate Position Task Book Issuance Form – The official form to document the 

issuance of a PTB to a candidate 

• Employee Request Form (ERF) – Form used to request qualification review for nonsupervisory positions 

• ERF – QRB – Form used to request qualification review for supervisory positions 

Letter templates can be used as guides for employee communications. These letters can include: 

• Certification Letter – used to notify an employee of certification 

• Decertification Letter – used to notify an employee of decertification 

• Non-acceptance Letter – used to notify an employee they do not meet the standards of 

qualification 

44 
 

 

 

 

Assignment of an Initial Position Title 

Initial Assignment 

An initial FQS job title is assigned to employees who have never held an FQS job title. This 

designation allows an employee to deploy to an incident operation in an incident management 

position and to be enrolled in position specific training. In addition to a specific title, employees 

will be assigned a proficiency level in the FQS system: 

• Trainee – assigned a PTB, but not yet qualified 

• Qualified – qualified in the FQS position designated by the cadre 

• Candidate – qualified in an FQS position and also issued a PTB for a different position 

Programs will consider a number of factors to determine qualification including: 

• Number and length of deployments 

• PTB or verification of position held on deployment (i.e., Incident Action Plan 

organization chart, letter from incident leadership or section chief, or ICS 204 form with 

assignment) 

• Variety of incidents worked (e.g., floods, tornadoes, hurricanes), their size and 

complexity, and the number of assignments 

• Other related non-FEMA experience that equates to experience gained in FEMA 

functional areas OR from other agencies/organizations that equate to the FEMA-based 

knowledge and skill requirements for the position 

• Required training or accepted equivalency training for FQS positions; course equivalency 

may not be used to certify employees for Type I positions 

• Incident performance evaluations (performance evaluations not applicable) 

The process for obtaining an initial FQS job title varies slightly depending upon the type of 

employee. All requests, regardless of employee type, will receive a decision or some 

communication from the cadre within 60 days of receipt. 

Reservist: Reservists are hired directly into an FQS job title. The cadre management team will 

determine the employee's FQS job title and proficiency and ensure the information is entered 

into the FEMA deployment and qualification tracking system. 

IM CORE: IM COREs are hired to fulfill an incident management title. The cadre management 

team will determine the employee's initial FQS job title and proficiency and ensure the 

information is entered into the FEMA deployment and qualification tracking system. IM CORE 

employees will begin the next level of certification, as needed to reach certification for hired 

title. 

45 
 

 

IMAT: IMAT members are hired to fulfill an incident management title for a specific position 

on a national or regional IMAT. The cadre management team will determine the employee’s 

initial proficiency and ensure the information is entered into the FEMA deployment and 

qualification tracking system. IMAT members will complete an IMAT Academy that provides 

the required training and exercises to validate proficiency and begin the next level of certification 

as needed. 

Full Time Employee (PFT, TFT, and CORE): FTEs can be assigned to various roles in 

support of FEMA’s mission. Employees should consider their personal goals and abilities prior 

to requesting an FQS job title. Additionally, employees and their supervisors should determine 

which support role best suits the employee, their supervisor, and the Agency. 

Each FTE will fulfill one of four roles in support of disaster survivors: 

• Incident Management – incident field operations staff 

• Incident Support – NRCC or RRCC staff 

• Mission Essential – staff required to maintain mission essential functions 

• Ancillary Support – staff deployed at their normal duty station to support incident 

operations 

To request an initial title, FTEs will complete an ERF (for non-supervisory positions) or ERF – 

QRB (for supervisory positions). Table 10 lists the process for non-supervisory positions, and 

table 11 lists the steps in the process for supervisory positions. 

46 
 

 

Table 10: Initial Assignment of Title Process Step for FTE, Non-Supervisory 

Responsible 

Entity 

1. Force Structure vacancy confirmed with IWMD Regional Liaison Team or 

Cadre Coordinator Program Office 

2. Employee completes the appropriate ERF and forwards it to the Pasadena 

Call Center Employee 

3. Pasadena Call Center conducts a quality assurance review on the submission 

package 

Pasadena Call 

Center 

4. Package reviewed, evaluated for recommendation to CO on transmittal log 

with decision letter 

Cadre 

Coordinator 

5. Recommendation is either approved or disapproved, transmittal log is 

signed, date recorded, and decision letter is returned to Pasadena Call 

Center 

Certifying 

Official 

6. Decision letter and transmittal letter emailed to FQS Program Inbox Cadre 

Coordinator 

7. Qualification letter mailed to employee Pasadena Call 

Center 

8. Information forwarded to the FQS Data Team Pasadena Call 

Center 

9. Data entered in into qualification management system Pasadena Call 

Center 

10. Data coordinated for entry into the deployment system Pasadena Call 

Center 

47 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 11: Initial Assignment of Title Process Step for FTE, Supervisory 

Responsible 

Entity 

1. Force Structure vacancy confirmed with IWMD Regional Liaison Team or 

Cadre Coordinator Program Office 

2. Employee completes the appropriate ERF and forwards it to the Pasadena 

Call Center Employee 

3. Pasadena Call Center conducts a quality assurance review on the 

submission package 

Pasadena Call 

Center 

4. Package reviewed and evaluated for recommendation to CO on transmittal 

log 

Cadre 

Coordinator 

5. Package reviewed and forwarded to the QRB chair for recommendation with 

transmittal log 

Certifying 

Official 

6. Certification package reviewed QRB Chair 

7. QRB deliberated and recommendation determined for certification, and 

decision letter prepared QRB 

8. Recommendation is either approved or disapproved, transmittal log is 

signed, date recorded, and decision letter is returned to QRB Coordinator 

Certifying 

Authority 

9. Qualification letter is mailed to employee Pasadena Call 

Center 

10. Information forwarded to the FQS Data Team Pasadena Call 

Center 

11. Data entered in into qualification management system Pasadena Call 

Center 

12. Data coordinated for entry in the qualification management system Pasadena Call 

Center 

Detailed processes for completing initial assignment for each employee type can be found in 

appendix G. 

Subordinates Titles 

All employees will hold one primary classification – incident management, incident support, 

mission essential, or ancillary support. Employees classified as incident management or incident 

support will hold a primary job title and may have up to three subordinate titles. Employees 

classified as ancillary support and mission essential support incident operation through their dayto-day role within FEMA. As such, they may not hold primary incident management or incident 

support job titles. If ancillary support and mission essential employees also hold current incident 

management or incident support titles, they will be listed as subordinate titles to their ancillary 

support and mission essential role within FQS. Subordinate titles do not count against force 

structure limitations. 

Subordinate incident management titles represent proficiencies from positions within their 

progression path or other relevant positions within their cadre. For example, an Operations 

Section Chief Type I would hold that title as their primary FQS job title. Operations Section 

Chief Type II, Operations Section Chief Type III, and depending on the career progression of the 

48 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

individual (progression could have been from Operations Branch Director, Public Assistance 

Branch Director, or Individual Assistance Branch Director), the qualification held by the 

individual could be listed as the third subordinate title held. Not all individuals will hold three 

subordinate titles. Qualifications for personnel who have transferred from outside the program 

may be assigned based upon the cadre's desires. An employee can have a subordinate title in 

another cadre, and acceptance of a subordinate title in a different cadre can result in the 

individual being deployed under that experience/qualification. 

FQS Business Rules for Subordinate Titles 

• An individual may be assigned up to three subordinate titles; these titles should be a 

direct progression per the Cadre Progression Chart.6 

• Subordinate titles should be the highest ranking positions the individual is personally 

qualified to perform. 

• Subordinate title proficiency level should always be qualified. 

o IM CORE New Hires may temporarily be assigned Trainee subordinate titles for 

the purpose of training. 

• As directed in FD010-8, an employee can only be deployed in a subordinate job title if no 

one with the requested title is available in the deployment system. 

• The employee’s CO approves the subordinate titles if not identified on the Qualification 

Letter. 

• The IWMD Deployment Unit enters, changes, or updates subordinate titles upon receipt 

of signed memo from the CO, the Cadre Coordinator. This information may also be 

included on the transmittal log/decision letter when there is a change in qualification. 

• If QRB recommends an FQS job title for an employee, they should establish the 

recommended subordinate titles at the same time. 

• An employee selected and qualified as an evaluator can only evaluate their primary and 

identified subordinate job titles. 

• Subordinate titles are subject to four year recertification and are automatically renewed if 

the primary title is retained. 

Issuance of Position Task Books 

Issuance Policy 

Employees may request a PTB for the next position in their progression with approval from their 

supervisor of record if they are certified in their current position. The employee requests to open 

a PTB through the Cadre Coordinator; their CO may also provide authorization. All requests will 

receive a communication from the cadre coordinator within 60 days concerning the decision of 

6 Subordinates CAN be carried for other programs at the discretion of the cadre issuing the primary FQS job title – 

for those cadres with positions that crossover. 

49 
 

 

 

 

 

 

whether or not to issue a PTB. (See appendix G for more information.) If approved, the PTB will 

be issued using the PTB Issuance Form. Although an employee may attend requisite training, 

gain experience, and demonstrate performance, the qualification of an employee may not be 

granted until a Force Structure opening becomes available. The cadre will then utilize the 

Subject Matter Expert (SME) panel process for selection of an employee and submission within 

the existing qualification/credentialing process. 

Position Task Book Issuance Form 

The Position Task Book Issuance Form must be completed and sent to the Pasadena Call Center 

(FEMA-FQS-Program@fema.dhs.gov) for processing to ensure the employee is denoted as 

having an open PTB in the qualification tracking system. This process allows the IWMD 

Curriculum Delivery Team to maintain awareness with respect to the requisite training the 

candidate may now be scheduled to attend. 

Time Limits for Completion of PTBs 

A trainee/candidate must complete an assigned PTB within four years, beginning with 

documentation of the trainee/candidate’s first completion of a task in the PTB. If the 

trainee/candidate does not complete the PTB within four years, the PTB will no longer be valid. 

If a new PTB is initiated, all current qualification standards will apply. 

PTB Completion/Submission Process 

Submission of the completed PTB or individual task sign offs are a responsibility of the 

employee. 

Candidate Selection for Advancement 

For employee advancement and higher-level qualification, an employee must complete the 

requisite training, complete the cadre issued PTB, and accumulate the necessary experience for 

the higher level position. The process begins with the issuance of the PTB for the position within 

the progression path. 

When a vacant position needs to be filled, an SME panel (FQS-qualified at or above the position 

being reviewed) may be convened to evaluate and select the best candidate from all the 

candidates who have completed the PTB. The SME panel is required for supervisory positions. 

The panel will recommend their selection for CO certification or for sending to the QRB 

(supervisory position). Completing a PTB does not guarantee progression into the next position. 

Once a completed request package for certification is received, the Cadre Coordinator is required 

to provide communication back to the employee within 60 days. Communication can be a 

certification decision or information regarding the delay (such as referred to an SME panel or the 

QRB). 

50 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Certifying Qualification of a Position Title 

Certification and Recertification Processes 

Table 12 outlines the roles and responsibilities of each individual in the process, where a CA 

certifies an employee as “qualified” for an incident management or incident support position. 

When an employee is decertified for any reason, he or she must be recertified to be considered 

fully qualified. 

Table 12: Certification/Recertification Process 

Responsible Entity 

1. Prepares and submits certification package to FEMA-FQSProgram@fema.dhs.gov Employee 

2. Provides initial review of certification package for completeness Cadre Coordinator/ 

Data Entry Group 

3. Verifies that all documents are recorded in the qualification 

tracking system database 

Cadre Coordinator/ 

Data Entry Group 

4. Forwards complete packages to the Cadre Coordinator and 

incomplete packages to employee 

Cadre Coordinator/ 

Data Entry Group 

5. Evaluates the package for a recommendation to the CO on an 

FTL and prepares a decision letter 

Cadre Coordinator/ 

Data Entry Group 

6. Reviews certification package for qualification determination Certifying Official 

7. Non-supervisory positions—elects to approve or disapprove for 

certification Certifying Official 

a. Signs transmittal Log and Decision Letter and sends to FEMAFQS-Program@fema.dhs.gov, employee and enters 

information into the deployment and qualification tracking 

systems 

Certifying Official 

8. Supervisory positions—Forwards FTL to QRB Chair for review and 

recommendation Certifying Official 

a. QRB Chair reviews package prior to convening the QRB Qualification Review Board 

b. Evaluates certification package Qualification Review Board 

c. Determines recommendation for certification Qualification Review Board 

d. Prepares decision letter for CA Qualification Review Board 

9. Reviews recommendation and approves or disapproves Certifying Authority 

10. Signs transmittal log and decision letter Certifying Authority 

11. Sends signed documents to the Pasadena Call Center (FEMAFQS-Program@fema.dhs.gov) for processing and data entry into 

the qualification management system, as well as the employee 

Cadre Coordinator 

12. Maintains all decision letters and transmittal logs in the 

employee’s file Cadre Coordinator 

51 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Decertification Process 

If a qualified employee fails to meet any of the requirements to maintain qualification, he or she 

will be decertified. Table 13 lists the steps in the decertification process. 

Table 13: Decertification Process 

Responsible Entity 

1. Forwards an FTL and decision letter to the CO for decertification action Cadre Coordinator 

2. Prepares and forwards a notification letter for CA signature Certifying Official 

3. Reviews and signs decertification letter Certifying Authority 

4. Returns signed letter and transmittal log to Cadre Coordinator Certifying Authority 

5. Send decertification letter and transmittal log to FEMA-FQSProgram@fema.dhs.gov to enter information into the deployment and 

qualification tracking systems, as well as to the employee 

Cadre Coordinator 

6. Maintains letter and FTL in employee file for record keeping Cadre Coordinator 

Reconsideration Process 

Reconsideration is a process that begins with an employee requesting consideration of a decision 

by a CA with the intent of reversing or modifying the current incident qualification decision. 

An employee may request reconsideration of a qualification decision by submitting a written 

request within 60 days after receipt of a decision. The request should include supporting 

documentation that clarifies or amplifies documents originally submitted and/or any new 

documentation that supports the employee’s claim of competency for the targeted position. 

The CO or the QRB will review the request for reconsideration. (COs will only review nonsupervisory positions. A QRB will review all other positions.) The CA will make the final 

decision. 

The reconsideration process is the same as the certification process outlined in this section. 

Employees will receive a response to their reconsideration request within 60 days of receipt. A 

reconsideration decision by a CA is final. 

Specialties 

A specialty is a category used to identify a specific and measured (documented or credentialed) 

skill, task, experience, or certification based on recognized standards. A specialty is necessary to 

enhance performance of an associated incident management position. It must be distinct, 

empirically derived and not a general credentialing requirement for an FQS position. 

All requests for new specialties will be reviewed and approved by the CCWG and will be 

considered using consistent standards. 

• Specialties are generally program area specific. 

• Specialties must be held by a sufficient number of employees and not be used to target a 

narrow group of employees repeatedly for deployment. 

