[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 6, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5712-5713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-2765]



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Part III





Department of Defense





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Office of the Secretary



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Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory Personnel Management 
Demonstration Project at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and 
Development Center; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 25 / Wednesday, February 6, 2002 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory Personnel 
Management Demonstration Project at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and 
Development Center; Notice

AGENCY: Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Civilian 
Personnel Policy), DoD.

ACTION: Notice of amendment of the demonstration project plan.

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SUMMARY: The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995, 
as amended by section 1114 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2001, authorizes the Secretary of Defense to conduct 
personnel demonstration projects at Department of Defense (DoD) 
laboratories designated as Science and Technology (S&T) Reinvention 
Laboratories. The above-cited legislation authorizes DoD to conduct 
demonstration projects that experiment with new and different personnel 
management concepts to determine whether such changes in personnel 
policy or procedures would result in improved Federal personnel 
management. This amendment revises the Engineer Research and 
Development Center (ERDC) project plan by realigning two occupational 
series to the Administrative occupational family: the Outdoor 
Recreation Planning (0023) and the Environmental Protection Specialist 
(0028) series; and to clarify that nothing in the plan is intended to 
preclude adopting or incorporating any law enacted or regulation issued 
within the period of the project's duration.

DATES: This amendment to the demonstration project may be implemented 
beginning on the date of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: ERDC: Dr. C. H. Pennington, U.S. Army 
Engineer Research and Development Center, ATTN: CEERD-ZA-VE, 3909 Halls 
Ferry Road, Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180-6199. DoD: Ms. Patricia M. 
Stewart, CPMS-AF, 1400 Key Boulevard, Suite B-200, Arlington, VA 22209-
5144.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

    The final plan was published in the Federal Register for the 
following S&T Reinvention Laboratory Demonstration Project: U.S. Army 
Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES) (Tuesday, March 3, 1998, 
Volume 63, Number 41, Part IV, page 10462). This final plan was 
corrected and re-published in the Federal Register (Wednesday, March 
25, 1998, Volume 63, Number 57, Part V, page 14580). Note: The WES 
demonstration project was renamed the ERDC demonstration project 
following consolidation of the Army Corps of Engineers' laboratories.
    Amendments to the final plan were published in the Federal Register 
as follows: To expand coverage of the WES demonstration project to 
include the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, Cold Regions 
Research and Engineering Laboratory, and Topographic Engineering Center 
(Friday, October 16, 1998, Volume 63, Number 200, Part V, page 55770); 
to add competitive examining and Distinguished Scholastic Achievement 
Appointment authorities as part of the ERDC plan (Thursday, March 11, 
1999, Volume 64, Number 47, Part II, page 12216); and to change 
reduction-in-force procedures to recognize performance based on the 
average of the last three annual performance scores in the most recent 
4-year period as a criterion to establish retention registers (Monday, 
May 22, 2000, Volume 65, Number 65, Part 99, page 32135).
    This demonstration project involves simplified job classification, 
pay banding, a performance-based compensation system, employee 
development provisions, and modified reduction-in-force procedures.

2. Overview

    This amendment realigns the 0023, Outdoor Recreation Planning, and 
0028, Environmental Protection Specialist, series from the 
demonstration's Engineers and Scientists and E&S Technicians 
occupational families to its Administrative family, in order to improve 
classification consistency.

I. Executive Summary

    The Department of the Army established the ERDC personnel 
demonstration project to be generally similar to the system in use at 
the Department of the Navy personnel demonstration project known as 
China Lake. The ERDC project was built upon the concepts of linking 
performance to pay for all covered positions; simplifying paperwork in 
the processing of classification and other personnel actions; 
emphasizing partnerships among management, employees, and unions; and 
delegating authorities to line managers.

II. Introduction

A. Purpose

    The demonstration project at the ERDC intends to provide managers 
the authority, control, and flexibility needed to achieve quality 
laboratories and quality products. The purpose of this amendment is to 
modify the demonstration's position classification system by realigning 
two occupational series to a different occupational family. Other basic 
provisions of the approved ERDC project plan are unchanged.

B. Employee Notification and Collective Bargaining Requirements

    Employees affected by this amendment will be provided a copy of 
this notice. Participating organizations must fulfill any collective 
bargaining obligations to unions that represent employees covered by 
the demonstration.

C. Problems With the Present System

    Currently, the Outdoor Recreation Planning series (0023) is 
assigned to the Engineers and Scientists occupational family. It is the 
only series assigned to this occupational family that is not a 
professional occupation (i.e., one with positive education 
requirements). The OPM Handbook of Occupational Groups and Families 
includes this series in the Miscellaneous Occupations group, rather 
than in one of the occupational groups for science or engineering. The 
work performed by the 0023 series is properly categorized as 
administrative.
    The Environmental Protection Specialist (0028) series is assigned 
to the E&S Technicians occupational family. The proper category for 
Environmental Protection Specialist (0028) is administrative. This 
series is similar to other two-grade occupations in that occupational 
family, such as Safety & Occupational Health Specialist (0018), General 
Supply Specialist (2001), and Transportation Specialist (2101).

D. Changes and Expected Benefits

    The Outdoor Recreation Planning (0023) and the Environmental 
Protection Specialist (0028) series are being realigned to the 
Administrative occupational family. This is consistent with other 
series in the Administrative occupational family that are excluded from 
assigning functional codes and perform two-grade interval work. The 
Engineers and Scientists occupational family will now consist 
exclusively of positions in professional series.
    Additionally, a provision is being added to clarify that nothing in 
the demonstration project plan is intended

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to preclude adopting or incorporating any law enacted or regulation 
issued within the period of the project's duration.

III. Personnel System Changes

    Realignment of the Outdoor Recreational Planning (0023) and the 
Environmental Protection Specialist (0028) series to the Administrative 
occupational family requires amendment to the final ERDC project plan 
published in the Federal Register (Wednesday, March 25, 1998, Volume 
63, Number 57, Part V, page 14580). Specifically, Section II. E (page 
14584), Table 2. Occupational Series Included in the Demonstration 
Project, is amended as follows:

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                        Engineers and Scientists
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Delete................................   0023  Outdoor Recreation
                                                Planner.
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                             E&S Technicians
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Delete................................   0028  Environmental Protection
                                                Specialist
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                             Administrative
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Add...................................   0023  Outdoor Recreational
                                                Planning
Add...................................   0028  Environmental Protection
                                                Specialist
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    Additionally, Section IX, Required Waivers to Law and Regulation, 
is amended by inserting after the first paragraph, a new paragraph as 
follows: ``The following waivers and adaptations of certain Title 5, 
U.S.C., provisions are required only to the extent that these statutory 
provisions limit or are inconsistent with the actions contemplated 
under this demonstration project. Nothing in this plan is intended to 
preclude the demonstration project from adopting or incorporating any 
law or regulation enacted, adopted, or amended after the effective date 
of this demonstration project.''

    Dated: January 30, 2002.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 02-2765 Filed 2-5-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-08-P