Personnel Demonstration Project; Alternative Personnel Management System for the U.S. Department of Commerce, 50950-50952 [06-7210]
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50950
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 166 / Monday, August 28, 2006 / Notices
336–8438, via facsimile at (202) 218–
0136, or via e-mail at cdown@opic.gov.
Dated: August 24, 2006.
Connie M. Downs,
OPIC Corporate Secretary.
[FR Doc. 06–7215 Filed 8–24–06; 1:14pm]
BILLING CODE 3210–01–M
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL
MANAGEMENT
Personnel Demonstration Project;
Alternative Personnel Management
System for the U.S. Department of
Commerce
1. Background
Office of Personnel
Management.
ACTION: Notice of Expansion of the
Department of Commerce Personnel
Management Demonstration Project.
mstockstill on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Title VI of the Civil Service
Reform Act, now codified in 5 U.S.C.
4703, authorizes the Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) to conduct
demonstration projects that experiment
with new and different human resources
management concepts to determine
whether changes in policies and
procedures result in improved Federal
human resources management. OPM
approved a demonstration project
covering several operating units of the
U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC).
OPM has authority to implement new
legislation affecting demonstration
projects (5 U.S.C. 4703 and 5 CFR
470.101(b) and 470.103). Modifications
to the demonstration project plan also
require OPM approval (5 CFR 470.315).
As provided for in title II of Public
Law 109–108, Department of Commerce
and Related Agencies Appropriations
Act of 2006, signed November 22, 2005,
this notice expands the coverage of the
DOC Demonstration Project to include
up to 3,500 additional employees in the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) increasing the
total number of employees in NOAA to
6,925, as well as additional NOAA
organizations and locations. This
expansion results in the total number of
employees covered by the DOC
Demonstration Project to 8,500
individuals. This notice also serves to
make changes to the plan to
accommodate the expansion. These
changes include the addition of specific
occupational series, Departmental
Personnel Management Board
composition, and pre-project cost
formulas for the NOAA organizations
new to the demonstration project as part
of the expansion.
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15:09 Aug 25, 2006
Jkt 208001
This notice expanding the DOC
Demonstration Project is effective
August 28, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Department of Commerce: Joan
Jorgenson, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 14th and Constitution
Avenue NW., Room 5004, Washington,
DC 20230, (202) 482–4233. Office of
Personnel Management: Jill Rajaee, U.S.
Office of Personnel Management, 1900 E
Street NW., Washington, DC 20415,
(202) 606–0836.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
The Office of Personnel Management
(OPM) approved the DOC
Demonstration Project and published
the final plan in the Federal Register
Volume 62, Number 247, Part II, on
Wednesday, December 24, 1997. The
project was implemented on March 29,
1998, and modified in the Federal
Register on Thursday, September 30,
1999, Volume 64, Number 189 [Notices]
[Pages 52810–52812] and on Tuesday,
August 12, 2003, Volume 68, Number
155 [Notices] [Pages 47948–47949].
OPM approved a request to extend the
DOC Demonstration Project for 5 years
as stated in an administrative letter from
OPM, dated February 14, 2003. The
project was approved for expansion in
the Federal Register Volume 68,
Number 180 [Notices] [Pages 54505–
54507], on Wednesday, September 17,
2003, to include an addition 1,505
employees. The demonstration project
was again modified on Tuesday, July 5,
2005, Volume 70, Number 127 [Notices]
[Pages 38732–38733]. The
demonstration project was again
modified on Monday, May 1, 2006,
Volume 71, Number 83, [Notices] [Pages
25615–25616] to revise existing
authorities for retention, recruitment
and relocation allowances.
The key features of the project involve
increased delegation of authority and
accountability to line managers,
simplified classification and broad
banding, pay for performance, hiring
and pay-setting flexibility, and modified
reduction-in-force procedures.