52 
 

 

• Specialties must not be the same as a requirement of a current FQS position. 

• Specialties must be validated and approved by CO. 

Assigning and managing specialties: 

• The Cadre Coordinator will approve and assign a specialty to a specific employee. 

• The requirements to maintain a specialty will be managed by the cadre management. 

• The Deployment Unit will maintain employee records in the deployment database. 

When approved to add a cadre specific specialty (by CCWG), the Specialty Confirmation form is 

completed and routed via the CCWG Chairperson who will then forward it to the Deployment 

Unit for incorporation into the deployment tracking system. Cadre leadership is responsible for 

the maintenance and currency of the personnel and the associated specialty 

qualification/requalification requirements. 

Table 14 lists the offices that support the FQS process and the roles they play in the process. 

Table 14: FQS Support Roles 

Who What 

IWMD Coordinates with OCCHCO to ensure individual incident performance evaluations 

are being completed throughout the cadres 

OCCHCO Ensures guidance and processes for performance management are implemented 

FCO/FDRC/ 

Office Director 

Coordinates with Human Resources Specialists to ensure the completion of 

individual incident performance evaluation forms 

Pasadena Call 

Center 

Responds to inquiries, acts as the collection point for FQS qualification 

information, and aids the workforce in understanding the 

qualification/certification, and QRB processes. The Pasadena Call Center also 

conducts preliminary reviews of FQS qualification documentation, processes in 

place, provides notification to employees of decisions related to their 

qualifications, and follows up on inquiries. 

53 
 

 

 

CHAPTER 6: PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT 

One of the main functions of FEMA’s cadre management system is to ensure that all members of 

the workforce are able to perform and continue to perform optimally in an incident environment. 

This demands that the employee’s leadership conduct recurring analysis and assessment of the 

employee’s performance. This is effectively accomplished through a sound deployment 

performance evaluation methodology. Employees, regardless of employee type, must receive a 

comprehensive performance evaluation at the conclusion of their deployment. For FTE 

employees, their deployed performance appraisal may factor into their annual appraisal 

performed by their designated supervisor of record. 

This chapter is designed to provide Cadre Coordinators with an overview of the value of 

performance management for ensuring effective operational readiness of their cadre members, 

and will detail the performance management process for all employee types. 

Principles of Performance Management 

As the primary Federal entity responsible for incident preparedness and response, FEMA relies 

on the incident workforce to accomplish the mission of helping survivors in their time of need. 

FEMA’s greatest asset is its workforce. A robust FQS and performance assessment are essential 

to have a fully trained and qualified workforce. The performance assessment system aligns 

directly to mission goals and demonstrates mission success through evaluation of the workforce. 

The goal of performance assessments is to foster and build a culture of responsibility and 

ownership amongst the workforce. The system informs each employee what is expected during 

deployment and provides employees information about their measures of success. The 

performance assessment system holds individuals accountable for their performance. The system 

of accountability fosters a high-performing workforce trained and capable of serving the nation. 

Performance evaluations will be produced by the supervisor of record or the temporary duty 

supervisor. The Cadre Coordinator, FTE Coordinator, RPM, and IM CORE Program Manager 

will collect the field performance evaluations. 

Individual Incident Performance Evaluation 

Performance assessment during incidents should align to individual performance. The process is 

conducive to timely and meaningful feedback and should provide a framework for administrative 

and operational management decisions as it relates to deployed personnel. For FTEs (PFTs, 

TFTs, COREs, and IM COREs), these evaluations serve as supplemental materials in the overall 

annual appraisal process that is facilitated through the supervisor of record by the Agency. For 

intermittent employees, the evaluations serve as a means for timely feedback at the end of the 

deployment. 

The process for conducting an incident performance evaluation includes the following elements: 

54 
 

 

 

• Every member of an incident workforce cadre who is deployed for 20 days or more shall 

receive an incident performance evaluation, in accordance with FD010-8, FEMA Incident 

Workforce Deployment, Section VIII.C, or superseding policy. 

• The temporary duty station supervisor conducts FTE evaluations and provides them to 

the supervisor of record. 

• The temporary duty station supervisor conducts IM CORE and Reservist evaluations and 

provides them to the respective IM CORE Program Manager or RPM. 

• The temporary duty supervisor executes the performance evaluation. 

• The Cadre Coordinator (or delegate including RPMs, FTE coordinator, or IM CORE 

Program Manager) assists with the performance evaluation process as needed. 

Incident performance evaluations may be factored into an FTE’s annual performance appraisal. 

The supervisor of record will consider the incident performance evaluation as he/she deems 

appropriate when completing the annual rating of record in accordance with FM 255-1-1-1, 

Employee Performance Management Program. 

Temporary duty supervisors must also consult with the Employee Relations Branch in OCCHCO 

and the employee’s supervisor of record when they encounter poor performance and provide all 

documents to the supervisor of record. Prior to initiating any personnel actions, the supervisor of 

record must consult with OCCHCO Employee Relations to ensure that any such actions are 

consistent with Merit Systems and Equal Employment Opportunity principles as well as FEMA 

policy. 

Table 15 lists the offices that support the performance management process and the roles they 

play in the process. 

Table 15: Performance Management Support Roles 

Who What 

IWMD Coordinates with OCCHCO to ensure individual incident performance evaluations 

are being completed throughout the cadres 

OCCHCO Ensures guidance and processes for performance management are implemented 

FCO/FDRC/ 

Office Director 

Coordinates with Human Resources Specialists to ensure the completion of 

individual incident performance evaluation forms 

55 
 

 

 

CHAPTER 7: EQUIPPING MEMBERS OF A CADRE 

This chapter is designed to present information on equipment provided to individual cadre 

members. It is imperative that cadre members have immediate access to fully functional, 

position-appropriate equipment to achieve optimum operational readiness for their assigned 

incident duties. A fully equipped cadre member has received standard issue FEMA equipment, 

cadre specific equipment as identified by cadre leadership, a FEMA badge, FEMA branded 

clothing, and a government issued credit card. 

All cadre members will receive standard FEMA equipment during their onboarding with the 

Agency. Standard FEMA equipment for FTEs and IM COREs will be funded by the employee’s 

home office. Standard FEMA equipment for FEMA Reservists will be funded from the Disaster 

Relief Fund and procured by LMD in coordination with the OCIO and the OCAO. 

Table 16 outlines the roles and responsibilities for members of cadre management and specific 

offices supporting the cadres in relation to the equipping of the cadres. 

56 
1 

2 

Table 16: Roles and Responsibilities for Equipping Cadre Members 

Equipment 

Issuance/ 

Funding 

Cadre Management 

Identifying 

equipment 

requirements 

Authorization 

for 

distribution 

Equipment 

Budget 

Determination 

Equipment 

Status 

Equipment 

Tracking Badging Reasonable Accommodations 

Cadre 

Coordinator ● ● ● ● ● ●

Reservist 

Program 

Manager 

● ● ● ●

IM CORE 

Program 

Manager 

● ● ● ●

APO ● ●

OCIO ● ●

OCSO ●

IWMD ●

Cadre Support 

Logistics 

Management 

Directorate 

● ● ●

57 
 

 

 

 

Principles for Equipping Members of a Cadre 

FEMA’s incident workforce must be able to quickly deploy and build upon operations in 

advance of, or following, an incident. To effectively support the incident workforce, FEMA’s 

equipment strategy states that FEMA must: 

• Ensure FEMA can regularly communicate with all members of the incident workforce 

(whether they are deployed or not) to ensure readiness; this includes access to the most 

current information about FEMA policies and programs, equipment upgrades, and 

completion of required training 

• Leverage opportunities to increase efficiencies and reduce costs 

• Ensure members of the incident workforce have access to equipment that is most 

appropriate for their job functions 

• Comply with personal property regulations and policy 

The determination on the type of equipment issued will be dependent upon the cadre member’s 

FQS job title. 

Cadre Coordinators will communicate operational equipment requirements that are beyond or in 

lieu of standard FEMA equipment to IWMD, who will coordinate with LMD and OCIO to 

ensure position-appropriate equipment is procured and readily available for distribution to meet 

operational requirements. 

Primary Responsibilities for Equipping a Cadre 

Cadre Coordinators 

• Identifying equipment requirements: Cadres identify the specific equipment necessary 

to complete the mission and communicate these requirements to LMD. Cadre 

Coordinators identify the equipment needs of their entire cadre. Cadre Coordinators or 

their designees communicate with cadre members to determine the status of staff 

equipment and assist in addressing any issues. 

• Authorization for distribution: The Cadre Coordinator authorizes the distribution of 

cadre specific equipment to cadre members. 

• Equipment budget determination: The Cadre Coordinator provides cost estimates for 

equipment needs to LMD for FY budget requirements. 

• Equipment status: Cadre Coordinators maintain accurate data related to the equipment 

status of Reservist and IM CORE cadre members and ensure that information is updated 

in the FEMA system of record by collaborating with the designated Cadre Accountable 

58 
 

 

 

 

 

Property Officer (APO) in the Property Management Division of LMD (LMD-PMD).7 

The Cadre Coordinator also coordinates with the cadre’s APO to track and order 

equipment, or coordinate the repair of issued equipment as necessary. Cadre Coordinators 

are able to access data related to equipment issued to cadre members, which they use to 

monitor the equipment status of their cadre and ensure accountability and operability of 

all assigned equipment. Cadre Coordinators communicate to and work directly with LMD 

and OCIO to resolve any identified equipment shortfalls (e.g., expired, lost, or broken 

equipment) among Reservist cadre members. 

• Badging: The Cadre Coordinator approves cadre members badging requests. 

• Reasonable Accommodations: Cadre Coordinators communicate operational equipment 

requirements that are beyond or in lieu of standard FEMA equipment to IWMD, who 

then coordinate with LMD and OCIO to ensure position-appropriate equipment is 

procured and readily available for distribution to meet operational requirements. 

Reservist Program Manager and IM CORE Program Manager 

• Identifying equipment requirements: In support of the Cadre Coordinator, RPMs and 

IM CORE Program Managers provide accurate information related to equipment 

distribution, maintenance, and accountability of Reservists. 

• Equipment Budget Determination: The RPMs and IM Core Program Managers provide 

cost estimates for equipment needs to the Cadre Coordinator for FY budget requirements. 

• Equipment Status: At the direction of the Cadre Coordinator, the RPM/IM CORE 

Program Manager ensures that information is updated in the FEMA System of Record, in 

coordination with LMD. 

• Reasonable Accommodations: The RPMs and IM Core Program Managers 

communicate operational equipment requirements that are beyond or in lieu of standard 

FEMA equipment to the Cadre Coordinator, who coordinates with LMD and OCIO to 

ensure position-appropriate equipment is procured and readily available for distribution 

to meet operational requirements. 

Office of the Chief Information Officer 

• Equipment Issuance/ Funding: OCIO coordinates with IWMD and OCCHCO to 

support the issuing and set up of information technology and communications equipment 

during the onboarding of cadre members. OCIO provides cost analysis and breakdown of 

information technology and communications equipment. 

• Equipment Status: The OCIO identifies and informs IWMD and LMD-PMD on the 

information technology and communication equipment FEMA has approved for 

procurement to support equipping the incident workforce. 

7 An APO is an individual designated in writing to maintain the accountability for FEMA property (in use or 

storage) in accordance with a prescribed system that shows the authorized debits, credits, and available balances on 

hand, or obligated for use, for such an activity. 

59 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Office of the Chief Security Officer 

• Badging: OCSO coordinates with Cadre Coordinators, supervisors of record, and 

Regional Security Officers to provide Personal Identify Verification (PIV) applicants in 

the incident workforce with badges. All applicants must meet the minimum requirements 

for a PIV in accordance with HSPD-12 policy based on the individual’s position 

sensitivity. A background status check will determine if the applicant meets all 

requirements for badging issuance. 

Incident Workforce Management Division 

• Equipment Issuance/ Funding: IWMD serves as a coordination and information 

conduit to the various organizations involved in equipping cadre members of the incident 

workforce with standardized equipment. Through coordination and partnership with all 

stakeholders, IWMD ensures position-appropriate equipment is procured and readily 

available for distribution to meet all operational requirements. 

Federal Coordinating Officers 

In the event the employee does not have standard equipment already issued to them, FCOs work 

with their Logistics Section Chief and Program Lead(s) at the JFO to distribute equipment for 

any cadre members in the incident workforce. FCOs coordinate with the Logistics Section Chief 

and incident site APO to ensure equipment distribution information is recorded in the FEMA 

System of Record and subsequently transferred to the cadre accounts maintained by LMD-PM 

APO’s. FCOs ensure distributed equipment at the JFO is retained by the cadre member. 

Logistics Management Directorate 

• Equipment Issuance/ Funding: LMD issues equipment for the following cadre 

members: IM CORE and Reservist, while OCAO issues equipment for PFTs and COREs 

with the appropriate funding to either LMD or CAO.8 LMD PMD will coordinate with 

Cadre Coordinators to distribute equipment to employees at the beginning of 

appointments/onboarding and retrieve equipment at the conclusion of employment 

appointments, when applicable, or when the equipment is no longer needed. LMD-PMD 

coordinates with OCIO on the distribution and property accountability for any electronic 

communications. LMD assigns an APO to each cadre and one for IM COREs. 

• Equipment Status: Designated cadre APOs initiate and complete reports of survey in 

accordance with applicable Agency directives for equipment reported as lost or damaged. 

LMD, in coordination with the OCAO, maintains formal accountability and reporting in 

the FEMA System of Record. LMD Property Management maintains accountable records 

for fund code 06 employees and Support Services and Facilities Management Division 

(within OCAO) arranges for Accountable Officer support for fund code 90 employees 

8 Federal Emergency Management Agency. Federal Personal Property Management. Directive Number FD119-7, 

REV: 02, Issue Date 09/24/2013. 

60 
 

 

assigned to fixed sites. The Distribution Management Division within LMD maintains 

lifecycle maintenance and inventory controls of selected equipment in storage and 

informs IWMD when new procurements are required. 

Processes for Equipping Cadre Members 

The processes for equipping cadre members with the basic, non-cadre specific items they need to 

perform their basic functions are provided below. Processes for equipping cadre members with 

cadre specific/unique equipment are not addressed below and should be contained in individual 

cadre standard operating procedures. 

Information Technology Equipment 

Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 below show the different processes for equipping various employee types 

with IT components, and for IT equipment replacement. 

