Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 539-540 [2010-33307]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 3 / Wednesday, January 5, 2011 / Notices
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
best satisfy the selection criteria as
outlined below. A minimum of 15
companies will be selected to
participate in the mission from the
applicant pool. U.S. companies already
doing business with Turkey and
Kazakhstan as well as U.S. companies
seeking to enter these markets for the
first time may apply.
Expenses:
After a company has been selected to
participate on the mission, a
participation fee to the U.S. Department
of Commerce is required. The
participation fee for one representative
is $3,160 for a small or medium-sized
enterprise (SME) 1 and $4,585 for large
firms. The fee for each additional firm
representative (SME or large) is $450.
Expenses for travel, lodging, most
meals, and incidentals will be the
responsibility of each mission
participant. Delegation members will be
able to take advantage of Embassy rates
for hotel rooms.
Conditions for Participation:
• An applicant must submit a
completed and signed mission
application and supplemental
application materials, including
adequate information on the company’s
products and/or services, primary
market objectives, and goals for
participation. If the Department of
Commerce receives an incomplete
application, the Department may reject
the application, request additional
information, or take the lack of
information into account when
evaluating the applications.
• Each applicant must also certify
that the products and services it seeks
to export through the mission are either
produced in the United States, or, if not,
marketed under the name of a U.S. firm
and have at least 51 percent U.S.
content of the value of the finished
product or service.
Selection Criteria for Participation:
Selection will be based on the
following criteria:
• Suitability of the company’s
products or services to the Eurasian
Region oil and gas equipment and
services market
• Applicant’s potential for business
in Turkey and Kazakhstan, including
likelihood of exports resulting from the
mission
1 An SME is defined as a firm with 500 or fewer
employees or that otherwise qualifies as a small
business under SBA regulations. See https://
www.sba.gov/contractingopportunities/owners/
basics/whatismallbusiness/. Parent
companies, affiliates, and subsidiaries will be
considered when determining business size. The
dual pricing reflects the Commercial Service’s user
fee schedule that became effective May 1, 2008. See
https://www.export.gov/newsletter/march2008/
initiatives.html.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:26 Jan 04, 2011
Jkt 223001
• Consistency of the applicant’s goals
and objectives with the stated scope of
the mission
Diversity of company size, type,
location, demographics and traditional
under representation in business, may
also be considered during the review
process.
Referrals from political organizations
and any documents containing
references to partisan political activities
(including political contributions) will
be removed from an applicant’s
submission and not considered during
the selection process.
Timeframe for recruitment and
Applications
Mission recruitment will be
conducted in an open and public
manner, including posting on the
Commerce Department trade missions
calendar—https://www.ita.doc.gov/
doctm/tmcal.html—and other Internet
websites, publication in domestic trade
publications and association
newsletters, direct outreach to internal
clients and distribution lists, posting in
the Federal Register, and
announcements at industry meetings,
symposia, conferences, and trade shows.
Recruitment for the mission will
begin immediately and conclude no
later than April 15, 2011. The U.S.
Department of Commerce will review all
applications immediately after the
deadline. Applications received after
this date will be considered only if
space and scheduling constraints
permit. We will inform applicants of
selection decisions as soon as possible
after the deadline.
Contact Information
U.S. Commercial Service Domestic
Contact
Brendan Kelly, Tel: 713–209–3113, Email: brendan.kelly@trade.gov. Lisa
Huot, Tel: 202–482–1841, E-mail:
lisa.huot@trade.gov.
U.S. Commercial Service Almaty,
Kazakhstan
Jennifer Kane, Senior Commercial
Officer or Azhar Kadrzhanova,
Commercial Specialist, U.S. Consulate
General—Almaty, 41 Kazybek bi Street,
Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan, Tel.: +7
(727) 250–7612, Fax: +7 (727) 250–0777,
E-mail: Jennifer.Kane@trade.gov and
Azhar.Kadrzhanova@trade.gov.
U.S. Commercial Service Ankara,
Turkey
Michael Lally, Senior Commercial
Officer or Serdar Cetinkaya, Senior
Commercial Specialist, U.S. Embassy—
Ankara, Tel: +90 (312) 457–7203, Fax:
+90 (312) 457–7302, E-mail:
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
539
Michael.Lally@trade.gov and
Serdar.Cetinkaya@trade.gov.
U.S. Commercial Service Istanbul,
Turkey
Gregory Taevs, Principal Commercial
Officer, Tel: +90 (212) 335 9302, Fax:
+90 (212) 335 9103, E-mail:
Gregory.Taevs@trade.gov.
