3 FAM 2260
THE SENIOR FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICER CAREER CANDIDATE
PROGRAM
(CT:PER-861; 07-18-2017)
(Office of Origin: HR/PE)
3 FAM 2261 AUTHORITY
(CT:PER-861; 07-18-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
Sections 211, 301, 302, 303, 305, 306, 308, 309, 310, 402,
404, 405, 502, 601, 602, 603, 605, 607, 608, 610, 2103, and 2106 of the Foreign
Service Act of 1980, as amended (the Act).
3 FAM 2262 PURPOSE
(CT:PER-861; 07-18-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
a. The purpose of the Senior Foreign Service (SFS)
Career Candidate Program is to permit on-the-job evaluation of a candidates
fitness and aptitude to fill the most demanding and sensitive position involved
in the formulation, organization, direction, coordination, and implementation
of U.S. foreign policy. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate career
capability in their particular skill code or
functional field. They must demonstrate the necessary substantive knowledge,
leadership, managerial, and interpersonal skills and abilities to direct from
senior positions the effective promotion of U.S. interests in the given
functional or specialist area.
b. Guidelines and procedures to implement these
regulations are published in 3 FAM 2260.
3 FAM 2263 APPLICABILITY
(CT:PER-861; 07-18-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
These regulations apply to all senior candidates appointed
under the authority of 3 FAM 2217.
Such appointments may not exceed 5 years.
3 FAM 2264 ASSIGNMENTS
(CT:PER-861; 07-18-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
a. Assignments for senior candidates are made by the
Office of Career Development and Assignments (HR/CDA).
b. Senior candidates are assigned exclusively to SFS
positions in the occupational or functional category for which the Board of
Examiners certified their qualifications for career status. No assignments in other skill codes will be authorized
for senior candidates.
c. SFS positions may be in the United States or abroad
as required by the needs of the Service. However, each senior candidate must
serve at least 2 years abroad before review for career tenure.
d. Changes in
career functional skill codes can be made only following tenure in accordance with applicable regulations
and procedures.
3 FAM 2265 EVALUATION OF SENIOR
CANDIDATES
3 FAM 2265.1 Purpose
(CT:PER-861; 07-18-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
The primary purposes of the performance evaluation process
for senior candidates are to:
(1) Provide performance information to permit
rank-ordering by Selection Boards for promotion purposes;
(2) Furnish the assessments on which Performance Pay
Boards base their recommendations for the award of performance pay;
(3) Furnish the assessments on which the Senior
Commissioning Board will base its decision on whether a senior candidate should
be offered career status in the SFS; and
(4) Provide senior candidates with information to
assist in improving work performance.
3 FAM 2265.2 Promotion and
Performance Pay
(CT:PER-841; 04-12-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
Senior candidates are eligible to compete for promotion
and performance pay under the same conditions as career members of the SFS.
3 FAM 2265.3 Rating Cycle and
Procedures
(CT:PER-861; 07-18-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
a. Senior candidates are evaluated on Form DS-5055, Employee
Evaluation Report, following the instructions applicable to career candidates.
b. Except as provided in this subchapter, the rating
cycle, procedures, and regulations applicable to career members of the Service
(see 3 FAM 2810)
apply to senior candidates.
c. During senior candidacy, the reviewing officer
normally shall be at least of DCM or deputy assistant secretary rank.
d. If the Office of Performance Evaluation (HR/PE)
considers that the performance of a senior
candidate being reviewed by a Senior Commissioning Board is not sufficiently
documented in their personnel file, HR/PE may
request an interim performance appraisal for a period in excess of 120 days.
e. Other evaluation material prepared on senior
candidates may include commendations and Inspectors evaluation reports.
f. The same rules of inclusion and admissibility apply
to all evaluation material on senior candidates as apply to evaluation material
prepared on other members of the Foreign Service.