61 
 

 

 

 Reservist 

or IM CORE 

new hired 

Enrolled in the FEMA 

Incident Workforce 

Academy (FIWA) 

Cadre Coordinator 

communicates to 

IWMD the required 

equipment based on 

the FQS title for which 

the employee was 

hired 

Reservist or IM CORE 

coordinates with LMD 

to ensure equipment 

distribution 

requirement at FIWA 

APO creates profile 

in FEMA inventory 

system of record 

APO distributes 

equipment at FIWA 

issues hand receipt, 

ensures signature of 

revocable License 

Agreement, and adds 

information to FEMA 

inventory system of 

record 

LMD will track, 

account, and 

maintain lifecycle 

maintenance 

Figure 4: Process for Equipping a New Reservist and IM CORE: FIWA 

Reservist or 

IM CORE 

new hire 

Deploys to JFO 

Cadre Coordinator 

communicates to 

Program Lead at JFO 

the required 

equipment based on 

the FQS title for which 

the employee was 

hired 

Program Lead 

coordinates with 

APO/Logistics Section 

Chief at the JFO to 

ensure equipment 

distribution 

APO at JFO creates 

profile in FEMA 

inventory system of 

record 

APO distributes 

equipment at JFO 

and adds information 

to FEMA inventory 

system of record 

LMD will track, 

account, and 

maintain lifecycle 

maintenance 

Figure 5: Process for Equipping a New Reservist and IM CORE: Deployment to a JFO 

62 
 

 

 

 

 

 

FTE new 

hire 

FTE will be issued 

standardized 

equipment at 

OCCHCO Onboarding 

Entry on Duty Training 

LMD (in coordination with OCAO) 

will track, account, and maintain 

lifecycle maintenance 

Figure 6: Process for Equipping a New PFT and New CORE 

FTE, Reservist, or IM CORE 

completes Government 

Property Lost/Damaged/ 

Stolen form filed by 

employee and APO 

Cadre Coordinator 

works with LMD or 

OCAO to ensure 

replacement of 

equipment, as 

required 

LMD will track, account, and 

maintain lifecycle maintenance 

Figure 7: Process for Equipment Replacement 

A Cadre Coordinator may arrange for equipment to be issued during a mass cadre-specific 

training event. If a new hire’s entry date falls close to FQS training, the equipment issuance may 

be rolled into that event. 

See appendix H for more information on equipping the Reservist and resolution of equipment 

issues. 

FEMA Branded Clothing 

Cadre Coordinators provide FEMA clothing to its members if they are serving in a public-facing 

job title. Cadre management and incident personnel use FEMA-branded equipment in 

accordance with FD123-18, Standard FEMA-Distinctive Clothing. 

Government Issued Charge Card 

FTEs with IM positions, Reservists, and IM COREs receive travel cards through their supervisor 

of record. Cadre Coordinators inform the FTE supervisor of record that their employees are 

required to have a government issued charge card in good standing to deploy in their incident 

management roles. The supervisor of record contacts the appropriate Organizational Program 

Coordinator as soon as an entry onto duty notification is received from OCCHCO to ensure the 

expeditious delivery of the charge card. 

Badging Information 

Every FEMA employee is required to retain a valid, federally-issued government identification 

card (FEMA PIV card) for the purpose of accessing Federal facilities and certain government 

issued equipment (laptop). The issuance and replacement of badges can be accomplished by 

coordination with facilities within 65 miles of applicant such as: regional offices, headquarters, 

transitional recovery offices, incidents, special badging assignments, or other nationwide DHS 

PIV card issuance facilities. Personnel who resign their position, are terminated, or no longer 

require a badge or credential, must forward item(s) to FEMA HQ Access Control Office, 500 C 

Street SW, Washington, DC 20472-3100. Upon notification, FEMA HQ Access Control Office 

63 
 

 

officially notifies the employee to return all FEMA issued badges, credentials, and equipment. 

Items will be returned at government’s expense, utilizing appropriate tracking methods. 

Cadre Specific Equipment 

Cadre specific supplemental and/or ancillary equipment is identified and reported to LMD by the 

Cadre Coordinator. Processes and procedures associated with the issuance and return of these 

items are addressed in cadre-specific standard operating procedures. 

Reasonable Accommodations 

Deciding officials forward all adjudicated requests from all members of the cadre to OER for 

recordkeeping and reporting purposes in accordance with existing FEMA reasonable 

accommodation policy guidance. Funding for reasonable accommodations for Reservists is 

provided by IWMD from the Disaster Relief Fund. IWMD, in collaboration with OER, funds 

approved requests for reasonable accommodations. The Cadre Coordinator tracks all reasonable 

accommodation requests from origin to fulfillment. The Cadre Coordinator, along with IWMD 

and OER, conduct this approval process. . 

Support in Equipping a Cadre 

Cadre Coordinators ensure the accountability of standardized equipment for members of their 

cadre. Table 17 outlines support and points of contact for equipping a cadre to provide guidance 

and responsibilities for stakeholders vested in equipment issuance, maintenance, and 

accountability. 

64 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 17: Cadre Equipping Support Roles 

Who What Why 

OCCHCO 

• Onboarding 

process for FTEs 

• Onboarding Entry 

on Duty training 

• Coordinates the hiring and onboarding for FTE new 

personnel 

LMD 

• Order equipment 

• Issuance of 

equipment 

• System of record 

• APO coordination 

• Coordinates equipment orders with Distribution 

Management 

• Distributes and tracks assigned equipment 

• Updates the FEMA System of Record to reflect issued 

equipment 

• Orders or coordinates the repair of selected 

government issued equipment 

OCIO 

• Information 

technology and 

communication 

equipment 

• Sets standards and specifications for IT procurement 

• Maintains contracts with wireless service for 

communication equipment 

OCAO 

• Property 

accountability and 

reporting 

• Maintains data in the FEMA System of Record 

• Provides reports of survey for all FTE property 

FCO • JFO activities • Allows the distributed equipment at the JFO 

• Is responsible for overall equipment efforts at the JFO 

RPM • Reservist activities 

• Provides accurate information related to equipment 

distribution, maintenance, and accountability of 

Reservists 

IM CORE 

Program 

Manager 

• IM CORE activities 

• Provides accurate information related to equipment 

distribution, maintenance, and accountability of IM 

COREs 

OER • Reasonable 

accommodation 

• Provides technical assistance to deciding officials to 

ensure that equipment and services are appropriate 

to accommodate employee’s disability in accordance 

with the time frames established in existing FEMA 

reasonable accommodation policy 

OCSO • Badging • Provides HSPD-12 PIV card badge issuance and 

Identity and Credential Management support 

Pasadena 

Call Center 

• Reservist 

equipment status 

• Maintains and monitors equipment readiness data via 

updates to equipment status information provided by 

the Reservist workforce through email and telephone 

surveys 

65 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 8: CADRE READINESS ASSESSMENT 

The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the various aspects of cadre readiness and inform 

leadership about the incident management cadres’ ability to perform operations in the field/at the 

incident level.

9 Cadre readiness and its assessment is targeted at ensuring that cadres can apply 

the right person with the right skill at the right time in the event of an emergency, but should not 

be considered a comprehensive evaluation of a cadre’s overall capabilities. Because these 

assessments are objective in nature, there are many subjective aspects of cadre performance not 

captured in these readiness assessments that vary by cadre and must be monitored and enforced 

by cadre management (e.g., exercises). 

Principles of Cadre Readiness Assessment 

To provide cadre and FEMA leadership with a transparent picture of incident management cadre 

readiness, IWMD produces an objective report that demonstrates cadre readiness across various 

staffing, equipping, and training metrics. The primary combined cadre reporting tool used for 

this purpose is the Cadre Operational Readiness and Deployability Status (CORDS) report. 

Additionally, IWMD provides cadre management teams with access to the individual readiness 

data for all employees within their incident management population. Once fully implemented, 

both the CORDS report and the individual readiness data will be available in a real-time 

dashboard using the deployment and training system of record. 

In the broadest sense, the CORDS assessment enables cadre managers and FEMA leadership to 

identify resource needs (personnel, equipment, and/or training) that will improve FEMA’s ability 

to rapidly respond and appropriately sustain operations to meet the needs of survivors. The 

assessment will also inform a force structure assessment to help FEMA maintain an 

appropriately balanced workforce. 

The CORDS report uses three categories to measure cadre performance (and variables within the 

category): 

• Staffing: This includes cadre force strength, staff availability both of force strength 

(percent available to deploy out of those with incident management titles in a given 

cadre), and of force structure (the percent of employees available if the cadre were at full 

strength), percent deployed and percent who have requested non-availability. 

• Training: This includes the qualification percentage across the cadre in primary FQS job 

titles both out of current force strength (percent of those in the cadre who are currently 

qualified in their primary FQS job title) and out of force structure (the percent of 

qualified employees if the cadre were at full strength). 

9 The current list of IM Cadres can be found in appendix I. Appendices K-T contain additional information that may 

be helpful to the FEMA incident workforce. 

66 
 

• Equipping: This includes the measure of equipment readiness based on the percent of 

Reservists and IM COREs who have their standardized equipment on-hand. 

This assessment uses objective metrics from the current systems of record to enforce use of these 

systems. 

Readiness Scores 

The CORDS report can be considered a readiness report card indicating current-time health of 

the incident workforce. The CORDS algorithm assigns an overall Deployability-Rating (Drating) to each cadre based on these pre-defined weights and thresholds. The percentages, 

weights, and qualifying thresholds used to “grade” the workforce, both within variables and 

categories, may adjust over time based on programmatic and leadership priority changes. The Dratings will be established and maintained by the IWESC. 

The readiness report card is a reflection of FEMA’s ability to respond, and not solely a reflection 

of a cadre’s performance. The cadres have a responsibility in ensuring their cadre is mission 

ready, as do the enabling organizations within the Agency. 

Assessment Methodology 

To fully enforce the FEMA systems of record used to deploy the incident workforce, the systems 

of record will feed the CORDS and individual readiness data. All staffing and training metrics 

are pulled from the deployment and training systems of record. The equipment metrics are 

currently pulled from a survey-based system and eventually will be a data feed from the property 

book system of record to the deployment and training system of record. These systems of record 

pull their data from other sources (e.g., National Finance Center, National Emergency Training 

Center, etc.) and as such, processing and transaction delays will result in a slight variation to the 

results. 

Categories are weighted to determine the overall D-rating with an emphasis on the Staffing 

category. Staffing is most heavily weighted to acknowledge that in critical situations, FEMA has 

the ability to surge equipment and execute on-the-job training, but may risk mission success 

when its cadres are not staffed in accordance with the force planning models. 

Responding to Cadre Scores 

The CORDS report will allow the cadre management team and its leadership to take the 

appropriate corrective action to improve cadre readiness. Cadre Coordinators should formally 

submit resource requests beyond their internal capability to the CCWG. 

67 
 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER 9: COMMUNICATION AND 

COORDINATION 

This chapter is designed to identify and describe methods for Cadre Coordinators to use in 

effectively communicating to members of their respective cadres. It provides guidance on 

communication and coordination efforts across all levels of the incident workforce and identifies 

best practices. 

Principles of Communication 

To achieve the goal of a more-ready workforce, FEMA’s cadre management communication 

guidance outlined below recognizes the need to increase awareness and understanding across the 

entire incident workforce regarding staffing, training, qualifying, equipping, and performance 

management processes and objectives. It further aims to increase buy-in and commitment from 

all stakeholders to maintain high-readiness levels. 

FEMA has developed a number of methods and systems to support clear, consistent 

communication practices. These methods and systems include the use of individual readiness 

data, blast communications, coordination calls, and web-based collaboration sites. They are 

designed to support information sharing at the individual and collective levels and to ensure all 

employees, regardless of duty location, have access to the information they need to be 

successful. These tools will also support cadre management personnel in building a culture that 

prioritizes readiness and increases trust between all members of their respective cadres. FEMA 

aims to foster open lines of communication between senior leadership, management, and cadre 

members/employees, which will further contribute to the overall readiness and ability to respond 

as an agency. 

While FEMA’s distributed workforce will likely challenge Cadre Coordinators’ ability to reach 

their respective incident workforce members, a varied communications strategy will assist them 

in leading all members of their team. To the greatest degree possible, all communication media 

should utilize, as necessary, alternative formats and other accommodation measures to ensure 

that cadre members have equal access to communications. 

Data Sharing 

As described in the previous chapter, IWMD will assist all cadres in measuring their collective 

readiness through the development and distribution of the CORDS report. IWMD will also 

provide each Cadre Coordinator individual readiness data. The individual readiness data will 

provide availability, training, qualification, and equipment status of each member of their cadre. 

This data will provide the Cadre Coordinator with an accurate picture of their cadre without 

requiring cadre management personnel to access multiple tools and databases. It will serve as a 

68 
 

 

 

 

ready reference of each employee’s readiness to deploy, and will help Cadre Coordinators 

provide guidance and direction to each of their cadre members as they move through the training 

and qualification process. In addition, the individual readiness report will help Cadre 

Coordinators plan for the future needs of their cadre. It will allow Cadre Coordinators or Cadre 

Training Managers to identify common training and educational requirements and help enable 

them to prioritize course development or execution. 

IWMD will maintain a system of record that captures readiness data pertaining to the incident 

workforce. When necessary, IWMD will ensure these systems interface with those of other 

divisions, directorates, and regions (IWM Liaison Teams) to ensure an accurate picture of 

readiness can be established. 

Cross Cadre Collaboration 

In addition to regularly convening the CCWG, IWMD will support collaboration across cadres 

by maintaining a cadre management SharePoint site. The site, accessible to all cadre 

management personnel and members of the incident workforce, will house all policy and 

guidance documents, memos, manuals, and standard operating procedures pertinent to the 

incident workforce. The site will also house contact information of all cadre management 

personnel. IWMD will update the SharePoint site regularly and will communicate changes to the 

site to all stakeholders. 

Separate from formal meetings of the CCWG, IWMD will host twice-monthly cadre 

management coordination calls to support day-to-day collaboration. These meetings will be open 

to all cadre management personnel including Cadre Coordinators, RPMs, FTE Coordinators, IM 

CORE Program Managers, Cadre Training Managers, and Regional IWM Liaison Team 

members. IWMD will schedule meetings, ensure dial-in capability is provided, distribute the 

agenda, and capture key discussion items for distribution to the group. If recurring issues are 

identified during these collaborative meetings, IWMD will ensure they are formally considered 

by the CCWG. 

Cadre Governance and Oversight 

IWMD will ensure decisions made by the IWESC or CCWG are shared with the leadership of 

each cadre and regional stakeholders. The Director of IWMD, as the Chairman of the CCWG, 

will provide a summary of CCWG discussions to all CAs, COs, and Cadre Coordinators. The 

Director will also ensure issues identified by the CCWG that require the attention of the IWESC 

are conveyed to the DDO as the Chairman of the IWESC. In addition, the Director of IWMD, 

will distribute a summary of decisions from any IWESC meeting to all CAs, COs, and Cadre 

Coordinators. Cadre Coordinators should share information on any changes with their staff. 

69 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pasadena Call Center 

IWMD will maintain a Call Center in Region IX, which will remain a point of engagement for 

FEMA employees. The Pasadena Call Center will remain open Monday-Friday to handle 

questions pertaining to any incident workforce issues. 

