Updated December 6, 2022
General Information/Regulatory Information
The Performance Assessment Network System (PANS) is a platform maintained by Monster Government Solutions, FLETC's recruitment system. Monster PANS is one of the assessment options offered to hiring managers. On November 4, 2021, the FLETC Labor Organization, Chapter 338 of the NTEU, was informed that the FLETC would use the PANS assessment tool to ensure complianceExecutive Order (EO) 13932, Modernizing and Reforming the Evaluation and Hiring of Federal Candidates, which went live on June 26, 2020, and to maintain complianceOPM Implementation Guide🇧🇷 Implementing the OPM guidelines requires agencies to employ competency-based hiring practices, including assessments and a multifaceted process to assess and identify high-quality talent. FLETC managers may choose to use the PANS as one of at least two pre-certification assessment hurdles for supervisory and non-supervisory positions in competitive service.
Per EO 13932, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance on “Determining qualifications and using assessment tools to fill vacancies' with implementation guidelines and a deadline to meet EO requirements of December 31, 2022. FLETC published the first working posting with the PANS on February 8, 2022.
PANS are hosted on the Monster Government Solutions platform.
The PANS consists of two different batteries of assessments: non-supervisory and supervisory. Validation of the battery of tests is based on a content validation approach derived from analytical studies of Monster.Gov jobs and publicly available data.
- Sources of unsupervised occupancy data include more than 30 studies in 11 ministerial-level agencies. The study is also supported by the office ofPersonnel Management Office (OPM) Multipurpose Occupational Systems Analysis Inventory (MOSAIC), aOPM Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Kompetenzmodell,The University of HR OPM and the Commission of the Ministry of Labor for Obtaining Necessary Skills (SCAN).
- Employment vigilance data sources include Monster.Gov's past employment analysis results from over 16 studies across 8 cabinet-level agencies. The degree is also supported by OPM's Leadership and Supervisory Competency Models,OPM Leadership and Supervision Competency Models, OPM management effectiveness inventory,Leadership Skills Directory (Penn State University)and several agency-specific leadership competency models.
Assessments like the PANS help eliminate bias in hiring decisions by providing consistent, unbiased information about each candidate. This assessment also helps ensure that candidates have the necessary skills for the position they are applying for.
No, there is no minimum or maximum educational level or IQ level required for the PANS assessment. Assessments are designed to assess specific competencies. According to Monster Government Solutions, the complexity of the language used in the PANS assessments is described as requiring no more than a high school diploma with an average reading level of 5-7 years. Unsupervised assessment items are written at the elementary school level.
application process
FLETC may use the PANS classification for all positions except those in exempt service and those filled through non-competitive appointments.
no Veteran Preference remains in effect if applicable to the hiring, ie H. if the contracted position is open to all US citizens using delegated audit powers. Applicants must complete an Occupational Questionnaire and PANS assessment and obtain a minimum combined score to apply the Veteran Preference Rules.
The PANS assessment must be completed by 23:59:59. M. Eastern Standard Time on the night the ad closes. FLETC strongly encourages applicants to allow sufficient time before application closes to comply with this requirement.
For non-supervisory positions:
The unsupervised test battery consists of 4 sections, 3 of which are timed (every 5 minutes). The assessment has approximately 250 items and usually takes about an hour to complete.
For supervisory positions:
The monitor test battery has 3 sections, 1 of which is timed (45 minutes). The assessment is approximately 225 points and typically takes an hour and a half to complete.
For non-supervisory positions:
The series of unsupervised tests measure competencies in the following areas: oral communication, writing, interpersonal skills, problem solving, teamwork, technology orientation, customer service, attention to detail and self-management.
For supervisory positions:
The Supervision battery of tests measures competencies in the following areas: oral communication, interpersonal skills, problem solving, decision making, customer service, leadership, planning and evaluation, influencing/negotiation, strategic thinking and human capital management.
Yes, although it is not recommended. Candidates can opt out of the assessment and come back later to complete it. Monster automatically saves the requester's PANS progress every 60 seconds. If you need to complete the test for any reason, you will be taken back to the last test location and time. NOTE: Exiting the computer without logging out will not stop the clock on the timed portions of the exam.