2. Overview
This notice serves to list all NOAA
organizations and their locations that
will be included in the DOC
Demonstration Project. This notice also
lists additional occupational series that
will be included in the DOC
Demonstration Project. Additional
changes to the plan are made to
accommodate the expansion. These
changes include composition of the
Departmental Personnel Management
PO 00000
Frm 00069
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Board, pre-project cost formulas for new
organizations entering the
demonstration project during this
expansion phase, and edits to the pay
administration provisions to reflect the
use of law enforcement officer special
base rates under section 403 of the
Federal Employees Pay Comparability
Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101–509) for certain
law enforcement officers that will be
added to the project through this
expansion. This notice also incorporates
minor changes to the pay administration
provisions for consistency with the
amendments made to the General
Schedule pay-setting rules by the
Federal Workforce Flexibility Act of
2004 (Pub. L. 108–411) and OPM’s
implementing regulations. The
Department of Commerce will follow
the project plan as published in the
Federal Register dated December 24,
1997, and subsequent modifications as
listed in the Background Section of this
notice.
Office of Personnel Management.
Linda M. Springer,
Director.
Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary
II. Basis of Project Plan Expansion
III. Changes to the Project Plan
I. Executive Summary
The Department of Commerce (DOC)
Demonstration Project utilizes many
features similar to those implemented
by the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) Demonstration
Project in 1988. The DOC
Demonstration Project supports several
key objectives: to simplify the
classification system for greater
flexibility in classifying work and
paying employees; to establish a
performance management and rewards
system for improving individual and
organizational performance; and to
improve recruiting and examining to
attract highly qualified candidates and
hire them more quickly. The DOC
Demonstration Project is designed to
test whether the interventions of the
NIST project, which is now a permanent
alternative system, could be successful
in other DOC environments. The current
participating organizations include six
offices of the Chief Financial Officer/
Assistant Secretary of Administration in
the Office of the Secretary, Technology
Administration, the Bureau of Economic
Analysis, the Institute for
Telecommunication Sciences, and five
units of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration: Office of
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research,
National Marine Fisheries Service, the
National Environmental Satellite, Data,
E:\FR\FM\28AUN1.SGM
28AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 166 / Monday, August 28, 2006 / Notices
and Information Service, the National
Weather Service and the NOAA Office
of Program Planning and Integration.
demonstration project are achieved in
an equitable and consistent manner.
II. Basis of Project Plan Expansion
The current plan identifies Fiscal
Years (FY) 1994, 1995, and 1996 as the
basis of analysis of pre-project costs to
determine whether project costs are
being maintained at acceptable levels.
For those organizations that have never
participated in the demonstration
project, costs will be computed as
annual averages over the past three preproject fiscal years immediately
preceding implementation. For those
NOAA organizations that are already
part of the demonstration project, costs
will continue to be computed using FY
1994—1996.
A. Purpose
The DOC Demonstration Project is
designed to provide managers at the
lowest organizational level, the
authority, control and flexibility needed
to recruit, retain, develop, recognize and
motivate its workforce, while ensuring
adequate accountability and oversight.
Expansion of the DOC Demonstration
Project will allow the Department to
broaden the scope of this test to
additional organizations with different
missions. This should improve the
Department assessment of the
effectiveness of its interventions in its
efforts to compete more effectively for
high quality personnel while
strengthening the manager’s role in
human resources management. All
provisions of the DOC Demonstration
Project plan, as published in the Federal
Register, dated December 24, 1997, and
subsequent published modifications,
will apply.
B. Participating Employees
Employee notification of this
expansion proposal is being
accomplished by providing a full set of
briefings to employees and managers
and providing electronic access to all
DOC Demonstration Project policies,
procedures, evaluations and published
Federal Register notices on the project
plan and subsequent modifications. We
will also provide employees with a copy
of this proposed Federal Register notice
upon approval. Subsequent supervisor
training and informational briefings for
all employees will be accomplished
prior to the implementation of the
expansion.
