[Federal Register: May 14, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 92)]
[Notices]
[Page 22728-22729]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14my09-25]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Office of Administration
[Docket No. 090326470-9472-01]
Commerce Alternative Personnel System
AGENCY: Office of Administration, Office of Human Resources Management,
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of Modifications to the Department of Commerce
Alternative Personnel System.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces changes made to the provisions of the
Commerce Alternative Personnel System, formerly the Department of
Commerce Personnel Management Demonstration Project, published in the
Federal Register on December 24, 1997. Also, this notice adds a new
occupational series of 2150, Transportation Operations series to the
system, and moves the Consumer Safety 696 occupational series in the
(ZP) Scientific and Engineering career path from the Administrative
(ZA) career path.
DATES: The changes announced in this notice are implemented as of May
14, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Department of Commerce: Sandra
Thompson, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue
NW., Room 5004, Washington, DC 20230, (202) 482-3725 or Pamela Boyland
at (202) 482-1068.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Background
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved the Department of
Commerce (DoC) Demonstration Project (project) and published the final
plan in the Federal Register Wednesday, December 24, 1997 (62 FR Pages
67434-67463). The project pursued several key objectives of the
National Performance Review. The project was designed to simplify
current classification systems for greater flexibility in: (1)
Classifying work and paying employees; (2) establishing a performance
management and rewards system for improving individual and
organizational performance; and (3) improving recruiting and examining
to attract highly-qualified candidates. The purpose of the project was
to strengthen the contribution of human resources management and test
whether the same innovations conducted under the National Institute of
Standards and Technology alternative personnel system would produce
similarly successful results in other DoC environments. The project was
implemented on March 29, 1998. The project plan has been modified six
times to clarify certain DoC Demonstration Project authorities, and to
extend and expand the project (64 FR Pages 52810-52812 (September 30,
1999), 68 FR Pages 47948-47949 (August 12, 2003), 68 FR Pages 54505-
54507 (September 17, 2003), 70 FR Pages 38732-38733 (July 5, 2005), 71
FR Pages 25615-25616 (May 1, 2006), and 71 FR Pages 50950-50952 (August
28, 2006)). With the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2008, Public Law 110-161, on December 26, 2007, the project was made
permanent (extended indefinitely) and renamed the Commerce Alternative
Personnel System (CAPS).
The CAPS provides for modifications to be made as experience is
gained, results are analyzed and conclusions are reached on how the
system is working. This notice announces that the DoC modifies CAPS to
add a new occupational series 2150, Transportation Operations series to
the system, and moves the Consumer Safety 696 occupational series in
the (ZP) Scientific and Engineering career path from the Administrative
(ZA) career path.
The DoC will follow the CAPS plan as published in the Federal
Register dated December 24, 1997, and subsequent modifications as
listed in the Background Section of this notice.
Deborah A. Jefferson,
Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer and Director for Human Resources
Management.
Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary
II. Basis for CAPS Modification
III. Changes to the Project Plan
I. Executive Summary
CAPS is designed to (1) improve hiring and allow DoC to compete
more effectively for high-quality candidates through direct hiring,
selective use of higher entry salaries, and selective use of
recruitment incentives; (2) motivate and retain staff through higher
pay potential, pay-for-performance, more responsive personnel systems,
and selective use of retention incentives; (3) strengthen the manager's
role in personnel management through delegation of personnel
authorities; and (4) increase the efficiency of personnel systems
through the installation of a simpler and more flexible classification
system based on pay banding through reduction of guidelines, steps, and
paperwork in classification, hiring, and other personnel systems, and
through automation.
II. Basis for CAPS Modification
CAPS is designed to provide managers at the lowest organizational
level the authority, control and flexibility to recruit, retain,
develop, recognize, and motivate its workforce, while ensuring adequate
accountability and oversight.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office
of Marine and Aviation Operations has requested to add the
Transportation Operations Series, 2150 to the Administrative (ZA)
career path. The series covers duties of which are to administer,
supervise, or perform work involving the planning, directing, or
operating of rail, motor, air, or water transportation systems and
service,
[[Page 22729]]
including positions involving responsibility for operation of both
transportation service and terminal facilities.
NOAA has requested that the 696 Consumer Safety Series be removed
from the Administrative (ZA) career path and placed in the Scientific
and Engineering (ZP) career path as the 696 occupational series is a
professional and scientific position and has its own OPM Individual
Occupational Requirements to be used in conjunction with OPM's Group
Coverage Qualification Standards for Professional and Scientific Work.
The change of this series to the (ZP) career path will have no impact
on the pay, series, or pay band classification of employees in this
series. A copy of this approved Federal Register notice will be
provided to the affected employees prior to making the change
effective.
III. Changes to the Project Plan
The CAPS at DoC, published in Federal Register (FR) Volume 62,
Number 247, on Wednesday, December 24, 1997 is amended as follows:
1. The following series is added to Table 2
Administrative (ZA) Career Path, 2150, Transportation Operations
Series.
2. The following series is moved from the Administrative (ZA)
Career Path and placed in the
Scientific and Engineering (ZP) Career Path, 696, Consumer Safety
Series.
[FR Doc. E9-11213 Filed 5-13-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-03-P