Commerce Alternative Personnel System, 25-27 [2014-30754]
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Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 80, No. 1
Friday, January 2, 2015
used only by NODC to contact the data
provider with questions about
submitted data, about the status of the
data in the archival process, and to
provide appropriate scientific
recognition and attribution for
submitted data. Send2NODC will be
used by ocean scientists, principal
investigators and their data managers.
Change: Information submission is
now generally web-based.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Method of Collection
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
Affected Public: Not-for-profit
institutions; businesses or other forprofit organizations; state, local and
tribal governments, federal government.
Frequency: On occasion.
Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.
This information collection request
may be viewed at reginfo.gov. Follow
the instructions to view Department of
Commerce collections currently under
review by OMB.
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent
within 30 days of publication of this
notice to OIRA_Submission@
omb.eop.gov or fax to (202) 395–5806.
The Department of Commerce will
submit to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for clearance the
following proposal for collection of
information under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
35).
Agency: National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Title: National Oceanographic Data
Center Send2NODC Web Application.
OMB Control Number: 0648–0024.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Request: Regular
(reinstatement with change of a
previously approved information
collection).
Number of Respondents: 200.
Average Hours per Response: 1 hour.
Burden Hours: 300.
Needs and Uses: This request is for
reinstatement with change of a
previously approved information
collection. When creating a Request to
Archive oceanographic data or
information at the United States (U.S.)
National Oceanographic Data Center
(NODC), well-organized and complete
metadata describing those data are
needed for long term understanding and
use of those data. The Send2NODC web
application provides a web-based form
for easily collecting required and
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describe oceanographic data in a way
that supports Executive Order 12906
and structures those metadata to
conform to the internationally used
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the suitability of data for use by future
data users and should provide critical
context about how data were collected,
what techniques and measurements
were made, and data quality
characterizations. Information about the
data provider or other individuals is
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:50 Dec 31, 2014
Jkt 235001
Dated: December 29, 2014.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014–30765 Filed 12–31–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–HR–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Office of Administration
[Docket No.: 141202999–4999–01]
Commerce Alternative Personnel
System
Office of Administration, Office
of Human Resources Management,
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This notice announces the
expansion of employee coverage under
the Commerce Alternative Personnel
System, formerly the Department of
Commerce Personnel Management
Demonstration Project, published in the
Federal Register on December 24, 1997.
This coverage is extended to include
employees located in the National
Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA), employed under
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
the First Responder Network Authority
(FirstNet). FirstNet was created as an
independent authority within the NTIA,
Department of Commerce, to provide
emergency responders with the first
high-speed, nation-wide network
dedicated to public safety.
This notice also serves to make
changes to the plan to accommodate the
expansion of and modification to the
Commerce Alternative Personnel
System. These changes include the
addition of specific occupational series,
Commerce Alternative Personnel
System Board composition, and the
implementation of direct-hire authority
on a limited basis for certain FirstNet
positions in the ZP career path at the
Pay Band IV and above.
DATES: This notice expanding and
modifying the Commerce Alternative
Personnel System is effective January 2,
2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Department of Commerce—Sandra
Thompson, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 14th and Constitution
Avenue NW., Room 51020, Washington,
DC 20230, (202) 482–0056 or Valerie
Smith at (202) 482–0272.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Background
The Office of Personnel Management
(OPM) approved the Department of
Commerce (DoC) demonstration project
for an alternative personnel
management system, and published the
final plan in the Federal Register on
Wednesday, December 24, 1997 (62 FR
67434). The demonstration project was
designed to simplify current
classification systems for greater
flexibility in classifying work and
paying employees; establish a
performance management and rewards
system for improving individual and
organizational performance; and
improve 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
management system would produce
similarly successful results in other DoC
environments. The project was
implemented on March 29, 1998. The
project plan has been modified seven
times to clarify certain DoC
E:\FR\FM\02JAN1.SGM
02JAN1
26
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 1 / Friday, January 2, 2015 / Notices
Demonstration Project authorities, and
to extend and expand the project: 64 FR
52810 (September 30, 1999); 68 FR
47948 (August 12, 2003); 68 FR 54505
(September 17, 2003); 70 FR 38732 (July
5, 2005); 71 FR 25615 (May 1, 2006); 71
FR 50950 (August 28, 2006); 74 FR
22728 (May 14, 2009). 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).