C. Labor Participation
Labor organizations are being
separately notified about the project’s
expansion pertaining to their bargaining
unit membership. DOC is proceeding to
fulfill its obligation in accordance with
5 U.S.C. 4703(f).
III. Changes to the Project Plan
mstockstill on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
A. Section VII. Project Management
The Departmental Personnel
Management Board (DPMB) will expand
to include additional board DPMB
members representing the new major
operating units included in the project.
It is the intent of the DOC to ensure the
composition of the board DPMB reflects
the diversity of employee groups to
ensure the objectives of the
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15:09 Aug 25, 2006
Jkt 208001
B. Section V B. Base Cost Assessment
C. Section II D. Participating
Organizations
The following organizations will be
added to the project plan, Section II D
Participating Organizations:
Within the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, up to
3,500 new GS/GM employees from the
following offices and locations will be
added to the DOC Demonstration Project
as part of the expansion:
Office of the Under Secretary, nonbargaining unit employees, all
locations
Office of Program Analysis and
Evaluation, all locations
Office of Human Resources, all locations
Office of Chief Financial Officer, all
locations
Office of Chief Administrative Officer,
non-bargaining unit employees, all
locations
Office of Sustainable Development, all
locations
National Ocean Service, non-bargaining
unit employees, all locations
NOAA Marine and Aviation Office, all
locations
Within the Office of Oceanic and
Atmospheric Research:
Climate Program Office, Silver Spring,
MD
Within the National Marine Fisheries
Service:
Office of Seafood Inspection, nonbargaining unit employees, all
locations
Office of Law Enforcement, all
locations
Additional employees in the following
organizations:
Southeast Fisheries Science Center,
all locations
Northwest Fisheries Science Center,
all locations
Alaska Fisheries Science Center, all
locations
PO 00000
Frm 00070
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
50951
D. Section II F. Labor Participation
The following bargaining units are
added to Table 4—Bargaining Unit
Coverage.
NMAO .........
Norfolk, VA
CFO ..............
Boulder, CO
NMFS–
SEFSC.
Miami, FL ...
NMFS–
NWFSC.
NMFS–
AKFSC.
Panama City,
FL.
All Locations
Seattle, WA
IBEW Local
80
AFGE Local
2186
AFGE Local
2875
NAGE R—
106
IFPTE Local
8A
IFPTE Local
8A
E. Section II E. Participating Employees
The following series are added to
Table 2:
Scientific and Engineering (ZP) Career Path
0415, Toxicology Series
0199, Social Science Student Trainee Series
Administrative (ZA) Career Path
0028, Environmental Protection Specialist
Series
0199, Social Science Student Trainee Series
0399, Administrative Trainee Series
0511, Auditing Series
1601, General Facilities and Equipment
Series
1071, Audiovisual Production Series
1710, Education and Vocational Training
Series
1801, General Inspection, Investigation and
Compliance Series
1811, Criminal Investigating Series
1812, Game Law Enforcement Series
2003, Supply Program Management Series
Support (ZS) Career Path
1603, Equipment, Facilities and Services
Assistant Series
1001, General Arts and Information Series
0119, Economics Assistant Series
F. This section provides changes to
the project plan to accommodate law
enforcement officer special base rates
and the recent changes to the General
Schedule pay administration rules. The
following page numbers refer to the
pages of the project plan, published
December 24, 1997, in the Federal
Register.
(1) Page 67448: Section III.A.3. In
third sentence, insert ‘‘under 5 U.S.C.
5305’’ after first ‘‘special rate’’. After
third sentence, insert ‘‘For a law
enforcement officer (LEO) covered by
special base rates under section 403 of
the Federal Employees Pay
Comparability Act of 1990 (section 529
of Public Law 101–509, November 5,
1990, as amended), when the minimum
or maximum grade in the LEO’s band is
any one of grades GS–3 through GS–10
(e.g., ZA Bands I and II), the band’s
minimum and maximum rate of pay
will be set for that LEO using applicable
E:\FR\FM\28AUN1.SGM
28AUN1
50952
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 166 / Monday, August 28, 2006 / Notices
LEO special base rates, as adjusted by
the applicable locality payment.’’