Coordination/Communication with Cadre Members 

All Cadre Coordinators, RPMs, FTE Coordinators, Cadre Training Managers, IM CORE 

Program Managers, and Regional IWM Liaison teams, as applicable, will regularly communicate 

with each other and the individual employees of their cadre. As changes in policy or procedure 

affecting the incident workforce occur, and/or if an incident requiring the deployment of a large 

portion of the cadre takes place, cadre management personnel will communicate those changes to 

all cadre members in a timely manner. They will use a variety of communication methods to 

ensure information is passed effectively, including email blasts, quarterly teleconferences, mass 

mailings, and personal phone calls. Cadre management personnel will maintain accurate records 

of contact information for all members of their cadre. This communication should include 

messages to the entire cadre as well as individual outreach. 

Cadre management personnel will endeavor to reach all personnel within their cadre individually 

to address their specific concerns. At least annually, each Cadre Coordinator, or RPM, FTE 

Coordinator, and IM CORE Program Manager, as applicable, will call every cadre member to 

validate the individual readiness data. If that information is not accurate, the Cadre Coordinator 

will record the discrepancy and take appropriate actions to correct the information. This may 

include gathering training certificates to update the employee’s training record or collecting 

equipment barcodes. The Cadre Coordinator will then convey that information to IWMD so that 

it can be corrected in the appropriate data system. 

Annual Individual Readiness Cadre Call 

All Cadre Coordinators, RPMs, FTE Coordinators, and IM CORE Program Managers, as 

applicable, will contact each cadre member individually on at least an annual basis, in addition to 

regular outreach and communication actions. The call should be geared towards policy updates, 

program changes, problem solving, lessons learned, and best practices, not just as a status check. 

Following are the steps involved in conducting annual individual readiness cadre calls: 

Preparation 

1. E-mail communication to all cadre members announcing period of time when call will be 

conducted 

a. Include information regarding the nature of the call 

b. Inform cadre members of any information they will be asked to provide on the 

call (e.g., equipment serial numbers, availability status, etc.) 

2. Review individual readiness data and make sure contact information for each employee is 

available 

70 
 

 

 

3. If any information will be requested on the call, ensure form is developed to capture 

information. Coordinate form with IWMD to ensure information collected can be input in 

the relevant system following the calls. 

During Call 

1. Review individual readiness data with the cadre member and validate information on file 

a. Make sure contact information for each employee is accurate 

b. Make sure training and qualification status is accurate 

c. Review performance evaluations on file, if applicable 

2. Record any discrepancies in employee’s file 

3. Keep track of length of call with each Reservist to ensure compensation in accordance 

with the Fair Labor Standards Act 

4. Answer any questions the cadre member has and make note of any additional follow-on 

actions 

Following the Call 

1. Pass any corrections in the employee’s individual readiness data to IWMD for correction 

in the system of record 

2. Update cadre rosters or contact information documents as necessary 

3. Follow-up on any additional requests 

Quarterly Cadre Coordination Call 

Cadre Coordinators have funding for Reservist participation up to 32 hours per year, eight hours 

per quarter, in order to coordinate with their cadre members via quarterly call. The procedures 

for this call are noted below. When desired, Cadre Coordinators can utilize additional tools such 

as Adobe Connect to support this call. Detailed instructions for setting up webinars through 

Adobe Connect can be found on the FEMA intranet at: 

http://on.fema.net/employee_tools/it_tools/esd/Pages/adobeconnect.aspx. 

Preparation 

1. E-mail communication to all cadre members announcing call 

a. Include RSVP instructions, especially for Reservists so that their time can be 

accounted for 

b. Include meeting agenda with a precise purpose of the call noted 

c. Consider having call captioned 

2. For Reservists, identify a “timekeeper” in WebTA 

3. Evaluate each Reservist’s WebTA profile and ensure they are currently active in the 

system to process their WebTA. With FEMA’s newly implemented process, nondeployed status Reservists in the deployment system have their WebTA profiles 

automatically deactivated. 

71 
 

 

 

 

During the Call 

1. Identify participants on the call 

a. It is not recommended to have each cadre member announce themselves on the 

call 

b. Options for managing calls in larger cadres include: 

i. Requesting cadre members to e-mail the designated cadre mailbox and 

confirm their participation in the call, or 

ii. Setting up the call via Adobe Connect to record all active participants 

2. Identify any “high level” issues that may require follow-up by the Cadre Coordinator or 

leadership 

3. Keep the call focused to a specific topic and monitor the length of the call (as only a 

specific amount of time has been allocated to compensation for Reservists) 

Following the Call 

1. Cadre Coordinator will provide list of confirmed Reservists to designated Timekeeper 

a. Review and certify time 

b. E-mail Reservists when time has been processed and validated in WebTA 

2. E-mail a compilation of the questions and responses from the call, and address any that 

could not be answered during the call 

3. Include in closeout e-mail the date for the next scheduled call 

4. Remind cadre members of the cadre’s main mailbox 

5. Remind/reiterate any staff points of contact that handle specific functions for your cadre 

to include Reservists 

72 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANNEX 1: ACRONYMS 

ACQ Acquisitions 

ADR Alternative Dispute Resolution 

APO Accountable Property Officer 

CA Certifying Authority 

CCWG Cadre Coordinator Working Group 

CO Certifying Official 

CORDS Cadre Operational Readiness and Deployability Status 

CORE Cadre of On-call Response Employees 

DDO Director of Disaster Operations 

DEC Disaster Emergency Communications 

DFTO Disaster Field Training Operations 

DHS Department of Homeland Security 

DI Disability Integration 

DSA Disaster Survivor Assistance 

EA External Affairs 

EHP Environmental and Historic Preservation 

EMI Emergency Management Institute 

ER Equal Rights 

ERF Employee Request Form 

FA Financial Management 

FCO Federal Coordinating Officer 

FDRC Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator 

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency 

FIWA Federal Incident Workforce Academy 

73 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FQS FEMA Qualification System 

FS Force Structure 

FTE Full-Time Equivalent 

FTL FQS Transmittal Log 

HR Human Resources 

IA Individual Assistance 

ICS Incident Command System 

IM Incident Management 

IMAT Incident Management Assistance Team 

IT Information Technology 

IWESC Incident Workforce Executive Steering Committee 

IWM Incident Workforce Management 

IWMD Incident Workforce Management Division 

JFO Joint Field Office 

LAW Legal Assistance 

LMD Logistics Management Directorate 

LOG Logistics 

METL Mission Essential Task List 

MIT Mitigation 

NCCC National Civilian Community Corps 

NDRS National Disaster Recovery Support 

NRCC National Response Coordination Center 

OCAO Office of the Chief Administrative Officer 

OCC Office of the Chief Counsel 

OCCHCO Office of the Chief Component Human Capital Officer 

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OCIO Office of the Chief Information Officer 

OER Office of Equal Rights 

OPM Office of Personnel Management 

OPS Operations 

PA Public Assistance 

PFT Permanent Full Time 

PIV Personal Identity Verification 

PL Planning 

PMD Property Management Division 

PTB Position Task Book 

QRB Qualification Review Board 

RA Regional Administrator 

RPM Reservist Program Manager 

RRCC Regional Response Coordination Center 

RSV Reservist 

SAT Systems Approach to Training 

SCF Surge Capacity Force 

SEC Security 

SF Safety 

SLTT State, local, tribal, and territorial 

SME Subject Matter Expert 

TFT Temporary Full Time 

TIAS Training Information Access System 

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ANNEX 2: GLOSSARY 

Available: The status of a FEMA incident workforce member who can readily deploy in support 

of an incident in either an Incident Management or Incident Support role. 

Cadre: A group of FEMA FTE and intermittent employees organized by operational or 

programmatic functions and FQS positions that perform disaster-related duties during FEMA 

incident operations. 

Cadre Coordinator: Each incident workforce cadre shall maintain one Cadre Coordinator, who 

has delegated authority from the CA to oversee all aspects of day-to day cadre management, 

including staffing, equipping, training, qualifying, and performance of the cadre and its 

members. 

Cadre Management: The administration, coordination, and professional development of a 

FEMA cadre to ensure individual and collective operational readiness to perform disaster-related 

duties. 

Candidate: An individual who is qualified in at least one FQS position and selected by a CO to 

open a new PTB for a higher FQS job title. 

Certification: The validation and affirmation of the qualifications process for a FEMA FQS 

position. 

Certifying Authority (CA): The CA is the highest-ranking FEMA official—Assistant 

Administrator equivalent or higher—for the cadre. The CA may delegate FQS authority (in 

accordance with the FQS Guide) and cadre management authorities to the Certifying Official 

and/or Cadre Coordinator, but ultimately bears responsibility for the effective management and 

performance of the cadre. 

Certifying Official (CO): The CO is designated by the CA to manage FQS for a specific 

incident workforce cadre, including having the authority from the CA to issue PTBs and certify 

individuals for specific FQS positions. The CO cannot delegate this authority. 

Coach-Evaluator: An individual certified by FEMA as an evaluator who is qualified in the 

position being evaluated and is assigned at an incident to mentor and/or evaluate a 

trainee’s/candidate’s performance. For tasks completed in a simulated environment (classroom, 

exercise, or simulation), successful completion of each task is documented by the instructor or 

assigned evaluator. A coach-evaluator is usually the same person providing instruction as a 

“coach” and subsequently evaluating the performance as an “evaluator.” 

Decertification: The process of rescinding an FQS qualification of an individual. 

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Deployment: The movement of personnel based on official orders to a temporary duty station to 

fulfill incident management or support requirements, including training related to those duties. 

Director of Disaster Operations (DDO): A senior FEMA official designated by the FEMA 

Administrator to coordinate and synchronize all headquarters activities for credible threats as 

well as during major disaster or emergency activations. The DDO provides operational guidance 

and direction to the Chief of the National Response Coordination Staff. 

FEMA Qualification System (FQS): A performance-based system for certifying FEMA 

employees as “Qualified” or “Trainee” in incident management and incident support positions; 

certification is based on successful completion of required experience, required training, and 

demonstrated performance. 

Final Evaluator: The official responsible for signing the verification statement that all tasks 

have been certified in a trainee’s/candidate’s PTB by an evaluator and recommending that the 

trainee/candidate be considered for certification in the position. 

Force Package: A predefined, standardized grouping of teams, personnel, and/or equipment to 

provide a specific programmatic or operational function. 

Force Strength: The actual number of members in FEMA’s incident workforce cadres who are 

qualified or trainees, and who are equipped for deployment. 

Force Structure: A FEMA model that establishes incident personnel staffing requirements 

based on analysis of historical deployment data, readiness requirements, and likely future 

conditions. 

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Employee: Includes PFT Employees, TFT Employees, and 

COREs. 

Incident Command System (ICS): A standardized on-scene emergency management construct 

specifically designed to provide an integrated organizational structure that reflects the 

complexity and demands of single or multiple incidents, without being hindered by jurisdictional 

boundaries. ICS is the combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and 

communications operating within a common organizational structure, designed to aid in the 

management of resources during incidents. It is used for all kinds of emergencies and is 

applicable to small as well as large and complex incidents. ICS is used by various jurisdictions 

and functional agencies, both public and private, to organize field-level incident management 

operations. 

Incident Level: The level for which control of FEMA incident operations, including the Federal 

resources deployed to an incident and the establishment of a Unified Coordination Group, is 

delegated to the FCO or Federal Resource Coordinator. 

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Incident Management: The incident-level operation of the Federal role in emergency response, 

recovery, logistics, and mitigation. Responsibilities include the direct control and employment of 

resources, management of incident offices, operations, and delivery of Federal assistance through 

all phases of response and recovery. 

Incident Management COREs (IM COREs): A CORE whose primary job duty is to perform 

an FQS incident management position above all other potential assignments. 

Incident Management and Support Keystone: A FEMA document that establishes the 

foundational doctrine that guides FEMA’s conduct of incident operations, including those 

undertaken based on a threat, in anticipation of or preparation for a significant event, or in 

response to an incident that has already occurred. 

Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT): A NIMS/ICS-compliant, self-sufficient, 

highly mobile, rapidly deployable emergency response team organized and equipped to 

effectively manage all Federal support to a State, local, tribal, or territorial government during 

natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other man-made disasters. For Stafford Act incidents, the 

primary mission of an IMAT is to organize and manage a coordinated and successful response 

and recovery operation to meet the emergent needs of State and local jurisdictions. 

Incident Management Typed Positions: Positions for which different qualification levels called 

types have been established that reflect the size and complexity of the incident, based on FEMA 

incident levels, in which the employee is required to perform. Typed positions include FCOs and 

Command and General Staff positions, which are typed at levels I, II, and III to coincide with 

Level I, II, and III incidents; Branch Director positions are typed at levels I and II. An employee 

who is qualified for a typed position may fill his/her position in any incident level at or below 

his/her type. For example, type I staff members may be assigned to level I, II, or III incidents; 

type III employees may not be assigned to level I or II incidents (except as a trainee/candidate 

for a higher typed position). 

Incident Support: The coordination of all Federal resources that support emergency response, 

recovery, logistics, and mitigation. Responsibilities include the deployment of national-level 

assets, support of national objectives and programs affected during the incident, and support of 

incident operations with resources, expertise, information, and guidance. 

Incident Workforce: Individuals assigned to perform disaster-related duties in FEMA incident 

operations. 

Position Qualification Sheet: A written document that identifies required experience, training, 

and external certification (if any) for a given position. 

Position Task Book (PTB): A document that lists the critical behaviors, activities, and tasks 

required to become certified for a given incident management or incident support position within 

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FQS; successful completion of all tasks in the PTB, as determined by an authorized FQS 

evaluator, is the basis for recommending a trainee or candidate for certification. 

Program: The FEMA component or office with authority for and oversight of the functions for 

which a particular cadre is responsible. 

Qualifications Review Board (QRB): A group convened to evaluate employees’ qualifications 

against established standards and provide fair and consistent recommendations for certification 

(including recertification or decertification). 

Qualified: An individual who has met qualification requirements under FQS and received a 

qualification letter from his or her Certifying Authority. 

Readiness: The condition of an individual, team, group, or organization that demonstrates their 

ability to meet a designated assignment. 

Recertification: The process of reinstating the qualifications and certification of an employee. 

Reconsideration: A process of reviewing a decision by a CA, based on a trainee’s/candidate’s 

written request within 60 days after receipt of a decision, with the intent of reversing or 

modifying the requester’s incident qualification status. 

Reservist: Employees appointed under Stafford Act authority, who work intermittently as 

required in support of incident operations. 

Subject-Matter Expert (SME): A person who is an expert in a particular area or topic. 

Subordinate Job Title: A job title that falls under an employee’s FQS primary job title in the 

career progression chart. Subordinate job titles do not count against force structure numbers. 

Supervisor of Record: The supervisor with the responsibility to exercise independent judgment 

to direct that employee on all matters relating, but not limited to, assignment and evaluation of 

work, administration, training, property accountability, and to discipline or terminate the 

employee. 

