O S M / 1 0 3O S M / 1 0 3 7 / 2 2 / 8 67 / 2 2 / 8 6

Subject Number:

 PER-16

Transmittal Number:

894

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING

RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT

DIRECTIVES SYSTEM Date:

8/31/00

Subject: 

 MERIT PROMOTION PLAN

Approval: /Signed/ Kay Henry (Original on file with Directive Coordinator) Title: Acting Director

1. Purpose. This Directive implements the Department of Interior=s Merit Promotion Policy effective

June 9, 1999.

2. Summary of Changes.

a. The substance of the Merit Promotion Plan is not changed.

b. This plan provides OSM specific guidance to items generically addressed by the Department. With

 minor exception, the format has changed, not the guidance.

3. Definitions

a. Definitions - A complete listing of definitions can be found in Section 3.

b. Acronyms - Acronyms are defined in Section 3 or within the text of the plan.

4. Policy/Procedure.

a. Policy. The procedures set out in the handbook are to be followed unless the Department issues

 revisions or deletions in writing.

b. Responsibilities. The Director of OSM is delegated Personnel Authority which is re-delegated to the

 Assistant Director, Finance and Administration (AD, F&A), who further delegates this authority to the 

Personnel Officer, who ensures that the procedures in this handbook are followed. 

c. Procedures. Recommendation for changes in the handbook must be submitted by memorandum to the

 Personnel Officer. The handbook will be updated on an as-needed basis to incorporate any changes.

5. Reporting Requirements. None

6. Effects on other documents. PER-16, Merit Promotion Policy and Implementation, dated May 2, 1989

 and Change Directive PER 16-1 dated April 18, 1995, are rescinded.

7. References. Departmental Manual, Part 370: Departmental Personnel Program, Chapter 335:

 Promotion and Internal Placement
OSM/103 7/22/86

9. Contact. Jim Wohlgemuth, OSM Personnel, (202) 208-2812.

10. Keywords. Merit Promotion Plan.

11. Appendix. Merit Promotion Plan for the Office of Surface 

 Mining
OSM/103 7/22/86

Merit Promotion Plan

FOR THE 

Office of Surface 

Mining 

August 28, 2000

Implements the Department of the Interior Merit 

Promotion of Plan
OSM/103 7/22/86

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction i

Section 1. Purpose and Scope 1

Section 2. Rights and Responsibilities 1

Section 3. Definitions of Commonly Used Terms 2

Section 4. Relationship of the Merit Staffing 

Program to the Department=s Career 

 Transition Assistance Plan 5

Section 5. Vacancy Notification and 

Announcements 6

Section 6. Evaluating Candidates 7

Section 7. Referral and Selection 8

Section 8. Accretion of Duties 8

Section 9. Complaints and Release 

of Information 9

Section 10. Related Documents 10

Exhibit 1. Departmental Merit Promotion Plan 12

Exhibit 2. The Competitive Process 16

Exhibit 3. CTAP 22
OSM/103 7/22/86

Introduction

This document implements the Department of Interior 

(Department) Merit Promotion Plan (Exhibit 1) (370 DM 335) 

within the Office of Surface Mining.

i
1

Section 1.

Purpose and Scope. The purpose of this guidance is to establish a 

Merit Promotion Plan for the Office of Surface Mining (OSM), 

Department of the Interior (DOI). It is used in conjunction 

with 5 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 300 and 335 and 

the Department of the Interior Merit Promotion Plan (Exhibit 

1) and other relevant guidance as listed in Section 10. This 

Merit Promotion Plan applies to merit promotion and placement 

actions and procedures for positions in the competitive 

service. 

Section 2.

Rights and Responsibilities. 

Servicing Personnel/Human Resource Professionals (OSM 

Personnel). Human resource professionals will be held 

accountable for implementing the Department=s Plan and 

this OSM Merit Promotion Plan.

Management. OSM management is responsible for abiding 

by the Department=s Plan, Merit Principles, this OSM Merit 

Promotion Plan, and other applicable laws. Management 

has the right to fill or not fill a vacancy. Management 

has the right to select from properly ranked and 

certified candidates or from other appropriate sources, 

such as reassignment, reinstatement, Veterans 

Readjustment Act eligible, student career experience 

program applicants, etc. Management also has the right 

to promote or not to promote an employee based on merit 

factors.

Employees. OSM employees are responsible for submitting 

the required application materials for placement 

opportunities in a timely manner; becoming familiar with 

the Department=s Plan and specific OSM policies; and 

availing themselves of self development and job training 

opportunities. Employees are responsible for the content 

of their applications; which must be complete and 

accurate.

