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Human Resources Bulletin Number: 07-03 

Subject: Clarification to Qualification Requirements for GS-401, Fire Management 

Specialist Positions 

References: Human Resources Advisory Number 002 (dated 9/3/03); Supplemental 

Qualification Standard for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service and the U.S. 

Department of the Interior, GS-401 Fire Management Specialist; OPM Individual Occupational 

Requirements (IOR) for GS-401 series; Qualification Standards for GS Positions under the Group 

Coverage Qualifications Standard for Professional and Scientific Positions 

Attachments 2 and 3 to HR Advisory 002 are hereby rescinded. 

Distribution: Associate Director Visitor and Resource Protection, Regional and Center Human 

Resources Managers 

Point of Contact: Servicing Personnel Office or Field Advisory Services and Executive 

Resources Division (FASER), Office of Human Resources 

Effective Date: May 8, 2007 

Sunset Date: Until rescinded or superseded 

This Human Resources Bulletin provides information and clarification concerning the appropriate

qualification standard and its interpretation and use when reviewing qualifications for all Fire

Management Specialist, GS-401 positions in the National Park Service. This Bulletin amends and

supersedes the previous guidance stated in HR Advisory Number 002, dated September 3, 2003,

and associated attachments which presented the GS-401 Supplemental Qualification Standard and 

implementing guidance. 

As a result of recent meetings with U.S Office of Personnel Management, the Department of the

Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service, it became clear that immediate changes and adjustments

were needed to our approach to performing qualifications reviews for these positions. 

First, it must be clarified that all GS-401 Fire Management Specialist positions in the National 

Park Service are covered under the OPM Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) for GS401 series (http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/SEC-IV/B/GS0400/0401.HTML), contained in the 

Qualifications Standard for GS Positions. All applicants for GS-401 Fire Management Specialist 

positions must satisfy the minimum education requirements stated there. 

National Park Service 

U.S. Department of the Interior 
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Under these requirements, the applicant may qualify based on possession of either a 4-year 

degree in one of the related fields of study listed, or as an alternative, may possess an equivalent 

combination of 4 years of education and experience that included at least 24 semester hours in a 

directly related field of study that was comparable to a major. Although the standard does not 

specify the number of semester/quarter hours that must be upper level courses (junior and senior 

level classes) under this provision, it is clear that the coursework that constitutes a major in a 

field of study must progress substantially beyond the second year of college. Therefore, you 

must determine that this study was progressing towards a bachelor’s degree, and that the 

directly-related coursework included courses at the junior/senior level that would count toward 

satisfying the requirements of a major in the field at the bachelor’s degree level. This substantial 

educational core can then be supplemented by appropriate related experience to total four years. 

To further clarify, since the coursework that constitutes a major in any field of study must 

progress substantially beyond the second year of college, it is evident that the education 

completed solely within an associate degree program could not be considered equivalent to a 

major course of study at the baccalaureate level. 

This issue was addressed most recently by OPM in a March 16, 2007, letter to the Department of 

Interior, regarding the educational requirements associated with GS-401 Fire Management 

Specialist positions, and that I forwarded to NPS HR Council on April 10, 2007. Additional 

explanation and guidance about accepting college coursework to satisfy the basic education 

requirements can be found on the OPM website in the Qualifications Standards for GS Positions 

Group Coverage Qualifications Standard for Professional and Scientific Positions 

(http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/sec-iv/A/GS-PROF.asp). 

In accordance with long-standing OPM regulatory guidance, only education completed at an 

accredited college or university is acceptable to count towards satisfying minimum education 

requirements. (Accredited means that at the time the education was obtained, the entire 

institution, the applicable school within the institution, or the applicable curriculum was 

appropriately accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the U.S. Department of 

Education.) Appropriate courses can be accepted for credit towards meeting education 

requirements only if supported by official college documentation, such as listing on an official 

transcript (or copy) from an accredited educational institution. 

Therefore, effective immediately, National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) courses can 

no longer be accepted as creditable toward meeting the basic educational requirement for GS401 Fire Management positions, unless they have been submitted to an accredited U.S. college or 

university for course evaluation and credit, and they are listed on an official transcript from the 

school. 

In implementing the above requirements, effective immediately, Attachments 2 and 3 to HR 

Advisory 002 (“Application of Education and Specialized Experience” and “Other Education 

Creditable towards 24 Semester Hours Requirement”) are rescinded, and are no longer to be used 

in determining applicant qualifications for these positions. (These attachments contain 

information about coursework creditable towards the requirements.) 

Additionally, the GS-401 Supplemental Standard and Attachment 1 to HR Advisory 002, which 

contain additional information about the specialized experience and education that is required to 

qualify for these fire management positions, are currently being reviewed by DOI. Further 

guidance on this will be issued as appropriate in the near future. 
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It is important to note that the information on the GS-401 qualification standards and their use 

stated above applies to all GS-401 Fire Management Specialist positions in the National Park 

Service, whether or not they are part of the 14 key positions under the Interagency Fire 

Management Program (IFPM). 

We recognize that there may be situations identified where a current employee was found 

qualified for his/her current GS-401 fire management position based on crediting National 

Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) courses toward meeting the basic educational 

requirement. Since these jobs are found throughout the Department of Interior and the U.S. 

Forest Service, we are currently working with the Department to determine the best approach to 

take to resolve this with the least possible adverse impact. 

 

We expect that each of these cases will need to be reviewed on a case by case basis to find the 

best and least disruptive resolution. Melissa Anglin has been appointed as the NPS focal point to 

request employee information needed and make the necessary reviews. Affected employees and 

individual Human Resources Offices will be notified of any such requested position review. I 

wish to emphasize that every effort will be made to avoid negative impacts on affected 

employees. 

Any questions concerning this policy should be directed to Melissa Anglin, APC-HR Franchise, 

on (252) 473-3468. 

//s// 

Nathaniel M. Deutsch 

Chief, Office of Human Resources