Information Assurance (IA) Certification

 18 Apr 2008

MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT (MOA)

Concerning

INFORMATION ASSURANCE (IA) CERTIFICATION

1.      The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Council 214 and Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC), hereafter referred to as the Union and Management, hereby enter into this MOA regarding the above subject as it applies to AFGE bargaining unit members covered by the Master Labor Agreement (MLA) between the parties.

2.      The purpose of this MOA is to recognize and address a new commercial certification program which is referenced in DoD 8570.01-M, IA Workforce Improvement Program, December 2005 and/or Air Force Instruction (AFI) 33-115, Vol. 2, Licensing Network Users and Certifying Network Professionals (incorporating Change 3, 26 October 2007).  These commercial certification requirements apply to employees with elevated network privileges or IA duties.  It is understood that ordinary network users will not be affected.  Certification requirements are based on the duties/responsibilities of the position and include three levels of certification for those with technical responsibilities and three levels of certification for those with management-related IA responsibilities as outlined in the examples below:

a.          Technician Level 1 – This group includes Client Support Administrators and Help Desk Technicians – mission personnel who help ordinary network users maintain access.  These employees will be subject to basic level certification testing.

b.         Technician Level 2 – This group represents most of the remaining affected bargaining unit employees (BUEs).  It includes Network Control Center staff and System Administrators at both base and functional level.  It includes people with special base-level switch/router access.  Members of this group will be subject to intermediate level certification testing.

c.          Technician Level 3 - This group includes BUEs who enjoy “enclave level” privileges.  It includes MAJCOM (or higher level) system administrators and developers or testers of Air Force-wide systems.  Members of this group will be subject to advanced level certification testing (e.g. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) test.)

d.         Management Levels 1-3 – These levels correspond to the three above technical levels but involve a greater degree of responsibility and more stringent certification requirements.  These categories generally, but not exclusively, refer to positions with IA management responsibilities (e.g. Management Level 1 certification for Information System Security Officers (ISSOs).)

3.      Employees currently occupying affected positions will have twelve (12) months from the signature date of this MOA to attain the required certification.  Employees assigned after the date of this MOA will have six (6) months to attain the required certification.  Initial certification and certification maintenance will be in accordance with the vendor’s certification requirements as adopted by the Air Force.

4.      Management will provide those resources necessary to prepare affected employees to attain the required certifications including adequate time and access to computer-based training (CBT) courses and other useful training aids.  Upon request, management will supply tutorial and technical assistance to individuals not familiar or comfortable with CBT.  No employee will be directed to study during non-duty hours.

5.      Training for each level of certification will consist of courses, a pre-test and a final test.  With supervisory approval, employees will be permitted to re-take non-fee courses and pre-tests until personally confident of passing the final test.  The taking of the final test (i.e. the vendor’s commercial test) will be conditioned on the employee’s success on a pre-test offered by the Employer.  Cost of the commercial test (first occurrence) will be borne by the Employer.

6.      Guidelines relating to years of experience for technical or management-level certifications shall not apply to employees currently assigned to affected positions.

7.      Consistent with paragraph 3 above, the Employer acknowledges that the intent of the program is for affected employees to successfully obtain their certification.  The Employer is committed to assisting and supporting employees who are conscientiously pursuing their commercial certification so as to prevent any adverse action or consequence.  In situations where an employee is unsuccessful on his/her first attempt to obtain the commercial certification, the supervisor or designee and the employee will meet to discuss the situation.  The employee may request that the local union rep attend the meeting.  The meeting will constitute a good faith effort by the parties to mutually agree on a workable course of action under the circumstances (to include consideration for the re-taking of the test where possible and appropriate).

8.      Should the IA certification requirement be extended to cover new categories of bargaining unit employees, Management will provide notice to the Union and bargain over such expansion where and as appropriate.

9.      All remedies available under the MLA or 5 USC Chapter 71are available to the Parties if either party believes the other has failed to comply with any of the requirements of this MOA.

FOR MANAGEMENT                                         FOR THE UNION