Frank Spector,
Global Trade Promotion Programs, U.S. &
Foreign Commercial Services.
[FR Doc. 2010–33248 Filed 1–4–11; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and
Technology
[Docket Number: 101129594–0594–02]
Alternative Personnel Management
System (APMS) at the National
Institute of Standards and Technology
National Institute of Standards
and Technology, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: This notice provides for changes
to existing provisions of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology’s
(NIST) Alternative Personnel
Management System (APMS) published
October 21, 1997 (62 FR 54604).
AGENCY:
This notice announces
changes to existing provisions of the
National Institute of Standards and
Technology’s (NIST) Alternative
Personnel Management System (APMS),
primarily to expedite hiring and align
APMS Direct-Hire procedures with the
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR part 337
and 69 FR 114). NIST will pilot directhire authority under 5 CFR part 337,
subpart B, for a period of one year from
the issuance date of this notice, for all
positions within NIST in the Scientific
and Engineering (ZP) career path at the
Pay Band III and above, for Nuclear
Reactor Operator positions in the
Scientific and Engineering Technician
(ZT) career path at Pay Band III and
above, and for all occupations for which
there is a special rate under the General
Schedule pay system.
DATES: This notice is effective on
January 5, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Essex Brown at the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, (301) 975–
3801; or Pamela Boyland at the U.S.
Department of Commerce, (202) 482–
1068.
SUMMARY:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\05JAN1.SGM
05JAN1
540
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 3 / Wednesday, January 5, 2011 / Notices
Background
In accordance with Public Law 99–
574, the NIST Authorization Act for
1987, the Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) approved a
demonstration project plan, ‘‘Alternative
Personnel Management System (APMS)
at the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST),’’ and published
the plan in the Federal Register on
October 2, 1987 (52 FR 37082). The
project plan has been modified twice to
clarify certain NIST authorities (54 FR
21331 of May 17, 1989, and 55 FR 39220
of September 25, 1990). The project plan
and subsequent amendments were
consolidated in the final APMS plan,
which became permanent on October
21, 1997, (62 FR 54604). NIST published
an amendment on May 6, 2005 (70 FR
23996), which became permanent on
June 6, 2005.
The plan 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 formally modifies
the APMS plan to align Direct-Hire
procedures with OPM’s Direct-Hire
Authority on a pilot basis. During this
pilot period, NIST will be gathering data
on the impact of direct-hire authority on
veterans preference eligibles as well as
information supporting whether or not
there is a severe shortage of candidates
for the positions covered under the
direct-hire authority. Veterans
preference is the preferential treatment
given to qualified veterans of the United
States armed forces under Federal law.
Dated: December 28, 2010.
Charles H. Romine,
Acting Associate Director for Laboratory
Programs.
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary
II. Basis for APMS Plan Modification
III. Changes to the APMS Plan
I. Executive Summary
The National Institute of Standards
and Technology’s (NIST) Alternative
Personnel Management System (APMS)
is designed to (1) Improve hiring and
allow NIST to compete more effectively
for high-quality researchers through
direct hiring, selective use of higher
entry salaries, and selective use of
recruiting allowances; (2) motivate and
retain staff through higher pay potential,
pay-for-performance, more responsive
personnel systems, and selective use of
retention allowances; (3) strengthen the
manager’s role in personnel
management through delegation of
personnel authorities; and (4) increase
the efficiency of personnel systems
VerDate Mar<15>2010
16:26 Jan 04, 2011
Jkt 223001
through 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.
Since implementing the APMS,
according to findings in the Office of
Personnel Management’s ‘‘Summative
Evaluation Report National Institute of
Standards and Technology
Demonstration Project: 1988–1995,’’
NIST accomplished the following: NIST
is more competitive for talent; NIST
retained more top performers than a
comparison group; and NIST managers
reported significantly more authority to
make decisions concerning employee
pay. This modification builds on this
success by piloting direct-hire authority
under 5 CFR part 337, subpart B, for a
period of one-year.
This amendment modifies the October
21, 1997 Federal Register notice.
Specifically, it enables NIST to hire,
after public notice is given, any
qualified applicant without regard to 5
U.S.C. 3309–3318, 5 CFR part 211, or 5
CFR part 337, subpart A for a period of
one-year. During the one-year pilot
period, NIST will gather data on the
impact of direct-hire authority on
preference eligibles as well as
information supporting whether or not
there is a severe shortage of candidates
for the positions covered under the
direct-hire authority.
NIST will continually monitor the
effectiveness of this amendment.