Director, OSM. The Director, OSM is responsible for 

implementing the Department=s Plan and for issuing any 
2

individual OSM guidance that ensures selections based on 

merit after fair and open competition.

Section 3.

Definitions of Commonly Used Terms.

Accretion of Duties. Promotion of an employee whose 

position is reclassified at a higher grade because of the 

performance of additional duties and responsibilities. 

(See Section 8. Accretion of Duties).

Agency. For this Plan, the term Aagency@ refers to the 

Department.

Area of Consideration. The organizational and/or 

geographic boundaries within which a search is made for 

eligible candidates to be considered for a specific merit 

promotion and placement action. All areas of 

consideration must be set to promote fair and open 

competition and to provide a diverse pool of candidates. 

 Appropriate areas of consideration may be as small as an 

individual office.

Basic Qualification Standards. The position 

qualifications standards set by the Office of personnel 

Management (OPM) as described in the OPM Qualification 

Standards Handbook.

Best Qualified Candidates. Those applicants determined 

by a rating and ranking process to possess the jobrelated knowledge, skills, and abilities required and 

desired in applicants for a particular position to a 

greater degree than other qualified applicants being 

considered.

Career Ladder. Grade range from the entry level through 

and including the established full performance level of a 

position.

Career Promotion. Promotions without competition when 

the employee competed earlier for an assignment intended 

to prepare the employee for the position being filled, 
3

and the intent was made a matter of record and made known 

to all potential candidates.

Certificate. A document referred to the selecting 

official containing the names of eligible candidates.

Change to Lower Grade. For this Plan, the term Achange to 

lower grade@ refers to a voluntary reduction in an 

employee=s current grade level or representative rate.

Competitive Service. All civilian positions that are: 

(a) in the executive branch of the Federal government not 

specifically excepted from civil service laws by or 

pursuant to statute, by the President, or by OPM, and not 

in the Senior Executive Service; and (b) all positions in 

the legislative and judicial branches of the Federal 

government and in the government of the District of 

Columbia specifically made subject to the civil service 

laws by statute.

Crediting Plan. A manual tool that may be used to rate 

and rank qualified applicants for a position based on job 

related criteria. 

Detail. A temporary assignment of an employee to a 

different position for a specified period, with the 

employee returning to his or her regular duties at the 

end of the assignment. While on detail the employee 

continues to hold his/her official position from which 

detailed and keeps the same status and pay.

Evaluation Panel. Evaluation panels are established to 

rate and rank promotion eligible candidates only, using 

the established crediting plan, and consist of 

individuals at the same or higher grade level than the 

full performance level of the position to be filled who 

are familiar with the requirements of the job and 

occupation.

Full Performance Level. The highest grade level to which 

an employee may be promoted through successive 

noncompetitive career promotions. 

 

Job Analysis. The analysis of a position to identify the 

knowledge, skills, abilities, competencies and other 
4

essential characteristics required to perform the duties 

and responsibilities of the position; and the development 

of factors to evaluate applicants. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA=s). Also referred 

to as Knowledge, Abilities, Skills, and Competencies 

(KSACs) (and sometimes referred to as Quality Ranking 

Factors) these are the attributes identified through job 

analysis required to perform a job and are an addition to 

the minimum basic qualification standard. Knowledge is a 

body of information applied directly to the performance 

of a function. Skill is a present, observable competence 

to perform a task with ease and proficiency. Ability is 

a present competence to perform an observable behavior or 

a behavior that results in an observable product. 

Competencies are those qualitative characteristics that 

make some one a good employee.

Priority Consideration. When certain candidates are 

considered for vacancies before other candidates due to 

their being affected by something such as a reduction-inforce (RIF).

Promotion. The change of an employee to a higher grade 

or to a position with a higher representative rate.

Qualified Candidates. Those applicants who meet both the 

basic qualifications standards outlined in the OPM 

Qualification Standards Handbook (the former X-118) and 

any job related selective placement factors identified in 

the vacancy announcement.

Rating and Ranking. The review and evaluation of each 

candidate to determine the best qualified candidates (by 

a personnel specialist, subject matter expert, or an 

evaluation panel) based on the degree to which each 

candidate meets the job related criteria of the position.

Reassignment. A change of an employee from one position 

to another in the same grade in the same agency. A noncompetitive reassignment or the referral of a 

reassignment eligible can take place only when the 

promotion potential is the same from job to job.
5

Re-employment Priority List (RPL). A list of DOI 

employees who have been separated from Federal service 

and meet the eligibility requirements for re-employment. 

 It is designed in accordance with 5 CFR 330, Subpart B, 

and provides priority consideration to qualified DOI 

employees who have received a RIF separation notice or a 

Certification of Expected Separation or who have been 

separated through RIF. Employees who are fully recovered 

from a compensable injury after more than one (1) year 

are also entitled to register for the RPL. The RPL must 

be cleared prior to recruiting outside of the Department 

to fill a vacancy and then again prior to making an 

employment offer. 