(2) Page 67452: Section III.D.5.—In
the first sentence, insert ‘‘LEO special
base rate,’’ after ‘‘GS rate,’’.
(3) Page 67452. Section III.D.6. In the
second sentence, insert ‘‘GS base’’ after
‘‘maximum’’ and ‘‘or LEO special base
rates’’ before ‘‘of each band’’. In the
third sentence, insert ‘‘under 5 U.S.C.
5305’’ after ‘‘special rates’’.
(4) Page 67452: Section III.D.7.
Replace ‘‘special salary rate’’ with
‘‘special rate’’ throughout paragraph 7.
In the first sentence, insert ‘‘under 5
U.S.C. 5305’’ before ‘‘will be used’’. In
the second sentence, replace ‘‘5 CFR
530.303’’ with ‘‘5 CFR 530.304’’.
(5) Page 67453: Section III.D.13. In the
second sentence, insert ‘‘GS base rate,
LEO special base rate,’’ before ‘‘locality
rate’’ in the parenthetical.
(6) Page 67453: Section III.D. 14. In
the second sentence, insert ‘‘GS base
rate, LEO special base rate,’’ before
‘‘locality rate’’ in the parenthetical.
(7) Page 67455: Section IV.A.1. In the
first sentence, insert ‘‘or LEO special
base schedule’’ after ‘‘GS base schedule’’
in the parenthetical.
(8) Page 67455: Section IV.B.2. In the
first sentence, insert ‘‘or LEO special
base schedule’’ after ‘‘GS base schedule’’
in the parenthetical.
(9) Page 67455: Section IV.B.3. In the
third sentence, insert ‘‘or LEO special
base rate’’ after ‘‘GS base rate’’. Delete
the last parenthetical.
(10) Page 67455—67456: Section
IV.B.5. Delete all text in paragraph 5.
after the first sentence.
(11) Page 67456; Section IV.B.6. In the
second sentence, replace ‘‘GS rate’’ with
‘‘GS rates’’ and delete ‘‘of basic pay (or
converted special rate, if applicable)’’.
(12) Page 67456. Section IV.C. Replace
last sentence with ‘‘(See 5 CFR
531.407(b) for additional information on
equivalent increase determinations.)’’
[FR Doc. 06–7210 Filed 8–24–06; 11:07 am]
BILLING CODE 6325–43–P
(‘‘CBOE’’ or ‘‘Exchange’’), filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’), pursuant to section
19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4
thereunder,2 a proposed rule change to
modify its short-term option series pilot
program (‘‘Pilot Program’’) 3 to change
the number of short-term series that may
be listed in an options class from five to
seven. The Exchange filed Amendment
No. 1 with the Commission on July 11,
2006.4 The amended proposal was
published for comment in the Federal
Register on July 19, 2006.5 No
comments were received. This order
approves the proposed rule change, as
amended.
The Pilot Program currently provides
that the Exchange may open up to five
short-term series for each expiration
date in an approved class. CBOE has
proposed to increase the maximum to
seven. The Exchange has stated it would
list approximately the same number of
series with strike prices above and
below the price of the underlying
security or value of the index at about
the time the series is opened. CBOE also
proposed that, if the Exchange has
opened less than seven series in a
particular options class for a given
expiration date, it could open additional
series in that class if the Exchange
deems it necessary to maintain an
orderly market or meet customer
demand, or when the current value of
the underlying index moves
substantially from the exercise price or
prices of the series already opened.
