The following includes standards for selecting employees for placement under the senior qualified and best qualified procedures.
- Senior qualified positions. Employee placement into positions filled through senior qualified procedures must be based on the following:
- The employee’s eligibility to bid.
- The employee’s seniority.
- The senior bidder’s qualifications related to the requirements.
- The employee’s successful completion of required training, if any.
- Best qualified positions. Employee placement into positions filled through best qualified procedures must be based on:
- The employee’s eligibility to apply.
- The best qualifications among employees who have met the requirements.
- The employee’s successful completion of required training, if any.
Senior qualified bidders who meet the position requirements of the job posting are placed into the position, or into training for the position, in accordance with the appropriate collective bargaining agreement. Human Resources personnel are responsible for ensuring that qualifications are evaluated for bids to all senior qualified positions. (See 727.5, Timing and Sequence of Evaluation.)
In many cases, there is no need to document the evaluation of the senior bidder’s qualifications. When such documentation is required, the evaluator must complete PS Form 1796–A, Qualifications Rating Sheet for Senior Qualified Positions.
Bidders for senior qualified positions submit bids in accordance with the provisions of the appropriate collective bargaining agreement (i.e., by telephone, computer, or in writing) using PS Form 1717, Bid for Preferred Assignment. Following the close of the posting, the senior bidder’s qualifications should be evaluated through a review of the employee’s eOPF and any other pertinent information available. (See 727.4, When to Evaluate Qualifications, and 727.5, Timing and Sequence of Evaluation.)
If there is sufficient information to show that the senior bidder meets the job requirements, the senior bidder is presumed to be qualified. Otherwise, the 5 senior bidders must be requested to address the position requirements in writing, following these procedures:
- The 5 most senior bidders are each asked to furnish in writing his or her qualifications for the position; however, any currently qualified through previous qualification are not subject to this requirement. (See 727.4b, “Bidding to return to a position previously held.”)
- A copy of the qualification standard must be provided to the bidders. If the position does not have a qualification standard, a copy of the posting showing the requirements must be provided to the bidders.
- Bidders are allowed at least 3 days to respond. They must record their qualifications on PS Form 991, Application for Promotion or Assignment, and return it by the deadline specified.
- If an examination is required that is usually given after the posting closes, the 5 senior bidders — at a minimum — are scheduled for the examination, unless currently qualified.
- If there are less than 5 bidders for a position, these procedures apply to all who bid.
If an examination is required, any existing examination scores are obtained for the bidders.
A qualification evaluator from Human Resources considers the senior bidder’s qualifications compared to the position requirements, as follows:
- The evaluator may review the employee’s eOPF and other official records that contain pertinent information, and, if necessary, contact the bidder and/or an appropriate supervisor for clarification.
- If written statements were obtained, the evaluator must complete PS Form 1796–A, Qualifications Rating Sheet for Senior Qualified Positions, for the senior bidder.
- Only if the senior bidder is found to be not qualified will the next senior bidder be evaluated, and PS Form 1796–A completed for that bidder.
- The evaluator may conduct interviews to supplement the written record to establish whether a bidder meets specific requirements. Interviews for a senior qualified position must not be used to rank or selectively choose among bidders.
PS Form 1796-A is used to document that the senior bidder meets all the position’s requirements. This form must not be used if the senior bidder is determined to be qualified from the eOPF review. However, if the 5 senior bidders have been requested to address their qualifications on PS Form 991, the evaluator must complete PS Form 1796-A to document the evaluation process for the senior bidder as follows:
- In Column A, “Identification of Requirements,” the evaluator lists the examination requirements, knowledge, skills, and abilities, and any other requirements for the position.
- In Column B, “Demonstration,” the evaluator must decide whether the senior bidder has demonstrated each requirement based on the information available. If the bidder failed a required examination, the bidder is not qualified and no additional information is needed on PS Form 1796-A. Similarly, if the position requires driving, and the bidder failed a driver’s license checklist review (see 517.5, Driver’s License Review), the bidder is not qualified, and no additional information is needed on PS Form 1796-A.
- In Column C, “Measurements Used,” the evaluator must explain how the determination for each requirement was made. The statements may be brief, but must provide enough information to enable the evaluator to recall the facts that led to the decision. This column is not completed for examination requirements.