Reinstatement. The re-employment of a former employee 

with competitive status.

Re-promotion. Noncompetitive promotion or placement, 

permanent or temporary, of an employee to a grade or 

full performance level previously held on a permanent 

basis in the competitive service.

Selective Placement Factor. Mandatory job related 

knowledge, skill, ability or competency that is essential 

for successful performance in the position to be filled, 

in addition to the basic qualifications outlined in OPM=s 

Qualification Standards Handbook. Applicants not meeting 

this factor are ineligible for further consideration. 

Special Selection Priority (SSP) Candidates. A wellqualified (as described on the vacancy announcement) 

eligible surplus and displaced DOI employee who applies 

for a vacancy within the local commuting area and within 

the prescribed time frames indicated on the vacancy 

announcement. If the SSP candidate is determined to be 

well qualified, he/she must be selected. 

Temporary Promotion. A promotion to a higher graded 

position for a specified period of time. Temporary 

promotions for more than 120 days are subject to 

competitive procedures. Service during the previous 12 

months in higher graded positions either by 

noncompetitive temporary promotion or detail counts 

toward the 120-day limit. Temporary promotions can be 

made in any increment up to a maximum period of 5 years. 
6

 Temporary promotions may be made permanent when such a 

possibility was publicized in the original competition 

notice.

Transfer. A change of an employee, without a break in 

service of one full workday, from a position in one 

agency to a position in another agency.

Well Qualified. Candidates who possess the knowledge, 

skills, and abilities which clearly exceed the minimum 

qualifications requirements for the position. What is 

Awell qualified@ must be determined prior to issuing and 

stated on the vacancy announcement.

Section 4.

Relationship of Merit Staffing Program to the Department=s 

Career Transition Assistance Plan The Department=s Career 

Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), dated 9/8/97, is a program 

that provides assistance to individuals who have been or are 

likely to be separated by RIF in finding other employment. 

The CTAP has four components: 1) Career Transition Training 

and Support Services, 2) Special Selection Priority (SSP), 3) 

Re-employment Priority List (RPL), and 4) Interagency Career 

Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP). 

CTAP will have varying effects on staffing activities and 

there is an order of selection when filling competitive 

service vacancies that exceed 120 days, as noted in the 

Department CTAP. All vacancies must be advertised unless the 

personnel action being taken is an exception (such as 

temporary appointments less than 121 days, details, 

reassignments, career ladder promotions, accretion of duties, 

et. al.), or a determination has been made by the servicing 

personnel office (through contact with other bureaus in the 

local commuting area of the vacancy) that there are no 

Special Selection Priority (SSP) candidates available. CTAP 

and ICTAP requirements must be stated in all vacancy 

announcements. The personnel specialist based on established 

criteria determines well qualified candidates. The selecting 

official must select a well-qualified eligible applicant under 

the SSP component of CTAP before selecting any other candidate 

from within or outside the Department, unless doing so would 

cause another employee to be separated by RIF. In addition, 

the re-employment priority list (RPL) must be cleared before 
7

filling any competitive service position from outside the 

Department, regardless of whether the organization plans to 

make a temporary, term, or permanent appointment. Please 

refer to the Department CTAP Plan for complete guidance.

Section 5.

Vacancy Notification and Announcements.

Areas of Consideration. OSM managers, in consultation 

with their servicing personnel/human resources office, 

determine the area of consideration from which 

applications will be accepted and the length of time a 

vacancy announcement will remain open (See 370 DM 335, 2-

B). CTAP may affect the area of consideration and open 

period of the vacancy announcement.

Consideration During Absences. OSM supervisors should 

make every reasonable effort to ensure that employees 

under their direct supervision receive appropriate 

consideration for vacancies which occur under the 

supervisor=s immediate jurisdiction while the employee is 

on an approved, extended absence. Additionally, each 

employee is responsible for informing his or her 

supervisor of those promotional opportunities for which 

he/she wishes to be considered during periods of 

legitimate absence and for providing his/her supervisor 

with an updated written application and other required 

forms for those vacancies.

Preparation of Vacancy Announcement. As a minimum, 

vacancy announcements must contain the following 

information: a number that identifies the vacancy; 

issuing office; opening and closing dates; an explanation 

of how to apply; position title, series, and grade; pay 

range; duty location; duties of the job; qualifications 

required, including selective placement factors; 

evaluation methods to be used; the full performance level 

of the job; area of consideration; equal employment 

opportunity nondiscrimination statement; veterans 

preference information; CTAP language including the 

definition of well-qualified and a statement that it is 

illegal to use Government franked envelopes and mail 

services. Applications submitted in violation of this 

requirement will not be considered.
8

Payment of Relocation Expenses. The decision to pay or 

not pay moving and related expenses must be made prior to 

issuing the vacancy announcement. A statement addressing 

the payment or nonpayment must be included in the vacancy 

announcement. 