After careful review, the Commission
finds that the proposal is consistent
with the requirements of the Act and the
rules and regulations thereunder
applicable to a national securities
exchange.6 In particular, the
Commission believes that the proposal
is consistent with the requirements of
section 6(b)(5) of the Act,7 which
requires, among other things, that the
rules of a national securities exchange
1 15
mstockstill on PROD1PC61 with NOTICES
[Release No. 34–54338; File No. SR–CBOE–
2006–49]
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
Chicago Board Options Exchange,
Incorporated; Order Approving a
Proposed Rule Change and
Amendment No. 1 Thereto To Allow
Listing of Up to Seven Short-Term
Options Series per Class
August 21, 2006.
On June 27, 2006, the Chicago Board
Options Exchange, Incorporated
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:09 Aug 25, 2006
Jkt 208001
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
3 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 52011
(July 12, 2005), 70 FR 41451 (July 19, 2005) (SR–
CBOE–2004–63) (approving short-term option series
on a pilot basis through July 12, 2006). The Pilot
Program has since been extended through July 12,
2007. See Securities Exchange Act Release No.
53984 (June 14, 2006), 71 FR 35718 (June 21, 2006)
(SR–CBOE–2006–48).
4 In Amendment No. 1, a partial amendment, the
Exchange corrected a typographical error in the
proposed rule text.
5 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 54133
(July 12, 2006), 71 FR 41062.
6 In approving this proposed rule change, the
Commission has considered the proposed rule’s
impact on efficiency, competition, and capital
formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
7 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
2 17
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
PO 00000
Frm 00071
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
be designed to remove impediments to
and perfect the mechanism of a free and
open market and a national market
system, to promote just and equitable
principles of trade, and, in general, to
protect investors and the public interest.
The proposal is a reasonable expansion
of a Pilot Program that offers the market
potentially useful products while not
appearing to raise any concerns about
quote capacity.8
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to
section 19(b)(2) of the Act,9 that the
proposed rule change (File No. SR–
CBOE–2006–49), as amended, is
approved.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated
authority.10
Nancy M. Morris,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6–14193 Filed 8–25–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–54336; File No. SR–CBOE–
2006–69]
Self-Regulatory Organizations;
Chicago Board Options Exchange,
Incorporated; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed
Rule Change Relating to the Extension
of a Pilot Program That Increases the
Standard Position and Exercise Limits
for Certain Options Traded on the
Exchange
August 18, 2006.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
notice is hereby given that on August 9,
2006, the Chicago Board Options
Exchange, Incorporated (‘‘CBOE’’ or
‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) the proposed rule
change as described in Items I and II
below, which Items have been prepared
by the CBOE. The Exchange has filed
the proposal as a ‘‘non-controversial’’
rule change pursuant to Section
8 The Exchange, should it wish to propose an
extension, expansion, or permanent approval of the
Pilot Program, must submit a report on the Pilot
Program to the Commission. See Securities
Exchange Act Release No. 51172 (February 9, 2005),
70 FR 7979 (February 16, 2005). The Commission
notes that the Exchange submitted a report on June
13, 2006, in connection with its filing to extend the
Pilot Program through July 12, 2007. See Securities
Exchange Act Release No. 53684 (June 14, 2006), 71
FR 35718 (June 21, 2006).
9 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
10 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
E:\FR\FM\28AUN1.SGM
28AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 166 (Monday, August 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50950-50952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-7210]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
Personnel Demonstration Project; Alternative Personnel Management
System for the U.S. Department of Commerce
AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.
ACTION: Notice of Expansion of the Department of Commerce Personnel
Management Demonstration Project.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Title VI of the Civil Service Reform Act, now codified in 5
U.S.C. 4703, authorizes the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to
conduct demonstration projects that experiment with new and different
human resources management concepts to determine whether changes in
policies and procedures result in improved Federal human resources
management. OPM approved a demonstration project covering several
operating units of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). OPM has
authority to implement new legislation affecting demonstration projects
(5 U.S.C. 4703 and 5 CFR 470.101(b) and 470.103). Modifications to the
demonstration project plan also require OPM approval (5 CFR 470.315).
