UNCLASSIFIED (U)

14 FAH-3 H-320

MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

(CT: AQM- 13; 08-11-2017)
(Office of Origin: A/OPE)

14 fah-3 h-321 background

(CT: AQM- 13; 08-11-2017)

The Office of Federal Procurement Policy under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 433 develops the Contracting Series, 1102 general schedule qualification standards. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved these standards. The requirements under the standard follow.

14 FAH-3 H-322 BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR GS-1102-5 THROUGH GS-1102-12

(CT: AQM-13; 08-11-2017)

a. The basic requirements for GS-1102, Grades GS-5 through GS-12 are:

(1) A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelors degree with a major in any field; or

(2) At least 24 semester hours in business-related studies in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

b. Applicants who meet the criteria for Superior Academic Achievement qualify for positions at the GS-7 level.

c. The following table shows the amounts of education and/or experience required to qualify for positions GS-7 through GS-12 covered by this standard.

Grade	Education	Specialized Experience
GS-7	1 full academic year of graduate education or law school or superior academic achievement	1 year equivalent to at least GS-5
GS-9	2 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a masters or equivalent graduate degree or LL.B. or J.D.	1 year equivalent to at least GS-7
GS-11	3 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree	1 year equivalent to at least GS-9
GS-12 and above	No educational equivalent	1 year equivalent to at least next lower grade level
Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for all grade levels for which both education and experience are acceptable.

NOTE: For positions at GS-7 through GS-12, applicants who qualify based on experience must possess at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level, that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position, in addition to meeting the basic requirements in paragraph a above

14 FAH-3 H-322.1 Graduate Educations

(CT: AQM-1; 11-29-2005)

To qualify for GS-1102 positions on the basis of graduate education, graduate education in one or a combination of the following fields is required: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

14 FAH-3 H-322.2 Exceptions

(CT: AQM-13; 08-11-2017)

Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. Employees who occupy GS-1102 positions at grades GS-5 through GS-12 will be considered to meet the basic requirements for other GS-1102 positions up to and including those classified at GS-12. This includes positions at other agencies and promotions up through grade GS-12. However, employees must meet specialized experience requirements when seeking another position.

14 FAH-3 H-323 BASIC REQUIREMENTS AND EXCEPTIONS FOR GS-13 AND ABOVE

14 FAH-3 H-323.1 Requirements

(CT: AQM-13; 08-11-2017)

The basic requirements for GS-1102, grades 13 and above are:

(1) Completion of all mandatory training prescribed by the head of the agency for progression to the GS-13 or higher-level contracting positions, including at least four years of experience in contracting or related positions. At least one year of that experience must have been specialized experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level of the position, and must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position; and

(2) A 4-year course of study leading to a bachelors degree, that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, law, contracts, purchasing, economics, industrial management, marketing, quantitative methods, or organization and management.

14 FAH-3 H-323.2 Exceptions

(CT: AQM-1; 11-29-2005)

Employees in GS-1102 positions will be considered to have met the standard for positions they occupy on January 1, 2000. This also applies to positions at the same grade in the same agency or other agencies if the specialized experience requirements are met. However, employees must meet the basic requirements and specialized experience requirements to qualify for promotion to a higher grade, unless granted a waiver under 14 FAH-3 H-324.

14 FAH-3 H-324 WAIVERS

(CT: AQM-13; 08-11-2017)

a. When filling a specific vacant position, the Procurement Executive, at his or her discretion, may waive any or all of the requirements for mandatory education, training, and experience if the Procurement Executive certifies that the applicant possesses significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision-making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience. The Procurement Executive must document for the record the basis of each waiver granted under this authority. Offices wishing to advertise for a particular vacancy must determine whether or not waivers should be considered for a given vacancy and indicate in the announcement if waivers will be considered. A copy of all Department of State GS-1102 announcements must be provided to the Procurement Executive (A/OPE).

b. If an individual is placed in a position on the basis of a waiver, the Department of State may later reassign that individual to another position at the same grade within the Department without additional waiver action. Waivers will be granted only in rare cases when the individual who has been determined to be the most suitable candidate available for a specific position does not meet the basic requirements of the OPM GS-1102 Qualification Standard. In such cases, the selecting official must submit a written Request for Waiver to the Procurement Executive, A/OPE.

c. The Request for Waiver should provide clear evidence that demonstrates that this applicant possesses significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision-making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience. The selecting official must provide details that made this individual the most suitable candidate and include a discussion of the impact that disapproval would have on the contracting activity and the employee. A format Request for Waiver of OPM Acquisition Workforce Standards is included in 14 FAH-3 Exhibit H-324.

14 FAH-3 H-325 THROUGH H-329 UNASSIGNED

 

 

14 FAH-3 Exhibit H-324
Format Request for Waiver of OPM Acquisition Workforce Standards

(CT:AQM- AQM-13; 08-11-2017)

 

(Date)

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO: A/OPE - Procurement Executive

THROUGH: Executive Director HR/CSHRM (when applicable)

FROM: (Name and Organizational Code of Selecting Official)

SUBJECT: Request for Waiver of OPM Acquisition Workforce Standards

 

Please grant a waiver for: [Name, Position, Series, Grade, Organization, Office Symbol, and Address].

This request is to waive [check applicable box(es)]:

 24 semester hours of business-related courses.

 Four years of college leading to a degree.

 Specific training requirements.

 Experience requirements.

[Specifically identify the portion of the standard that the person does not meet (e.g., lacks 10 or 24 semester credit hours in business, has the 24 hours, but not the degree, etc.) ].

 

Justification: [Provide justification for requesting the waiver including bases for waiver. Also include in the justification the following statement: I certify significant potential for advancement for the following reasons: (insert rationale that will fully support the waiver). For instance, the employee has demonstrated significant potential for advancement to levels of greater responsibility and authority, based on demonstrated analytical and decision-making capabilities, job performance, and qualifying experience. Information on specific projects or acts that demonstrate this potential must be fully documented. Include copies of documentation, where appropriate.]

Please contact ________________ on extension _______ if you have any questions.

 

Head of Contracting Activity Endorsement. I hereby endorse this request for a waiver.

Name
Signature		Date

 

Executive Director Endorsement. I hereby endorse this request for a waiver.

Name
Signature		Date

 

PER/CSP Concurrence. I hereby concur with this request for waiver. (Only needed for a GS-14 or GS-15 promotion in which the candidate was not selected through merit promotion procedures.)

Name
Signature		Date

 

Procurement Executive Decision.

 

________Approved ________Disapproved

 

Name
Signature		Date

 

UNCLASSIFIED (U)