Distribution of Vacancy Announcement. OSM Vacancy 

announcements are at a minimum advertised on OPM=s USA 

JOBS web site when the area of consideration is 

Department-wide or greater. For limited areas of 

consideration within OSM, local methods of announcing a 

vacancy may be employed.

Accepting Applications. Applications received through 

facsimiles, online, or through electronic means will be 

accepted no later than close of business of the closing 

date. Applications will be accepted if post marked by the 

closing date and received in the Personnel Office within 

five calendar days of the closing date.

Section 6.

Evaluating Candidates

Minimum Qualifications. Applicants must meet minimum 

qualification requirements including all selective 

placement factors and time-in-grade by the closing date 

of the announcement. Applications not containing 

sufficient information to determine qualifications or 

meeting other requirements will not receive 

consideration. The personnel specialist is not 

responsible for following up with applicants to make sure 

applications are complete.

Rating and Ranking. There must be a qualitative, 

job-related distinction made among promotion and other 

competitive candidates in terms of relative merit and 

ability and documented through the use of a crediting 

plan or other rating methodology. 

Section 7.

Referral and Selection
9

Referrals. The following applicants are referred to OSM 

selecting officials: Promotion candidates that are 

considered best qualified; qualified reassignment 

eligibles when their promotion potential does not change; 

candidates eligible for non-competitive appointment such 

as the Veteran=s Readjustment Act or appointments for 

persons with disabilities.

Selection Certificates. Selection certificates are 

issued for an initial 60-day period with extensions 

possible, at the request of the selecting official, in 30 

day increments up to a total of 120 days.

Interviews. Selecting officials must ensure that all 

candidates are treated fairly and equitably. If one 

candidate from a particular certificate is interviewed, 

all other candidates from that same certificate must be 

interviewed. The selecting official is responsible for 

ensuring that interviews are equitable, that all 

questions are job-related, and that every effort is made 

to obtain the same information from each candidate. The 

interviewer may not ask about or discuss a candidate=s 

race or ethnic background, color, sex, age, disability, 

religious beliefs, marital or family status, political 

affiliation, sexual orientation, or labor organization 

affiliation or activity. If distance precludes a 

personal interview, a telephone interview may be 

conducted. The payment of expenses for preemployment 

interviews is authorized in certain situations (refer to 

5 CFR 572).

Section 8.

Accretion of Duties. Promotion resulting from the upgrading 

of an employee=s position because of additional duties and 

responsibilities is an accretion of duties. For all cases in 

which the reclassification of a position would result in the 

promotion of the incumbent, the supervisor over the position 

must identify the specific changes in the duties and 

responsibilities between the old and the new positions and the 

cause of the changes.

 

The Personnel Specialist will analyze the job, evaluate the 

changes, and make sure the new position is a clear successor 

to the incumbent=s prior job and that the previous position was 
10

absorbed by the new one. The Personnel Specialist must also 

determine that these new duties could only have been assigned 

to this particular incumbent and this particular position in 

the organization. Thus, accretion of duties promotions are 

unlikely in an office with multiple like positions. A 

supervisor cannot single out an individual to assign the more 

complex or higher graded duties to when there are other 

employees in comparable positions in the organization. Also, 

a noncompetitive promotion is not appropriate when supervisory 

duties are added to a non-supervisory position causing it to 

be classified to a higher grade.

Documentation of accretion of duties promotion must include 

evidence that (1) the employee is continuing to perform the 

same basic function in the new position; (2) the former 

position is absorbed into the new one; and (3) the promotion 

does not directly affect other employees in the unit who 

report to the same immediate supervisor. 

Section 9.

Complaints and Release of Information.

Grievance Procedures. Non-selection from a certificate 

of properly ranked and certified applicants is not 

grievable. The OSM Personnel/Human Resource Office will 

respond promptly to questions or complaints about the 

program or about a specific selection action. An 

employee of OSM may submit a complaint under the 

grievance procedure or under a negotiated grievance 

procedure as appropriate. 

EEO Procedures. An employee cannot use the grievance 

procedures and the EEO complaint process at the same time 

for the same issue. If a candidate feels that he/she has 

been discriminated against in the merit process on the 

basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, 

physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, or 

age, every effort will be made to handle the matter on an 

informal basis with the assistance of an EEO counselor. 