As provided for in title II of Public Law 109-108, Department of
Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2006, signed
November 22, 2005, this notice expands the coverage of the DOC
Demonstration Project to include up to 3,500 additional employees in
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) increasing
the total number of employees in NOAA to 6,925, as well as additional
NOAA organizations and locations. This expansion results in the total
number of employees covered by the DOC Demonstration Project to 8,500
individuals. This notice also serves to make changes to the plan to
accommodate the expansion. These changes include the addition of
specific occupational series, Departmental Personnel Management Board
composition, and pre-project cost formulas for the NOAA organizations
new to the demonstration project as part of the expansion.
DATES: This notice expanding the DOC Demonstration Project is effective
August 28, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Department of Commerce: Joan
Jorgenson, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue
NW., Room 5004, Washington, DC 20230, (202) 482-4233. Office of
Personnel Management: Jill Rajaee, U.S. Office of Personnel Management,
1900 E Street NW., Washington, DC 20415, (202) 606-0836.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Background
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved the DOC
Demonstration Project and published the final plan in the Federal
Register Volume 62, Number 247, Part II, on Wednesday, December 24,
1997. The project was implemented on March 29, 1998, and modified in
the Federal Register on Thursday, September 30, 1999, Volume 64, Number
189 [Notices] [Pages 52810-52812] and on Tuesday, August 12, 2003,
Volume 68, Number 155 [Notices] [Pages 47948-47949]. OPM approved a
request to extend the DOC Demonstration Project for 5 years as stated
in an administrative letter from OPM, dated February 14, 2003. The
project was approved for expansion in the Federal Register Volume 68,
Number 180 [Notices] [Pages 54505-54507], on Wednesday, September 17,
2003, to include an addition 1,505 employees. The demonstration project
was again modified on Tuesday, July 5, 2005, Volume 70, Number 127
[Notices] [Pages 38732-38733]. The demonstration project was again
modified on Monday, May 1, 2006, Volume 71, Number 83, [Notices] [Pages
25615-25616] to revise existing authorities for retention, recruitment
and relocation allowances.
The key features of the project involve increased delegation of
authority and accountability to line managers, simplified
classification and broad banding, pay for performance, hiring and pay-
setting flexibility, and modified reduction-in-force procedures.
2. Overview
This notice serves to list all NOAA organizations and their
locations that will be included in the DOC Demonstration Project. This
notice also lists additional occupational series that will be included
in the DOC Demonstration Project. Additional changes to the plan are
made to accommodate the expansion. These changes include composition of
the Departmental Personnel Management Board, pre-project cost formulas
for new organizations entering the demonstration project during this
expansion phase, and edits to the pay administration provisions to
reflect the use of law enforcement officer special base rates under
section 403 of the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990
(Pub. L. 101-509) for certain law enforcement officers that will be
added to the project through this expansion. This notice also
incorporates minor changes to the pay administration provisions for
consistency with the amendments made to the General Schedule pay-
setting rules by the Federal Workforce Flexibility Act of 2004 (Pub. L.
108-411) and OPM's implementing regulations. The Department of Commerce
will follow the project plan as published in the Federal Register dated
December 24, 1997, and subsequent modifications as listed in the
Background Section of this notice.
Office of Personnel Management.
Linda M. Springer,
Director.
Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary
II. Basis of Project Plan Expansion
III. Changes to the Project Plan
I. Executive Summary
The Department of Commerce (DOC) Demonstration Project utilizes
many features similar to those implemented by the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) Demonstration Project in 1988. The DOC
Demonstration Project supports several key objectives: to simplify the
classification system for greater flexibility in classifying work and
paying employees; to establish a performance management and rewards
system for improving individual and organizational performance; and to
improve recruiting and examining to attract highly qualified candidates
and hire them more quickly. The DOC Demonstration Project is designed
to test whether the interventions of the NIST project, which is now a
permanent alternative system, could be successful in other DOC
environments. The current participating organizations include six
offices of the Chief Financial Officer/Assistant Secretary of
Administration in the Office of the Secretary, Technology
Administration, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Institute for
Telecommunication Sciences, and five units of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration: Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research,
National Marine Fisheries Service, the National Environmental
Satellite, Data,
[[Page 50951]]
and Information Service, the National Weather Service and the NOAA
Office of Program Planning and Integration.
