SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION FOR USE OF ASSESORS IN THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FOR OCTOBER 1, 2009 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2010 THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (SEAP) PROGRAM IS A HIGHLY SPECIALIZED ASSESSMENT PROGRAM DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF COMPETENCY ASSESSMENT DATA TO THOSE WANTING TO ENTER THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE (SES). PARTICIPANTS UNDERGO A RIGOROUS BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT CENTER PROCESS THAT IS AT THE SAME LEVEL USED FOR ACTUAL SES SELECTION, INCLUDING REAL-TIME BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT OF ECQ PERFORMANCE AND A RATIO OF ONE OBSERVER FOR EVERY TWO PARTICIPANTS. STUDENTS RECEIVE CONFIDENTIAL FEEDBACK ON THEIR ABILITY TO BE AN EXECUTIVE IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE HIGHLY SPECIALIZED SKILL OF PSYCHOLOGICAL OBSERVATION AND ANALYSIS, ALONG WITH THE NEED FOR THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE MATERIAL AND THE NEED FOR EXTREME PROFESSIONAL SENSITIVITY IN PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION TO THE STUDENTS REQUIRES ASSESSORS OF THE HIGHEST CALIBER. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE COURSE THAT THE ASSESSORS UNDERSTAND THE ASSESSMENT CENTER PROCESS AND HAVE THE SKILLS TO PROFESSIONALLY OBSERVE OTHERS WITHOUT INFLUENCING THEM, AND THEN THROUGH A RIGOROUS PROCESS TRANSLATE THAT RAW INFORMATION INTO PERFORMANCE LEVELS OF SES COMPETENCIES. UNFORTUNATELY THE SKILL OF DIRECT BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT AND CODING TO BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES IS A DYING ART AND HAS NOT BEEN USED SINCE THE 1970S WHEN THERE WAS A SWITCH OVER TO THE USE OF BEHAVIORAL RATING SCALES IN PLACE OF RECORDING BEHAVIOR AND CODING TO BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES.. AS SUCH, WHEN THE SEAP WAS CREATED THERE WERE NO KNOWN ASSESSORS TRAINED IN THE ORIGINAL METHOD USED IN THE 1940S AND 1950S. ALL ASSESSORS USED IN THE SEAP PROGRAM HAVE BEEN THROUGH A PROPRIETARY TRAINING PROGRAM, DESIGNED BY THE LEAD ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE SEAP AC, WHICH CONSISTS OF AN IN-DEPTH ORIENTATION TRAINING PROGRAM AND A ONE YEAR APPRENTICESHIP PERIOD BEFORE BECOMING FULLY CERTIFIED AS A SEAP ASSESSOR. THERE IS NO OTHER KNOWN SOURCE FOR TRAINED ASSESSORS IN THE APPROACH USED BY THE SEAP.