II. Basis for APMS Plan Modification
Section 3304 (c) of title 5, United
States Code, provides agencies with the
authority to appoint candidates directly
to jobs for which OPM determines that
there is a severe shortage of candidates
or a critical hiring need.
In 1987 with the approval of the NIST
APMS (52 FR 37082), and in 1997 when
the APMS plan was modified (62 FR
54604), OPM concurred that all
occupations in the ZP career path at the
band III and above constitute a shortage
category; Nuclear Reactor Operator
positions in the ZT Career Path at the
Pay Band III and above constitute a
shortage category; and all occupations
for which there is a special rate under
the General Schedule pay system
constitute a shortage category.
OPM’s Direct-Hire Authority enables
agencies to hire, after public notice is
given, any qualified application without
regard to 5 U.S.C. 3309–3318, 5 CFR
part 211, or 5 CFR part 337, subpart A.
NIST APMS allows the NIST Director
to modify procedures if no new waiver
from law or regulation is added. Given
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
this modification is in accordance with
existing law and regulation, the NIST
Director is authorized to make the
changes described in this notice. The
modification to our final Federal
Register Notice, dated October 21, 1997,
with respect to our Staffing authorities
is provided below.
III. Changes in the APMS Plan
The APMS at the NIST, published in
the Federal Register October 21, 1997
(62 FR 54604) is amended as follows:
1. The subsection titled: ‘‘Direct
Examination and Hiring’’ is deleted.
2. The subsection titled ‘‘Direct Hire:
Critical Shortage Highly Qualified
Candidates’’ is deleted.
3. The information under the
subsection titled: ‘‘NIST Applicant
Supply File’’ is replaced with: NIST
advertises the availability of job
opportunities in Direct-Hire occupations
by posting on the OPM USAJOBS Web
site. NIST would follow internal Direct
Hire procedures for accepting
applications.
4. The subsection titled: ‘‘Referral
Procedures for Direct Examination and
Hiring and Agency Based Staffing
Authorities’’ is deleted.
5. A new subsection titled: ‘‘Referral
Procedures for Direct-Hire’’ is added and
the information under this subsection is
as follows: After public notice is given,
a qualified candidate may be referred
without regard to 5 U.S.C. 3309–3318, 5
CFR part 211, or 5 CFR part 337, subpart
A.
6. The subsection titled: ‘‘Direct
Referral’’ is deleted.
7. The subsection titled: ‘‘Rating and
Ranking’’ is deleted.
[FR Doc. 2010–33307 Filed 1–4–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and
Technology
National Conference on Weights and
Measures 2011 Interim Meeting
National Institute of Standards
and Technology, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The National Conference on
Weights and Measures (NCWM) 2011
Interim Meeting will be held January 23
to 26, 2011. Publication of this notice on
the NCWM’s behalf is undertaken as a
public service. The meetings are open to
the public but a paid registration is
required. Please see registration
information in the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section below.
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\05JAN1.SGM
05JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 5, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 539-540]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-33307]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
[Docket Number: 101129594-0594-02]
Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS) at the National
Institute of Standards and Technology
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: This notice provides for changes to existing provisions of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Alternative
Personnel Management System (APMS) published October 21, 1997 (62 FR
54604).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces changes to existing provisions of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Alternative
Personnel Management System (APMS), primarily to expedite hiring and
align APMS Direct-Hire procedures with the Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR part 337 and 69 FR 114).
NIST will pilot direct-hire authority under 5 CFR part 337, subpart B,
for a period of one year from the issuance date of this notice, for all
positions within NIST in the Scientific and Engineering (ZP) career
path at the Pay Band III and above, for Nuclear Reactor Operator
positions in the Scientific and Engineering Technician (ZT) career path
at Pay Band III and above, and for all occupations for which there is a
special rate under the General Schedule pay system.
DATES: This notice is effective on January 5, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Essex Brown at the National Institute
of Standards and Technology, (301) 975-3801; or Pamela Boyland at the
U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-1068.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[[Page 540]]
Background
In accordance with Public Law 99-574, the NIST Authorization Act
for 1987, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved a
demonstration project plan, ``Alternative Personnel Management System
(APMS) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),''
and published the plan in the Federal Register on October 2, 1987 (52
FR 37082). The project plan has been modified twice to clarify certain
NIST authorities (54 FR 21331 of May 17, 1989, and 55 FR 39220 of
September 25, 1990). The project plan and subsequent amendments were
consolidated in the final APMS plan, which became permanent on October
21, 1997, (62 FR 54604). NIST published an amendment on May 6, 2005 (70
FR 23996), which became permanent on June 6, 2005.