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 expands
CAPS to include NTIA FirstNet, in all
duty locations, as a participating
organization; and implements FirstNet’s
use of direct-hire authority under 5
U.S.C. 3304(a)(3) to fill specific
scientific and engineering positions
announced through this register in the
ZP career path. This notice also serves
to announce that the DoC modifies
CAPS to add the following occupational
series: 0089—Emergency Management
series; 0306—Government Information
series; 1109—Grants Management
series; and 0905—General Attorney
series. The addition of the 0905—
General Attorney series is for specific
use by FirstNet only. Only Attorneys
employed under the FirstNet
organization will be covered under
CAPS.
The DoC will follow the CAPS plan as
published in the Federal Register on
December 24, 1997, and subsequent
modifications as listed in the
Background Section of this notice.
Kevin E. Mahoney,
Director for Human Resources Management
and Chief Human Capital Officer.
Table of Contents
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
I. Executive Summary
II. Basis for CAPS Expansion
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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:50 Dec 31, 2014
Jkt 235001
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.
The current participating
organizations include 7 offices of the
Chief Financial Officer/Assistant
Secretary for Administration in the
Office of the Secretary; the Bureau of
Economic Analysis; the Institute for
Telecommunications Sciences—
National Telecommunications and
Information Administration; and 11
units of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration: Office of
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research,
National Marine Fisheries Service, the
National Environmental Satellite, Data,
and Information Service, National
Weather Service—Space Environment
Center, National Ocean Service,
Program Planning and Integration
Office, Office of the Under Secretary,
Marine and Aviation Operations, Office
of the Chief Administrative Officer,
Office of the Chief Financial Officer,
and the Workforce Management Office.
This amendment modifies the
December 24, 1997, Federal Register
notice. Specifically, it expands DoC
CAPS to include NTIA, FirstNet as a
participating organization and enables
FirstNet to hire, after public notice is
given, any qualified applicants in the ZP
career path series as defined in the Basis
for CAPS Expansion section without
regard to 5 U.S.C. 3309–3318, 5 CFR
part 211, or 5 CFR part 337, subpart A
on a limited basis; it also adds
additional occupational series as
defined in the Background section.
II. Basis for CAPS Expansion
A. Purpose
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 expansion of coverage to include
NTIA, FirstNet, along with the
implementation of direct-hire authority,
should improve FirstNet’s ability to
recruit and compete more effectively for
high-quality personnel. Section
3304(a)(3) of Title 5, United States Code,
provides agencies with the authority to
appoint candidates directly to jobs for
which the Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) determines that
there is a severe shortage of candidates
or a critical hiring need.
OPM’s direct-hire authority enables
agencies to hire, after public notice is
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
given, any qualified applicant without
regard to 5 U.S.C. 3309–3318, 5 CFR
part 211, or 5 CFR part 337, subpart A.
This notice implements FirstNet’s use of
direct-hire authority to fill up to 21
positions in the ZP career path in the
following series: 0850—Electrical
Engineering; 0855—Electronics
Engineering; 0854—Computer
Engineering; or 1550—Computer
Science; and up to 56 positions in the
ZP—0089, Emergency Management
series. The use of direct-hire authority
to fill these positions will not exceed 77
positions in the ZP career path at any
one time. NTIA, FirstNet will track the
number of hires made under direct-hire
authority, ensuring numbers specified
for the occupational series are not
exceeded.
In 1997, with the approval of the
DoC’s Demonstration Project (62 FR
67434), OPM concurred that some
occupations in the ZP career path at the
Pay Band III and above constitute a
shortage category, and some
occupations for which there is a special
rate under the General Schedule pay
system constitute a shortage category.
