U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20250

DEPARTMENTAL REGULATION		Number: 3300-020
SUBJECT: Telecommunications Mission Area Control Officer (TMACO) - Roles and Responsibilities	DATE: August 30, 2010
	OPI: Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO)

1. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Departmental Regulation (DR) is to define the roles and responsibilities of the Telecommunications Mission Area Control Officer (TMACO). It is intended to increase the visibility of the TMACO within USDA and to encourage the active support of each TMACO in major information technology investments throughout the Department

2. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

This DR replaces the following Departmental Notice (DN) document, DN3300-019, Telecommunications Mission Area Control Officer (TMACO) -Roles and Responsibilities, issued on January 24, 2006. Appendix A provides sample Position Descriptions and Evaluation Factors for agencies interested in hiring TMACOs at the General Schedule 13 or 14 grade levels as classified by the USDA Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM).

3. POLICY

Each USDA agency/staff office shall establish and appoint candidates to fill the TMACO role. The USDA Chief Information Officer (CIO) or designated Telecommunications Manager within the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) shall ensure that the candidates are qualified prior to assuming the TMACO role. Senior TMACO roles may be established to oversee agency/staff office TMACOs where telecommunications services are provided for multiple agencies. TMACOs will have oversight authority of Designated Agency Representatives (DARs). Any exceptions to this policy need to be approved by the USDA CIO or designated OCIO Telecommunications Manager.

Agency TMACOs will have a broad understanding of the policies, principles, technologies, practices, services, Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC), and financial management processes for telecommunications as defined by USDA. The TMACO will be able to effectively communicate and disseminate information to their agency/staff office as it pertains to telecommunications.

4. BACKGROUND

In October 1995 a telecommunications task force was established by USDA to assess and determine what actions were necessary to address recommendations by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), formerly the General Accounting Office, as a result of the audit report titled, “USDA Telecommunications, Better Management and Network Planning Could Save Millions, GAO/AIMD-95-203.” The task force concluded in its February 1996 report to GAO that:

“The processes of planning, acquiring, ordering, billing, invoicing, inventory control, payments, and management of telecommunications services and equipment [are] chaotic at best and totally out of control at the very least. These processes are disparately performed across agencies and even within agencies. The capability to plan, review, and capitalize on USDA telecommunications investments is far beyond the reach of any USDA manager to make rational decisions based on hard inventory and billing facts. Agency/staff office managers who are responsible for telecommunications services have neither the information they need to manage these resources nor the billing/invoice information to ensure that USDA is receiving the services it ordered and for which it is being billed. The systems/processes are outdated and broken.”

In June 1998 the role of TMACO was established by the USDA OCIO in response to another audit report by GAO titled, “USDA Telecommunications, Strong Leadership Needed to Resolve Management Weaknesses, Achieve Savings, GAO/AIMD-98-131.” The audit report reinforced the need for a central point of contact within each agency/staff office. The Department’s response to the GAO audit report stated that the TMACO role “represent(s) the single point of ordering for telecommunications services within their respective Mission Area” and they “are responsible for executing the established policies” within their respective Mission Area. Furthermore, OCIO reconfirmed that agencies would be compliant with Departmental telecommunications policies and identified the need to provide a level of accountability at the agency/staff office level.

After the TMACO role was established, the TMACOs focused primarily on transitioning the Department from one General Services Administration (GSA) legacy contract program to another contract program. Subsequently in FY2003, the TMACOs launched a cost management initiative saving over $2.5 million initially, with additional savings in subsequent years, by continually reviewing and reconciling telecommunications accounts. In addition, the TMACOs worked together to redefine the Budget Object Classification Codes (BOCC) specifically related to telecommunications. The redefinition of the BOCCs enabled the Department to better track telecommunications spending.

Although the TMACO role has been recognized for helping to improve the management of telecommunications throughout the Department, in practice prior to 2005 they had essentially operated as an ad hoc group. There was a need to formalize the TMACO role and bring consistency to the way these individuals play a part in the management of telecommunications and information technology in each agency/staff office in order to meet common goals and objectives, promote information exchange, share ideas, eliminate redundancy, and streamline processes across the Department. DN3300-019 initially established specific roles and responsibilities for the TMACOs and reinforced the original intent of the GAO audit report recommendations to improve telecommunications management all levels of the Department.

