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NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS (WO)

WASHINGTON, DC | |

fsM 7100 - ENGINEERING OPERATIONS

CHAPTER 7110 - ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

AMENDMENT NO.: 7100-2004-1

Effective Date: August 31, 2004

Duration: This amendment is effective until superseded or removed.

|Approved: FRED NORBURY |Date Approved: 08/19/2004 |

|Associate Deputy Chief | |

Posting Instructions: Amendments are numbered consecutively by title and calendar year. Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this amendment. Retain this transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last amendment to this title was

7100-2000-1 to 7100.

|New Document |7110 |12 Pages |

|Superseded Document(s) by Issuance Number and |7110 |10 Pages |

|Effective Date |(Amendment 7100-2000-1, 09/15/2000) | |

Digest:

7115.01 - Establishes this code and adds section on authority.

7115.03 - Adds policy that all exam materials are confidential and are not to be released under the Freedom of Information Act (para. 6).

7115.04 - Reorganizes, recodes, and revises responsibilities. Removes Data Base Manager. Adds National Construction Certification Program Coordinator, Forest Certification Coordinator, and Exam Proctor.

7115.1 - Adds Watershed Rehabilitation to categories of work requiring certification.

Table of Contents

7111 - STUDIES [Reserved] 3

7112 - ENGINEERING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE UTILIZATION [Reserved] 3

7113 - TECHNICAL DATA SYSTEMS [Reserved] 3

7114 - MULTIPLE ACTIVITIES ANALYSES [Reserved] 3

7115 - CERTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL ENGAGED IN FOREST SERVICE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS 3

7115.01 - Authority 3

7115.02 - Objectives 3

7115.03 - Policy 3

7115.04 - Responsibility 4

7115.04a - Deputy Chief for the National Forest System 4

7115.04b - Washington Office, Director of Engineering 4

7115.04c - Washington Office, National Construction Certification Program Manager 4

7115.04d - National Construction Certification Program Coordinator 5

7115.04e - Regional Forester 5

7115.04f - Regional Construction Certification Officer 5

7115.04g - Forest Staff Officer for Engineering Activities 6

7115.04h - Forest Construction Certification Coordinator 6

7115.04i - Exam Proctor 7

7115.1 - Construction Work Requiring Certification 7

7116 - ENGINEERING COMPUTER SYSTEMS 9

7116.02 - Objectives 9

7116.04 - Responsibility 9

7116.04a - Washington Office, Director of Engineering 9

7116.04b - Regional Staff Director for Engineering Activities 9

7116.04c - Forest Staff Officer for Engineering Activities 9

7116.1 - Engineering Computer Systems 10

7117 - ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER 10

7117.02 - Objectives 10

7117.03 - Policy 10

7117.04 - Responsibility 10

7117.04a - Deputy Chief for the National Forest System 10

7117.04b - Washington Office, Director of Engineering 11

7117.04c - Regional Forester 11

7117.04d - Forest Supervisor 11

7118 - EVALUATION STANDARDS FOR ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES 11

7118.02 - Objectives 11

7118.04 - Responsibility 12

7118.04a - Washington Office, Director of Engineering 12

7118.04b - Regional Staff Director for Engineering Activities 12

7111 - STUDIES [Reserved]

7112 - ENGINEERING SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE UTILIZATION [Reserved]

7113 - TECHNICAL DATA SYSTEMS [Reserved]

7114 - MULTIPLE ACTIVITIES ANALYSES [Reserved]

7115 - CERTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL ENGAGED IN FOREST SERVICE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

7115.01 - Authority

1. Acquisition Workforce Training, Delegation, and Tracking Systems - USDA Departmental Regulation (DR) 5001-1. This regulation establishes procedures for the USDA Acquisition Workforce Career Management Program.

2. Federal Acquisitions Regulations (FSH 6309.32). These regulations describe the delegation of authority to the Contracting Officer and designated representatives to conduct official business with a contractor in the administration of a contract. These regulations also establish Forest Service Acquisition Regulation System to implement DR 5001-1.

7115.02 - Objectives

The objectives of establishing and maintaining a certification program for administering Forest Service construction projects are:

1. To ensure that the quality of construction work administered by Forest Service personnel meets or exceeds applicable legal and administrative standards and requirements.

2. To ensure that Forest Service personnel have the requisite skill and competence to administer construction projects to the required standards (FSM 7313.4 and FSM 7721.34).

7115.03 - Policy

1. Ensure that Forest Service personnel assigned to administer construction projects (FSM 7115.1) obtain and keep current the formal certification of their skills and proficiencies in accordance with FSH 7109.17, National Construction Certification Handbook. All disciplines having construction contracting responsibilities should be certified in appropriate categories in accordance with the provisions of FSH 7109.17.

2. Examine, certify, and recertify eligible employees in accordance with the requirements and procedures set forth in FSH 7109.17.