Monster Government Solutions completes the scores and maintains them electronically within the Monster system. Application documents are kept for at least 3 years, accSchedule for Retaining and Disposing of Delegate Review Operations Manual Records.
Assessment and Scoring Questions
Candidates are evaluated based on their Work Questionnaire self-assessment and, if they receive a score of 85 or higher, have the opportunity to complete the PANS assessment. The PANS exam DOES NOT pass. Once a candidate has completed the PANS, the Monster system calculates an overall score. If the total score (Job Questionnaire and PANS) is 70.0 or higher, the candidate's application can proceed to the next step, which includes a possible qualification and aptitude test and possible referral to the hiring manager for further consideration.
The PANS is a "standardized battery of tests" that measures candidates' competencies, including oral and written communication, interpersonal skills, problem solving, teamwork, technology orientation, customer service, thorough customer service, and self-management. PANS tool questions are copyrighted. FLETC does not create questions used in the tool. Below are some sample questions to give you an idea of what to expect.
Example question 1:
Example question 2:
After completing each set of tests, the candidate will be asked to continue with the next set until all sections are completed. After testing all batteries, you will receive the following message.
After completing the assessments, you must return to the app in your browserComplete your application. You will NOT be considered for the position you are applying for if you do not complete the assessment OR submit your application by the deadline🇧🇷 Candidates can verify the status of their application with USAJobs, which will forward it to Monster to ensure that the External Assessment (also known as PANS) has been completed. Click the CONTINUE button at the bottom of the screen to proceed with the application process to VERIFY AND SUBMIT your application.
Upon completion of the job posting, candidates will receive an email with their combined professional assessment and PANS score. If you would like more information on the score breakdown in addition to the total score, please contact the HR specialist identified in the job posting. NOTE: We can only report your total score on the Work Questionnaire or PANS. We cannot detail the PANS score.
Your score from each FLETC PANS assessment (ie non-supervisory and supervisory) is stored for 180 days, allowing you to apply for multiple FLETC positions without having to repeat assessments.
Reusing responses improves test security, streamlines content management, and reduces candidate effort when submitting responses to FLETC job postings, rather than requiring repeat testing sessions for each FLETC job posting.
Reasonable Placement Process
The timed portions of the PANS are limited to the timeframes described above. Therefore, candidates will not receive additional time for the timed portions of the PANS unless they make a reasonable request for accommodation.before starting the PANS assessment through the process described below🇧🇷 If you have a documented disability that warrants additional time commitment, you will be given the opportunity to determine if housing is necessary. You will see two points where you can say accommodation is required. The screen below is an example of what you will see when invited to take the PANS. The third bulleted paragraph explains the reasonable accommodation process.
After clicking the "GET ONLINE ASSESSMENT" button, you will be redirected to the PANS assessment. The next screen you will see is the following screen:
After completing the form, click Submit. NOTE: Please do not provide any Personally Identifiable Information (PII) on this form. Your application will be received by Monster and then forwarded to the FLETC Human Capital Office (HCO) for the on-call Human Resources (HR) Specialist to contact you to obtain your supporting documentation to verify the validity of your application. You must submit supporting documentation to support medically or non-medically reasonable accommodation. The information is then forwarded to the FLETC Equal Opportunity Office (EEO) for review and approval of the Request for Reasonable Accommodation.
Generally, if you are approved, your application will increase the time you have to complete the timed portions of the assessment, but it will not prevent you from completing the assessment or increase the time that the job posting will be available to you. If you are applying for reasonable accommodation, you must complete the remainder of the application and submit it by the job posting deadline.
Yes, if the candidate is invited for the PANS assessment, the platform will give the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation. Then, the candidate is forwarded to the adaptation process. In addition, the FLETC job posting contains instructions on how to make reasonable accommodations when applying for a FLETC position.
FLETC job postings provide information on the reasonable accommodation process and instructions on how to obtain assistance if needed. When an applicant applies for housing to the PANS, the application is forwarded to the FLETC HCO and then forwarded to the FLETC EEO office for review and determination of housing.
Still don't see an answer to your question? Please contact the FLETC Human Capital Office atFLETC-jobinfo@fletc.dhs.govfor extra help.