In March 2010, OCIO in coordination with agency TMACOs determined that a Departmental Directive should be issued regarding the Roles and Responsibilities of the TMACOs to facilitate the Department’s transition to new GSA enterprise-wide contracts for telecommunications technologies and services.

This DR replaces DN3300-019, and updates and revises the roles and responsibilities for TMACOs.

5. APPLICABILITY AND SCOPE

This DR applies to all agencies and staff offices.

For the purpose of this DR, “agency/staff office” refers to the TMACO’s area of responsibility, whether it comprises a mission area, service organization, agency, or staff office.

6. REFERENCES

National Federal Oversight Guidelines

Congress, February 10, 1996, National Defense Authorization Act for FY 1996 (P.L. 104 106): Division E: Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 (formerly called Information Technology Management Reform Act (ITMRA)), US Congress, Washington, DC;

Retrieved from: http://www.cio.gov/documents/it_management_reform_act_feb_1996.html on 05-06-2010.

Government Accountability Office, April 24, 1995, GAO/AIMD-95-97: USDA Telecommunications: Missed Opportunities To Save Million; Retrieved from: http://www.gao.gov/archive/1995/ai95097.pdf on 05-06-2010.

Government Accountability Office, September 5, 1995, GAO/AIMD-95-219R: USDA Telecommunications; Retrieved from: http://archive.gao.gov/paprpdf1/155134.pdf on 05-06-2010.

Government Accountability Office, September 22, 1995, GAO/AIMD-95-203: USDA Telecommunications: Better Management and Network Planning Could Save Million; Retrieved from: http://www.gao.gov/archive/1995/ai95203.pdf on 05-06-2010.

Government Accountability Office, April 16, 1996, GAO/AIMD-96-59: USDA Telecommunications: More Effort Needed To Address Telephone Abuse and Fraud;

Retrieved from: http://www.gao.gov/archive/1996/ai96059.pdf on 05-06-2010.

Government Accountability Office, March 5, 1997, GAO/T-AIMD-97-56: USDA Information Management: Action Needed To Address Long-standing Deficiencies;

Retrieved from: http://www.gao.gov/archive/1997/ai97056t.pdf on 05-06-2010.

Government Accountability Office, May 14, 1997, GAO/T-AIMD-97-90: USDA Information: Management: Extensive Improvements Needed in Managing Information Technology Investment; Retrieved from: http://www.gao.gov/archive/1997/ai97090t.pdf on 05-06-2010.

Government Accountability Office, June 30, 1998, GAO/AIMD-98-131: USDA Telecommunications: Strong Leadership Needed to Resolve Management Weaknesses, Achieve Savings; Retrieved from: http://www.gao.gov/archive/1 998/ai98131.pdf on 05-06-2010.

Federal Agency Guidelines

Office of Management and Budget (OMB), OMB, Circular No. A-11, Preparation, Submission and Execution of Budget; Last Revised July 21, 2010; Retrieved from: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/Circulars_a11_current_year_a11_toc/ on 05-13-2010.

USDA Guidelines

Memorandum, USDA OCIO to Agency Chief Information Officers, Transition from FTS2001 to Networx Telecommunications Contracts, March 5, 2010.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, March 23, 1999, Departmental Regulation 3300-001: Telecommunications and Internet Services and Use: Appendix A and C. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Telecommunications Services and Operations, Telecommunications Policy and Planning. Washington, DC; Retrieved from: http://www.ocio.usda.gov/directives/doc/DR3300-001.pdf on 05-06-2010.

USDA, Information Technology Capital Planning and Investment Control Guide for the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget; Retrieved from:

http://www.ocio.usda.gov/cpic/doc/CPIC_Guide_for_FY2011_Budget_Year_Main.pdf on 05-13-2010.

USDA, Information Technology Capital Planning and Investment Control Guide for the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget, Appendix C, OMB Exhibit 300 Assessment; Retrieved from: http://www.ocio.usda.gov/cpic/doc/Appendix_C_OMB_EXHIBIT_300_ASSESSMENT.pdf on 05-13-2010.