3. Do not use certification, or the lack thereof, as an evaluation criterion in filling positions under competitive merit promotion procedures. Duties requiring certification may be used in the position description and as an element or standard in performance appraisals for positions involving contract administration of Forest Service construction projects.

4. Provide and monitor an organized training and development program to improve skills within the Forest Service work force and to qualify and certify personnel to administer construction contracts.

5. Ensure that certification prerequisites are standard throughout the Forest Service and are based on training, experience, and performance.

6. The examinations (including all questions, choices, graphics, drawings, and other related materials) are confidential and shall not be released under the Freedom of Information Act.

7115.04 - Responsibility

7115.04a - Deputy Chief for the National Forest System

It is the responsibility of the Deputy Chief for the National Forest System to issue minimum standards of performance, skill, and proficiency required for certification of personnel administering construction contracts.

7115.04b - Washington Office, Director of Engineering

It is the responsibility of the Washington Office, Director of Engineering to:

1. Direct the development and revision of the certification program's examination and training material.

2. Direct changes and/or revisions to job performance requirements and certification procedures as needed.

3. Designate the Washington Office, National Construction Certification Program Manager and National Construction Certification Program Coordinator.

7115.04c - Washington Office, National Construction Certification Program Manager

It is the responsibility of the Washington Office, National Construction Certification Program Manager (NCCPM) to provide oversight and ensure the National Construction Certification Program objectives in FSM 7115.02 are being attained and recommend appropriate changes.

7115.04d - National Construction Certification Program Coordinator

It is the responsibility of the National Construction Certification Program Coordinator (NCCPC) to:

1. Coordinate the activities of the Regional Construction Certification Officers.

2. Coordinate development, review, and administration of electronic exams Servicewide.

3. Provide training as necessary on the electronic exam process.

4. Manage NCCP exam and records databases.

5. Provide exam statistics to the WO National Construction Certification Program Manager and Regional Construction Certification Officers.

6. Ensure that current exam materials and self-study guides are available.

7115.04e - Regional Forester

It is the responsibility of the Regional Forester to:

1. Establish and maintain an inventory of personnel certified in the administration of construction contracts.

2. Designate a Regional Construction Certification Officer.

3. Ensure that the Region develops, maintains, and updates exam materials, self-study training courses, and job performance requirements for assigned National Construction Certification Program categories set forth in FSM 7115.1, exhibit 01.

7115.04f - Regional Construction Certification Officer

It is the responsibility of each Regional Construction Certification Officer to administer and coordinate the Regional Construction Certification Program. Specific responsibilities include:

1. Determining training needs in all certification program categories.

2. Coordinating Regional examination activities.

3. Reviewing that candidates for certification and recertification meet the minimum criteria (FSH 7109.17) and requesting verification when need is indicated.

4. Scheduling oral examination panels and selecting panel members. May delegate basic oral panel selection and responsibilities to the Forest Staff Officer for Engineering Activities. Responsibility for advanced orals may not be delegated.

5. Assisting Forest, laboratory, and other field office coordinators in developing training materials that comply with the national certification training standards.

6. Issuing and validating National Construction Certification Program certificates.

7. Revoking certification (FSH 7109.17, sec. 31).

8. Maintaining regional certification records and forwarding certification data for transferred personnel.

9. Coordinating certification activities with appropriate staff specialists.

10. Developing additional material specific to local training needs.

7115.04g - Forest Staff Officer for Engineering Activities

It is the responsibility of each Forest Staff Officer for Engineering Activities to:

1. Determine certification and training needs of individuals administering construction projects. Coordinate with other resource staff officers as applicable.

2. Provide prerequisite experience and training, and maintain training records.

3. Ensure that certification candidates can perform the duties and carry out the responsibilities in the job performance requirements.

4. Provide assistance to Regional Construction Certification Officer in the preparation of job performance requirements and revisions to examinations and training materials.

5. Assign an employee as Inspector-in-Training, when appropriate.

6. Designate Forest Certification Coordinator and Exam Proctors.

7115.04h - Forest Construction Certification Coordinator

It is the responsibility of the Forest Construction Certification Coordinator to:

1. Maintain Forest Construction Certification Program records.

2. Administer or coordinate examinations.

3. Serve as Exam Proctor or provide supervision, oversight, and training of Exam Proctors.

4. Ensure exam handouts and reference materials are available during exams.

7115.04i - Exam Proctor

It is the responsibility of the Exam Proctor to:

1. Prepare examination site and equipment.

2. Monitor time limits.

3. Prevent the exam from being compromised.

7115.1 - Construction Work Requiring Certification

The areas and categories of construction work listed in exhibit 01 of this section require formal certification.

The Regions listed in exhibit 01 have specific responsibility for developing, revising, and updating the examination and self-study guide materials, including job performance requirements, for their assigned subject area(s), on an annual basis.

