National Wildfire Coordinating Group

National Interagency Fire Center
3833 S. Development Avenue
Boise, ID 83705

Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM)

http://ifpm.nifc.gov

Decision Paper #4

Subject: Modification of Interagency Fire Program Management Minimum Qualification Standards – Mid Course Review

Effective Date: This decision is effective September 29, 2008.

Background: The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) has completed a mid course analysis of all IFPM positions. The analysis focused on whether all 14 key positions should be maintained and if so, whether the NWCG incident management qualifications are still appropriate. The results of this analysis are identified below.

Decisions:

1. Deadline Extension: In an August 15, 2008 memo from the Associate Deputy Secretary of the Interior, the deadline to meet IFPM requirements was extended to October 1, 2010, providing incumbents an additional year to meet both “position specific IFPM Standards” (NWCG qualifications and additional required training) as well as positive education requirements for GS-0401 positions. A similar extension letter will be forthcoming for Forest Service employees.
2. Removal of the Prevention and Mitigation Specialist position: The job duties associated with this position do not support it’s retention as an IFPM position.
3. Delegation of National and Geographic Area Fire Program Manager IFPM role: National Fire Program Managers (NFPM) and Geographic Area Fire Program Manager (GFPM) positions will be filled with qualified individuals from senior leadership positions at the respective National and Geographic levels. Due to organizational complexities, there may be instances in national and geographic organizations where the senior fire program manager delegates the IFPM requirements to a senior officer. The primary intent of this delegation is to place the appropriate individual who meets IFPM minimum qualification standards in the position of authority to support safe operations in the field.
4. Adjustments to NWCG qualification and Additional Training requirements: Based on the position analysis conducted by the IFPM Implementation Team, NWCG has made adjustments to NWCG incident management qualifications and Additional Required Training standards. These adjustments are identified in the table below (Page 4).

   The position qualification and training requirements that were adjusted were moderated with the exception of Supervisory Fire Engine Operator where the ENOP requirement was adjusted to ENGB to reflect NWCG adopted positions. Changes were made to the following positions:

   1. National Fire Program Manager
   2. Geographic Area Fire Program Manager
   3. Unit Fire Program Manager
   4. Wildland Fire Operations Specialist
   5. Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialist
   6. Supervisory Fire Engine Operator
   7. Senior Firefighter

   Primary Core Requirements, Secondary Core Requirements, and Additional Required Training are all mandatory and will be used as selective placement factors in vacancy announcements beginning October 1, 2010. Prior to October 1, 2010 (the “implementation period”) vacancy announcement language will reference the requirement that these qualifications be obtained prior to October 1, 2010.

   All listed Primary and Secondary Core Requirements are “minimum” requirements and it is the intent that all qualifications requirements within the IFPM program must meet these requirements “or higher”. An individual who holds a higher qualification in the same functional area but does not hold the core qualification will still meet the requirement (i.e.: an individual who is qualified as a DIVS will meet the Core Requirement for any position requiring TFLD).

   Both Primary and Secondary Core Requirements are weighted equally from a selective placement factor standpoint. The distinction between Primary and Secondary Core Requirements is based on a position competency ranking conducted during the analysis process. The analysis determined that Operations qualifications would serve as the fundamental building block for each position, with the exception being the High and Moderate Complexity Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialist positions.

   Where an “OR” option is indicated within the Secondary Core Requirements Category, any NWCG position listed can be chosen to meet the qualification standard. For example, the Secondary Core Requirement for the position of Geographic Area Fire Program Manager can be achieved if the employee has been qualified in one of three position options: Incident Commander, Type 3 (ICT3) or, Type 2 Command and General Staff (see C&GS list in section 4 below) or, Prescribed Fire Burn Boss, Type 2 (RXB2).

   As indicated in the example above, currency is not required for NWCG position qualifications for some IFPM positions. All other positions require the employee to be current and qualified as validated by the Incident Qualification and Certification

   System (IQCS). This currency distinction is based on whether the position’s primary focus is on managing a program or a capability to respond in those positions identified.

5. Command and General Staff Positions: One of the qualification pathways for the Secondary Core Requirement for National and Geographic Area Fire Program Managers is a Command and General Staff qualification. Previous versions of this list included positions such as Agency Representative, Liaison Officer, and Interagency Area Resource Representative. Although these positions have been listed in the PMS 310-1 within the Command and General Staff flowchart, they should not have appeared in the IFPM qualifying list and do not meet the original program intent of a Command and General Staff Position. The following list is those Command and General Staff positions which fulfill this option:

ICT1/2 Incident Commander Type 1 or Type 2
PIO1/2 Public Information Officer Type 1 or Type 2
SOF1/2 Safety Officer Type 1 or Type 2
OSC1/2 Operations Section Chief Type 1 or Type 2
PSC1/2 Planning Section Chief Type 1 or Type 2
LSC1/2 Logistics Section Chief Type 1 or Type 2
FSC1/2 Finance/Administration Section Chief Type 1 or Type 2

6. Scope: The revisions as outlined in this decision paper apply to all employees in IFPM positions. These changes will soon be incorporated into the appropriate documents and Frequently Asked Questions on the IFPM web site.
   

Selective Placement Factors for IFPM Positions

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