United States Department of the Interior

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAM CENTER

12795 West Alameda Parkway

PO Box 25287

Denver, Colorado 80225-0287

**ELECTRONIC COPY ONLY, NO HARDCOPY TO FOLLOW**

Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Human Resources (HR) Guidance

Issuance Number 2006-01

Subject: IFPM Implementation Procedures

Issuance Date: November 17, 2006

As we move closer to the target date of October 1, 2009, for implementation of IFPM, we

need to be attentive about the work remaining to implement IFPM and the potential impact

IIFPM has on our workforce. We appreciate the efforts of those human resource specialists

who have established a cohesive relationship with fire management officials to effect the

many changes involved with IFPM.

In order to continue communication and provide applicable guidance, the information below

is provided. Many of the enclosed items are probably familiar to you, but all are important

points to re-emphasize. For reference and tracking purposes, we are numbering this and future

IFPM issuances to the human resources community.

The following procedures should be used in recruiting IFPM fire positions:

1. Except in the case of the interagency seasonal recruitment for seasonal firefighters

(FIRES), you must use either the appropriate NPS Standard Position Description (SPD) or a

locally classified position description when advertising and filling vacant positions. Be

certain that those positions eligible for 6(c) coverage have been approved by the Fire and Law

Enforcement Retirement Team (FLERT). Any change made to an existing position

description requires submission and re-certification by FLERT.

It is not appropriate to use the Department of the Interior (DOI) SPDs that exist for IFPM

positions when recruiting for positions since they contain IFPM requirements. Once an

existing employee meets all IFPM requirement for the position to which assigned, the

employee should be reassigned to the applicable DOI IFPM Standard Position Description.

2. During the transition period, the only qualification requirements for vacancy

announcements are existing OPM qualification standards for the appropriate job series.
Fire management positions in the professional series GS-0401, are covered under the OPMapproved “Supplemental Qualification Standard GS-401, Fire Management Specialist,” as

outlined in the National Park Service, HR Advisory Number 002, Effective Date, September

3, 2003. Information on this standard can be found on the IFPM website as “Policy

Interpretation of the Supplemental Qualification Standard for the GS-401 Fire Management”:

http://www.ifpm.nifc.gov/implementation/GS0401.htm

Selective factors may be used in accordance with accepted Federal hiring laws, i.e., justified

in the position description and supported by a current job analysis conducted for the

recruitment action when announcing these positions. Selective factors are knowledge, skills,

abilities or special qualifications that are in addition to the minimum requirements in a

qualification standard but are determined essential to the performance of the duties and

responsibilities of a particular position. NOTE: Completion of IFPM-specified training

courses cannot be used as a selective factor.

When recruiting for the 14 key wildland firefighting positions, the mandatory

requirements for previous wildland firefighting experience must be included as a

selective factor. NPS has determined that the Fire Prevention and Education Specialist

positions in the GS-301 series and Dispatcher positions in the GS-2151 series are excluded

from this requirement. An Attachment to this memo describing recommended language for

the selective placement factor has been provided. For a listing of the 14 key fire management

positions, click on the following link: http://www.ifpm.nifc.gov/guide/electronic.htm,

Chapter 1, Introduction, and scroll to page three of the Implementation Plan.

3. Vacancy announcements must inform applicants that if selected, they must agree in writing

to meet the IFPM qualification requirements for the position they occupy by October 1, 2009.

(See sample wording for Condition of Employment on Attachment)

Servicing HR Specialists need to assist the park Fire Management Officer (FMO) in

completing the Condition of Employment Agreement to identify both the subject position and

the appropriate IFPM qualifications(to include “training courses and experience”) which

must be met by October 1, 2009. This Agreement then needs to be sent to the selectee for

signature; the selectee signs the agreement and returns it to the servicing HR office, prior to

the effective date of the new appointment. The HR office should provide a copy of the signed

agreement to the FMO and/or supervisor, who must also sign the agreement. A copy of the

signed Agreement will be retained by the FMO/supervisor, and the original document will be

sent to the servicing human resources office and filed in the employee’s Official Personnel

File (OPF). This will ensure that the information can be easily located, especially if the

employee accepts a position in another organization.

FMO’s are responsible for hiring applicants who are able to complete the required training

and assignments in compliance with IFPM requirements for that particular position by the

established October 1, 2009, deadline. It is imperative for supervisors and managers to

actively pursue the required training and experience for their employees working in IFPM
positions so that they are able to meet the requirements. To facilitate this, FMO’s are required

to prepare an Individual Development Plan (IDP) for each employee hired into an IFPM

position. All IDP’s must be communicated with the employee and completed within 60 days

of the employee’s appointment date. The IDP should outline the specific steps required for an

employee to meet the IFPM qualifications they lack when they entered the position. The IDP

should include timeframes for expected completion of each element of the IFPM requirements

based upon the availability of training and/or experience needed. BOTH the employee and the

supervisor review and sign the IDP document. Each FMO/supervisor will maintain and

update the IDP for the employee and provide up-to-date versions to the servicing human

resources office which reflects accomplishments and targets attained by the employee in

meeting established IDP objectives.

Employees who work in IFPM positions may still be promoted within the established career

ladder for their current NPS position regardless of progress made toward meeting IFPM

qualifications.

4. The Interagency Fire Program Management Team maintains a website which contains

updated information designed to serve as an aid to those working with the IFPM

implementation in their agency. Two new developments for Human Resources Specialists are

“Evaluating the Employee Against the IFPM Standard, and the“Human Resources

Qualification Job Aid, issued May 24, 2006,” Both can be found by clicking on:

http://www.ifpm.nifc.gov/newdevelopments.htm

Additional, current, information and resources regarding IFPM can be found on the

Interagency Fire Program Management Website at: http://www.ifpm.nifc.gov/ .

The point of contact for the NPS HR community regarding IFPM issues is Melissa_Anglin,

Human Resources Specialist, NPS HR Franchise. She can be reached at (252) 473-3468.

Should you have any questions regarding information contained in this memorandum, please

contact her.

D. Burton Orton

NPS HR Franchise Manager

Attachment