Temporary Duty Supervisor: The manager under whose supervision a deployed employee will 

work. 

Temporary Full Time (TFT): An employee assigned a full-time work schedule and provided 

either a term appointment under 5 C.F.R. Part 316, subpart C or a permanent appointment under 5 

C.F.R. § 213.3102(c). 

Trainee: An individual that has an open PTB for an entry-level position in a cadre. A trainee 

does not hold any FQS qualification. 

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APPENDIX A: GUIDANCE FOR WORKING AT THE 

RESIDENCE OF RECORD OR AT AN ALTERNATE 

LOCATION WHEN ON TEMPORARY DUTY 

1. Work may not be performed from these locations if the work involves classified materials 

and/or requires daily face-to-face contact. 

2. Information that is For Official Use Only may be accessed using employee-owned 

equipment and may only be saved on government-issued equipment. 

3. Performance will be evaluated consistent with FEMA policy on Performance 

Management. 

4. Expected work hours must be established in advance. Any work that would result in 

premium or overtime pay must be ordered and approved in advance in accordance with 

FEMA Manual 253.2-1 FEMA Premium Pay Manual. 

5. An employee is covered by the Federal Employees Compensation Act at either of these 

worksites as long as the injury occurred while performing his/her official duties and in 

the designated work area approved by the Cadre Coordinator/functional supervisor. If an 

injury occurs, the employee must notify the supervisor of record (and temporary duty 

supervisor, if applicable) immediately, provide the details of the accident or injury, and 

complete Department of Labor CA-1, Federal Employee’s Notice of Traumatic Injury 

and Claim for Continuation of Pay/Compensation. The government is not liable for 

damages to the employee’s personal or real property while the employee is working in 

either of these locations, except to the extent the government is held liable under the 

Federal Tort Claims Act or the Military and Civilian Employees Claims Act. 

6. For Reservist or IM CORE working from the residence of record: 

a. For Reservists: Certain discrete, disaster related tasks and activities may be 

suitable for completion from the official duty station, when it is the residence of 

record. The CO will define the positions, if applicable, in his/her cadre that are 

authorized to complete work from home. For these authorized positions, the 

Reservist’s RPM, or Cadre Coordinator if no RPM exists, must approve the 

completion of the task and ensure that the Reservist has been issued the proper 

equipment to perform the task. For IM COREs: The supervisor of record has 

broad discretion to assign work to be completed from the residence of record but 

must provide proper supervisory oversight. 

b. Prior to approval of any work at the residence of record, the employee must 

affirm to his/her supervisor of record that the residence of record is free from 

hazards and a safe environment in which to perform the assigned tasks(s); that the 

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employee will arrange for dependent care during the completion of the task (if 

applicable); and that he/she understands that the Government will not be 

responsible for any operating costs that are associated with the use of the 

employee’s residence of record as an official worksite. The employee should refer 

to FEMA Form 123-9-0-2, Certification of Health and Safety Checklist when 

determining if his/her residence of record is free from hazards, but is not required 

to complete and submit the checklist to his/her supervisor of record. If the 

employee cannot agree to these conditions or the supervisor of record learns that 

the employee is not properly equipped to complete the requisite task, the 

supervisor of record must assign the task to a different employee. 

c. Reservists and IM COREs who have already on-boarded at the time of publication 

of this policy whose position has been authorized for telework by their CO and 

who have completed a telework documentation package, in compliance with 

FEMA Manual 123-9-1, need not complete the preceding steps, despite the reality 

that working from their official duty station is not telework if their official duty 

station is their residence of record. 

d. IM COREs and Reservists who are activated for training, cadre coordination 

meetings, or to update their equipment from their official duty station, when it is 

the residence of record, need not complete the preceding steps. 

All employees who are deployed are on official travel, which is excluded from the definition of 

“telework” in the Telework Enhancement Act, OPM guidance and FEMA Manual 123-9-1 

FEMA Telework Policy. 

1. Even though not considered to be “telework,” the following reasons may support 

approval of work at an alternative location while deployed, such as in a hotel room: (1) 

the employee has a need for uninterrupted time of five working days or fewer to complete 

work on a complex project or report; (2) an employee is recovering from an injury or 

illness, such as a contagious disease, and is temporarily unable to physically report to the 

temporary duty station, but is still able to work; or (3) the temporary duty station to 

which the employee is assigned is temporarily closed or inaccessible.10 If the employee 

has a need for uninterrupted time of more than five work days to complete work on a 

complex project or report, the employee’s temporary duty station supervisor must obtain 

approval from his/her Branch Chief prior to the employee commencing work at the 

alternative location. 

2. The employee must have the proper equipment to complete the assigned duties. 

10 Working from a deployed employee’s TDY lodging may be appropriate in lieu of administrative leave in 

circumstances where the temporary duty station is closed or inaccessible. See FM 253-4-1 for additional guidance 

on administrative leave for Reservists. Consult with OCCHCO for additional guidance on administrative leave for 

other appointment types. 

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3. The employee’s temporary duty station supervisor must determine that working from the 

alternative location is appropriate for mission requirements and must clearly 

communicate expectations for completion of the tasks and the hours of work. 

4. The temporary duty supervisor may modify the work arrangement or direct the employee 

to return to the temporary duty station to complete the task for any reason, including 

when the supervisor has determined that the employee is not performing the task 

according to expectations. In such circumstances, the supervisor should document this 

poor performance and include this feedback in the employee’s deployment evaluation, 

coordinating with the employee’s supervisor of record and OCCHCO as necessary. 

5. This policy does not apply to circumstances in which deployed personnel perform mobile 

work, i.e., routine and regular travel to conduct work in other worksites as opposed to a 

single authorized alternative worksite. One form of mobile work on TDY is commonly 

known as “field work,” in which a deployed employee performs work in various 

locations in support of Stafford Act activities and does not regularly work at a temporary, 

fixed facility. 

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APPENDIX B: SYSTEMS APPROACH TO TRAINING11 

A Systems Approach to Training Management 

Cadre training programs must pursue incident requirements while also meeting personnel and 

fiscal requirements. High personnel tempo, increased operational tempo, and decreased funding 

combine to present FEMA leaders at all levels with real challenges that directly impact 

operational readiness. Regardless of the challenges, all must continue to meet their mission 

requirements. 

Training management focuses training on the tasks essential to a cadre’s incident capabilities in a 

manner that maximizes results and focuses priorities. Training management relies on a systems 

approach to training (SAT) to incorporate FEMA training principles into course curricula, SAT 

is a systematic and problem solving model used to effectively develop FEMA’s entire incident 

workforce training. 

The SAT recognizes that proficiency cannot be achieved and sustained on every possible training 

task – FEMA has neither the funds nor the time for such an endeavor. As a result, SAT provides 

needed training management techniques to analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate 

performance-oriented training. It guides cadre managers and unit leaders in the use of scarce 

resources by identifying critical incident tasks and determining where resources are needed most 

to maintain readiness. Both formal schools and operational units can apply the SAT to improve 

operational efficiency and maintain readiness. For instance, if applied in a formal school setting, 

a program of instruction is generated; in an operational unit/team, a short-range training plan is 

generated. 

No matter how it is applied, the SAT process, in regard to training management, consists of five 

phases: analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. 

11 Additional guidance is currently under development by OCCHCO. 

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Analysis 

Design 

Development 

Implementation 

Evaluation 

• The job, tasks, skills and knowledge 

• The trainees 

• Practical concerns 

• Objectives 

• Program Structure 

• Evaluation items 

• Course and modules 

• Training materials for trainers and trainees 

• Staffing requirements 

• Training Schedules 

• Conduct training 

Figure 8: SAT Process 

System Phases 

Analysis 

The Analysis Phase provides a method of responding to changes in resource requirements, 

solving mission performance problems, and learning from “real world” experience. In the 

analysis phase, detailed practical studies are performed to determine the incident tasks or areas 

that require instruction, the learning characteristics of the training audience, the costeffectiveness of a selected delivery system (e.g., technology based training ), and the scope, 

timeline, and budget of a training project/program. These facts are gathered to make informed 

training development decisions and provide the linkage between mission and the training 

program. The following types of analysis may be completed: 

• Needs or Performance Analysis 

• Audience or Learner Characteristics Analysis 

• Mission/Task Analysis 

• Skill/Knowledge (Competency) Analysis 

• Content, Learning, and/or Instructional Analysis 

Design 

The Design Phase uses the performance information collected in the analysis phase to help the 

training project or program take shape. The information gathered specifies, in measurable terms, 

the knowledge, skills, and aptitudes the training will develop. This phase will lead to the creation 

of learning objectives, which are developed for groups of related knowledge and skills. These 

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written statements of learning outcomes define exactly when, what, and how well the learner 

must perform during training. Defining how individual tasks are performed focuses training 

development efforts. In addition, the information gathered permits more effective decisions 

regarding such things as: 

• How the training materials will be organized and presented 

• Which training activities and instructional strategies will be included 

• How much time will be spent on each topic 

• How to use presentation media 

• How incident workforce members will be evaluated 

The design phase will also consider how to best measure the achievement of course objectives. 

Evaluation instruments (practical measures as well as written/knowledge tests) will be produced 

to ensure that learning objectives are achieved and competencies are reliably evaluated. 

Development 

The Development Phase organizes the instructional materials needed for incident workforce 

members to achieve the learning objectives. Activities are defined and these activities describe 

how the instructor and the incident workforce member will perform during training to achieve 

the learning objectives. Emphasis is on maximizing the use of existing materials and resources. 

Existing suitable training materials and lesson plans are selected and new ones produced as 

needed. Resulting training materials are reviewed for technical accuracy, tried out using a focus 

group, and revised as necessary. Standards-based, performance-oriented training materials are 

the products of this phase. 

Implementation 

The Implementation Phase is the process of putting the training project/program into operation. 

In this phase, the finalized training is ready to be delivered to the target audience. If the training 

is to be instructor-led or facilitated, instructors are selected and trained usually with a train-thetrainer session. Training is delivered as planned, and cadre member and instructor performance is 

evaluated. These evaluations serve two purposes. First, they verify that learners have achieved 

the learning objectives. Second, incident workforce member evaluation results and instructor 

comments are useful for future program revisions and follow-up evaluation. 

Evaluation 

The Evaluation Phase (or Control Phase) ensures the training project or program’s continuing 

ability to produce qualified incident workforce members. A follow-up evaluation is conducted to 

get an assessment of how well the training prepared the incident workforce member to perform 

their mission in the field/at the incident level, for a period of time. Evaluation is the dynamic 

process of assessing performance, identifying concerns, and initiating corrective actions. Data 

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sources for evaluation often include surveys, interviews, tests, course evaluation results, service 

or product data, and observations. 

The SAT process is an effective and efficient tool (not a program) used to control the mission 

training and requirements. It provides Cadre Coordinators/leaders/trainers with the training 

management techniques they need to analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate 

performance-oriented training. The application of SAT and training principles to cadre training 

occurs at all levels. Its most important product is the cadre’s METL. The METL becomes the 

cadre’s unique focus for effective and efficient training. Once a cadre’s METL is developed, 

training priorities can be set and resources allocated based on how well the unit executes its 

METL tasks and the related collective and individual tasks drawn from the mission performance 

standards. 

86 
APPENDIX C: ENTRY EMPLOYEE REQUEST FORM 

87 
88 
APPENDIX D: QRB EMPLOYEE REQUEST FORM 

89 
90 
91 
APPENDIX E: TRANSMITTAL LOG FORM 

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APPENDIX F: NEW SPECIALTY REQUEST FORM 

RPM’s Name: 

RPM’s Contact #: 

RPM’s Program Area: 

Date Submitted: Click here to enter a date. 

Proposed Specialty: 

# of employees Expected to Hold Specialty: 

Definition/Description: 

Justification: 

REMEMBER: Attach a list of Employees expected to carry Specialty – Include name and last 4 

Certifying Official: Choose an item. Date: Click here to enter a date. 

Printed Name/Title: Signature: 

FQS National Working Group: Choose an item. Date: Click here to enter a date. 

Printed Name/Title: Signature: 

Ex Oversight Committee (appeals only): Choose an item.Date: Click here to enter a 

date. 

Printed Name/Title: Signature: 

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APPENDIX G: PROCESSES FOR ASSIGNMENT OF A 

FQS JOB TITLE 

The process for initial assignment for Reservists and IM COREs is shorter as they were hired 

directly into their incident management positions. The FTEs normally fill a different steady-state 

role, and therefore, have more requirements in obtaining their initial assignment for their incident 

management role. 

Initial Assignment 

Reservist 

The process is: 

1. The Cadre Coordinator is notified, by OCCHCO, when a new employee is on-boarded 

and in process through Human Resources. 

2. The cadre management will assign an initial FQS job title and the proficiency based upon 

the new employee's experience. 

o An FQS Transmittal Log (FTL) is NOT required for new hires. However, a letter, 

similar to the Certification Letter (available on the Resource Management Branch 

SharePoint), should be created and sent to the FEMA-FQSProgram@fema.dhs.gov e-mail to initiate entry into the deployment system and 

the qualification tracking system. 

o If the Reservist is qualified, a PTB for their position will be sent with the letter as 

a reference. 

o If the Reservist is not qualified (trainee or candidate), a PTB will be sent with the 

letter. 

IM CORE 

The process is: 

1. The Cadre Coordinator is notified by OCCHCO when a new employee is onboarded and 

in process through Human Resources. 

2. The cadre management will assign an initial FQS job title and the proficiency based upon 

the new employee's experience. Typically, IM CORE and IMAT new employees are 

hired into specific positions. 

3. An FTL is NOT required for new hires. However, a letter, similar to the Certification 

Letter (available on the RMB SharePoint), should be created and sent to the FEMA-FQSProgram@fema.dhs.gov e-mail to initiate entry into the deployment system and the 

qualification tracking system. 

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o If the IM CORE/IMAT is qualified, a PTB for their position will be sent with the 

letter as a reference. 

o If the IM CORE/IMAT is not qualified (trainee or candidate), a PTB will be sent 

with the letter. 

FTE 

The process is: 

1. The FTE completes ERF or ERF – QRB and obtains Supervisor's signature as approval 

that the employee is available to deploy. The FTE submits ERF and supporting 

documentation listed on the instructions of the form to FEMA-FQSProgram@fema.dhs.gov. Supporting documentation includes: 

a. Deployment History from the deployment system 

b. Supplemental Incident Deployment Experience including personal records such 

as: 

I. Incident Performance Appraisal(s) 

II. Verification letter from section chief or senior leadership 

III. JFO Organization Chart 

IV. Incident Action Plan 

V. ICS 204 form with assignment indicated 

c. Certification of required training (Training Information Access System and 

FEMA Employee Knowledge Center training records or training certificates) 

d. Relevant position-specific incident performance appraisal(s) 

e. Licenses and Certifications (as required for the position) 

f. Letters of recommendation from other certified employees with equal or higher 

qualifications (optional) 

g. Training and experience record(s) of previous qualifications in non-FEMA ICS 

organizations to include but not limited to: 

i. Training certificates 

ii. Incident evaluations 

iii. Letters from competent authorities 

2. The Pasadena Call Center Data Entry Group will review the initial certification package 

for completeness. (Cadres may choose to complete the initial review instead.) 

a. If the packet is not complete it will be returned to the employee with an 

explanation and request for additional information. 

i. If unable to acquire all information from the employee, the package will 

be forwarded to the program as incomplete. 

b. Once complete, the packet is forwarded to the Cadre Coordinator. 

