(a) OPM may issue lists of qualified applicants for which agencies shall conduct technical assessments and certify applicants for selection, to one or more agencies under this part; or

(b) OPM may issue excepted service certificates to one or more agencies which may make selections in accordance with this part.

In this subpart:

Certificate has the meaning given in § 332.102 of this chapter.

OPM-led pooled hiring action means a hiring approach under which OPM will (1) centrally recruit and provide agencies with lists of applicants who meet minimum requirements and qualifications for hiring agencies to conduct the technical assessment, certification, and selection processes, or (2) centrally recruit, screen applicants for minimum requirements and qualifications, conduct the technical assessment and certification processes, and provide agencies with ready-made excepted service certificates of qualified applicants to make selections.

Participating agency means an agency that receives a list of qualified applicants or an excepted service certificate from OPM under this subpart for a given OPM-led pooled hiring action.

(a) OPM may recruit applicants, determine minimum qualifications, and provide lists of qualified applicants to agencies.

(b) Agencies are responsible for conducting technical assessments and issuing excepted service certificates in accordance with this part.

(c) Agencies must satisfy all applicable requirements pertaining to applicants eligible for priority consideration in accordance with §§ 302.103, 302.303, 302.304, and 302.401.

(d) An agency may apply the three-consideration rule under § 332.405 of this subchapter to an excepted service certificate on which applicants were assigned numerical scores under § 302.302(b)(1) and must notify OPM when doing so. The three-consideration rules does not apply to an excepted service certificate on which applicants were placed in quality categories under § 302.302(b)(2). OPM will notify all participating agencies when an applicant has been removed from further consideration under the three-consideration rule. An agency may, but is not required to, consider any applicant who received three bona fide considerations from another agency in accordance with § 332.405 of this subchapter and identified as such by OPM. For purposes of this subpart, § 332.405 of this subchapter applies as if the position were being filled in the competitive service.

(e) An agency which passes over a preference eligible must notify OPM when the pass-over is sustained. OPM will notify all participating agencies when a pass-over request has been sustained, and the veteran is removed from further consideration. An agency may, but is not required to, consider any applicant notified that he or she was being passed over by another agency in accordance with § 302.401(b), the Delegated Examining Operations Handbook, and identified as such by OPM.

(a) OPM may issue one or more excepted service certificates for a hiring instance under the procedures of this part.

(b) An agency using an OPM-generated excepted service certificate may not reassess applicants for purposes of rating or ranking.

(c) OPM may establish a policy for the timeframe within which an agency using a certificate may make a selection, and any extensions to this timeframe.

(d) Agencies must satisfy all applicable requirements pertaining to applicants eligible for priority consideration in accordance with §§ 302.103, 302.303, 302.304, and 302.401.

(e) An agency may apply the three-consideration rule under § 332.405 of this subchapter to an excepted service certificate on which applicants were assigned numerical scores under § 302.302(b)(1) and must notify OPM when doing so. The three-consideration rule does not apply to an excepted service certificate on which applicants were placed in quality categories under § 302.302(b)(2). OPM will notify all participating agencies when an applicant has been removed from further consideration under the three-consideration rule. A participating agency may, but is not required to, consider any applicant who received three bona fide considerations from another agency in accordance with § 332.405 and identified as such by OPM.

(f) An agency which passes over a preference eligible must notify OPM when the pass-over is sustained. OPM will notify all participating agencies when a pass-over request has been sustained, and the veteran is removed from further consideration. An agency may, but is not required to, consider any applicant notified that he or she was being passed over by another agency in accordance with § 302.401(b), the Delegated Examining Operations Handbook, and identified as such by OPM.