If the matter cannot be resolved informally, the 

candidate may submit a formal complaint according to the 

procedures for handling equal employment opportunity 

complaints. 
11

Corrective Actions. If it is found that a merit 

promotion case was not processed correctly to the 

detriment of an applicant, OSM Management and Personnel 

will work with the Solicitors Office to determine an 

equitable settlement and comply with the applicable OPM 

and Departmental requirements under the DOI grievance 

program as outlined in 370 DM 771.

Release of Information. In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 

552, the Freedom of Information Act, and 5 U.S.C. 552a, 

the Privacy Act of 1974, the following information may be

released to an applicant or his/her designee when 

requested:

Whether the requesting applicant was qualified and/or 

referred for selection; who was selected; the requesting 

applicant=s own supervisory appraisal and rating on the 

ranking elements; procedures used to arrive at the final

scores, and cut off scores; or any other information 

allowed by the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy 

Act of 1974.

Section 10.

Related Documents. This section provides a listing of 

references to other related documents, laws, and policies.

Code of Federal Regulations

5 CFR 300 Employment (General)

5 CFR 310 Employment of Relatives

5 CFR 315 Career and Career-Conditional Employment

5 CFR 316 Temporary and Term Employment

 5 CFR 330 Recruitment, Selection, and 

Placement (General)

 5 CFR 335 Promotion and Internal 

Placement

 5 CFR 340 Other Than Full-Time Career 

Employment (Part Time, Seasonal, 

 On-Call, Intermittent)

5 CFR 720 Affirmative Employment Programs

Departmental Manual
12

370 DM 315 Career and Career-Conditional 

Employment

370 DM 300 Employment (General)

370 DM 335 Promotion and Internal Placement

370 DM 338 Qualification Requirements

370 DM 339 Qualification Requirements (Medical)

Other

Department of the Interior Career Transition Assistance 

Plan
13

Exhibit 1

Department of the Interior 

Departmental Manual

Effective Date: 6/9/99

Series: Personnel Management

Part 370: Departmental Personnel Program

Chapter 335: Promotion and Internal Placement

Originating Office: Office of Personnel Policy

370 DM 335 

1. Purpose and Authority. This chapter establishes the 

Department of the Interior's Merit Promotion Plan (Plan) for 

filling positions covered by merit promotion and implements 5 

U.S.C. Chapter 33 and 5 CFR 335.

2. Merit Promotion Policy. Recruitment methods and selection 

procedures will be based solely on merit after fair and open 

competition, and will be made without regard to political, 

religious, or labor organization affiliation or nonaffiliation, marital status, race, color, sex, national 

origin, non-disqualifying physical handicap, sexual 

orientation or age.

A. Scope. The Plan applies to all competitive service 

positions in the Department. This chapter must be used in 

conjunction with the current Departmental Career Transition 

Assistance Plan.

B. Areas of Consideration. Managers will determine and 

extend areas of consideration to ensure the attraction of a 

diverse pool of highly qualified applicants in accordance with 

the Department Strategic Plan for Improving Diversity. 

Managers should ensure that their employees on approved 

extended absence receive appropriate consideration for 

vacancies under their immediate jurisdiction. An approved 

announcement system, as determined by the Department, will be 

used to advertise all competitive service vacancies with an 

area of consideration of Department wide or greater. For 

limited areas of consideration within a Bureau, local methods 

of announcing a vacancy may be employed.
14

C. Factors to be Considered in Promotion or Placement. 

All applicants will be evaluated to ensure that they meet the 

appropriate OPM qualification standards and time-in-grade 

requirements. Bureaus will establish, and publicize in the 

appropriate vacancy announcement, cut off dates for applicants 

to meet qualification standards and time-in-grade requirements 

for acceptance of applications. Qualitative, job-related 

distinctions must be made among promotion and other 

competitive eligibles in terms of relative merit and ability 

and documented through the use of a crediting plan or other 

rating methodology. Consideration will be given to performance 

appraisals and incentive awards. The validity and propriety of 

selective and/or ranking factors must be clearly reflected and 

supported by a current position description of the job for 

which they are used.

D. Selection Procedures. The selecting official will have 

an opportunity to choose from among an adequate number of best 

qualified candidates. Methodology for determining cut off 

points for best qualified candidates will be left to Bureau 

discretion. Selecting officials have the right to select or 

not select from among candidates referred. They also have the 

right to select from other appropriate sources.

E. Records. Appropriate records to allow for 

reconstruction of the action must be maintained for a minimum 

of two years. In instances where some form of complaint has 

been filed concerning an action, these records will be 

maintained for a minimum of two years following resolution of 

the case.