II. Basis of Project Plan Expansion
A. Purpose
The DOC Demonstration Project is designed to provide managers at
the lowest organizational level, the authority, control and flexibility
needed to recruit, retain, develop, recognize and motivate its
workforce, while ensuring adequate accountability and oversight.
Expansion of the DOC Demonstration Project will allow the Department to
broaden the scope of this test to additional organizations with
different missions. This should improve the Department assessment of
the effectiveness of its interventions in its efforts to compete more
effectively for high quality personnel while strengthening the
manager's role in human resources management. All provisions of the DOC
Demonstration Project plan, as published in the Federal Register, dated
December 24, 1997, and subsequent published modifications, will apply.
B. Participating Employees
Employee notification of this expansion proposal is being
accomplished by providing a full set of briefings to employees and
managers and providing electronic access to all DOC Demonstration
Project policies, procedures, evaluations and published Federal
Register notices on the project plan and subsequent modifications. We
will also provide employees with a copy of this proposed Federal
Register notice upon approval. Subsequent supervisor training and
informational briefings for all employees will be accomplished prior to
the implementation of the expansion.
C. Labor Participation
Labor organizations are being separately notified about the
project's expansion pertaining to their bargaining unit membership. DOC
is proceeding to fulfill its obligation in accordance with 5 U.S.C.
4703(f).
III. Changes to the Project Plan
A. Section VII. Project Management
The Departmental Personnel Management Board (DPMB) will expand to
include additional board DPMB members representing the new major
operating units included in the project. It is the intent of the DOC to
ensure the composition of the board DPMB reflects the diversity of
employee groups to ensure the objectives of the demonstration project
are achieved in an equitable and consistent manner.
B. Section V B. Base Cost Assessment
The current plan identifies Fiscal Years (FY) 1994, 1995, and 1996
as the basis of analysis of pre-project costs to determine whether
project costs are being maintained at acceptable levels. For those
organizations that have never participated in the demonstration
project, costs will be computed as annual averages over the past three
pre-project fiscal years immediately preceding implementation. For
those NOAA organizations that are already part of the demonstration
project, costs will continue to be computed using FY 1994--1996.
C. Section II D. Participating Organizations
The following organizations will be added to the project plan,
Section II D Participating Organizations:
Within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, up to
3,500 new GS/GM employees from the following offices and locations will
be added to the DOC Demonstration Project as part of the expansion:
Office of the Under Secretary, non-bargaining unit employees, all
locations
Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation, all locations
Office of Human Resources, all locations
Office of Chief Financial Officer, all locations
Office of Chief Administrative Officer, non-bargaining unit employees,
all locations
Office of Sustainable Development, all locations
National Ocean Service, non-bargaining unit employees, all locations
NOAA Marine and Aviation Office, all locations
Within the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research:
Climate Program Office, Silver Spring, MD
Within the National Marine Fisheries Service:
Office of Seafood Inspection, non-bargaining unit employees, all
locations
Office of Law Enforcement, all locations
Additional employees in the following organizations:
Southeast Fisheries Science Center, all locations
Northwest Fisheries Science Center, all locations
Alaska Fisheries Science Center, all locations
D. Section II F. Labor Participation
The following bargaining units are added to Table 4--Bargaining
Unit Coverage.