Past recruitment efforts have
demonstrated a critical shortage of
candidates possessing specialized
technical expertise in 4G Long Term
Evaluation (LTE) technologies and
mobile systems, as well as expertise in
public safety organizational operations
and infrastructure capabilities. FirstNet
will use direct-hire authority to recruit
Electronics Engineers, Electrical
Engineers, Computer Engineers, and
Computer Scientists in the ZP career
path, Pay Band IV or higher, with efforts
focused on recruiting individuals with
technical expertise in 4G LTE
technologies and development of mobile
systems. This expertise is critical in
order to test, evaluate, deploy, and
operate a nation-wide public safety
broadband network.
DoC FirstNet will use direct-hire
authority to fill 0089—Emergency
Management Specialist (Public Safety)
positions in the ZP career path, Pay
Band IV or higher, with efforts focused
on formulation, development, and
engagement of public safety officials in
planning and implementing the nationwide public safety broadband network.
FirstNet will implement direct-hire
authority to hire individuals with public
safety experience in preventing,
protecting, responding, or mitigating
emergency events. It is imperative for
the success of public safety to foster
cooperation among various State, local,
and tribal public safety officials to
ensure requirements are captured for the
development of the public safety
network. To achieve FirstNet’s statutory
E:\FR\FM\02JAN1.SGM
02JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 1 / Friday, January 2, 2015 / Notices
requirements and program goals, it is
critical to recruit and retain individuals
with public safety sector knowledge and
experience in order to provide technical
advice on preparedness and response
activities associated with natural and/or
man-made disasters and the
organizational and infrastructure
challenges faced responding to and
recovering from emergency incidents.
DoC’s CAPS allows for modifications
of procedures if no new waiver from law
or regulation is added. Given that this
expansion and modification is in
accordance with existing law and
regulation and CAPS is a permanent
alternative personnel system, the DoC is
authorized to make the changes
described in this notice.
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
B. Participating Employees
Employee notification of this
expansion will be accomplished by
providing a full set of briefings to
employees and managers and providing
them electronic access to all CAPS
policies and procedures, including the
seven previous Federal Register
Notices. Employees will also be
provided a copy of this Federal Register
notice upon approval. Subsequent
supervisor training and informational
briefings for all employees will be
accomplished prior to the
implementation date of the expansion.
III. Changes to the Project Plan
The CAPS at DoC, published in the
Federal Register on December 24, 1997
(62 FR 67434), is amended as follows:
1. The following organization will be
added to the project plan, Section II D—
Participating Organizations:
National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA),
First Responder Network Authority
(FirstNet)
2. The following series are added to
Table 2:
Administrative (ZA) Career Path
0306, Government Information Series
1109, Grants Management Series
0905, General Attorney Series
(Authorized use by FirstNet only)
Scientific and Engineering (ZP) Career
Path
0089, Emergency Management Series
3. Section III Personnel System
Changes, (B) Staffing: Add a new
subsection titled: ‘‘Direct-Hire
Authority: Critical Shortage
Occupations’’ and the information
under this subsection is as follows: DoC
FirstNet uses direct-hire procedures for
categories of occupations that require
skills that are in short supply. The
following occupations constitute a
shortage category, at the Pay Band IV
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:50 Dec 31, 2014
Jkt 235001
and above in the ZP Career Path:
Electronics Engineers, Electrical
Engineers, Computer Engineers,
Computer Scientists, and Emergency
Management Specialists (Public Safety).
Any positions in these categories may
be filled by FirstNet through direct-hire
procedures in accordance with 5 U.S.C.
3304(a)(3). DoC FirstNet advertises the
availability of job opportunities in
direct-hire occupations by posting on
the OPM USAJOBS Web site. DoC
FirstNet will follow internal direct-hire
procedures for accepting applications.
4. 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.
5. Section VII Project Management:
The Commerce Alternative Personnel
System Board will expand to include
additional board members representing
the major operating units included in
CAPS.
