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National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

INSTRUCTION

NUMBER 3305.1

07 August 2015

Update: 28 August 2017

HD

SUBJECT: GEOINT Professional Certification (GPC) Program

References: See Enclosure 1.

1. PURPOSE. This NGA Instruction (NGAI):

a. Establishes policy and assigns responsibilities for implementing the Geospatial

Intelligence (GEOINT) Professional Certification (GPC) Program in accordance with 

(IAW) the authority of DoD Manual 3305.10 (Reference (f)) DoD Directive 5105.60 

(Reference (a)), DoD Directive 5143.01 (Reference (b)), DoD Instruction 3115.11 

(Reference (d)), and DoD Instruction 3305.10 (Reference (e)). 

b. This NGAI reaffirms NGA compliance with References (a)-(o) for the development,

implementation, and maintenance of the GPC Program IAW DoD Manual 3305.10

(Reference (f)). 

2. APPLICABILITY. This NGAI applies to:

a. NGA civilian employees, military service members assigned to NGA, and other

Government agency (OGA) personnel permanently assigned to NGA in GEOINTrelated positions tradecrafts and work roles IAW Reference (h) and as specified in the 

GPC Program Handbook and appropriate applicable NGA Implementation Guide Annex

at Reference (o). 

b. Contractors assigned to NGA working in GEOINT-related tradecrafts and work

roles insofar as they are certified.

3. DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS. See Glossary.

4. POLICY. It is NGA policy:
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a. To execute the DoD-level GPC Program sponsored by the Under Secretary of

Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)) as part of a greater USD(I) initiative to professionalize 

the Defense Intelligence Enterprise Workforce (Reference (g)).

b. That achieving and maintaining applicable GPC certification credentials as

specified in the applicable GPC Program Handbook and appropriate NGA Annex

Implementation Guide (Reference (o)) will be a condition of employment for every new

civilian employee hired for or newly assigned in GEOINT-related positions tradecrafts

and work roles.

c. That military personnel assigned to NGA in GEOINT-related positions tradecrafts

and work roles will achieve and maintain the appropriate certification(s), according to 

the requirements established by their respective Service.

d. That contractor personnel in GEOINT-related tradecrafts and work roles will be

appropriately certified, according to the requirements in the Statement of Work (SOW).

e. To offer the opportunities at NGA to other DoD and non-DoD members of the

National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) and Allied System for Geospatial 

Intelligence (ASG) to participate and obtain GPC. Participation will be established 

through formal agreements IAW Reference (j).

5. RESPONSIBILITIES. See Enclosure 2.

6. PROCEDURES. Reference (m) provides procedures for the development,

implementation, and maintenance of the GPC Program.

7. EFFECTIVE DATE. This NGAI is effective on the date of signature.

Enclosures

1. References

2. Responsibilities

Glossary
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ENCLOSURE 1

REFERENCES

(a) DoD Directive 5105.60, “National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA),” 29 July 

2009

(b) DoD Directive 5143.01, “Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)),” 

24 October 2014

(c) DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2008, “DoD Civilian Personnel Management 

System: DoD Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) Awards and 

Recognition,” 12 September 2012

(d) DoD Instruction 3115.11, “DoD Intelligence Human Capital Management 

Operations,” 22 January 2009, Incorporating Change 1, 09 December 2011

(e) DoD Instruction 3305.10, “Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) Training,” 03 July 2013

(f) DoD Manual 3305.10, “DoD Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) Accreditation and 

Certification,” 27 May 2014

(g) DoD/USD(I) Memorandum, “Strategic Management of the Defense Intelligence 

Enterprise Workforce,” 12 October 2011

(h) Memorandum of Understanding Between NIMA (NGA) and CIA, 11 February 2000

(i) NGA Directive 1455, “Disciplinary and Adverse Actions,” 26 August 2013

(j) NGA Instruction 4000.19, “Interservice and Intragovernment Support,” 02 November 

2011

(k) NGA Instruction 8040.1, “Records and Information Life-Cycle Management,” 22 April 

2010

(l) NGA Manual 1455.1, “Disciplinary and Adverse Actions,” 19 February 2015

(m) NGA Manual 3305.1, “GEOINT Professional Certification (GPC) Program,” 15 June 

2015

(n) NGA Memorandum, “Responsibility for Certification Program,” 09 July 2012

(o) GEOINT Professional Certification Program, Program Handbook and appropriate 

NGA Implementation Guide, 14 April 2017
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ENCLOSURE 2

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Director, NGA (D/NGA).

a. Approves and forwards the Agency’s GPC Program resource requirements for

inclusion in the National Geospatial Intelligence Program (NGP) budget. 

b. Directs the Director, Human Development (D/HD), to issue guidance and

proscribe standards for development and implementation of the GPC Program.

c. Recommends GPC conferrals and revocations (by name) to USD(I) for

adjudication and approval. 