7115.1 - Exhibit 01

Categories of Work Requiring Certification

|Category No. |Subject Area (Examination and Associated Materials) |Responsible Region |

|1 |Roads |Region 10 |

|2 |Contract Administration: Timber Sale Construction Inspector |Region 6 |

|3 |Contract Administration: Public Works Inspector |Region 3 |

|4 |Aggregate Base and Surfacing |Region 1 |

|5 |Concrete |Region 1 |

|6 |Trails |Region 2 |

|7 |Asphalt Paving and Surface Treatment |Region 5 |

|8 |Bridges |Region 4 |

|9 |Sampling and Testing (Mentoring and Study Guide Only) |Region 5 |

|10 |Asphalt Surface Treatment |Region 5 |

|11 |Water and Wastewater |Region 9 |

|12 |Buildings |Region 8 |

|13 |Advanced Administration: Timber Sale Engineering Representative |Region 6 |

|14 |Advanced Administration: Public Works Contracting Officers' Representative |Region 3 |

|15 |Watershed Rehabilitation |Region 10 |

7116 - ENGINEERING COMPUTER SYSTEMS

7116.02 - Objectives

1. To minimize duplication of effort, trial-and-error procedures, project costs, and work force impacts.

2. To maintain Servicewide compatibility of major engineering data bases.

7116.04 - Responsibility

7116.04a - Washington Office, Director of Engineering

The Washington Office, Director of Engineering is responsible for:

1. Developing, maintaining, operating, implementing, and training for Servicewide engineering computer systems.

2. Designating a Washington Office, Computer Systems Coordinator.

7116.04b - Regional Staff Director for Engineering Activities

The Regional Staff Director for engineering activities is responsible for:

1. Developing, maintaining, operating, implementing training for Regional level engineering databases.

2. Supporting Servicewide engineering systems.

3. Designating a Regional Engineering Computer Systems Coordinator.

7116.04c - Forest Staff Officer for Engineering Activities

The Forest Staff Officer for engineering activities is responsible for:

1. Developing, maintaining, operating, implementing, providing training for, and coordinating forest level engineering databases.

2. Supporting Regional and Servicewide engineering systems.

7116.1 - Engineering Computer Systems

1. Ensure that development of new engineering computer systems and revisions and enhancements to existing engineering computer systems conform with the standards and requirements established in FSM 6620 and the April 1993 Infrastructure Focus Area Strategy Project final report.

2. Maintain all engineering computer systems as agreed to and in accordance with

FSM 6620.

7117 - ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

7117.02 - Objectives

1. To improve engineering productivity.

2. To promote technology transfer.

3. To reduce the cost and improve the quality of Forest Service end products.

7117.03 - Policy

1. Use appropriate existing technology, and procure or develop new technology whenever productivity can be improved, and it is economically feasible.

2. Establish and maintain work environments, which encourage the rapid exchange of useful information and the ready implementation of appropriate technology.

3. Share existing and new technology successes and failures and alternative solutions currently being studied.

7117.04 - Responsibility

7117.04a - Deputy Chief for the National Forest System

It is the responsibility of the Deputy Chief for the National Forest System to approve all Servicewide engineering technology projects selected for development, testing, implementation, or transfer to field units.

7117.04b - Washington Office, Director of Engineering

It is the responsibility of the Washington Office, Director of Engineering to:

1. Manage Washington Office engineering technology project selection, development, testing, implementation, and transfer to field units.

2. Develop and manage systems for Servicewide engineering technology and information transfer.

7117.04c - Regional Forester

It is the responsibility of the Regional Forester to:

1. Support Servicewide engineering systems.

2. Develop and maintain Regional systems for engineering technology and information transfer.

7117.04d - Forest Supervisor

It is the responsibility of the Forest Supervisor to:

1. Support Servicewide and Regional engineering systems.

2. Develop and maintain Forest systems for engineering technology and information transfer.

7118 - EVALUATION STANDARDS FOR ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES

7118.02 - Objectives

1. To ensure that Servicewide engineering activities are evaluated at all organizational levels in a uniform manner (FSM 1410.2).

2. To ensure that Servicewide engineering activities are performed at an acceptable level, and those objectives, policies, controls and evaluation standards for each activity are commensurate with the degree of risk associated with the activity (FSM 1403).

7118.04 - Responsibility

7118.04a - Washington Office, Director of Engineering

It is the responsibility of the Washington Office, Director of Engineering to develop and ensure proper use of Servicewide engineering activity evaluation standards (FSH 7109.52).

7118.04b - Regional Staff Director for Engineering Activities

It is the responsibility of the Regional Staff Director for engineering activities to assist in developing appropriate Servicewide engineering activity evaluation standards, and ensure proper use of those standards in the review of Regional and Forest level engineering activities.

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