3. Application of Competitive Procedures. 

A. Competitive procedures apply to the following 

actions:

(1) Permanent promotion to a higher-graded position 

or to a position with a higher full performance level than 

previously held on a permanent basis in the competitive 

service.

(2) Temporary promotions for more than 120 days or 

details for more than 120 days to a higher-graded position or 

to a position with greater promotion potential than previously 

held on a permanent basis in the competitive service.
15

(3) Selection for training which is part of an 

authorized training agreement required before an employee may 

be considered for promotion.

(4) Reassignment, transfer or change to a 

lower-graded position with promotion potential greater than 

any position held on a permanent basis in the competitive 

service.

(5) Reinstatement to a permanent or temporary 

position at a higher grade or with a higher full performance 

level than any position previously held on a permanent basis 

in the competitive service.

(6) Promotions due to the addition of substantive, 

new and higher-graded duties when the new position is not a 

clear successor to the old position or there are other 

employees serving in similar or identical positions within the 

organizational unit to whom the new duties could have been 

assigned.

B. Competitive procedures do not apply to the following 

actions:

(1) Upgrading of a position due to application of a 

new classification standard without a significant change in 

duties.

(2) Upgrading of a position resulting from the 

correction of an initial classification error.

(3) A promotion resulting from an employee's 

position being classified at a higher grade (with no further 

promotion potential) because of additional duties and 

responsibilities, commonly known as accretion of duties. The 

noncompetitive upgrade requires the employee to continue to 

perform the same basic function in the new position that is a 

clear successor to and absorbs the duties of the old position. 

In addition, there are no other employees within the 

organizational unit to whom the additional duties and 

responsibilities could have been assigned.

(4) Actions taken under Reduction in Force.

(5) Promotions without current competition when the 

employee competed earlier for an assignment intended to 
16

prepare the employee for the position being filled, and the 

intent was made a matter of record and made known to all 

potential candidates. These are commonly called career ladder 

promotions.

(6) Repromotion, permanent or temporary, to a grade 

previously held on a permanent basis in the competitive 

service.

(7) Promotion, reassignment, transfer, change to 

lower grade or reinstatement of an employee from a position 

with known promotion potential to another position having no 

higher promotion potential than any other position previously 

held on a permanent basis in the competitive service.

(8) Promotion to a position with a representative 

pay rate equal to or lower than that of any position 

previously held on a permanent basis in the competitive 

service.

(9) Details to higher-graded positions or temporary 

promotions not to exceed 120 days.

(10) Details made in 120 day increments up to one 

year to unclassified duties.

(11) Details made in 120 day increments to the same 

grade or lower-graded positions.

(12) Time-limited promotions made permanent when 

such a possibility was publicized in the original competition 

notice.

(13) Selection of a candidate not given proper 

consideration in a previous competitive promotion action.

4. Grievances. The Bureau Personnel/Human Resources Office 

shall respond promptly to questions about the merit promotion 

program or about a specific selection action. An employee of 

the Department may submit a grievance concerning merit 

promotion matters under the Department's grievance program 

(370 DM 771), or under a negotiated grievance procedure as 

appropriate, unless otherwise excluded from either process. If 

bargaining unit employees wish to grieve any merit action, 

they must use the negotiated grievance procedures rather than 

the Department grievance procedures. Where this Plan conflicts 
17

with a negotiated agreement, the agreement prevails. However, 

non-selection from a list of properly ranked and certified 

applicants is not grievable under either process. Further, an 

employee cannot use the grievance procedures and the EEO 

complaint process at the same time for the same case.

6/9/99 #3264

Replaces 2/1/80 FPM-219

Exhibit 2

The Competitive Process

(as found in the Merit Promotion Plan)

Proposed 

Action

Position and Competiti

on 

Required

Reassignment At same grade 

under same 

pay schedule

Position is one with 

known promotion 

potential and 

employee will gain 

eligibility for 

noncompetitive 

career promotion to 

grade higher than

previously held on a 

permanent basis in 

the competitive 

service

Yes

Position is not one 

with known promotion 

No
18

Proposed 

Action

Position and Competiti

on 

Required

potential

Change to 

lower grade

Lower grade 

under same 

pay schedule

Position is one with 

known promotion 

potential and 

employees will gain 

eligibility for 

noncompetitive 

career promotion to 

grade higher than 

previously held on a 

permanent basis in 

the competitive 

service

Yes

Position is not one 

with known promotion 

potential

No

Assignment 

from one pay 

schedule to

Higher 

representativ

e rate under 

a different 

pay schedule

Yes

Same or lower 

representativ

e rate under 

different pay 

schedule

Employee=s pay will 

be set at a higher 

rate

Yes

Assignment 

from one pay 

schedule to

Same or lower 

representativ

e rate under 

different pay 

schedule

Employee=s pay will 

be at same or lower 

rate, but position 

is one with known 

promotion potential

Yes

Assignment 

from one pay 

schedule to 

(cont.)