3. The Cadre Coordinator will evaluate the package and make a recommendation to the CO 

using an FTL. The Cadre Coordinator will also prepare a Decision Letter for the CO’s 

signature. Cadres may choose to utilize a SME panel to assist in this process. 

95 
 

a. If incomplete, return certification package to employee with detailed explanation 

and request for additional information 

4. CO will review the certification package for qualification determination. 

a. Non-supervisory positions: 

i. Evaluate the certification package 

ii. Elect to, or not to, recommend for certification 

iii. Sign the FQS Transmittal Log and the decision letter (if authority is 

delegated by the CA) 

iv. Signed documents are sent to FEMA-FQS-Program@fema.dhs.gov to be 

prepared with appropriate documents (PTB, Qualification Sheet, and 

Progression Chart) and sent to the employee, as well as being entered into 

the deployment and qualification tracking systems 

b. Supervisory positions: 

i. Forward the FTL to QRB Chair for review and recommendation. 

5. QRB (for supervisory positions only): The QRB Chair will review the certification 

package prior to convening the QRB. 

a. QRB convenes to: 

i. Evaluate the certification package 

ii. Determine a recommendation for certification 

iii. Prepare decision letter for CA 

6. CA: (This step can be delegated to the CO for non-supervisory positions) 

a. Reviews the recommendation 

b. Approves or disapproves the recommendation 

c. Signs the FTL and Decision Letter 

d. Signed documents are sent to FEMA-FQS-Program@fema.dhs.gov to be prepared 

with appropriate documents (PTB, Qualification Sheet, and Progression Chart) 

and sent to the employee, as well as being entered into the deployment and 

qualification tracking systems. The cadre management and the appropriate 

regional liaison, if applicable, are also notified. 

7. The Cadre Coordinator will maintain all decision letters and transmittal logs in the 

employee’s personnel file. 

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APPENDIX H: PTB ISSUANCE FORM 

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APPENDIX I: RESERVIST EQUIPMENT GUIDANCE 

• In all cases Reservist 1-1-1 equipment will be fund code 06 (disaster) properties. 

• Funding for airtime of the telecom services for Reservist is funded through fund code 06. 

• Standard equipment issue for Reservist members is 1-1-1 (laptop, phone, RSA token) 

purchased with fund code 06. 

• Any other equipment in addition to fund code 06 (1-1-1) needs to be funded and issued 

by the designated cadre. 

• If the cadre wishes to pay for an upgrade this should be coordinated by the Cadre 

Manager through IT Telecom Services to provide all the pertinent funding information 

for this request. Reservist Program cannot authorize the UPGRADE to an IPHONE until 

the Blackberry stock has been depleted, the issuing APO should continue issuing what 

has been purchased and is currently stored. 

• IPADS are authorized by FQS job title. 

• Requesting Reservist equipment: local issuing APO should coordinate request(s) through 

IT coordinator via Network Inventory and Optimization Solution (NiOS) for Disaster 

Information Systems Clearinghouse (DISC) and Mobility Service Center (MSC) related 

equipment. 

• Scenario I: New Reservist member; Reservist member may receive equipment at JFO or 

Regional office following the 1-1-1 Equipment standard operating procedures. 

• Scenario II: Existing Reservist member with fund code 06 (disaster) equipment; issuing 

APO should execute a Hand Receipt (FEMA Form 119-7-1-3), Custody Receipt for 

Government Property (FEMA Form 119-7-1-3A) and complete property transfer to 

established CADRE Site Code. Documentation with signatures should be scanned and emailed to CADRE site code designated APO. 

Malfunctioning Equipment Guidance for Reservists 

Reservist at Home with Malfunctioning Equipment (Laptop) 

• Call Enterprise Service Desk 888-457-3362 to have IT Tech troubleshoot the issue. 

Individual must obtain the remedy ticket number from IT Tech. 

• If IT Tech determines the equipment (laptop) cannot be fixed remotely, the individual 

will be guided to a local FEMA office when available to them to correct the issue. 

• If IT Tech determines the equipment (laptop) cannot be fixed and new equipment needs 

to be issued; pending funding, laptops can be shipped to an employee’s residence but 

initial setup and authentication of the new equipment with employee must be done behind 

the FEMA firewall on FEMA (hard wired) network. 

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Reservist at Home with Malfunctioning Equipment (Phone) 

• Call ESD 888-457-3362 to have IT Tech troubleshoot the issue. Individual must obtain 

the remedy ticket number from IT Tech. 

• If the IT Tech determines the equipment (phone) cannot be fixed, the individual would 

then send email to APO and carbon copy the cadre manager with the remedy ticket 

number, included an explanation of issue and the IT Tech recommendation. 

• Cadre Manager would then coordinate with the local IT coordinator to place an 

equipment request through NIOS for a replacement phone. The new phone must be 

shipped/delivered to APO at the following address 

o ATTN: Designated APO 

o Property Management Division 

o 430 Market Street 

o Winchester, VA 22603 

• Once this information has been validated the Reservist APO will re-issue the new phone 

and request the individual sign all pertinent documentation prior to the new equipment 

being shipped. 

• Pending funding, once APO receives signed documentation, APO will ship via UPS to 

the address provided by the individual. Also included will be a return UPS label for the 

return of malfunctioning equipment (phone) 

• When a member receives equipment they should then contact ESD (888)457-3362 or 

MSC (540)-678-2245 to activate and set up phone for use. 

Reservist at FEMA Location with Malfunctioning Equipment (Laptop, Phone) 

• Contact local IT support to troubleshoot equipment. If IT Tech determines the equipment 

cannot be fixed, the individual should then contact the local APO to swap faulty 

equipment. 

99 
 

 

 

 

APPENDIX J: LIST AND DESCRIPTION OF FEMA 

CADRES 

Table 18: FEMA Cadres 

Headquarters Component/Office Cadre Name Incident Management 

Assignment 

Federal Insurance and Mitigation 

Administration 

Environmental and Historic 

Preservation (EHP) 

Command Staff and 

Operations Staff 

Mitigation (MIT) Operations Section 

Mission 

Support 

Office of the Chief Procurement 

Officer Acquisitions (ACQ) Finance and Administration Section 

Office of the Chief Component 

Human Capital Officer Human Resources (HR) Finance and Administration Section 

Office of the Chief Information 

Officer Information Technology (IT) Logistics Section 

Office of the Chief 

Administrative Officer Safety (SF) Command Staff 

Officer of the Chief Security 

Officer Security (SEC) Command Staff 

Office of Disability Integration and 

Coordination Disability Integration (DI) Command Staff 

Office of Chief Counsel 

Alternative Dispute Resolution 

(ADR) Command Staff 

Legal (LAW) Command Staff 

Office of Chief Financial Officer Financial Management (FA) Finance and 

Administration Section 

Office of Equal Rights Equal Rights (ER) Command Staff 

Office of External Affairs External Affairs (EA) 

Command 

Staff/Operations Section 

(ESF 15) 

Office of 

Response and 

Recovery 

Office of Federal Disaster 

Coordination 

Federal Coordination Officer 

(FCO)/Federal Disaster Recovery 

Coordinator (FDRC) 

Command Staff 

National Disaster Recovery 

Support (NDRS) FDRC Operations 

Logistics Management 

Directorate Logistics (LOG) Logistics Section 

Recovery Directorate 

Public Assistance (PA) Operations Section 

Disaster Survivor Assistance 

(DSA) Operations Section 

Individual Assistance (IA) Operations Section 

Response Directorate 

Disaster Emergency 

Communications (DEC) Operations Section 

Operations (OPS) Operations Section 

Planning (PL) Planning 

Protection and 

National 

Preparedness 

National Preparedness 

Directorate 

Disaster Field Training 

Operations (DFTO) 

Finance and 

Administration Section 

100 
 

 

 

Purpose of Each Cadre 

• Acquisitions (ACQ) 

o Manages contracting activities by providing procurement advice, guidance, and 

information to coworkers, customers, and/or other contracting parties 

• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) 

o Supports field/incident-level employees, leads, supervisors, and managers by 

providing a range of decision-making, conflict prevention, and conflict resolution 

services on request to prevent escalation into formal actions or complaints 

• Disaster Emergency Communications (DEC) 

o Deploys, installs, operates, maintains, and protects telecommunications and 

operations assets in response to all-hazards disasters and in support of planned 

special events 

• Disaster Field Training Operations (DFTO) 

o Plans, develops, promotes, and delivers disaster performance improvement and 

training opportunities with EMI and Regional Offices 

• Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) 

o Establishes a timely presence on the ground in the affected areas to address 

disaster survivors’ immediate and emerging needs by meeting survivors at their 

homes or in their communities 

• Disability Integration (DI) 

o In accordance with Federal civil rights laws and regulations, provides guidance, 

tools, methods, and strategies to integrate and coordinate emergency management 

inclusive of individuals with access and functional needs before, during, and after 

an incident 

• Environmental/Historic Preservation (EHP) 

o Facilitates timely delivery of disaster assistance to communities and individuals; 

the EHP cadre provides appropriate technical expertise and develops necessary 

tools to address and resolve anticipated EHP issues relating to the compliance 

review and approval process for actions proposed to be funded by FEMA during 

emergency and recovery operations 

• Equal Rights (ER) 

o Responsible for equal rights and civil rights function and diversity initiatives. 

Provides technical guidance on accommodation requests and receives accessible 

electronic and information technology requests in support of multiple statutory 

requirements. 

• External Affairs (EA) 

o Maintains visibility regarding public and internal communications; coordinates 

routine and special communications; ensures accurate, useful, timely, 

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synchronized, and targeted communication; and provides continuous messaging 

to meet the needs of the situation 

• Federal Coordination Officer (FCO)/Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator (FDRC) 

o Coordinates the administration of disaster relief, including activities of State and 

local government and the other disaster assistance relief organizations 

• Financial Management (FA) 

o Creates, monitors, and verifies allocations and obligations in the appropriate 

financial systems and prepares financial reports at incident field offices 

• Human Resources (HR) 

o Identifies, acquires, sustains, and maintains a quality workforce to meet the 

FEMA mission 

• Individual Assistance (IA) 

o Ensures that individuals and families affected by disasters have access to the full 

range of FEMA programs in a timely manner and that the best possible level of 

service is provided to applicants in the administration of these programs 

• Information Technology (IT) 

o Provides the most efficient, expeditious, and cost saving information services at 

all incident locations during initial setup, continuation of operations, phase down, 

and at closure 

• Legal (LAW) 

o Responsible for ensuring that FEMA field operations are consistent with all 

applicable statutes; regulations; and Agency policies, directives, and standards 

• Logistics (LOG) 

o Coordinates and monitors all aspects of resource planning, movement, ordering, 

tracking, and property management of initial response resources (IRR), teams, 

and accountable property during the life of an incident 

• Mitigation (MIT) 

o Manages risk reduction activities from all natural hazards to include public 

education, private sector partnership, technical assistance to local and State 

governments, grants management, insurance coordination, and community 

planning 

• National Disaster Recovery Support (NDRS) 

o Assists the FDRC/FCO in facilitating disaster recovery coordination and 

collaboration between the Federal, State, local, and tribal, governments, the 

private sector and voluntary and faith-based community organizations 

• Operations (OPS) 

o Encompasses the integration of Federal, State, local, and tribal response programs 

to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of immediate emergency assistance 

to individuals and communities impacted by major disasters, emergencies, or acts 

of terrorism 

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• Planning (PL) 

o Plans, collects, evaluates, disseminates, and manages information regarding the 

threat or incident and the status of Federal resources 

• Public Assistance (PA) 

o Provides assistance for debris removal, implementation of emergency protective 

measures, and permanent restoration of infrastructure to assist States, local 

governments, and certain private non-profit entities under the Stafford Act 

• Safety (SF) 

o Provides a safe and healthful work environment for FEMA employees and our 

emergency management partners at fixed sites, incident operations, and facilities 

• Security (SEC) 

o Implements and manages physical security programs in support of the Agency’s 

all- hazards emergency management programs for the protection of personnel, 

property, and facilities 

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• Execute authority delegated by the Administrator for the readiness 

and use of FEMA’s incident workforce 

• Oversee the implementation of force structure policy and procedures 

as defined by the IWESC, and provide ongoing force structure status 

updates to the Administrator 

• Provide overall leadership and oversight of FEMA’s incident workforce 

and ensure that incident workforce management processes comply 

with applicable Federal laws, regulations, and Agency policy 

• Ensure FEMA establishes and maintains a sufficient and capable 

force structure 

• Oversee the FQS program 

• Define enterprise wide readiness standards 

• Oversee the staffing, equipping, training, qualifying, availability, and 

overall readiness and performance of an incident workforce cadre 

• Serve as the supervisor of record to Cadre Training Managers, RPMs, 

IM CORE Program Managers, and FTE Coordinators assigned to the 

cadre 

• Coordinate changes to the cadre’s force structure in accordance with 

policy established by the IWESC 

• Recruit and select individuals to fill vacancies in the cadre’s force 

structure based on cadre vacancies to which they are the supervisor 

of record 

• Maintain the accuracy and currency of the cadre’s FQS elements in 

compliance with the FQS Guide or superseding doctrine 

• Recommend candidates for FQS progression and qualification to the 

CO 

• Oversee the development and perform final review of Qualification 

Packages for FQS QRBs in coordination with the Regional IWM Liaison 

Teams as required, and present candidates for qualification to the 

QRB 

• Recommend decertification of cadre members as needed to the CA 

and CO 

• Coordinate with OCCHCO regarding hiring, termination, and 

resignations of Reservists or IM COREs within the cadre 

• Ensure budget allocation for equipment, training, and other needs are 

properly executed within the cadre 

• Ensure the equipment needs of cadres are properly sourced and 

fulfilled and that all cadre members maintain access to fully 

functional, position appropriate equipment to achieve readiness for 

assigned incident duties 

APPENDIX K: POSITIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Table 19 serves as orienting material for positions with the cadre management enterprise. The 

purpose of these lists is to provide a reference for cadre management personnel and should be 

used as the basis for developing and coordinating cadre management activities and procedures. 