2. D/HD, in addition to the responsibilities stated in paragraph 9 below:

a. Serves as Chairperson, GPC Governance Council.

b. Appoints Serves an as the NGA senior-level representative to the GPC

Governance Council.

c. Oversees the GPC Program implementation, maintenance, and accreditation

efforts. 

d. Appoints a GPC Program Manager with the responsibility for development,

administration, and management of day-to-day operations of the GPC Program and the 

GPC Program Office (Reference (n)).

e. Reviews and forwards GPC resource requirements to Portfolio Managers (PfMs).

3. Director, HD Strategies (D/HDS).

a. Ensures GEOINT-related positions are coded in PeopleSoft, and other applicable

personnel and manpower documents and systems, with the identified GPC 

designations.

b. Ensures GPC alignment with Career Services (CS) and other workforce initiatives.

4. Director, HD Talent Management (D/HDT).

a. Ensures vacancy announcements for GEOINT-related positions include the

specific GPC requirements. 
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b. Ensures the GPC Condition of Employment agreement has been completed prior

to assigning moving an a newly hired employee into a position that requires a GPC, and 

that the agreement is filed appropriately in the employee’s Official Personnel File (OPF).

5. Director, National Geospatial-Intelligence College (D/HDN).

a. Ensures certification results data are used as a source for the advancement of

GEOINT training, education, and skill development.

b. Drives the unification and standardization of GEOINT training curricula for the

NSG and ASG partners.

6. Portfolio Manager(s) assess GPC resource requirement against other Agency

priorities and provide recommendation(s) into the program build process.

7. GPC Program Manager.

a. Establishes and provides eligible candidates a process for certification that is

administered in a consistent, accessible, and secure manner IAW Reference (f).

b. Identifies, recommends, defends, and justifies to D/NGAHD resource

requirements necessary to achieve a comprehensive and accredited GPC program.

c. Documents the knowledge and skills associated with competencies necessary to

perform mission and functional tasks of various critical GEOINT-related tradecrafts and 

work roles in coordination with subject matter experts (SMEs).

d. Establishes psychometrically sound processes for assessing GEOINT-related

competencies IAW Reference (f).

e. Establishes procedures to manage and administer the tests, tools, and protocols.

f. Communicates GPC schedules and assessment opportunities as necessary to

ensure candidate participation.

g. Manages the GPC certification appeal, renewal, conferral, recognition, and

revocation processes (References (c) through (g)).

h. Maintains candidates’ records, scores, and certification conferral and revocation

documents IAW Reference (k). Tracks candidates, from initial request through 

certification conferral and renewal, and reports information to the Components, CS, 

USD(I), and others where applicable. 

i. Supports and facilitates the activities of the Chair and NGA senior-level

representative to the GPC Governance Council.
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j. Identifies potential gaps between available training and identified GEOINT-related

competencies (Reference (f)).

k. Facilitates the creation or enhancement of professional development programs to

ensure personnel in GEOINT-related work roles develop the necessary skills.

l. Develops and submits necessary documentation to satisfy National Commission

for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) standards for accreditation (Reference (f)).

m. Designs, develops, and implements a plan for evaluating the efficiency and

effectiveness of the GPC Program including metrics that meet internal NGA and 

external reporting requirements.

n. Submits required annual certification reports to USD(I) and NCCA IAW Reference

(f).

8. CS Heads.

a. Ensure the competencies and skill standards are current and support the

continued relevance of the certification assessment.

b. Use certification assessment feedback to assess the strength and health of the

GEOINT-related tradecraft workforce and make recommendations to strengthen 

deficient areas with additional training and education, exposure, or experience.

c. Collaborate with the Components to identify specific GPC requirements for each

GEOINT-related position and provide appropriate documentation to HDS and HDT for 

input into PeopleSoft and other personnel and manpower documents and systems.

d. Recommend additional certification requirements for a new GEOINT-related

mission area to the GPC Program Manager.

e. Support the GPC Program by upholding policies, procedures, and requirements

as specified in this NGAI and NGA Manual (Reference (m)).

f. Coordinate with Component Directors/Agency Element Leads to provide qualified

SMEs to participate in certification development activities as required by the GPC 

Program Manager. 