Same or lower 

representativ

e rate under 

different pay 

schedule 

(cont.)

Employee=s pay will 

be set at same or 

lower rate, but the 

position is not one 

with known promotion 

potential

No
19

Proposed 

Action

Position and Competiti

on 

Required

Reinstatement 

or transfer

At a higher 

grade than 

previously 

held

Yes

At same or 

lower grade 

than 

previously 

held

Position is one with 

known promotion 

potential and the 

employee will gain 

eligibility for 

noncompetitive 

career promotion to 

grade higher than 

that previously held 

on a permanent basis 

in the competitive 

service

Yes

Position is not one 

with known promotion 

potential 

No

Detail Same grade 

and is not 

one with 

known 

promotion 

potential

Detail is for any 

length

No

Higher grade 

or to 

position of 

same grade 

with known 

promotion 

potential

Detail is for 120 

days or less

No

Detail is for more 

than 120 days

Yes
20

Proposed 

Action

Position and Competiti

on 

Required

Selection 

for training 

leading to 

promotion

Successful 

completion of 

training is a 

condition of 

eligibility for 

promotion

Yes

Promotion 

from 

position of 

known 

promotion 

potential

Originally 

identified as 

the target 

position to 

which 

employee 

would advance 

without 

competition

OR

Full 

performance 

level of a 

career ladder

Competitive 

procedures were 

fully applied at the 

time of placement 

into position of 

known promotion 

potential and all 

competitors were 

informed that 

selection for the 

entry position could 

lead to promotion 

without further 

competition

No

Promotion Upgraded by 

classification

Incumbent=s position 

upgraded without 

significant change 

in duties and 

responsibilities 

because of 

classification error 

or new or revised 

standards

No

Incumbent=s position 

reconstituted into a 

successor position 

No
21

Proposed 

Action

Position and Competiti

on 

Required

with clearly and 

solely identifiable 

duties of the former 

position and there 

are no other 

employees serving in 

similar or identical 

positions within the 

same organization to 

whom the duties 

could have been 

assigned

Incumbent=s position 

reconstituted into 

successor position 

and position is not 

a clear successor or 

there are other 

employees serving in 

similar or identical 

positions within the 

same organization to 

whom the duties 

could have been 

assigned

Yes

Promotion To position 

to which 

employee was 

detailed for 

training or 

evaluation

The employee was selected 

for detail under full 

competitive procedures 

and all competitors were 

informed that the detail 

could lead to promotion 

without further 

competition

No

Temporary 

promotion or 

extension of 

temporary 

promotion

Higher grade 

under same 

pay schedule 

Or under a 

different pay 

schedule when 

action is 

processed as 

The temporary 

promotion is for 120 

days or less total 

in 12 month period

No
22

Proposed 

Action

Position and Competiti

on 

Required

a promotion 

or represents 

a promotion 

under rules 

above

Conversion 

of temporary 

promotion to 

permanent 

promotion

The employee was 

selected for 

temporary promotion 

under full 

competitive 

procedures and all 

competitors were 

informed that the 

temporary promotion 

could lead to 

permanent without 

further competition

No

Promotion 

without time 

limitation

Higher grade 

under same 

pay schedule

Is not covered by 

promotion rules 

above

Yes

The Process of the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)

 Component Purpose When 

Personnel Clears

Special Selection Priority When filling 
23

Priority (SSP) consideration of 

well-qualified 

displaced and 

surplus DOI 

employees who apply 

for vacancies in 

the local commuting 

area.

competitive service 

positions from 

within or outside 

the Department, 

unless selection 

causes another 

employee to be 

separated by 

reduction-in-force.

Re-employment 

Priority List (RPL)

Priority 

consideration of 

displaced and 

surplus DOI 

employees and 

employees who are 

fully recovered 

from a compensable 

injury after more 

than one year.

When filling 

competitive 

(temporary, term, 

or permanent) 

positions from 

outside the 

Department.

Interagency Career 

Transition 

Assistance Plan 

(ICTAP)

Priority 

consideration of 

well-qualified 

displaced employees 

from other Federal 

agencies who apply 

for vacancies in 

the local commuting 

area.

When filling 

competitive service 

positions from 

outside the 

Department.

(See the Department=s CTAP for complete details).
24

Exhibit 3 

Career Transition Assistance 

Plan (CTAP)

 VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT 

LANGUAGE TO EXPLAIN

 

 the

 CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN 

(CTAP)

 

 and

INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP)

Below are two sets of vacancy announcement language, supplied 

by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), to explain CTAP 

and ICTAP: a longer version and a shorter version.

