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United States Department of the Interior

BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
‘Washingvon, D.C, 20240

= SEP OS uu

Division of Forestry

Memorandum

To: All Regional Directors
Attention: Fire Management
Human Resources Manageme)

From: Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs
Subject: ImpJementation of the Interagency Fife Program Mehagement Qualifications
Standards and Guide

Studies of wildland fire incidents for a number of years highlighted the fact that more stringent,
uniform qualification standards were needed for certain fire management positions to assure
firefighter safety. The lengthy collaborative effort between the Department of the Interior and
the Department of Agriculture to establish uniform fire management qualifications standards to
improve firefighter safety and increase professionalism in the fire management program has been
completed.

In the attached memorandum dated June 18, 2004, Assistant Secretary — Office of Policy,
Management and Budget, P. Lynn Scarlett established October 1, 2004, as the date to
officially begin implementing the Interagency Fire Program Management Qualifications
Standard and Guide (IFPM Standard). A subsequent memorandum was issued on July 2, 2004,
by Carolyn Cohen, Director, Office of Personnel Policy to aJ) Bureau Human Resources
Directors reaffirming this implementation date.

The National Fire and Aviation Executive Board through the Federal Fire Training Task Group,
- chartered an‘ interagency JFPM Implementation Team consisting of human resources, training
and fire management personnel. The Implementation Team met on August 5-6, 2004 to begin
their work on an interagency basis. Their first task is to develop an implementation plan which
will be issued on October 1, 2004. This plan will provide guidance on the implementation
process, :

Since October 4, 2002, the BLA has been implementing the Supplemental Qualification Standard
for the GS-40] Fire Management Position. This new guidance does not contradict the 2002
policy related to the GS-401 Supplemental Qualification Standard.- There are procedural


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differences in the new policy and we will wait for interagency implementation guidance prior to
making any changes.

The key differences between the existing Bureau guidelines and this new policy are:
e The requirement of compliance by October 1, 2009.

e All of the positions deemed professional in IFPM guide will be converted to the GS-0401
series. This would include any GS-0460 series employées currently employed in one of
the i4 Key Positions.

« Technicians (GS-0462/0455) currently occupying positions that will be converted to the
professional GS-0401 series will have the opportunity to pursue the required education,
skills and competencies before the deadline.

« Between October 1, 2004, and October 1, 2009, all vacant or newly-created positions
determined to be professional may be classified and advertised in separate
announcements as both professional (GS-0401) and technical (GS-0462, GS-0455). Ifa
well-qualified GS-0401 candidate cannot be hired for the position, it may be filled with a
GS-0462/GS-0455 who meets the IFPM Standard requirements. This is contingent upon
this individual completing the positive education requirement of the Supplemental
Qualification Standard for the GS-0401 Fire Management Specialist before October 1,
2009. Notwithstanding this flexibility, every effort will be made to hire qualified GS-401
applicants. After October 1, 2009, professional fire positions will only be classified and
advertised as a GS-0401.

Pursuant to the Indian Affairs Manual, Part 90, Wildland Fire Management, Chapter 2, Section

2.5(a), “Adherence to the ... IFMQ Guide (IFPM Guide) is mandatory for fire program officers,

fire specialists and fire project leaders.” Furthermore, Section 2.5(b) states that “Self-
governance compacts, contracts or mutual aid agreement standards ... will not be less than
NWCG and IFMQ (IFPM Guide) standards. Consequently, IFPM is addressed in existing BLA
policy, and will be observed when developing or reviewing qualification standards for new or = - .-
existing positions, in order to meet or exceed IFPM requirements,

Once this office has guidance from the Interagency Implementation Team, it will be essential
that Human Resource Departments be involved in this implementation process as plans to
transition and convert encumbered GS-460/462 key positions to the GS-401 series by the
deadline must be made. The Interagency Implementation Group will develop guidance to assist
Servicing Personnel Offices in this task.

An implementation subgroup has also been developed to define a consistent interagency
procedure for determining Program Complexity, a key element in defining appropriate staffing
and grade levels. The Bureau already has complexity ratings but some adjustment to the match
Interagency Standards may be necessary. People in the key positions at a unit that changes
Program Complexity wil] have until the 2009 deadline to meet any new standards.


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The above mentioned memorandums, the IFPM Standard and related information may be found
on the internet at http://www.nife. gov/traini M/ifpm.htm.

If you have further questions, you may contact Dave Koch, National Training Officer at (208)
387-5577 or via email at dave_koch@nife.gov.

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