- The evaluator completes Section 3, “Finding,” checking “Qualified” if the bidder has demonstrated every requirement. If the evaluator checked “No” in Column B for one or more requirements, the bidder is not qualified. (See 727.5, Timing and Sequence of Evaluation, which includes information on timing and sequences for bidders to meet some requirements.)
When the evaluation is completed, the senior bidder is selected for the position if qualified. An evaluation of the next senior bidder’s qualifications is not necessary when the senior bidder is selected.
Appropriate documentation, including PS Forms 1796-A (if completed); PS Form 1717, Bid for Preferred Assignment; the posting; and written statements (if obtained) must be maintained with employee bidding records.
Qualifications help selecting officials determine the relative standing for selecting career employees who are eligible to apply for such positions based on applicable collective bargaining agreements. Of those applicants who meet all requirements, the applicant who is found to be the best qualified based on total qualifications will be selected. This determination is made based on comparing total qualifications among applicants for the position. (See 728.37, Selecting Best Qualified Applicant.)
For filling best qualified positions, the selecting official is usually the supervisor or manager with the vacancy. Bargaining employees serving as acting supervisors may not serve as selecting officials. The selecting official has numerous options regarding review committees and interviews. These options are described in the sections that follow. If recommendations are made to the selecting official from a review committee, the selecting official may have access to all information used by the review committee, including completed PS Form 1796–B, Qualifications Rating Sheet for Best Qualified Positions.
The initial determination of qualifications is documented on PS Form 1796-B, Qualifications Rating Sheet for Best Qualified Positions. The review committee, or in the absence of a review committee the selecting official, completes this form for every applicant.
Applicants for best qualified positions are required to describe their qualifications in writing. (See 765.2, Best Qualified Positions.) PS Form 991, Application for Promotion or Assignment, must be used for this purpose. Applicants must address each of the requirements listed on the qualification standard or posting, including desirable qualifications, if any. Applications must be submitted by the deadline specified.
Desirable qualifications may be locally added to the posting for best qualified positions. If used, they must be related to the position and documented on the job posting. However, they may not be used as a basis for disqualification.
The qualifications of all applicants are compared to the position requirements stated on the vacancy announcement or job posting. At a minimum, applicants’ written statements are reviewed by selection officials and review committee members.
The applicants’ eOPFs and other official records may be reviewed; however, it is recommended that the selecting official review the eOPF of the person to be selected before finalizing the decision. The selecting official’s decision whether to use a review committee usually is based on the number of applicants and the time available to the selecting official to review the applications.
The function of the review committee is to evaluate the applicants’ qualifications and eligibility for the position, to conduct interviews if appropriate (see 728.35, Conducting Interviews), and to make recommendations to the selecting official on the best qualified applicants. The selecting official may also choose to have the review committee determine the best qualified applicant.
All review committee members must be nonbargaining employees. Usually, a committee will consist of 2 nonbargaining employees from the functional area of the vacancy, and 1 from outside the functional area.
A selecting official who asks a review committee to determine the best qualified applicant may also be a member of the committee. However, a selecting official who asks a review committee to recommend those who best meet the requirements of the position must not be a member of the committee.
Review committee procedures follow the principles of independent work and consensus decision–making. Specific steps are:
- Each committee member must independently determine if the applicants have demonstrated each requirement.
- Members must discuss their decisions collectively and arrive at a consensus for each requirement for each applicant.
- The committee chairperson must complete PS Form 1796–B through column B based on this consensus for each applicant. Applicants found not qualified at this stage are removed from further consideration for this vacancy. For those applicants who are not qualified, the chairperson completes Column D and Section 5, and obtains signatures for Section 6 of PS Form 1796-B.
- For applicants who are qualified, individual review committee members must then determine the level of demonstration of each requirement by each applicant.
- Members should then discuss their decisions collectively and arrive at a consensus on the level of demonstration of each requirement by each applicant.
- The chairperson completes a PS Form 1796-B for each applicant, and all members sign the form.
- If the review committee conducts applicant interviews, it must select applicants based on the highest point totals on PS Form 1796-B. There is no set minimum or maximum number of applicants to interview. Applicants who are tied in point totals must be treated equally. Either all applicants are interviewed, or no applicants are interviewed.