US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), Quick Guide: Proper Use of Budget Object Codes for Personal Property: Effective FY2006; December 2005; Retrieved from: http://www.usda.gov/ocfo/acctpol/pdf/propbocg.pdf on 05-13-2010.

7. DEFINITIONS

a. Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC). CPIC is a systematic approach to selecting, managing, and evaluating Information Technology (IT) investments. CPIC is mandated by the Clinger Cohen Act of 1996 which requires Federal agencies to focus more on the results achieved through IT investments while streamlining the Federal IT procurement process.

b. Designated Agency Representative (DAR). DARs are designated by the Chief Information Officer (CIO) or the lead Information Technology Officer within each agency/staff office in coordination with the agency/staff office Telecommunications Mission Area Control Officer (TMACO). DARs are delegated authority under USDA’s Departmental Regulation 3300-001 to place orders for telecommunications products and services on behalf of the agency/staff office they represent. The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) establishes ordering limitations and guidance for USDA DARs within the context of authorized, pre-existing contracts that clearly state delegations of authority and terms. In order to be authorized to place orders, DARs must complete vendor training associated with each General Services Administration (GSA) contract approved by the USDA CIO. The TMACO is also certified as a DAR.

c. Enterprise Architecture (EA). The Electronic Government Act of 2002 defines an Enterprise Architecture as: "a strategic information asset base which defines the mission; the information necessary to perform the mission; the technologies necessary to perform the mission; and the transitional processes for implementing new technologies in response to changing mission needs and includes: a baseline architecture; a target architecture; and a sequencing plan."

d. Spectrum Management Liaison Officer. The Spectrum Management Liaison Officer serves as the agency/staff office point of contact for all matters relating to National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) assigned radio frequency management.

e. Telecommunications. Includes the transmission, emission, or reception of signals, writing, images, sounds, or intelligence of any nature, by wire, cable, satellite, fiber optics, laser, radio, or any other electronic, electric, electromagnetic, or acoustically coupled means. The term includes the telecommunications facilities and equipment necessary to provide telecommunications services. Telecommunications is a component of Information Technology (IT).

f. Telecommunications Mission Area Control Officers (TMACO). The TMACO serves as the agency/staff office telecommunications liaison to individuals and organizations internal and external to USDA; advises and counsels individuals or organizations within the agency/staff office regarding the telecommunications functions; and manages the agency/staff office telecommunications programs in a manner consistent with Departmental direction and agency/staff office delivery requirements. TMACOs are required to be certified by the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO).

g. Telecommunications Services and Operations (TSO). TSO implements, manages, and maintains USDA Telecommunications Programs through its Department-wide telecommunications and network security services and operations.

8. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

a. The USDA CIO will:

(1) Formally establish the TMACO role within each agency/staff office, and a Senior TMACO role where service organizations support multiple agencies;

(2) Work with TMACOs to address agency-specific requirements and to facilitate planning activities to transition to new GSA contracts approved by OCIO for telecommunications technologies and services;

(3) Ensure that agencies comply with the provisions of this directive;

(4) Implement Department-level technical training and workshops for the TMACOs;

(5) Ensure that agency/staff office TMACOs complete a TMACO certification course; and

(6) Produce an annual USDA Telecommunications Plan in accordance with Departmental Regulation 3300-001.

b. A USDA CIO-designated Telecommunications Manager will:

(1)Provide leadership, guidance, and oversight to the TMACOs;

(2)Coordinate and facilitate Department-level certification, training, and workshops for the TMACOs; and

(3)Coordinate with agency/staff office CIOs to provide an annual telecommunications plan in accordance with Departmental Regulation 3300-001, as defined in Section 8c(4) a-d.

c. Agency/staff office CIOs or designated Technology Officials will:

(1)Select and appoint agency/staff office TMACOs and establish a direct reporting relationship between the TMACO and the CIO or designated Technology Official;

(2)Assign the TMACO to serve as the primary telecommunications contact for telecommunications within their respective agency/staff office;

(3)Work with their respective TMACOs to ensure they have addressed areas such as Agency Hierarchy Codes (AHC), Accounting Codes, and identification of DAR responsibilities;

(4)Engage the TMACO in developing an annual telecommunications plan for submission to a USDA CIO designated Telecommunications Manager. The plan will be prepared according to a standard format defined by the USDA OCIO, and shall include the following information:

(a) A network topology diagram describing existing services;

(b) Annual telecommunications expenditures for the prior year, highlighting any telecommunications cost savings;

1 Total anticipated telecommunications expenditures including anticipated telecommunications cost savings;

2 Associated business drivers;

3 Types of equipment and services; and

4 A list of Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Circular A-11, Exhibit 300 major information technology investment business case submissions by unique identification number, identifying any telecommunications equipment or services incorporated into each overall request.