3 FAM 2266 ATTAINMENT OF CAREER STATUS
3 FAM 2266.1 Policy
(CT:PER-861; xx-xx-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
a. The decision to offer a senior candidate a career
appointment in the SFS will be based on the recommendation of the Senior
Commissioning Board which reviews all senior candidates.
b. The criterion for a positive career appointment recommendation is the senior
candidates demonstrated ability to perform at or above the standard of
performance of other members of the class in the functional or occupational
category. This criterion is amplified or more fully expressed in Precepts which
have been negotiated with the exclusive bargaining representative and provided
for the Senior Commissioning Boards guidance. (See 3 FAH-1
Exhibit H-2261.3, Precepts for the Senior Foreign Service Commissioning
Board.)
c. No numerical limit is
placed on the number of positive career appointment decisions of the Senior
Commissioning Board since senior candidate appointments are subject to a
certification of need at the time of appointments as provided in 3 FAM 2217.1
d. Senior candidates records are reviewed on their
merits, not in competition or comparison with one another.
e. Senior candidates not recommended for a career appointment in the SFS will be separated
from the Service at the expiration of their limited appointment or at an
earlier date if so recommended by the Senior Commissioning Board.
3 FAM 2266.2 Eligibility for Board
Review
(CT:PER-861; 07-18-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
a. Senior candidates are not eligible for review for
career status by a Senior Commissioning Board until:
(1) They have served
under their limited appointment for a
period of at least 4 years; and
(2) Until they have served 2 years abroad.
In addition, before career tenure review, a candidate who
was appointed while serving in a limited noncareer candidate appointment must
have served at least 1 year while designated as a senior career candidate. A senior candidate will be
reviewed for tenure as soon as practicable after these conditions have been
met.
b. In calculating the 4-year period required for
eligibility for tenure review, all periods of service in senior-level limited appointments in the
occupational category for which the candidates career
status is sought, both before and after conferral of senior candidate
status, will be included.
3 FAM 2266.3 Number of Board
Reviews
(CT:PER-841; 04-12-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
a. Senior candidates will normally be reviewed only
once by the Senior Commissioning Board.
b. In unusual circumstances, the Board may recommend a
second review of the senior candidate to take place approximately 60 days
before the expiration of the candidates limited appointment.
3 FAM 2266.4 Implementation of
Board Decisions
(CT:PER-861; 07-18-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
Upon receipt of the Senior Commissioning Boards recommendations, the Director General
will take all necessary administrative action on behalf of the Secretary to recommend to the President the names of the
senior candidates recommended for career appointments in the SFS under section
302(a) of the Act. Board recommendations to grant career status must be forwarded to the President except as otherwise
explicitly authorized in 3 FAH-1 H-2260.
Any senior candidates not recommended for career
status will be notified immediately in writing by the Director General
of the Boards decision not to offer career status and of the date the
candidates appointment is to be terminated. Time permitting, at least 30
days' notice of termination will be
provided.
3 FAM 2267 TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT
REMOVAL OF NAMES FROM COMMISSIONING LISTS
(CT:PER-861; 07-18-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
The Director General may order the temporary exclusion of
the name of any senior candidate from the Senior Officer Commissioning list if,
in the Director Generals opinion, such granting
of career status would be inconsistent with the national interest or the
efficiency of the Service. Such reasons must be based upon either:
(1) Issues of loyalty, security, misconduct, or
malfeasance; or
(2) Indications that documentation available to the
Senior Commissioning Board regarding a senior candidates performance may have
been significantly inaccurate or incomplete.
The procedures governing
temporary or permanent removal of names from the Senior Officer Commissioning
List are found in 3 FAH-1 H-2262.
3 FAM 2268 SEPARATION OF SENIOR
CANDIDATES FOR UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE
3 FAM 2268.1 Policy
(CT:PER-861; 07-18-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
a. As the purpose of the Senior Candidate Program is to
permit an on-the-job evaluation of the candidates fitness and aptitude to fill
the most demanding and sensitive positions in the Senior Foreign Service, this
judgment will be made normally by the Senior Commissioning Board as described
in this subchapter and 3 FAH-1 H-2260
b. In exceptional cases, a senior candidate may, prior
to Board review, prove unable to perform currently assigned duties
satisfactorily. In such circumstances, it serves neither the interest of the
Service nor the individual to retain the senior candidate for the full trial
period originally intended. In such instances, the Director General will
terminate the senior candidates limited appointment without a delay, as
authorized by section 612 of the Act.
3 FAM 2268.2 Date of Separation
(CT:PER-861; 07-18-2017)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Only)
When ordering separation under section 3 FAM 2268.1,
the Director General will set the effective date, which may be no less than 30
days following notification of that action, not counting necessary travel time
to Washington, DC if the candidate is assigned abroad.
3 FAM 2269 UNASSIGNED