[FR Doc. 2014–30754 Filed 12–31–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–EA–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Antidumping or Countervailing Duty
Order, Finding, or Suspended
Investigation; Opportunity To Request
Administrative Review
Enforcement and Compliance,
International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brenda E. Waters, Office of AD/CVD
Operations, Customs Liaison Unit,
Enforcement and Compliance,
International Trade Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th
Street and Constitution Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20230, telephone: (202)
482–4735.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
AGENCY:
Background
Each year during the anniversary
month of the publication of an
antidumping or countervailing duty
order, finding, or suspended
investigation, an interested party, as
defined in section 771(9) of the Tariff
Act of 1930, as amended (‘‘the Act’’),
may request, in accordance with 19 CFR
351.213, that the Department of
Commerce (‘‘the Department’’) conduct
an administrative review of that
antidumping or countervailing duty
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
27
order, finding, or suspended
investigation.
All deadlines for the submission of
comments or actions by the Department
discussed below refer to the number of
calendar days from the applicable
starting date.
Respondent Selection
In the event the Department limits the
number of respondents for individual
examination for administrative reviews
initiated pursuant to requests made for
the orders identified below, the
Department intends to select
respondents based on U.S. Customs and
Border Protection (‘‘CBP’’) data for U.S.
imports during the period of review. We
intend to release the CBP data under
Administrative Protective Order
(‘‘APO’’) to all parties having an APO
within five days of publication of the
initiation notice and to make our
decision regarding respondent selection
within 21 days of publication of the
initiation Federal Register notice.
Therefore, we encourage all parties
interested in commenting on respondent
selection to submit their APO
applications on the date of publication
of the initiation notice, or as soon
thereafter as possible. The Department
invites comments regarding the CBP
data and respondent selection within
five days of placement of the CBP data
on the record of the review.
If the Department limits the number
of respondents selected for individual
examination in the administrative
review of the antidumping duty order
on Wooden Bedroom Furniture from the
People’s Republic of China (A–570–
890), it intends to select respondents
based on volume data contained in
responses to quantity and value
questionnaires. Further, due to the
unique circumstances present in
administering this order, for the
purposes of this segment of the
proceeding, i.e., the 2013 review period,
the Department has decided to require
that all parties filing separate rate
applications or certifications respond to
the Q&V questionnaire and certain
additional questions. The Q&V
questionnaire, the additional questions,
and the Separate Rate Application and
Separate Rate Certification will be
included in a document package that
will be available on the Department’s
Web site. Responses to the additional
questions and to the Separate Rate
Application and Separate Rate
Certification are due unless otherwise
noted by the Department.
In the event the Department decides
it is necessary to limit individual
examination of respondents and
E:\FR\FM\02JAN1.SGM
02JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 1 (Friday, January 2, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25-27]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30754]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Office of Administration
[Docket No.: 141202999-4999-01]
Commerce Alternative Personnel System
AGENCY: Office of Administration, Office of Human Resources Management,
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces the expansion of employee coverage under
the Commerce Alternative Personnel System, formerly the Department of
Commerce Personnel Management Demonstration Project, published in the
Federal Register on December 24, 1997. This coverage is extended to
include employees located in the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA), employed under the First Responder
Network Authority (FirstNet). FirstNet was created as an independent
authority within the NTIA, Department of Commerce, to provide emergency
responders with the first high-speed, nation-wide network dedicated to
public safety.
This notice also serves to make changes to the plan to accommodate
the expansion of and modification to the Commerce Alternative Personnel
System. These changes include the addition of specific occupational
series, Commerce Alternative Personnel System Board composition, and
the implementation of direct-hire authority on a limited basis for
certain FirstNet positions in the ZP career path at the Pay Band IV and
above.
