Mr. David M. Hyman

AFGE Local 1916, Chief Steward

P.O. Box 231

South Park, PA 15129

Dear Mr. Hyman:

This is in response to your undated letter regarding Project Management Professional (PMP) certification for project managers. As you are aware, the project management training and certification opportunities being offered to NETL provide benefit to both NETL and its staff. Further, it has raised the level of professionalism and knowledge in a field important to both and this is its sole intent and purpose. Additionally, NETL has no plans to require PMP certification as a condition of employment, promotion, or retention.

At NETL, approximately, 75 people have enrolled in classes specifically directed at project management. To date, approximately 20 people have received their PMP certification and depending on information received from our annual individual training plans, the Agency plans to continue such training.

A few employees have posed the question as to whether "certification" will be required to maintain their job or put them in position for a promotion. Again, the PMI certification is not required. There are, however, a few projects at NETL that are subject to DOE Order 413 which outlines project management training requirements. It is important to note that NETL senior staff does promote and acknowledge the mutual benefit to employees of having a professional certification that is fully mobile for them. Additionally, it is beneficial to both NETL and AFGE Local 1916 to have a group of individuals within NETL who are professional project managers (thus, adding to our capabilities when trying to attract additional work to NETL). The Agency would like to work with Local 1916 to mutually continue to better the NETL workforce through training and we welcome your support to help inform employees that "certification" is not a generic requirement.

In closing, while the Agency is very supportive of efforts to provide training to its employees, it should be noted that in most instances training is a non-negotiable subject for bargaining. In that regard, the Federal Labor Relations Authority held in NFFE Local 422 and Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 14 FLRA 48 (1983), that "any proposal addressing the substantive aspects of training is a direct interference with management’s right to assign work." See also AFGE Local 1749 and Department of Air Force, 47^th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, 12 FLRA 149 (1983) and AFGE Local 3004 and Department of Air Force, Otis AFB, 9 FLRA 723 (1983)

Specific answers to your questions are attached and if you need any further information, please contact me at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,
/s/
Joseph F. Grimes
Labor Relations Specialist
NETL
Attachment:

As stated

1. What roles do NETL and OPM contemplate for the PMI (or that of any other outside, nongovernmental organization) at NETL with regard to current NETL Project Managers and their conditions of continued employment in those positions?

Response: PMI certification is not now, nor is it contemplated to be, a requirement for employment, nor a qualifying factor in considering retention, reclassification, or promotion.

2. Does NETL and/or OPM have or contemplate making a PMI (or that of any other outside, nongovernmental organization) "certification" a condition of employment and/or a requirement for serving as a NETL Project Manager? How will this "certification" affect the retention rights of those NETL Project Managers not so "certified"?

Response: PMI certification is not now, nor is it contemplated to be, a requirement for employment, nor a qualifying factor in considering retention, reclassification, or promotion.

3. Does NETL and/or OPM contemplate making PMI "certification" (or that of any other outside, nongovernmental organization) a criterion in (re)classifying and/or (re)grading current Project Management positions? How will this "certification" requirement affect the retention rights of those not so (re)classified and "certified"?

Response: PMI certification is not now, nor is it contemplated to be, a requirement for employment, nor a qualifying factor in considering retention, reclassification, or promotion.

4. If NETL and/or OPM contemplate making a "certification" by the PMI (or that of any other outside, nongovernmental organization) a significant factor in its conditions of employment and/or (re)classification of NETL Project Managers, will it "grandfather" incumbent Project Managers? How will this "certification" affect the retention rights of those not so "certified"?

Response: PMI certification is not now, nor is it contemplated to be, a requirement for employment, nor a qualifying factor in considering retention, reclassification, or promotion.

5. What would be the impacts on a current Project Manager if he/she does not take and/or pass such a "certification" either by not taking advantage of "voluntary" training or by simply not being able to pass the "certification" test for what ever reasons? Will this "certification" or lack thereof affect the retention rights of those not so "certified"? Will this affect their positions as Project Managers at NETL?

Response: PMI certification is not now, nor is it contemplated to be, a requirement for employment, nor a qualifying factor in considering retention, reclassification, or promotion. NETL’s policies on training and on professional licensing and certification encourage staff and supervisors to develop IDP’s that are consistent the individual’s and the institutions professional needs to continually improve.

6. Is the a PMI "certification" (or that of any other outside, nongovernmental organization) currently or will be in the future a selection criteria for NETL or OPM Project Managers? If so, will these Project Managers be in a different retention category and/or classification from current Project Managers not so "certified"?

Response: PMI certification is not now, nor is it contemplated to be, a requirement for employment, nor a qualifying factor in considering retention, reclassification, or promotion.

7. Are there any other movements or discussions at the NETL and/or Department of Energy levels regarding some form of formal certification for Project Manager positions? If so, what are the natures of these and what is their current status? Will those formal certifications become conditions of employment and/or promotion for those positions?

8. Does NETL contemplate using new classifications and/or position descriptions that have as an integral component either a PMI "certification" (or that of any other outside, nongovernmental organization) or a DOE (or other Governmental) formal certification? If so, what is to be the fate of those Project Managers who are not so certified; particularly with respect to retention and continued employment as Project Managers? Will current Project Managers be displaced by the new classifications and/or position descriptions that have as an integral component either a PMI "certification" (or that of any other outside, nongovernmental organization) or a DOE (or other Governmental) formal certification?

Response: Please see responses to earlier questions.

9. What legal recognition does "certification" by PMI enjoy relative to professional licensure and practice? Is PMI "certification" a legally recognized standard and is it required by the Public or Private sectors in order for a professional to practice project management?

Response: PMI certification is not a license; it is recognition of an individual’s knowledge and experience that some private sector and governmental organizations may require (e.g., DOE HQ accepts PMI certification in lieu of training in certifying "capital asset" project managers). The PMI certification is a globally accepted and recognized, rigorous, examination-based, professional certification program. The PMI Certification Program maintains ISO 9001 certification in Quality Management Systems as evidence of its commitment to professional excellence.

Currently two of NETL’s "work-for-others" customers have asked that the staff assigned to their work have PMI certification, e.g.., Office of Engineering & Construction Management (upwards of 5 FTE), National Nuclear Security Administration (2 FTEs). Training to meet that request was provided by the sponsoring organizations.

10. What is the nature of the procurement instrument that has resulted in the use of PMI on almost an exclusive basis to provide training and "certification" of course attendees as "Professional Project Managers"?

Response: In the spring of 2002, OPM worked with the Training Office to competitively selected ESI to provide project management training to NETL. As has been the basis for several years, most (if not all) training vendors have adopted PMI guidelines as the basis for structuring project management training.

11. Was PMI competitively selected to receive Federal funds on what is becoming a frequent and/or regular basis to provide training to NETL personnel? If so, describe the process used. If not, why not?

Response: See response to #10.

12. How much Federal funding has been provided to PMI for Project Manager training and how much to other vendors over the last 3 years?

Response: NETL has not provided money to PMI. ESI has been contracted to conduct one course that provided an overview of project management basics, and two courses aimed at project management professionalism. Total estimated cost of these courses has been on the order of $75,000 (this does not count OECM or NNSA training taken by some of our employees who received the training at the expense of those sponsoring organizations). Imbedded within the two NETL professional courses is an examination fee that ESI has paid PMI; the total estimated cost for these fees is on the order of $22,000.

13. If there does not exist a single procurement instrument with award to PMI for training and certification services, why does the aggregate of individual training procurement actions not effectively constitute a non-competitive procurement action?

Response: See responses #11 and #12