(d) Agency/staff office telecommunications policies and procedures.

NOTE: Well-documented plans that demonstrate telecommunications expenditures are well-aligned with the agency/staff office plan may allow agencies to earn autonomy from the telecommunications Acquisition Approval Request (AAR) process.

(5)Establish a telecommunications AAR process that designates the TMACO as the final approval authority and transmittal agent for the submission of all telecommunications AARs to the Department on behalf of the agency; and

(6)Distribute telecommunications information received by the TMACO from Department personnel to appropriate agency/staff office personnel.

d. TMACOs will:

(1)Serve as the agency/staff office telecommunications liaison to individuals or organizations such as:

(a) USDA OCIO, which includes; designated telecommunications managers responsible for enterprise-level telecommunications leadership and telecommunications Subject Matter Experts (SMEs);

(b) The agency/staff office CIO or designated technology official regarding new IT projects or business requirements that may impact agency/staff office or USDA enterprise network capabilities;

(c) The agency/staff office budget and accounting officers and other key financial advisors regarding telecommunications budgets and costs;

(d) Agency/staff office project manager(s) to assist with telecommunications elements of information technology projects and to review all business and project plans for telecommunications requirements;

(e) Agency/staff office procurement office representatives regarding telecommunications purchases;

(f) The agency/staff office Compliance Office representatives to provide records as needed for telephone abuse and fraud cases. The TMACO maintains access to all systems that provide call detail records for their respective agency/staff office;

(g) The agency/staff office Spectrum Management Liaison Officer as identified in Departmental Regulation 3300-001;

(h) Other USDA agencies/staff offices on telecommunications issues;

(i) NFC personnel to discuss inquiries related to telecommunications financial records; and

(j) Commercial telecommunications vendors, such as Local Exchange Carriers, Wireless Providers, or Telecommunications Equipment Manufacturers.

(2)Advise and counsel individuals or organizations within the agency/staff office regarding the following telecommunications functions. For example:

(a) Work with the agency/staff office CIO to ensure that agency/staff office personnel comply with Departmental Regulations for telecommunications acquisition and architecture. This can be accomplished by developing internal procedures, approval processes, and processes to monitor compliance; and

(b) Review telecommunications service and equipment acquisitions to ensure that: they are supported by documented business needs; proper technical analysis has been completed; and, that customers consider options for service aggregation

(3)Manage agency/staff office telecommunications programs in a manner consistent with Departmental direction and agency/staff office delivery requirements. The TMACO will:

(a) Review and provide recommendations to draft policy from USDA’s OCIO and develop procedures and processes for the agency/staff office that are aligned with the final Departmental policy;

(b) Work with the agency/staff office CIO to prepare an annual telecommunications plan as described in Section 8c(4) a-d;

(c) Assist project managers in preparing major investment OMB Section 300 Business Cases according the USDA Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC) Guide and the USDA Guide for Creating a Telecommunications Plan;

(d) Help incorporate telecommunications components into agency/staff office and Departmental enterprise architectures and link those components to operational performance, business processes, applications, data requirements and service delivery;

(e) Approve and submit all telecommunications AARs to the Department on behalf of the agency/staff office. Assist USDA OCIO telecommunications AAR review teams as requested to educate project managers about telecommunications management controls and technical requirements, gather investment data on telecommunications purchases, and help resolve outstanding telecommunications issues in order to expedite AAR approvals;

(f) Generate reports to the USDA OCIO in response to data calls or inquiries;

(g) Maintain access to all telecommunications business support systems for the agency/staff office, to include GSA and NFC telecommunications record-keeping systems, approve access to these systems for designated individuals, and provide or coordinate training for these systems;