DATES: This notice expanding and modifying the Commerce Alternative
Personnel System is effective January 2, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Department of Commerce--Sandra
Thompson, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue
NW., Room 51020, Washington, DC 20230, (202) 482-0056 or Valerie Smith
at (202) 482-0272.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Background
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved the Department of
Commerce (DoC) demonstration project for an alternative personnel
management system, and published the final plan in the Federal Register
on Wednesday, December 24, 1997 (62 FR 67434). The demonstration
project was designed to simplify current classification systems for
greater flexibility in classifying work and paying employees; establish
a performance management and rewards system for improving individual
and organizational performance; and improve 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 management system would
produce similarly successful results in other DoC environments. The
project was implemented on March 29, 1998. The project plan has been
modified seven times to clarify certain DoC
[[Page 26]]
Demonstration Project authorities, and to extend and expand the
project: 64 FR 52810 (September 30, 1999); 68 FR 47948 (August 12,
2003); 68 FR 54505 (September 17, 2003); 70 FR 38732 (July 5, 2005); 71
FR 25615 (May 1, 2006); 71 FR 50950 (August 28, 2006); 74 FR 22728 (May
14, 2009). 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).
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 expands CAPS to include
NTIA FirstNet, in all duty locations, as a participating organization;
and implements FirstNet's use of direct-hire authority under 5 U.S.C.
3304(a)(3) to fill specific scientific and engineering positions
announced through this register in the ZP career path. This notice also
serves to announce that the DoC modifies CAPS to add the following
occupational series: 0089--Emergency Management series; 0306--
Government Information series; 1109--Grants Management series; and
0905--General Attorney series. The addition of the 0905--General
Attorney series is for specific use by FirstNet only. Only Attorneys
employed under the FirstNet organization will be covered under CAPS.
The DoC will follow the CAPS plan as published in the Federal
Register on December 24, 1997, and subsequent modifications as listed
in the Background Section of this notice.
Kevin E. Mahoney,
Director for Human Resources Management and Chief Human Capital
Officer.
Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary
II. Basis for CAPS Expansion
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.
The current participating organizations include 7 offices of the
Chief Financial Officer/Assistant Secretary for Administration in the
Office of the Secretary; the Bureau of Economic Analysis; the Institute
for Telecommunications Sciences--National Telecommunications and
Information Administration; and 11 units of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration: Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research,
National Marine Fisheries Service, the National Environmental
Satellite, Data, and Information Service, National Weather Service--
Space Environment Center, National Ocean Service, Program Planning and
Integration Office, Office of the Under Secretary, Marine and Aviation
Operations, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, Office of the
Chief Financial Officer, and the Workforce Management Office.
This amendment modifies the December 24, 1997, Federal Register
notice. Specifically, it expands DoC CAPS to include NTIA, FirstNet as
a participating organization and enables FirstNet to hire, after public
notice is given, any qualified applicants in the ZP career path series
as defined in the Basis for CAPS Expansion section without regard to 5
U.S.C. 3309-3318, 5 CFR part 211, or 5 CFR part 337, subpart A on a
limited basis; it also adds additional occupational series as defined
in the Background section.
II. Basis for CAPS Expansion
A. Purpose
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 expansion of coverage to include NTIA, FirstNet, along with the
implementation of direct-hire authority, should improve FirstNet's
ability to recruit and compete more effectively for high-quality
personnel. Section 3304(a)(3) of Title 5, United States Code, provides
agencies with the authority to appoint candidates directly to jobs for
which the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) determines that there is
a severe shortage of candidates or a critical hiring need.
OPM's direct-hire authority enables agencies 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. This notice
implements FirstNet's use of direct-hire authority to fill up to 21
positions in the ZP career path in the following series: 0850--
Electrical Engineering; 0855--Electronics Engineering; 0854--Computer
Engineering; or 1550--Computer Science; and up to 56 positions in the
ZP--0089, Emergency Management series. The use of direct-hire authority
to fill these positions will not exceed 77 positions in the ZP career
path at any one time. NTIA, FirstNet will track the number of hires
made under direct-hire authority, ensuring numbers specified for the
occupational series are not exceeded.
