INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM COMPETENCIES CHANGE MANAGEMENT BOARD CHARTER
(8-2-07)


I. INTRODUCTION

1. The Incident Management Systems Division (IMSD) Director has the responsibility to establish and oversee application of national standards to ensure effective leadership for a wide variety of potential emergency situations.

2. In order to provide consistency, oversight, and continued management of national Incident Command System (ICS) competencies and associated behaviors, this change management board is established under the auspices of the IMSD, as defined by this charter.

II. NAME

The name of this board is the Incident Command System Competencies Change Management Board (Board).

III. AUTHORITY

The Board is established pursuant to the authority granted by IMSD.  Homeland Security Presidential Directive #5, the National Incident Management System directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be responsible for “strategic direction for and oversight of the National Incident Management System (NIMS)... supporting both routine maintenance and the continuous refinement of the system and its components over the long term.”  DHS and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have assigned this authority to the IMSD. 
NIMS through the IMSD sanctions the development, implementation, and maintenance of the national Incident Command System (ICS) competencies.  


IV. OBJECTIVE

The Board is responsible for administering and managing ICS competencies and behaviors for the emergency management / incident management communities.  This includes determining appropriate minimum competencies and behaviors required to allow interoperability between emergency functions.  Individual disciplines may establish supplemental measurements of behavior, such as tasks, to effectively demonstrate ICS competencies in specific hazard environments.  

V. ORGANIZATION

The Board is under the direction of the IMSD Director. The IMSD Director (or designee) is assigned overview responsibility for the Board’s activities.

VI. MEMBERSHIP

Initial membership shall consist of a representative from IMSD, FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute, the National Wildland Fire Coordinating Group, the Environmental Protection Agency, the US Coast Guard, the United States Department of Agriculture, US Fire Administration, and IMSD discipline-specific typing working group chairs or their designees.  All Board members may have an alternate representative who is authorized to vote on their behalf.  Logistical support will be provided by IMSD.

As additional disciplines develop qualification and training programs, they may petition the IMSD for a seat on the Board.  The Board shall not exceed 15 voting members.  


VII. BOARD AUTHORITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A Chair and Vice Chair will be selected by the Board members for a term of two years and approved by the IMSD Director.  

Operations of the Board shall be in compliance with the “Change Management Board Procedures” as approved by the Chair.

The Chair is authorized to convene meetings at such times and places as deemed necessary by the Board.  

The Chair shall recommend to the IMSD the need for changes in resource needs and/or authorities as they become evident.

The Chair has broad authority to make contacts, negotiate work assignments, make commitments on behalf of the Board, and commit such resources as are available within the Board.  

The Chair will provide the IMSD Director with regularly scheduled progress updates on Board activities.  

The Board is responsible to review and validate the ICS competencies as appropriate.

The Board is not responsible for:
1. The review or maintenance of hazard-specific standards;    
2. The development or endorsement of any qualification / credentialing system;
3. Helping ensure individual agency personnel acquire such competencies or behaviors; and 
4. The maintenance of ICS training courses.

VIII.	MEETINGS 

Meetings will be scheduled quarterly and agendas provided to the Board members at least two weeks in advance.  Meetings may occur electronically.  Meetings must have at least 50% attendance to achieve a decision-making quorum. 

Sub-groups, if any, within the Board will meet at the direction of the Chair.

Each member’s salary and costs for time and travel will be borne by the member’s sponsoring agency.  Costs other than the above will be borne by the IMSD budget, or by a member’s agency if agreed upon by the said agency.

IX.	REPORTING

Accurate minutes of each Board meeting will be provided to the Board Members and IMSD Director within two weeks after each meeting.  After the IMSD Director approves any changes, there will be made public via the NIMS website.

X.	APPROVAL

This Charter is effective as of the date of approval by the Director of the IMSD. The Charter may be revised upon recommendations of a majority of the Board members and with the concurrence of the IMSD Director.

 
__________________________________			___________________________
Director,							Date	
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Incident Management Systems Division 




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Change Management Board Charter