The plan 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 formally modifies the APMS plan to align
Direct-Hire procedures with OPM's Direct-Hire Authority on a pilot
basis. During this pilot period, NIST will be gathering data on the
impact of direct-hire authority on veterans preference eligibles as
well as information supporting whether or not there is a severe
shortage of candidates for the positions covered under the direct-hire
authority. Veterans preference is the preferential treatment given to
qualified veterans of the United States armed forces under Federal law.
Dated: December 28, 2010.
Charles H. Romine,
Acting Associate Director for Laboratory Programs.
Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary
II. Basis for APMS Plan Modification
III. Changes to the APMS Plan
I. Executive Summary
The National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST)
Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS) is designed to (1)
Improve hiring and allow NIST to compete more effectively for high-
quality researchers through direct hiring, selective use of higher
entry salaries, and selective use of recruiting allowances; (2)
motivate and retain staff through higher pay potential, pay-for-
performance, more responsive personnel systems, and selective use of
retention allowances; (3) strengthen the manager's role in personnel
management through delegation of personnel authorities; and (4)
increase the efficiency of personnel systems through 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.
Since implementing the APMS, according to findings in the Office of
Personnel Management's ``Summative Evaluation Report National Institute
of Standards and Technology Demonstration Project: 1988-1995,'' NIST
accomplished the following: NIST is more competitive for talent; NIST
retained more top performers than a comparison group; and NIST managers
reported significantly more authority to make decisions concerning
employee pay. This modification builds on this success by piloting
direct-hire authority under 5 CFR part 337, subpart B, for a period of
one-year.
This amendment modifies the October 21, 1997 Federal Register
notice. Specifically, it enables NIST to hire, after public notice is
given, any qualified applicant without regard to 5 U.S.C. 3309-3318, 5
CFR part 211, or 5 CFR part 337, subpart A for a period of one-year.
During the one-year pilot period, NIST will gather data on the impact
of direct-hire authority on preference eligibles as well as information
supporting whether or not there is a severe shortage of candidates for
the positions covered under the direct-hire authority.
NIST will continually monitor the effectiveness of this amendment.
II. Basis for APMS Plan Modification
Section 3304 (c) of title 5, United States Code, provides agencies
with the authority to appoint candidates directly to jobs for which OPM
determines that there is a severe shortage of candidates or a critical
hiring need.
In 1987 with the approval of the NIST APMS (52 FR 37082), and in
1997 when the APMS plan was modified (62 FR 54604), OPM concurred that
all occupations in the ZP career path at the band III and above
constitute a shortage category; Nuclear Reactor Operator positions in
the ZT Career Path at the Pay Band III and above constitute a shortage
category; and all occupations for which there is a special rate under
the General Schedule pay system constitute a shortage category.
OPM's Direct-Hire Authority enables agencies to hire, after public
notice is given, any qualified application without regard to 5 U.S.C.
3309-3318, 5 CFR part 211, or 5 CFR part 337, subpart A.
NIST APMS allows the NIST Director to modify procedures if no new
waiver from law or regulation is added. Given this modification is in
accordance with existing law and regulation, the NIST Director is
authorized to make the changes described in this notice. The
modification to our final Federal Register Notice, dated October 21,
1997, with respect to our Staffing authorities is provided below.
III. Changes in the APMS Plan
The APMS at the NIST, published in the Federal Register October 21,
1997 (62 FR 54604) is amended as follows:
1. The subsection titled: ``Direct Examination and Hiring'' is
deleted.
2. The subsection titled ``Direct Hire: Critical Shortage Highly
Qualified Candidates'' is deleted.
3. The information under the subsection titled: ``NIST Applicant
Supply File'' is replaced with: NIST advertises the availability of job
opportunities in Direct-Hire occupations by posting on the OPM USAJOBS
Web site. NIST would follow internal Direct Hire procedures for
accepting applications.
4. The subsection titled: ``Referral Procedures for Direct
Examination and Hiring and Agency Based Staffing Authorities'' is
deleted.
5. A new subsection titled: ``Referral Procedures for Direct-Hire''
is added and the information under this subsection is as follows: After
public notice is given, a qualified candidate may be referred without
regard to 5 U.S.C. 3309-3318, 5 CFR part 211, or 5 CFR part 337,
subpart A.
6. The subsection titled: ``Direct Referral'' is deleted.
7. The subsection titled: ``Rating and Ranking'' is deleted.
[FR Doc. 2010-33307 Filed 1-4-11; 8:45 am]
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