In 1997, with the approval of the DoC's Demonstration Project (62
FR 67434), OPM concurred that some occupations in the ZP career path at
the Pay Band III and above constitute a shortage category, and some
occupations for which there is a special rate under the General
Schedule pay system constitute a shortage category. Past recruitment
efforts have demonstrated a critical shortage of candidates possessing
specialized technical expertise in 4G Long Term Evaluation (LTE)
technologies and mobile systems, as well as expertise in public safety
organizational operations and infrastructure capabilities. FirstNet
will use direct-hire authority to recruit Electronics Engineers,
Electrical Engineers, Computer Engineers, and Computer Scientists in
the ZP career path, Pay Band IV or higher, with efforts focused on
recruiting individuals with technical expertise in 4G LTE technologies
and development of mobile systems. This expertise is critical in order
to test, evaluate, deploy, and operate a nation-wide public safety
broadband network.
DoC FirstNet will use direct-hire authority to fill 0089--Emergency
Management Specialist (Public Safety) positions in the ZP career path,
Pay Band IV or higher, with efforts focused on formulation,
development, and engagement of public safety officials in planning and
implementing the nation-wide public safety broadband network. FirstNet
will implement direct-hire authority to hire individuals with public
safety experience in preventing, protecting, responding, or mitigating
emergency events. It is imperative for the success of public safety to
foster cooperation among various State, local, and tribal public safety
officials to ensure requirements are captured for the development of
the public safety network. To achieve FirstNet's statutory
[[Page 27]]
requirements and program goals, it is critical to recruit and retain
individuals with public safety sector knowledge and experience in order
to provide technical advice on preparedness and response activities
associated with natural and/or man-made disasters and the
organizational and infrastructure challenges faced responding to and
recovering from emergency incidents.
DoC's CAPS allows for modifications of procedures if no new waiver
from law or regulation is added. Given that this expansion and
modification is in accordance with existing law and regulation and CAPS
is a permanent alternative personnel system, the DoC is authorized to
make the changes described in this notice.
B. Participating Employees
Employee notification of this expansion will be accomplished by
providing a full set of briefings to employees and managers and
providing them electronic access to all CAPS policies and procedures,
including the seven previous Federal Register Notices. Employees will
also be provided a copy of this Federal Register notice upon approval.
Subsequent supervisor training and informational briefings for all
employees will be accomplished prior to the implementation date of the
expansion.
III. Changes to the Project Plan
The CAPS at DoC, published in the Federal Register on December 24,
1997 (62 FR 67434), is amended as follows:
1. The following organization will be added to the project plan,
Section II D--Participating Organizations:
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA),
First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet)
2. The following series are added to Table 2:
Administrative (ZA) Career Path
0306, Government Information Series
1109, Grants Management Series
0905, General Attorney Series (Authorized use by FirstNet only)
Scientific and Engineering (ZP) Career Path
0089, Emergency Management Series
3. Section III Personnel System Changes, (B) Staffing: Add a new
subsection titled: ``Direct-Hire Authority: Critical Shortage
Occupations'' and the information under this subsection is as follows:
DoC FirstNet uses direct-hire procedures for categories of occupations
that require skills that are in short supply. The following occupations
constitute a shortage category, at the Pay Band IV and above in the ZP
Career Path: Electronics Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Computer
Engineers, Computer Scientists, and Emergency Management Specialists
(Public Safety). Any positions in these categories may be filled by
FirstNet through direct-hire procedures in accordance with 5 U.S.C.
3304(a)(3). DoC FirstNet advertises the availability of job
opportunities in direct-hire occupations by posting on the OPM USAJOBS
Web site. DoC FirstNet will follow internal direct-hire procedures for
accepting applications.
4. 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.
5. Section VII Project Management: The Commerce Alternative
Personnel System Board will expand to include additional board members
representing the major operating units included in CAPS.
[FR Doc. 2014-30754 Filed 12-31-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-EA-P