Table 19: Cadre Management Positions and Responsibilities 

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES 

Associate 

Administrator for 

Response and 

Recovery 

-

Cadre Coordinator 

-

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POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Identify required FQS training in coordination with the Cadre Training 

Manager, IWMD, and EMI 

• Oversee administrative responsibilities for IM CORE and Reservist 

members of the cadre 

• In consultation with OER, the Disability Employment Program 

Manager, and the applicable employee, expeditiously make decisions 

in accordance with existing FEMA reasonable accommodation policy 

guidance on reasonable accommodation requests made under 

Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act from employees under their 

supervision 

• Coordinate with the Regional IWM Liaison Teams regarding cadre; 

implementation for regional FTEs 

• Ensure quality control over all internal cadre communications to 

ensure that all cadre members receive supportive customer service 

• Ensure cadre members have access to program-specific information 

that is required to perform effectively during incident operations 

• Assist with the development of Force Packages in coordination with 

the regions and IWMD 

• Provide input for incident workforce policy and doctrine 

• Initiate personnel actions, when appropriate, against employees 

under his/her supervision, including discipline or termination for 

misconduct or poor performance. Prior to affecting any personnel 

actions, the Cadre Coordinator must consult with OCCHCO Employee 

Relations to ensure that any such actions are consistent with Merit 

Systems and Equal Employment Opportunity principles as well as 

FEMA policy 

• Serve as a second-line supervisor of record to any Program 

Specialists or Assistant Program Managers assigned to the cadre 

Cadre Members 

• Comply with incident workforce policy and doctrine and programspecific policies and procedures 

• Maintain qualification and readiness to deploy in accordance with the 

FQS Guide and the FEMA Incident Management Handbook 

• Ensure availability status and accurate contact information is 

maintained and approved in accordance with FD010-8, FEMA 

Incident Workforce Deployment, Section VII.B, or superseding policy 

• Maintain condition and status of assigned equipment, including 

ensuring connectivity of FEMA-issued equipment, in accordance with 

FD119-7, Federal Personal Property Management, and supporting 

manual. 

• Participate in cadre coordination calls and mandatory training 

Cadre Training 

Manager 

• Facilitate development, revision, and delivery of FQS training for each 

cadre position and serve as cadre’s point of contact to the IWMD FQS 

Branch 

• Ensure FQS required training is consistently delivered in order to 

meet force structure requirements for qualified individuals within the 

cadre 

• Ensure program priorities and budget allocation for training 

development and delivery requirements are met and properly 

executed within the cadre 

105 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Identify FQS and mandatory training requirements in coordination 

with IWMD, EMI Course Managers, and other partners as required 

• Identify cadre training needs and develop strategies to eliminate 

shortfalls 

• Coordinate with programs and appropriate course managers 

regarding development and revisions of curriculum and training 

materials 

• Identify instructors to coordinate delivery of accurate and timely 

training. 

• Facilitate cadre participation in exercises as required 

• Coordinate with other Cadre Training Managers to maintain 

awareness of curriculum changes that may impact FQS within their 

own cadre of responsibility 

Certifying Authority 

• Ensure cadre has available, trained, qualified, and equipped staff to 

meet force structure requirements and to effectively perform incident 

duties 

• Certify that employees are qualified for FQS positions within the cadre 

in accordance with the FQS guide 

• Provide information related to cadre readiness as defined and 

directed by the IWESC 

Certifying Official 

• Ensure readiness requirements established by the IWESC, or the 

program, are conveyed to and met by the cadre 

• Administer FQS for all cadre members in accordance with the FQS 

Guide or superseding doctrine 

• Serve as the supervisor of record for the Cadre Coordinator 

Federal Coordinating 

Officers and Federal 

Disaster Recovery 

Coordinators 

• Support the qualification of FQS trainees and candidates by 

requesting or accepting up to 20 percent trainees or candidates to 

assigned incidents, in support of FD010-8, FEMA Incident Workforce 

Deployment, Section VII.C.3.v. 

• Support the qualification of FQS trainees and candidates by 

requesting sufficient FQS evaluators to evaluate each employee with 

an open FQS PTB who is deployed for 20 days or more, in accordance 

with FD010-8, FEMA Incident Workforce Deployment, Section VIII.L.8. 

• Ensure an incident performance evaluation is completed for every 

assigned employee deployed for 20 days or more, in accordance with 

FD010-8, FEMA Incident Workforce Deployment, Section VIII.C.1 and 

OCCHCO evaluation procedures 

FEMA Administrator 

• Execute or delegate authority for the readiness and use of FEMA’s 

incident workforce in support of FEMA’s authorities 

• Assign and reallocate incident workforce resources as required to 

ensure effective delivery of FEMA incident programs 

FEMA Headquarters 

Component 

Leadership 

• Ensure cadres within component programs meet readiness 

requirements established by the IWESC 

• Ensure cadres within component programs comply with applicable 

program policies and standards 

• Ensure individuals within the component who do not hold an FQS 

position, but are eligible for an incident management or incident 

support title, are identified, and communicate this information to a 

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POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES 

Cadre Coordinator, in compliance with any processes established by 

the CCWG, to obtain appropriate FQS assignment 

FTE Coordinator 

• Support FTEs with FQS job titles assigned to the cadre in meeting FQS 

and cadre requirements 

• Coordinate with Regional IWM Liaison Teams and headquarters 

components to recruit FTEs for appropriate cadre vacancies 

• Assist, track, and provide guidance on FQS training and qualification 

progress for FTEs 

• Implement the Cadre Coordinator’s quality control responsibilities 

over internal cadre communications for all FTE cadre members to 

ensure they receive supportive customer service, and coordinate with 

the Cadre Coordinator and other cadre management staff to ensure 

communications are consistent throughout the cadre 

• Identify appropriate staff for FQS training courses through the Cadre 

Coordinator or Cadre Training Manager for coordination with the 

IWMD FQS Branch 

• Provide support in identifying FQS required assignments and training 

opportunities in coordination with the Cadre Training Manager, 

Regional IWM Liaison Teams, and IWMD 

• Review FTE Qualification Packages for the QRB 

• Monitor and actively track FTE availability in coordination with 

Regional IWM Liaison Teams and IWMD 

• Recommend FQS decertification of FTEs as needed to the CO and CA 

• Perform the functions of the IM CORE Program Manager when the 

cadre’s IM CORE population does not require this function as a fulltime position 

• Respond to FTE requests for cadre vacancy information 

IM CORE Program 

Manager 

• Serve as the supervisor of record for IM COREs in the cadre 

• Recruit IM COREs based on vacancies within the cadre’s force 

structure 

• Assist, track, and provide guidance on FQS progression for IM COREs 

• Identify appropriate staff for FQS training through the Cadre 

Coordinator or Training Manager for coordination with the IWMD FQS 

Branch 

• Review and coordinate IM CORE Qualification Packages for QRBs 

• Implement the Cadre Coordinator’s quality control responsibilities 

over internal communications to IM CORE cadre members to ensure 

they receive supportive customer service, and coordinate with the 

Cadre Coordinator and other staff to ensure communications are 

consistent throughout the cadre 

• Monitor and actively track IM CORE availability 

• Collect and maintain incident performance evaluations of IM COREs 

from temporary duty supervisors after every deployment equal to or 

greater than 20 days, and collect and maintain all other documents 

related to performance and/or conduct of employees under direct 

supervision in accordance with FD141-1, Records Management 

Program 

• When appropriate, initiate adverse personnel actions against IM 

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POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES 

COREs or other employees under direct supervision, to include 

discipline or termination for poor performance and misconduct after 

consulting with OCCHCO, ensuring that the reasons for any such 

actions are documented, and that the actions and documentation are 

forwarded to OCCHCO for further action 

• In coordination with the Cadre Coordinator, terminate or renew the 

appointments of IM COREs and other employees under direct 

supervision as required based on lack of work or other missionrelated needs 

• Serve as supervisor of record for any Assistant IM CORE Program 

Managers assigned to the cadre 

Incident Workforce 

Management Division 

• Coordinate and manage the programs, processes, and procedures 

required to develop, organize, deploy, and sustain a professional 

incident workforce 

• Monitor and assess mission capability pursuant to readiness 

requirements and any related performance measures established by 

the IWESC 

• Plan and execute the budget for incident workforce programs to 

ensure operational readiness 

• Oversee the FQS program 

Logistics 

Management 

Directorate 

• Ensure, in coordination with OCIO and OCAO, the effective tracking of 

equipment assigned to the incident workforce 

• Ensure, in coordination with OCIO and OCAO, Cadre Coordinators 

have access to data related to equipment issued to cadre members 

• Manage a lifecycle maintenance program for equipment assigned to 

Reservist members of the incident workforce 

Office of Equal Rights 

• Provide technical resource information about reasonable 

accommodation to applicants for appointments, incident personnel, 

temporary duty supervisors, Cadre Coordinators, and supervisors of 

record, in accordance with existing FEMA reasonable accommodation 

policy guidance 

• Provide civil rights, equal employment opportunity, sexual 

harassment, diversity, and other EEO-related training to cadre 

members 

Office of the Chief 

Component Human 

Capital Officer 

• Validate incident workforce hiring requests with IWMD and Cadre 

Coordinators to ensure such requests are based on force structure 

vacancies 

• Ensure timely classification of incident workforce positions for FEMA 

job announcements, offers, and hiring actions, so that the FEMA 

incident workforce has sufficient personnel to meet force structure 

requirements 

• Establish policies and procedures for incident performance 

evaluations 

• Provide direct support to temporary duty supervisors regarding how to 

properly document poor performance and misconduct and to the 

supervisor of record regarding what discipline to take 

• Advise the FCO, FDRC, or Office Director, after coordinating with the 

temporary duty supervisor and the supervisor of record, as to whether 

the release of an individual from an incident is appropriate due to 

108 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES 

misconduct or poor performance 

• Provide direct support to incident personnel with respect to individual 

issues requiring action in connection with the administration of pay, 

benefits, and other personnel matters 

Office of the Chief 

Financial Officer 

• Ensure timely review of position justifications and decisions on 

funding approval for CORE and IM CORE positions 

• Adjudicate issues related to incident workforce budget and funding 

Office of the Chief 

Information Officer 

• Review and approve the development of IT systems required to 

support the incident workforce, including training and deployment 

systems 

• Inform IWMD and LMD on the information technology equipment 

FEMA has approved for procurement to support equipping the 

incident workforce 

Regional 

Administrators 

• Ensure compliance with incident workforce policy and doctrine 

• Ensure regional staff members who are assigned to a cadre meet 

readiness requirements 

Regional Incident 

Workforce 

Management (IWM) 

Team Lead 

• Provide incident workforce subject matter expertise, and convey 

incident workforce related policy and readiness standards 

• Support the recruitment of FTE cadre members by ensuring that 

individuals within the region who do not hold an FQS position, but are 

eligible for an incident management or incident support title, are 

identified, and coordinate with Cadre Coordinators, FTE Coordinators, 

and FTE supervisors of record to obtain appropriate FQS assignment 

• Coordinate with headquarters and regional program offices, regional 

supervisors, and employees to coordinate cadre requirements and 

facilitate readiness, training, qualification and availability for all 

regional FTEs 

• Assist the FTE Coordinator in preparing regional FTE Qualification 

Packages for QRBs 

• Support regional implementation of FQS with the Cadre Coordinators 

and assist, track, and provide guidance on FQS progression of 

Regional FTEs in coordination with the cadre’s FTE Coordinator 

• Identify regional FTE cadre-specific training requirements and staff for 

FQS training course in coordination with the cadre’s FTE Program 

Coordinator and Training Manager 

• Monitor readiness of regional FTEs for deployment in coordination 

with the cadre FTE Coordinator 

• Assist with development of force packages in coordination with the 

Cadre Coordinator 

Reservist Program 

Manager 

• Serve as the supervisor of record for Reservists in the cadre 

• Recruit Reservists based on vacancies within the cadre’s force 

structure 

• Assist, track, and provide guidance on FQS progression for Reservists 

• Identify appropriate staff for FQS training courses through the Cadre 

Coordinator or Cadre Training Manager for coordination with the 

IWMD FQS Branch 

• Prepare Reservist Qualification Packages for QRBs 

• Implement the Cadre Coordinator’s quality control responsibilities 

109 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES 

over internal communications for all Reservist cadre members to 

ensure they receive supportive customer service, and coordinate with 

the Cadre Coordinator and other cadre management staff to ensure 

communications are consistent throughout the cadre 

• Monitor and actively track Reservist availability 

• Collect and maintain incident performance evaluations of Reservists 

from temporary duty supervisors after every deployment equal to or 

greater than 20 days, and collect and maintain all other documents 

related to performance and/or conduct of employees under direct 

supervision in accordance with FD141-1, Records Management 

Program 

• When appropriate, initiate adverse personnel actions against 

Reservists or other employees under direct supervision, to include 

discipline or termination for poor performance and misconduct after 

consulting with OCCHCO, ensuring that the reasons for any such 

action are documented, and that the action and documentation are 

forwarded to OCCHCO for further action 

• In coordination with the Cadre Coordinator, terminate or renew the 

appointments of Reservists and other employees under direct 

supervision as required based on lack of work or other missionrelated needs 

• Serve as supervisor of record for any Assistant RPMs assigned to the 

cadre 

110 
 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX L: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES 

Cadre Coordinators, RPMs, IM CORE Program Managers, Cadre Training Managers, and FTE 

Coordinators must support a number of administrative functions to assist their cadre members in 

arranging travel, pay, availability, and reasonable accommodations. The procedures for 

completing these processes change frequently, as do the specific points of contact. FEMA has 

therefore established a SharePoint site, which includes accurate, up-to-date references for these 

administrative functions. Specifically, the site contains: 

• Process diagram for Reservist WebTA processing 

• Process diagram for IM Core WebTA processing 

• Funding of IM Core travel 

• Funding for Reservist travel 

• Additional administrative materials as required 

The SharePoint site is updated regularly and maintained by IWMD. It can be found at: 

https://esw.fema.net/esw/ORR/Response/iwm/Reservist/CCU%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.as 

px. 

111 
 

APPENDIX M: CADRE COORDINATOR’S RESOURCE 

LIST 

Table 20: Cadre Coordinator's Resource List 

Organization Topics to Contact On 

LMD 

• Order equipment 

• Issuance of equipment 

• System of record 

• APO coordination 

IWMD 

• Coordination and information repository 

• Reasonable accommodations 

• Funding 

OCCHCO 

• Guidance and processes for performance management 

• Mandatory training 

• Onboarding process for FTEs 

• Onboarding entry on duty training 

OCIO • Information technology and communication equipment 

OCAO • Property accountability and reporting 

FCO • JFO activities 

RPM • Reservist activities 

OER • Reasonable Accommodation 

FQS Branch • Required training 

112 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX N: TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION AND 

INFORMATION EMAIL TEMPLATE 

Greetings! 

You have been identified to instruct/attend the upcoming delivery of Course # Course Name 

scheduled for Date of Course at Location. Please read this message in its entirety as you will 

find important travel and course information below. Upon receipt of this email, you may begin 

making travel arrangements. 

TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION 

ALL students and instructors attending this course should make reservations through National 

Travel by calling (800) 557-0842 and provide the travel authorization number provided on the 

attachment (TA #). 

At the conclusion of your trip, sign your completed voucher and send it to the Pasadena Call 

Center via email at FEMA-IWMO-PROGRAM-TRAVEL@fema.dhs.gov. The Pasadena Call 

Center has the authority to sign off on completed vouchers. Vouchers may also be faxed to 

(626)431-3777. Links to helpful travel websites and travel training are provided below. 

Salary and Benefit Information 

• FULL TIME EMPLOYEES (PFT/CORE/IMC/TFT): For timekeeping purposes, 

FTEs should use their home/program office account codes in WebTA. Please document 

all non-duty hours travel time as “Comp Time/Travel Earned”. 

• Typically, classroom time does not involve overtime. If the class requires overtime for 

attendance, preapproval is required; the course manager or class instructors will provide 

instructions if overtime is approved. 

• RESERVISTS: Will document all class time and travel time in WebTA. 

• WebTA can be accessed here: 

https://wta.hs.nfc.usda.gov/webta/servlet/com.threeis.webta.H000welcome. 

• Reservists should charge travel time and course attendance time to the WebTA Account 

Code provided by the course manager. 

• If you are unable login or for password reset, please contact the Pasadena Call Center via 

email at FEMA-IWMO-PROGRAM-TRAVEL@fema.dhs.gov. 

Please note: If you have recently attempted to log into WebTA while not deployed, your account 

may have been de-activated. It will be activated prior to the end of class. 

113 
 

 

 

DEPLOYMENT ORDERS 

All Reservist attendees will receive a call from the deployment system with his/her deployment 

orders. All students must check in with the deployment system upon arrival. Call XXX-xxx-xxxx 

within x hours of arrival. 

HELPFUL TRAVEL LINKS 

• Travel Toolbox: http://on.fema.net/components/ocfo/fmd/Pages/TravelToolbox.aspx 

(accessible within the firewall or via a FEMA computer and using Virtual Private 

Network) 

• IS-107.13 FEMA Travel Rules and Regulations 2013: 

http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/courseOverview.aspx?code=is-107.13 (accessible 

from outside of the firewall, i.e. home) 

• Go to Forms & Resources: 

http://on.fema.net/components/ocfo/fmd/Pages/TravelToolbox.aspx 

• (accessible within the firewall or via a FEMA computer and using Virtual Private 

Network) 

114 
APPENDIX H: STAFFING A FORCE STRUCTURE VACANCY 

Figure 9: Staffing a Force Structure Vacancy for a FTE - Initial Assignment of Title, Non-Supervisory 

115 
Figure 10: Staffing a Force Structure Vacancy for a FTE - Initial Assignment of Title, Supervisory 

116 
 

 

Figure 11: Staffing a Force Structure Vacancy for a FTE – Hiring12 

12 This flowchart does not apply to the Legal cadre. 

117 
 

Figure 12: Staffing a Force Structure Vacancy for a Reservist - Hiring and Initial Assignment of Title13 

13 This flowchart does not apply to the Legal cadre. 

118 
 

Figure 13: Staffing a Force Structure Vacancy for an IM CORE - Hiring and Initial Assignment of Title14 

14 This flowchart does not apply to the Legal cadre. 

119 
 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX O: CERTIFICATION/DECERTIFICATION 

PROCESS 

Certification Process 

1. The Employee will prepare and submit a certification package while retaining the original 

PTB for their records. 

a. Complete an ERF for non-supervisory positions or ERF-QRB for supervisory 

positions 

b. Compile a certification package to include: 

i. Completed copy of PTB 

ii. Certification of required training (certificates, training records) 

iii. Relevant position-specific incident performance appraisal(s) 

iv. Licenses and Certifications (as required for the position) 

v. Letters of recommendation from other certified employees with equal or 

higher qualifications (optional) 

vi. Training and experience record(s) of previous qualifications in an ICS 

organization(s) to include but not limited to: 

1. Training certificates 

2. Incident evaluations 

3. Letters from competent authorities 

c. E-mail certification package to FEMA-FQS-Program@fema.dhs.gov 

2. The Data Entry Group will review the certification package for completeness and verify 

that all documents received are recorded in the qualification tracking system database. 

a. If complete, the Data Entry Group will forward the package to the Cadre 

Coordinator for review. 

b. If incomplete, the Data Entry Group will return the certification package to the 

employee with an explanation and request for additional information and copy the 

Cadre Coordinator for further action. 

3. The Cadre Coordinator will evaluate the package for a recommendation to the CO on an 

FTL and prepare a Decision Letter. Cadres may choose to utilize an SME panel to assist 

in this process. 

a. Deployment History from the deployment system 

b. Supplemental Incident Deployment Experience including personal records such 

as: 

i. Incident Action Plan 

ii. JFO Organization Chart 

iii. ICS 204 form with assignment indicated 

120 
 

 

iv. Incident Performance Appraisal(s) relevant to requested FQS job title 

(regular duty performance appraisal is not applicable) 

v. Verification letter from section chief or senior leadership 

c. If incomplete, return certification package to employee with detailed explanation 

and request for additional information 

4. CO will review the certification package for qualification determination. 

a. Non-supervisory positions: 

i. Evaluate the certification package 

ii. Elect: to, or not to, recommend for certification 

iii. Sign the Transmittal Log and the Decision Letter 

iv. Signed documents are sent to FEMA-FQS-Program@fema.dhs.gov to be 

prepared with appropriate documents (PTB, Qualification Sheet, and 

Progression Chart) and sent to the employee, as well as being entered into 

the deployment and qualification tracking systems 

b. Supervisory positions: 

i. Forward the FTL to QRB Chair for review and recommendation. 

5. For supervisory positions only, the QRB Chair will review the certification package prior 

to convening the QRB. 

a. QRB convenes to: 

i. Evaluate certification package 

ii. Determine recommendation for certification 

iii. Prepare decision letter for CA 

6. CA: for supervisory positions only 

a. Reviews recommendation 

b. Approves or disapproves the recommendation 

c. Signs transmittal log and decision letter 

d. Signed documents are sent to FEMA-FQS-Program@fema.dhs.gov and to the 

employee to be prepared with appropriate documents (PTB, Qualification Sheet, 

and Progression Chart). They are also entered into the deployment and 

qualification tracking systems. The cadre management and the appropriate 

regional liaison, if applicable, are copied on the email notification to the 

employee. 

7. The Cadre Coordinator will maintain all decision letters and transmittal logs in the 

employee’s personnel file. 

Decertification Process 

1. Cadre Coordinator will forward an FTL to the CO for decertification action. 

2. CO will prepare and forward a notification letter for CA signature that includes: 

a. Reason they have been decertified in the position 

b. Those items required to recertify in the position 

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3. CA will: 

a. Review and sign decertification letter 

b. Return signed letter and FTL to CO 

4. CO will return the signed letter and transmittal log to the Cadre Coordinator. 

5. Cadre Coordinator will: 

a. Send the decertification letter and transmittal log to FEMA-FQSProgram@fema.dhs.gov for addition of appropriate documents (PTB, 

Qualification Sheet, and Progression Chart) and send to the employee, as well as 

entering it into the deployment and qualification tracking systems 

b. Place letter and FTL in employee file for record keeping 

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APPENDIX P: CADRE COORDINATOR ROLE IN QRB 

REVIEW 

1. Evaluate force structure availability in positions requested. 

2. Evaluate potential candidates for position based upon force structure availability. 

3. Confirm packet completion: 

a. Employee Request Form 

b. Supporting Documentation 

4. Review employee submission packets: 

a. Verify deployments in positions required by baseline standard for the position, 

including number of days and levels of disaster with documents provided in 

packet (Verifying documentation must be in addition to the deployment system 

since position titles were not accurate in the past. This would include 

organizational charts, evaluations, ICS 204s, etc.) 

b. Confirm training required in baseline standard for the position with 

transcript/certificates provided in packet 

c. Evaluate evaluation sheets or performance appraisals in position requested, 

particularly for any management deficiencies or supervisory deficit issues 

d. If baseline standards are not met, evaluate documents provided for equivalent 

experience 

e. Determine if position requested will be evaluated with in the cadre (nonsupervisory) or will need to be sent forward to the QRB 

5. Work with program officials to determine which packets should be prepared for the QRB 

in which positions. Packets should be reviewed by a SME qualified in a typed cadre 

position. Program can use a SME panel. 

6. Use baseline standard worksheet for each packet the program wants to send forward to 

the QRB. 

7. Prepare Transmittal Logs with CO signatures for each packet to be submitted to the QRB. 

Forward employee packet, Transmittal Log, subordinate titles, and baseline standard 

worksheet to FEMA-FQS-Program@fema.dhs.gov by the due date with the following 

naming convention: 

a. Command Staff: CSQRB-LastName-FirstName-postionMnemonic-cadre 

b. General Staff: GSQRB-LastName-FirstName-postionMnemonic-cadre 

c. Example: GSQRB-Roach-Pamela-PSC3--Planning 

8. Determine who will present each packet to the QRB. This can be the Cadre Coordinator 

or other cadre personnel. The program may also have a regional representative present 

packets for their region. 

9. Presenter will prepare notes to be able to present employee to the QRB from the 

information in the Employee Request Form. 

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a. Employee Request Form will be shown to QRB on screen, as well as any other 

documents from the packet the QRB requests. 

b. Baseline Standard will be available to QRB for recommendation decision, 

including Program’s rating, if provided. 

10. After deliberation, the QRB Chair will send final Transmittal Logs and FQS Result 

Letters to CA for signature (copy to Cadre Coordinator). 

11. Signed Transmittal Logs and FQS Result Letters will be returned electronically to QRB 

Coordinator, Pamela.Roach@dhs.gov. Result Letters will be sent to employees from the 

Pasadena Call Center (copy Cadre Coordinator). 

12. FQS Unit and Pasadena Call Center will update the deployment system with approved 

subtitles and new FQS job titles. 

13. Employees have 60 days from FQS results letter to request reconsideration in writing to 

the program. 

14. Programs have 60 days from the written employee reconsideration request to provide 

written employee notification of reconsideration results. 

15. Cadre Coordinator will work with QRB Coordinator, Pamela.Roach@dhs.gov and the 

Pasadena Call Center, FEMA-FQS-Program@fema.dhs.gov to make reconsideration 

changes in the deployment system. 

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APPENDIX Q: EMPLOYEE SELF – CERTIFICATION 

HEALTH AND SAFETY CHECKLIST 

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APPENDIX R: TELEWORK APPLICATION AND 

AGREEMENT 

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APPENDIX S: WORKFORCE ANALYSIS 

The workforce analysis includes the following five tasks: 

1. Develop a work plan, goals, and objectives 

a. The work plan will include doctrine and document research, an examination of 

historic and current data, and interviews with cadre management. IWMD will use 

a systems approach to determine the shortfalls associated with the current force 

structure and develop possible solutions for the future force structure. 

2. Conduct a comprehensive force structure model review and mission analysis across all 

cadres 

a. Analyze cadre staffing levels and positions, and assess the capacity of the cadres 

to respond to an incident. The analysis will identify: the percentage of the 

permanent workforce required to perform incident management/incident support 

duties as compared to those who will hold ancillary and mission essential 

positions; total number of workforce members who hold positions solely 

dedicated to incident response (i.e., IM COREs, FEMA Corps); the Reservist 

incident responder requirement to provide for a scalable incident response using a 

temporary, intermittent workforce; and finally the SCF, which allows FEMA to 

leverage the Federal interagency workforce in response to a catastrophic Level I, 

or simultaneous incidents exceeding FEMA’s organic incident responder 

capacity. It should be noted that the FEMA Corps members and SCF volunteers 

will not be counted into force structure calculations. 

b. Identify deficiencies or redundancies within the incident workforce in conducting 

the Federal response to incidents as determined through the review of relevant 

Federal Interagency Operations Plans, conducting interviews, reviewing regional 

incident staffing needs, and reviewing other sources as necessary. 

3. Examine future technology 

a. Determine critical force package deployment architecture for response through 

analysis of existing data, requirement needs, and projected deployment template 

strategies. 

4. Examine training, education, and qualification needs 

a. Examine needed future training courses, other types of developmental education, 

and necessary qualifications against existing standards in the FEMA 

Qualifications System. 

5. Explore mitigation efforts 

a. Conduct outreach with mitigation to determine if and how hazard mitigation 

efforts have decreased Federal response and recovery requirements for certain 

incidents. 

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APPENDIX T: OFFICE OF CHIEF COUNSEL 

Unlike every other division and office in the Agency, FEMA’s Office of Chief Counsel (OCC) 

provides legal advice to FEMA’s Administrator and Agency staff under the direct supervision of 

the DHS General Counsel.15 The General Counsel is the Department's chief legal officer and 

principal legal advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security and, as such, has final authority 

and responsibility for legal policy determinations within the Department as well as its 

components (including FEMA). 

As the employees of FEMA’s OCC report to the General Counsel, they are subject to the policies 

of governance established by the General Counsel. As employees of the General Counsel, DHS 

Delegation 0400.2 “Delegation to the General Counsel” establishes the Office of the General 

Counsel as an organizational element for the purposes of appointment and administration of 

personnel, claims resolution, and the labor-management relations program. The General Counsel, 

with the concurrence of the Secretary, may determine that the Office of the General Counsel 

shall operate with other authorities and responsibilities of an organizational element, in 

accordance with Delegation 0160.1 “Delegation to the Department of Homeland Security 

Organizational Elements.” Pursuant to that authority, the General Counsel has retained the 

authority to select, assign, reassign, classify, deploy, and discipline OCC personnel. 

The control over FEMA attorneys by the General Counsel is in part because attorneys are subject 

to ethics and oversight responsibilities that other employees are not. State Bar membership is 

essential to the statutory duties and responsibilities of the attorneys of the Agency. Each 

employee who reports to the General Counsel and who is appointed to an 0905 (General 

Attorney) occupational series attorney position, must, at the time of appointment and throughout 

his or her tenure, be an active member in good standing of the Bar of at least one United States 

jurisdiction, which is any State, the District of Columbia, or a territory or commonwealth of the 

United States. In addition, he or she must comply with applicable local ethics codes in addition 

to all ethics codes for Federal attorneys. Failure to maintain current, active membership in good 

standing may be cause for disciplinary action, up to and including removal from Federal service. 

As such, OCC employees may not be selected, assigned, deployed, or disciplined by offices 

outside OCC. This includes attorneys whose positions are funded by other FEMA offices, as well 

as attorneys whose duty stations may be co-located with regional cadres. 

Due to the restrictions on OCC, some of the provisions of this guide do not pertain to OCC 

personnel. Please see the Associate Chief Counsel for Regional and Field Legal Operations for 

questions regarding the applicability of Cadre Management procedures to OCC personnel. 

15 See DHS Directive 0400 “General Counsel Organization” January 24, 2003. 

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