(h) Track agency/staff office telecommunications acquisitions, implementations, and assets; coordinating activities with the appropriate operational and administrative personnel as needed;

(i) Initiate action within the agency/staff office to report telecommunications cost savings for the prior year as well as anticipated savings in the annual telecommunications plan;

(j) Analyze and facilitate opportunities for sharing existing or planned dedicated network access services and equipment;

(k) Identify mission critical circuits, both voice and data, for priority restoration of services and provide requirements to the USDA OCIO designated Telecommunications Priority Services Manager;

(l) Produce records and inventory reports of telecommunications equipment and services in coordination with the appropriate operations and administrative management personnel as required by the USDA OCIO;

(m) Notify appropriate agency/staff office personnel of requests from OCIO to obligate funds for telecommunications and GSA charges at the beginning of each fiscal year;

(n) Establish a process by which agency/staff office managers review usage and billing of telecommunication resources to ensure compliance with Departmental and agency/staff office policies and guidelines;

(o) Assist agency/staff office with the transition between GSA contracts as requested by the USDA CIO; and

(p) Represent the agency/staff office in telecommunications-related meetings, committees, forums, working groups, review boards, etc. or delegate a SME that would best represent the agency/staff office.

9. ABBREVIATIONS

AAR Acquisition Approval Request

AHC Agency Hierarchy Code

BOCC Budget Object Classification Code

CIO Chief Information Officer

CPIC Capital Planning and Investment Control Process

DAR Designated Agency Representative

DN Departmental Notice

DR Departmental Regulation

EA Enterprise Architecture

GAO Government Accountability Office

GSA General Services Administration

IT Information Technology

ITMRA Information Technology Management Reform Act

NFC National Finance Center

NTIA National Telecommunications and Information Administration

OCIO Office of the Chief Information Officer

OHRM Office of Human Resources Management

OMB Office of Management and Budget

SME Subject Matter Expert

TMACO Telecommunications Mission Area Control Officer

TMD Telecommunications Management Division

TSO Telecommunications Services and Operations

USDA United States Department of Agriculture

10. INQUIRIES

Direct all questions concerning this notice to the Telecommunication Management Division (TMD), Telecommunications Services and Operations (TSO), Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO).

END

employee uses comprehensive knowledge of communications policy requirements to function as technical authority in assignments requiring the application of new theories, concepts, and developments to communications problems not susceptible to treatment by accepted methods, technology, or procedures. In addition to mastery of the specialty area, the employee uses knowledge of their own and other telecommunications specialties to make decisions or recommendations to significantly change, interpret, or develop policies or programs. For program planning functions, the employee uses knowledge of scientific and technological advances in related fields of electronics and automation.

Factor 2- 5 Supervisory Controls

The supervisor sets the overall objectives and, in consultation with the employee, determines timeframes and possible shifts in staff or other resources required. The employee, having developed expertise in a particular telecommunications specialty area, is responsible for planning and carrying out the work, resolving most of the conflicts that arise, integrating and coordinating the work of others as necessary, and interpreting policy on own initiative in terms of established objectives. The supervisor is kept informed of progress, potentially controversial matters, or unusual conditions with far-reaching implications. Completed work is reviewed from an overall standpoint in terms of feasibility, compatibility with other work, or effectiveness in meeting requirements or achieving expected results.

Factor 3- 4 Guidelines

Guidelines provide a general outline of the concepts, methods, and goals of telecommunications programs. Those regularly applied at this level are not specific in how they are to be defined, applied, and monitored. In some cases, available guidelines have been purposely left open to locate interpretation in order to allow for variations in local and remote environmental conditions that affect the nature of communications systems designed to satisfy overall policy direction. Also included are broad guidelines issued by other agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission. Due to lack of specificity, the guidelines are often insufficient to accomplish particular objectives. The employee uses initiative and resourcefulness in researching trends and patterns, to deviate from traditional methods, and to implement new and improved communications methods and procedures. The employee establishes criteria for identifying and analyzing developments in telecommunications technologies, and for measuring organizational effectiveness in achieving telecommunications objectives and goals. Assignments include responsibility for developing guides for use by telecommunications specialists at the same and lower levels in the organization.

