The Office of Personnel Management has approved a change to the Qualifications Standards for Technical and Medical Support Positions.  To afford agencies as much flexibility as possible to compete in this tight labor market, effective immediately, we have eliminated the written test requirement for these positions.  The test is no longer available for use.  Experience and education requirements are unchanged, as are any certification or licensure requirements. 

When making appointments under a delegated examining authority, or using outside the register selection procedures under 5 CFR 333, agencies may use any of the following individually or in combination to assess the qualifications of applicants for technical and medical support positions:  

· Commercially available written tests,

· Rating schedules and crediting plans,

· Work samples,

· Structured interviews, or

· Examining services provided by the Office of Personnel Management.

We have included a number of attachments that further explain these options and provide information regarding the transition from written test to other assessment tools.  Also attached is the revised section of the Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions summarizing the occupational series for which written and/or performance tests are still required and the appropriate test to be used.  

For further information about this policy, please contact Ms. Suzy M. Barker, Director, Qualifications and Examining Policy Division at (202) 606-0830.  Address questions about OPM  services to Ms. Karen Leydon at (202) 606-1029.  

Attachments  

1. List of Technical and Medical Support Positions  

2. Technical and Medical Assessment Options

3. Occupations/Positions for which Written and/or Performance Tests are Required  

Attachment 1 

LIST OF TECHNICAL AND MEDICAL SUPPORT POSITIONS  

· GS-019      Safety Technician

· GS-181      Psychology Aid and Technician

· GS-186      Social Services Aid and Assistant

· GS-189      Recreation Aid and Assistant

· GS-404      Biological Aid and Technician

· GS-421      Plant Protection Technician

· GS-455      Range Technician

· GS-458      Soil Conservation Technician

· GS-459       Irrigation System Operator

· GS-462      Forestry Aid and Technician

· GS-621      Nursing Assistant

· GS-636      Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant

· GS-640      Health Aid and Technician

· GS-642      Nuclear Medicine Technician

· GS-645      Medical Technician

· GS-646      Pathology Technician

· GS-647      Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist

· GS-648      Therapeutic Radiologic Technologist

· GS-649      Medical Instrument Technician

· GS-651      Respiratory Therapist

· GS-661      Pharmacy Technician

· GS-667      Orthotist & Prosthetist

· GS-681      Dental Assistant

· GS-683      Dental Lab Aid and Technician

· GS-698      Environmental Health Technician

· GS-704      Animal Health Technician

· GS-802      Engineering Technician

· GS-809      Construction Control

· GS-817      Surveying Technician

· GS-818      Engineering Drafting

· GS-856      Electronics Technician

· GS-895      Industrial Engineering Technician

· GS-1021      Office Drafting

· GS-1311      Physical Science Technician

· GS-1316      Hydrologic Technician

· GS-1341      Meteorological Technician

· GS-1371      Cartographic Technician

· GS-1374      Geodetic Technician

· GS-1521      Mathematics Technician

· GS-1541      Cryptanalysis

· GS-1981      Agricultural Commodity Aid

Attachment 2

Technical and Medical Assessment Options

Agencies should review any examining or hiring assessment for compliance with the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, 29 CFR 1607.  (The "Guidelines" are located at the following website:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_01/29cfr1607_01.html).

Commercially developed test.  Agencies may use any commercially developed test, as long as it is valid and meets the professional standards in the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (29 CFR 1607).   

Rating Schedule/Crediting Plan.  Raters evaluate a candidate's job-related competencies, knowledge, skills and abilities by reviewing the candidate's experience, education, and accomplishments against a set of pre-determined, job-related benchmarks.

Work Sample.  Examiners rate candidates on their performance using exercises that simulate tasks which have been determined (through job analysis) to be important to success in the position to be filled.  

Structured Interview.  Interviewers ask candidates a set of standardized, job-related questions and rate the candidates' responses based on pre-determined, job-related criteria.   These benchmarks provide specific examples of high, medium, and low levels of proficiency. 

OPM provides the following examining services: 

Case examining uses an automated staffing system.  The automated staffing system develops the vacancy announcement, supplemental qualifications statement and rating schedule; posts the announcement on USAJOBS; mails application materials; determines minimum qualifications and rates applicants; conducts quality review, issues applicant notices; produces and audits a list of eligible candidates; and answers applicant inquiries.

Inventory-based examining produces multiple lists of eligible candidates.  OPM updates candidate information; opens/closes the inventory based on need of the requesting agency; mails application materials; receives and reviews applications; determines minimum qualifications and rates applicants; conducts quality review; issues applicant notices; produces lists of eligible candidates; and answers inquiries regarding candidate eligibility.

Examination administration covers the administration of a written examination.  OPM manages all logistical details relating to test site selection, competitor scheduling,  scoring and issuance of competitor results.  Upon request, OPM can also issue a referral list.

Structured interview training and question development are available through OPM.

For more information on services available through OPM, please refer to the following web-site: http:\\www.opm.gov/employ/prices/index.htm.

Attachment 3 

Operating Manual, Qualifications Standards for General Schedule Positions, Section V, Test Requirements

OCCUPATIONS/POSITIONS FOR WHICH WRITTEN
AND/OR PERFORMANCE TESTS ARE REQUIRED 

 * If you currently use the clerical test battery for GS-993, the examination options are applicable, however, if you use Test 650 for these positions at the GS-4 level, these options do not apply, and you must continue to use Test 650.