Note: Applicants found not qualified must not be interviewed.
- If the review committee makes recommendations to the selecting official, but does not interview applicants, about 3 to 5 applicants (there is no set minimum or maximum number) are recommended based on the highest point totals on PS Form 1796-B. The following also apply:
- Applicants who are tied in point totals must be treated the same. Either they are all recommended, or none of them are recommended.
- The review committee must prepare a signed memorandum to the selecting official listing, in alphabetical order, the names of the recommended applicants.
- If the review committee interviews applicants and makes recommendations to the selecting official, about 3 to 5 applicants (there is no set minimum or maximum number) are recommended. The following also apply:
- No formal method exists for incorporating the results of the interview.
- The review committee must recommend only those applicants who best meet the position requirements based on the point totals from PS Form 1796-B, the interview, and any other pertinent information reviewed during the evaluation.
- The review committee must prepare a signed memorandum to the selecting official listing, in alphabetical order, the names of the recommended applicants.
- If the selecting official asks the review committee to determine who is the best qualified applicant, then the committee makes no recommendations to the selecting official. In this case, the review committee must:
- Interview the potential applicants.
- Determine the best qualified applicant based on the point totals from PS Form 1796-B, the interview, and any other pertinent information reviewed during the evaluation.
- Consider any desirable qualifications.
- Prepare a signed memorandum to the manager of Human Resources listing the names of the best qualified applicant and 2 alternates in rank order.
Interviews provide additional information for comparing applicants’ qualifications. Interviews are mandatory and may be conducted by the selecting official, the review committee, or both. Interviews must be conducted only after completing PS Forms 1796-B. No documentation of the interviews is required.
Review committee members must reach consensus on combining the interview results with the point totals from PS Forms 1796-B (and other pertinent information) to finalize their recommendations or determine the best qualified applicant.
PS Form 1796-B documents whether an applicant has demonstrated all position requirements, and, if so, the level of the applicant’s qualifications. Interviews are not documented on PS Form 1796-B. The following are instructions for correctly using PS Form 1796-B:
- In Column A, “Identification of Requirements,” the review committee or selecting official lists all the position requirements. These are divided into:
- Examination requirements;
- Physical and driving requirements; and
- Knowledge, skills, and abilities (qualification standards). Desirable qualifications are not listed as requirements (see 714.1f)
- In Column B, “Demonstration,” based on the information available, the review committee determines whether the applicant has demonstrated each requirement. If the applicant does not meet all requirements (i.e., if the evaluator checked “No” under “Demonstrated” for any requirement), the applicant is not qualified and Column C is not completed.
Note: If the applicant failed a required examination, the applicant is not qualified, and no additional information is needed on PS Form 1796-B.
- In Column C, “Points,” information is entered only for those applicants who meet all the position requirements as established in Column B. The review committee or selecting official assigns points to indicate the level of qualifications demonstrated by the applicant. No points are assigned for driving or physical requirements.
- In Column D, “Measurements Used,” the review committee or selecting official must explain briefly how the decision was made. These statements need not include all facts considered.
- In Section 4, “Score Calculation,” the total points in Column C are averaged and multiplied by 20. The maximum points that may be earned from the evaluation are 100. The examination score, if any, is then added to this score to obtain the total points.
- In Section 5, “Finding,” the results of the evaluation of the applicant’s qualifications are summarized.
Selection for the position will be based on total qualifications, considering the point totals on PS Forms 1796–B, the results of the interviews, desirable qualifications (if any), and other pertinent information reviewed during the evaluation.
It is imperative that selecting officials, review committee members for best qualified positions, and evaluators for senior qualified positions know the scope of their responsibilities and how to correctly apply the principles of selection. It is helpful, but not mandatory, to include a nonbargaining Human Resources employee on each review committee for a best qualified position.
The file and documentation must be maintained and retained for 5 years. This documentation includes:
- A copy of the announcement;
- The qualification standard;
- Applications;
- PS Forms 1796-B;
- A list of review committee members; and
- The name of the selecting official.
Notes that individual review committee members made are the members’ property, not Postal Service records, and, therefore, are not included in the vacancy file.