Factor 4- 5 Complexity

The employee performs assignments involving various projects, studies, or evaluations requiring the application of many different and unrelated processes, differing regulatory criteria and procedures, and significant departures from established practices. The work involves conflicting requirements; problems which are poorly defined or which require projections based on variable information or technological development; or the potential for some degree of change in mission requirements, related telecommunications systems, or funding requirements. The work involves evaluating and introducing advanced equipment and techniques for which new criteria and guides must be developed. The employee reaches decisions and plans actions to develop and implement new methods and techniques that satisfy policy and operational requirements. The employee makes recommendations for changes in basic policy issuances and for implementing instructions covering established communications techniques, practices, and methods based on personal analysis of very general policy directives and objectives. Decisions regarding what needs to be done are complicated by the number and nature of existing security controls, regulatory guidance, overlapping requirements, or organizational, environmental, or similar considerations that have an impact on the ability to apply established methods. Many other factors may require extensive analysis and coordination to implement telecommunications plans and programs. Technical difficulty is exceptional, such as in developing new communications techniques, establishing criteria, or developing new information and approaches to solving problems.

Factor 5- 4 Scope and Effect

The work involves investigating and analyzing a variety of unusual telecommunications problems, questions, or conditions associated with formulating projects or studies to substantially alter major telecommunications systems, or establishing criteria in an assigned area of specialization, or evaluating the effectiveness of existing voice, data, and/or video systems. The work affects telecommunications operations, installation, and maintenance practices in a number of different functional operations within the organization and, to a lesser extent, in vendor operations. It contributes to developing solutions to telecommunications problems and questions, and in developing alternatives and options to meet requirements in a variety of physical and environmental circumstances. Recommendations and technical interpretations affect the level of telecommunications funding required to meet program objectives in subject matter or administrative programs or services. Program and project proposals frequently cut across component or geographic lines within the agency and affect the budgets, programs, and interests of other Federal agencies or private industrial firms.

Factor 6- 3 Personal Contacts

Contacts are with individuals or groups from outside the employing agency in a moderately unstructured setting. Typical contacts are with telecommunications specialists and managers from other agencies, contractor, or technical level representatives of foreign governments, or members of professional organizations, the news media, or public action groups. Contacts also include the head of the employing agency or program officials several managerial levels removed from the employee when such contacts occur on an ad hoc or other irregular basis.

Factor 7- C Purpose of Contacts

The purpose of the contacts is to influence, motivate, interrogate, or control persons or groups. The persons contacted may be fearful, skeptical, uncooperative, or dangerous. Therefore, the employee must be skillful in approaching the individual or group in order to obtain the desired effect, such as gaining compliance with established policies and regulations by persuasion or negotiation, or gaining information by establishing rapport.

Factor 8- 1 Physical Demands

The work requires no special physical demands. It is sedentary, performed in a comfortable posture. It may involve some walking, standing, bending, or carrying of light items.

Factor 9- 1 Work Environment

Work is performed in an office or similar setting involving everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.

FACTOR EVALUATION SYSTEM

POSITION EVALUATION STATEMENT

Title, Series and Grade Telecommunications Manager, GS-0391-13

Organization ____________________________________________ Position # ____________