I. Longer Version

SPECIAL SELECTION PRIORITY PROVISIONS FOR SURPLUS OR DISPLACED

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES UNDER A CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN

(CTAP)

A. CTAP (for Non - DoD Agencies Only)

If you are currently an employee who has received a Reduction 

in Force (RIF)

separation notice, a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES), 

or notice of proposed separation for declining a direct 

reassignment or transfer of function outside of the local 

commuting area, you may be entitled to special selection 

priority under the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP). 

To receive this priority consideration you must:

1 Be a current (Insert Bureau Name) career or 

career-conditional

 (tenure group I or 11) 

competitive service employee who has

 received a RIF separation 

notice, a Certificate of Expected
25

 Separation (CES), or notice 

of proposed separation for declining a

 directed reassignment or 

transfer of function outside of the local

commuting area, and you are 

still on the rolls of [insert Bureau

Name]. You must submit a 

copy of the RIF notice, CES, or notice

 of proposed separation with 

your application.

2. Be applying for a position that is at or below 

the grade level of the

 position from which you are

being separated. The position must

 not have a greater promotion 

potential than the position from which

you are being separated.

3. Have a current (or last) performance rating 

of record of at least

 fully successful or 

equivalent. This must be submitted with your

 application package.

4. Be currently employed by (Insert Bureau 

Name) in the same

 commuting area of the 

position for which you are requesting

 selection priority.

5. File your application by the closing date of the 

vacancy

 announcement and meet all the 

application criteria (e.g., submit all

 required documentation, etc.).

6. Be rated well-qualified for the position. To be 

rated "well-

 qualified," CTAP applicants must 

attain an eligibility rating on this

 examination of (Insert Score) or 

higher, not including points for

 veteran's preference.

 B. ICTAP (for all Federal Agencies)
26

SPECIAL SELECTION PRIORITY PROVISIONS FOR DISPLACED FEDERAL 

EMPLOYEES UNDER THE INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE 

PLAN (ICTAP)

If you are a displaced Federal employee, you may be entitled 

to receive special selection priority under the Interagency 

Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP). To receive this 

priority you must:

1. Be a displaced Federal employee. You must submit 

with your application a copy of the appropriate 

documentation, such as a RIF separation notice, 

a Standard Form 50 reflecting your RIF 

separation, or a notice of proposed removal for 

declining a directed reassignment or transfer of 

function to another commuting area. The 

following categories of persons are considered 

displaced employees:

 a. Current or former career or 

career-conditional (Tenure group I or 11) 

competitive service employees who:

 1) Received a specific RIF 

separation notice; or

 2) Separated because of a 

compensable injury or illness, whose 

compensation has been terminated, and 

whose former agency certifies that it 

is unable to place; or

 3) Retired with a disability and 

whose disability annuity has been, or 

is being, terminated; or

 4) Upon receipt of a 

RIF separation notice, retired on the 

effective date of the RIF and submits 

a Standard Form 50 that indicates 

"Retirement in lieu of RIF," or 

retired under the discontinued service 

retirement option; or

 5) Received a 

notice of proposed removal for 
27

declining a directed reassignment or 

a transfer of function or directed 

reassignment to another commuting 

area.

 b. Former Military Reserve 

or National Guard Technicians who are

 receiving a 

special OPM disability retirement annuity 

under Section '8337(H) or ' 8456 of Title 5 

United States Code.

2. Be applying for a position at or below the 

grade level of the position from which you 

have been separated. The position must not have 

a greater promotion potential than the 

position from which you were separated.

3. Have a current (or last) performance rating of 

record of at least fully

 successful or the equivalent. You 

must submit a copy of this performance rating 

with your application package. (This requirement 

does not apply to candidates who are eligible 

due to compensable injury or disability 

retirement)

4. Occupy or be displaced from a position in the 

same local commuting area of the position for 

which you are requesting selection priority.

5. File your application by the closing date of the 

vacancy announcement and meet all of the 

application criteria (e.g., submit all required 

documentation, etc.)

6. Be rated well-qualified for the position. To be 

rated "well-qualified," ICTAP applicants must 

attain an eligibility rating on this examination 

of (insert Score) or higher, not including 

points for veteran's preference.

9. II Shorter Version

Individuals who have special priority selection rights under 

the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the 
28

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must 

be well qualified for the position to receive consideration 

for special priority selection. CTAP and ICTAP eligibles will 

be considered well qualified if (insert definition of well 

qualified).

Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit 

proof that they meet the requirements of 5 CFR 330.605 (a) for 

CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the 

agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating 

and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, 

grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your 

application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or 

ICTAP eligible.
29