9. Component Directors/Agency Element Leads.

a. Manage certification compliance within their Component/Agency Element when the

positions are appropriately coded.
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b. Support the GPC program by upholding policies, procedures, and requirements as

specified in this NGAI and Reference (m).

c. Provide qualified SMEs to participate in certification activities, as requested by the

GPC Program Manager.

d. Identify positions within their respective Component/Agency Element that have

GEOINT-related mission and functional tasks and coordinate with D/HDS, CS, or 

Contract Services, as appropriate, to ensure proper coding of GEOINT-related 

positions.

e. Identify GPC certification requirements in the SOW for contractor support

personnel.

10. Director, Contract Services, in addition to the responsibilities stated in paragraph 9

above.

a. Ensures that GPC requirements are included in the contract SOW.

b. Ensures, in coordination with the GPC Program Manager, contractor personnel

selected for GEOINT-related positions are appropriately certified.

11. Director, Corporate Communications, in addition to responsibilities stated in

paragraph 9 above, reviews GPC-related materials for public release.

12. General Counsel, in addition to the responsibilities stated in paragraph 9 above,

provides legal consultations and rulings in support of GPC development, 

implementation, maintenance, and accreditation.

13. Director, Diversity Management and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), in

addition to responsibilities stated in paragraph 9 above, provides review of program 

requirements to ensure diversity, inclusion, and EEO aspects are given consideration.

14. Director, GEOINT Enterprise Geospatial Intelligence Management, in addition to the

responsibilities stated in paragraph 9 above, interfaces and coordinates GPC-related 

matters with the NSG and the ASG, as applicable and serves as Chairperson, GPC 

Governance Council.

15. Director, Security and Installations, in addition to responsibilities stated in paragraph

9 above, conducts security reviews of GPC-related documents and provides printing 

and courier service support as necessary.

16. NGA senior-level representative to the GPC Governance Council will represent the

interests of the Agency concerning the GPC program design, management and 

maintenance, and perform the functions required as a member of the GPC Governance 

Council.
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17. Supervisors.

a. Ensure assigned personnel meet and maintain their GPC certification

requirements.

b. Ensure the GPC Condition of Employment agreement is signed and forwarded to

HDT prior to the employee moving into a GEOINT-related position. 

c. Ensure an applicant has successfully met all GPC program eligibility requirements

prior to approving the assessment registration request.

d. Approve GPC assessment registration requests for assigned personnel.

e. Notify the GPC Program Manager of any certified personnel under their purview

no longer considered to be in “good standing” IAW GPC Program Handbook and 

appropriate NGA Implementation Guide (Reference (o)).

18. NGA civilian employees, military personnel, OGA personnel, and contractors in

GEOINT-related tradecrafts and work roles.

a. Comply with applicable certification requirements as stated in the appropriate

candidate handbooks and annexes.

b. Coordinate with supervisor prior to registering for a GPC assessment.

c. Comply with stated maintenance requirements in order to retain GPC

credential(s).

d. Achieve and maintain any certification required for the position within the

timeframe specified in the GPC Program Handbook and appropriate NGA 

Implementation Guide applicable candidate handbook or annex (Reference (o)). Failure 

to do so may result in a disciplinary and adverse action IAW References (i), (j), and (l).
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GLOSSARY

DEFINITIONS

Accreditation Status awarded to a certification program that has demonstrated 

compliance with the standards for the accreditation of 

certification programs as set forth by the NCCA (Institute for 

Credentialing Excellence, “National Commission for Certifying 

Agencies: Standards for the Accreditation of Certification 

Programs,” 2004, Revised November 2014).

Certification The awarding of a credential acknowledging that an individual 

has demonstrated a specified level of knowledge or competence 

(Reference (d)).

Defense Intelligence 

Enterprise

The intelligence combat support agencies, the intelligence 

components of the Military Services and Combatant Commands, 

and DoD intelligence, counterintelligence, and security 

organizations (DoDI 3020.39, 12 September 2008).

GEOINT The exploitation and analysis of imagery and geospatial 

information to describe, assess, and visually depict physical 

features and geographically referenced activities on the Earth. 

GEOINT consists of imagery, imagery intelligence, and 

geospatial information. GEOINT collection encompasses all 

aspects of literal, infrared, and synthetic aperture radar imagery; 

overhead persistent infrared capabilities; and geospatial 

information and services. The terms imagery intelligence and 

advanced geospatial intelligence are encompassed within this 

definition of GEOINT (Reference (a)).

GEOINT

Professional

Certification (GPC)

Program

The GPC Program is sponsored by USD(I) and is part of a 

greater initiative to professionalize the Defense Intelligence 

Enterprise Workforce (Reference (f)).