Evaluation Factors	Points Assigned	Standard Used (Bmk#, FL#, etc)	Comments
1. Knowledge Required By the Position	1550	1-8	The incumbent must have a broad knowledge of telecommunications analysis techniques, design techniques, characteristics of telecommunication equipment requirements and types, management principles and agency's policies and standards relating to telecommunications hardware, software, and infrastructure evaluation. Knowledge of communications systems and methods including transmissions protocols, broadcasting, switching, control, and management in order to design, develop, and manage systems that meet the communications needs of the organization.
2. Supervisory Controls	650	2-5	The employee has responsibility for independently planning, designing, and carrying out programs, projects, studies, or other work. Within these broad areas of direction the employee has responsibility for planning, designing, and carrying out major studies or projects, and for coordinating with experts both within and outside the organization.
3. Guidelines	450	3-4	The employee is required to deviate from traditional methods to solve problems and improve operations or improve existing systems, and to investigate trends and patterns in the applicable technology.
4. Complexity	325	4-5	The work includes varied duties requiring many different and unrelated processes and methods that are applied to a broad range of activities or substantial depth of analysis, typically for an administrative or professional field. Decisions regarding what needs to be done include major areas of uncertainty in approach, methodology, or interpretation and evaluation processes that result from such elements as continuing changes in program, technological developments, unknown phenomena, or conflicting requirements. Assignments involve duties necessary to establish the framework of new hardware/software systems; concern is with the overall structure throughout a wide range of phases.
5. Scope and Effect	225	5-4	Work involves isolating and defining unknown conditions, resolving critical problems, or developing new theories. The work product or service affects the work of other experts, the development of major aspects of administrative or scientific programs or missions, or the well-being of substantial numbers of people. The work involves ensuring the optimal delivery of a broad range of telecommunications services in response to the needs of the organization. The employee leads an enterprise level project such as establishing connectivity for new missions, new customers, and accommodating changes in legislation.
6. Personal Contacts		6-3	Agency CIO, Project Managers, civilian managers, technical staffs of other agencies, higher headquarters, contractors and with all levels of Agency management.
7. Purpose of Contacts	180	7-C	The purpose of the contacts is to represent the program directed to obtain or commit resources, and to gain compliance with established policies, regulations; and/or administration of contracts by persuasion or negotiation, or through direction of the efforts of contractors; and/or to maintain effective relations with organizations interested in the program; and/or to advise on decisions relating to work lead.
8. Physical Demands	5	8-1	Work is sedentary.
9. Work Environment	5	9-1	Typical office environment.

SUMMARY

Total Points: 3390

Grade

Conversion: GS-13

Telecommunications Specialist, GS- 0391-14

Position Number:

Introductory Statement:

Prepares Technical Communications Program and Project Plans 50%

As a technical authority, develops, directs and administers short and long-range fiscal plans and annual budgets for all expenses necessary for agency-wide telecommunications network support services and maintenance. Monitors the fiscal amounts to insure that expenditures do not exceed mitigated amounts and specifically ensures an effective and balanced budget.

Acquisition Management for Telecommunications Services 50%

Manages, defines, and participates in the telecommunications change management procedures and policies to ensure the integrity of the documentation and the network management system. As the agency technical authority, develops acquisition plans, inputs to statements of work, technical specifications, requirements definitions, project plans, and proposals related to telecommunications requirements and solutions. Defines wide area network operational requirements.

Factor 1- 8 Knowledge Required by the Position

The employee is expert in a major area of telecommunications specialization or has demonstrated mastery of general telecommunications policy, technology, and programs. The employee uses comprehensive knowledge of communications policy requirements to function as technical authority in assignments requiring the application of new theories, concepts, and developments to communications problems not susceptible to treatment by accepted methods, technology, or procedures. In addition to mastery of the specialty area, the employee uses knowledge of their own and other telecommunications specialties to make decisions or recommendations to significantly change, interpret, or develop policies or programs. For program planning functions, the employee uses knowledge of scientific and technological advances in related fields of electronics and automation.

Factor 2- 5 Supervisory Controls

The supervisor provides administrative and policy direction in terms of broadly defined missions or functions of the agency. The employee is responsible for a significant agency or equivalent level telecommunications program or function; defines objectives; interprets policies promulgated by authorities senior to the immediate supervisor and determines their effect on program needs; independently plans, designs, and carries out the work to be done; and is a technical authority. The supervisor reviews work for potential impact on broad agency policy objectives and program goals; normally accepts work as being technically authoritative; and normally accepts work without significant change.

Factor 3- 5 Guidelines

The employee uses guidelines that are often ambiguous and express conflicting or incompatible goals and objectives, requiring extensive interpretation. The employee uses judgment and ingenuity and exercises broad latitude to: determine the intent of applicable guidelines; develop policy and guidelines for specific areas of work; and formulate interpretations that take the form of policy statements and guidelines. Top agency management officials and senior staff recognize the employee as a technical expert.

