370.536.1 - USGS Repromotion Consideration Program (RCP)
2/10/97
OPR: Human Resources
1. Purpose. This program is established to ensure that U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
employees eligible for or receiving grade or pay retention (hereafter referred to as repromotion
eligibles) are given repromotion consideration for positions that will facilitate their progression to
positions up to their retained grade.
2. Coverage.
A. Except as provided for below, all USGS employees up to grade GS-15 or in the Federal Wage
System, who are eligible for grade or pay retention under 5 CFR Part 536, are eligible for
repromotion consideration under this plan if they have been affected by a reduction-in-force, or
their positions have been reduced in grade by reclassification.
B. Employees become eligible for repromotion consideration under this program upon the
effective date of their retained grade or pay.
C. Eligibility under this program will end 2 years from the effective date of the action that placed
them on grade retention or that gave them pay retention (if they were never on grade retention),
or when grade or pay retention ceases, whichever occurs first.
D. Coverage includes employees in both the competitive and excepted service provided the
employee meets the eligibility criteria established by 5 CFR 536. However, employees serving
under excepted or excepted-conditional appointments are only eligible for repromotion
consideration when the position can be filled under the same excepted authority as the one used
for their current appointment.
E. Employees receiving pay retention as a result of placement in an Upward Mobility position are
not covered by this plan.
3. Repromotion Consideration Rights.
A. Repromotion eligibles will be given consideration for positions advertised in the local
commuting area of the employee's permanent position of record when the advertised position
meets the following criteria:
(1) its grade or full-performance level (FPL) is higher than that of the applicant's current position,
(2) its FPL is no higher than the actual grade the employee held immediately prior to effecting the
action that made them eligible for this program.
NOTE: Priority consideration will not be given for positions at the employee's current grade if
there is no greater FPL.
B. Applicants may be given repromotion consideration for positions with full-time, part-time or
intermittent work schedules regardless of their present work schedule.
4. Employee Responsibilities. Employees must apply to a specific merit promotion vacancy
announcement in the local commuting area by submitting an application/resume by the closing
date. Applications must specifically request consideration under this program.
5. Referral. A separate referral of basically qualified repromotion consideration program (RCP)
candidates in alphabetical order will be sent to the selecting official along with the merit
promotion certificate. To be basically qualified, RCP applicants must meet all qualification
requirements for the position including all selective factors. RCP applicants will not be rated
along with merit promotion applicants.
6. Selection. In filling a vacant position, the selecting official is required to review the application packages of all referred RCP eligibles along with referred merit promotion candidates. The selecting official may select or not select from either list, and must provide a written statement to the servicing personnel office documenting the basis for the selection.