[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 160 (Friday, August 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43438-43439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-20778]



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Part IV





National Skills Standards Board





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Partnership Organization; Sales & Service Voluntary Partnership 
(S&SVP); Solicitation of Comments; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 160 / Friday, August 17, 2001 / 
Notices  

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NATIONAL SKILL STANDARDS BOARD


Partnership Organization; Sales & Service Voluntary Partnership 
(S&SVP); Solicitation of Comments

AGENCY: National Skill Standards Board.

ACTION: Solicitation of comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Skill Standards Board (NSSB) is building a 
voluntary national system of skill standards, assessment, and 
certification that will enhance the ability of the U.S. to compete 
effectively in a global economy. The Sales & Service Voluntary 
Partnership (S&SVP) is an industry-based organization that has been 
recognized by the NSSB to develop proposed skill standards. As NSSB 
requires of Voluntary Partnerships, S&SVP seeks public comment to 
improve the product, receive input on potential uses of the skill 
standards in various organizations, and to assist in the design of 
associated assessment and certification systems related to the skill 
standards' full implementation and continuous improvement. Comments 
must be submitted in writing in order to be considered, and details on 
submitting comments via e-mail, fax, or regular mail are provided in 
the ADDRESSES section. Due to the complexity and length of the proposed 
skill standards, only a summary is published in this Notice. To obtain 
the full text of the proposed S&SVP Skill Standards, see the 
Supplementary Information section.

DATES: The Sales & Service Voluntary Partnership will accept written 
comments on the proposed Skill Standards on or before September 17, 
2001.

ADDRESSES: Please send comments via regular mail to: Nicole Manning, 
S&SVP, c/o NRF Foundation, 325 7th Street NW, Suite 1100, Washington, 
DC 20004. To submit comments via fax, transmit to Nicole Manning, 
S&SVP, 202-737-2849. To submit comments via e-mail, send comments to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding 
S&SVP's development of skill standards, assessment, and certification, 
contact JoEllen Carlson, S&SVP, 202-626-8196, [email protected]. For 
further information on the Voluntary National System of Industry Skill 
Standards, contact the National Skill Standards Board (NSSB): 1441 L 
Street, NW, Suite 9000/Washington DC 20005/200-254-8628/http://www.nssb.org.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Contact Information for Submitting Comments
II. Background
III. Authorizing Legislation
IV. National Skill Standards Board (NSSB)
V. Sales & Service Voluntary Partnership (S&SVP)
VI. Mission of the Sales & Service Voluntary Partnership
VII. Background for Proposed Standards Release
VIII. Proposed Standards
IX. Resolution of Comments

I. Contact Information

    The full text of the proposed S&SVP Skill Standards may be obtained 
by submitting a written request to the following mailing address: 
Nicole Manning, S&SVP, c/o NRF Foundation, 325 7th Street NW, Suite 
1100, Washington, DC 20004, or by faxed request to Nicole Manning, 
S&SVP, 202-737-2849. The full text of the proposed S&SVP Skill 
Standards is also available on the S&SVP website at 
http://www.SSVP.org. Proposed skill standards may be viewed on the web 
or downloaded (PDF files). Printed copies of the proposed skill 
standards may also be obtained from the downloadable PDF at http://www.SSVP.org.

II. Background

    The S&SVP is a national body serving as the catalyst for skill 
standards development for the retail, wholesale, real estate and 
personal services industries. Participation is open to large and small 
employers, trade associations, labor organizations, employee 
associations, and public interest representatives from education, 
government, community and policy groups. The S&SVP is managed by the 
NRF Foundation under a grant from the National Skill Standards Board.

III. Authorizing Legislation

    Public Law 103-227, Title V, National Skill Standards Act of 1994.

IV. National Skill Standards Board (NSSB)

    The National Skill Standards Act of 1994 created ``a National Skill 
Standards Board to serve as a catalyst in stimulating the development 
and adoption of a voluntary national system of skill standards and of 
assessment and certification of attainment of skill standards.'' 
Industry coalitions called Voluntary Partnerships are developing the 
skill standards, assessment and certification systems within fifteen 
NSSB-defined industry sectors.

V. Sales & Service Voluntary Partnership (S&SVP)

    The National Skill Standards Board formally recognized the Sales & 
Service Voluntary Partnership on May 28, 1998 to develop a system of 
voluntary skill standards for the service industry. This system is 
industry-led with full partnership and full and balanced participation 
of representatives of employers, unions, education, civil rights 
organizations, and community stakeholders. The Sales & Service 
Voluntary Partnership (S&SVP) is staffed and managed by the NRF 
Foundation under a grant from the National Skill Standards Board.

VI. Mission of the Sales & Service Voluntary Partnership

    The mission of the S&SVP is to develop a nationwide system of 
workforce skill standards for workers in the service sector. This 
nationwide Sales & Service Skill Standards System seeks to:
     Enhance productivity and global economic competitiveness 
of U.S.-based companies;
     Raise the standard of living and economic security of 
American workers by improving their access to high-skill, high-wage 
employment and career opportunities for those currently in, entering, 
or reentering the workforce;
     Encourage the use of world-class academic, occupational 
and employability standards to guide continuous education and training 
for current and future workers.

VII. Background for Proposed Standards Release

    The S&SVP comprises the retail, wholesale, real estate, and 
personal services industries. Standards are expected to be used broadly 
to provide national credentials in the areas of customer service, 
sales, and others as appropriate, and in conjunction with industry, 
education, labor, government, and organizational partners. Completion 
of these proposed standards for submission to the National Skill 
Standards Board marks a major step towards developing a nationwide 
system of voluntary skill standards, assessments and certification, as 
envisioned in the National Skill Standards Act of 1994.

VIII. Proposed Standards

    The S&SVP Proposed Standards include information on the work (i.e., 
critical work functions, key activities, and performance indicators) as 
well as the knowledge and skills (academic, employability, and 
occupational/technical) needed in the service sector.

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These standards are designed to benefit all stakeholders, including 
organizations, educational institutions, agencies, and businesses of 
all sizes, regardless of geographic location. They are intended to 
guide employees, job seekers, and students on the performance 
requirements for sales and service work in high-performance 
environments. For businesses, they provide a benchmark for evaluating 
their own work processes and building a professional, committed 
workforce.

IX. Resolution of Comments

    The Sales & Service Voluntary Partnership shall review and take 
into consideration all comments; will respond in writing to comments as 
appropriate; and, with agreement from the National Skill Standards 
Board, will make revisions as deemed appropriate. At the end of the 
comment period the S&SVP will post a summary of comments on the S&SVP 
Web site, http://www.ssvp.org. A summary of the response to comments 
and a notice of revision will be posted at a later date. The summary of 
responses may also be accessed at the NSSB website, http://www.nssb.org, via hyperlink to the S&SVP website.

    Signed at Washington, DC this 13th day of August, 2001.
Edie West,
Executive Director/National Skill Standards Board.
[FR Doc. 01-20778 Filed 8-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-BF-P