U.S. Geological Survey Manual

1. Purpose. This chapter supplements the Department of the Interior's Merit Promotion Plan as prescribed in Departmental Manual 370.DM 335, dated June 9, 1999; and 5 CFR 335. It establishes U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) merit promotion procedures for filling positions with a recruiting area of USGS-wide or smaller (e.g., USGS regionwide, etc.). Merit promotion vacancies being filled from a broader recruitment area (e.g., governmentwide) are currently being filled through the USGS Online Automated Recruitment System (OARS); and certain procedures described in this SM chapter, and designated by an asterisk, are not directly applicable to them. (A revised merit promotion plan addressing positions filled through OARS is being developed.) However, the guiding principles of this SM Chapter apply to positions filled through the bureau's traditional merit promotion procedures as well as OARS.

2. Procedures. Appendix A of this chapter sets forth USGS merit promotion procedures in a question and answer format. These bureau procedures have been incorporated with 370 DM 335 (written in italics) to ensure that neither chapter is considered independently of the other.