Factor 4- 5 Complexity

Factor 5- 5 Scope and Effect

Work involves isolating and defining unprecedented conditions, resolving critical problems, and/or developing, testing, and implementing new technologies. The work affects the work of other technical experts or the development of major aspects of agency-wide telecommunications programs.

Factor 6- 3 Personal Contacts

Factor 7- C Purpose of Contacts

Factor 8- 1 Physical Demands

The work requires no special physical demands. It is sedentary, performed in a comfortable posture. It may involve some walking, standing, bending, or carrying of light items.

Factor 9- 1 Work Environment

Work is performed in an office or similar setting involving everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.
FACTOR EVALUATION SYSTEM

POSITION EVALUATION STATEMENT

Title, Series and Grade Telecommunications Manager, GS-0391-14

Organization ___________________________________________ Position # ____________

Evaluation Factors	Points Assigned	Standard Used (Bmk#, FL#, etc)	Comments
1. Knowledge Required By the Position	1550	1-8	The incumbent must have a broad knowledge of telecommunications analysis techniques, design techniques, characteristics of telecommunication equipment requirements and types, management principles and agency's policies and standards relating to telecommunications hardware, software, and infrastructure evaluation. Knowledge of communications systems and methods including transmissions protocols, broadcasting, switching, control, and management in order to design, develop, and manage systems that meet the communications needs of the organization.
2. Supervisory Controls	650	2-5	The employee has responsibility for independently planning, designing, and carrying out programs, projects, studies, or other work. Within these broad areas of direction the employee has responsibility for planning, designing, and carrying out major studies or projects, and for coordinating with experts both within and outside the organization.
3. Guidelines	650	3-5	Employee is a recognized technical authority on the development and interpretation of communications guidelines, policies and regulations covering several, substantive communications programs and the organizations involved. Employee uses initiative, judgment, and originality in the researching and interpreting existing national policies and legislation. The employee, as a recognized technical authority, develops regulations and communications policies and interprets departmental policies and goals.
4. Complexity	325	4-5	The work includes varied duties requiring many different and unrelated processes and methods that are applied to a broad range of activities or substantial depth of analysis, typically for an administrative or professional field. Decisions regarding what needs to be done include major areas of uncertainty in approach, methodology, or interpretation and evaluation processes that result from such elements as continuing changes in program, technological developments, unknown phenomena, or conflicting requirements. Assignments involve duties necessary to establish the framework of new hardware/software systems; concern is with the overall structure throughout a wide range of phases.
5. Scope and Effect	325	5-5	Purpose of the work is to analyze and evaluate major aspects of substantive, mission related programs of a large complex multi-mission bureau. This involves the development of: long range master plans, goals for major program milestones, and the evaluation of the effectiveness of proposals submitted by major program vendors. Study reports typically contain recommendations of major significance to top agency management.
6. Personal Contacts		6-3	Agency CIO, Project Managers, civilian managers, technical staffs of other agencies, higher headquarters, contractors and with all levels of Agency management.
7. Purpose of Contacts	180	7-C	The purpose of the contacts is to represent the program directed to obtain or commit resources, and to gain compliance with established policies, regulations; and/or administration of contracts by persuasion or negotiation, or through direction of the efforts of contractors; and/or to maintain effective relations with organizations interested in the program; and/or to advise on decisions relating to work lead.
8. Physical Demands	5	8-1	Work is sedentary.
9. Work Environment	5	9-1	Typical office environment.

SUMMARY

Total Points:

3690

Grade

Conversion:

GS-14

Evaluation:

DOCUMENTATION OF CLASSIFICATION RATIONALE

1. Organizational Location: USDA, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Telecommunications Policy and Planning Division.

2. References: USOPM PCS for Telecommunications Series, GS-391, Mar 90.

3. Grade Determination: Determination was based on the greatly expanded duties and responsibilities of the position. Expanded duties include serving as the Agency telecommunications liaison, advising and counseling individuals or organizations within the Agency regarding various telecommunications functions, and managing Agency telecommunications programs. Greater involvement in making decisions that affect funding, enhancements, source selection, and future requirements are required as well as more involvement with day to day operations and decisions including Operations, Technology, Telecommunications, business support systems, and Automated Information Systems.

4. Final Classification: Telecommunications Manager, GS-0391-13/14.