NMAO............................ Norfolk, VA....... IBEW Local 80
CFO............................. Boulder, CO....... AFGE Local 2186
NMFS-SEFSC...................... Miami, FL......... AFGE Local 2875
Panama City, FL... NAGE R--106
NMFS-NWFSC...................... All Locations..... IFPTE Local 8A
NMFS-AKFSC...................... Seattle, WA....... IFPTE Local 8A
E. Section II E. Participating Employees
The following series are added to Table 2:
Scientific and Engineering (ZP) Career Path
0415, Toxicology Series
0199, Social Science Student Trainee Series
Administrative (ZA) Career Path
0028, Environmental Protection Specialist Series
0199, Social Science Student Trainee Series
0399, Administrative Trainee Series
0511, Auditing Series
1601, General Facilities and Equipment Series
1071, Audiovisual Production Series
1710, Education and Vocational Training Series
1801, General Inspection, Investigation and Compliance Series
1811, Criminal Investigating Series
1812, Game Law Enforcement Series
2003, Supply Program Management Series
Support (ZS) Career Path
1603, Equipment, Facilities and Services Assistant Series
1001, General Arts and Information Series
0119, Economics Assistant Series
F. This section provides changes to the project plan to accommodate
law enforcement officer special base rates and the recent changes to
the General Schedule pay administration rules. The following page
numbers refer to the pages of the project plan, published December 24,
1997, in the Federal Register.
(1) Page 67448: Section III.A.3. In third sentence, insert ``under
5 U.S.C. 5305'' after first ``special rate''. After third sentence,
insert ``For a law enforcement officer (LEO) covered by special base
rates under section 403 of the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act
of 1990 (section 529 of Public Law 101-509, November 5, 1990, as
amended), when the minimum or maximum grade in the LEO's band is any
one of grades GS-3 through GS-10 (e.g., ZA Bands I and II), the band's
minimum and maximum rate of pay will be set for that LEO using
applicable
[[Page 50952]]
LEO special base rates, as adjusted by the applicable locality
payment.''
(2) Page 67452: Section III.D.5.--In the first sentence, insert
``LEO special base rate,'' after ``GS rate,''.
(3) Page 67452. Section III.D.6. In the second sentence, insert
``GS base'' after ``maximum'' and ``or LEO special base rates'' before
``of each band''. In the third sentence, insert ``under 5 U.S.C. 5305''
after ``special rates''.
(4) Page 67452: Section III.D.7. Replace ``special salary rate''
with ``special rate'' throughout paragraph 7. In the first sentence,
insert ``under 5 U.S.C. 5305'' before ``will be used''. In the second
sentence, replace ``5 CFR 530.303'' with ``5 CFR 530.304''.
(5) Page 67453: Section III.D.13. In the second sentence, insert
``GS base rate, LEO special base rate,'' before ``locality rate'' in
the parenthetical.
(6) Page 67453: Section III.D. 14. In the second sentence, insert
``GS base rate, LEO special base rate,'' before ``locality rate'' in
the parenthetical.
(7) Page 67455: Section IV.A.1. In the first sentence, insert ``or
LEO special base schedule'' after ``GS base schedule'' in the
parenthetical.
(8) Page 67455: Section IV.B.2. In the first sentence, insert ``or
LEO special base schedule'' after ``GS base schedule'' in the
parenthetical.
(9) Page 67455: Section IV.B.3. In the third sentence, insert ``or
LEO special base rate'' after ``GS base rate''. Delete the last
parenthetical.
(10) Page 67455--67456: Section IV.B.5. Delete all text in
paragraph 5. after the first sentence.
(11) Page 67456; Section IV.B.6. In the second sentence, replace
``GS rate'' with ``GS rates'' and delete ``of basic pay (or converted
special rate, if applicable)''.
(12) Page 67456. Section IV.C. Replace last sentence with ``(See 5
CFR 531.407(b) for additional information on equivalent increase
determinations.)''
[FR Doc. 06-7210 Filed 8-24-06; 11:07 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-43-P
