[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 92 (Thursday, May 14, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22728-22729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-11213]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Office of Administration

[Docket No. 090326470-9472-01]


Commerce Alternative Personnel System

AGENCY: Office of Administration, Office of Human Resources Management, 
Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Modifications to the Department of Commerce 
Alternative Personnel System.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces changes made to the provisions of the 
Commerce Alternative Personnel System, formerly the Department of 
Commerce Personnel Management Demonstration Project, published in the 
Federal Register on December 24, 1997. Also, this notice adds a new 
occupational series of 2150, Transportation Operations series to the 
system, and moves the Consumer Safety 696 occupational series in the 
(ZP) Scientific and Engineering career path from the Administrative 
(ZA) career path.

DATES: The changes announced in this notice are implemented as of May 
14, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Department of Commerce: Sandra 
Thompson, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue 
NW., Room 5004, Washington, DC 20230, (202) 482-3725 or Pamela Boyland 
at (202) 482-1068.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

    The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) approved the Department of 
Commerce (DoC) Demonstration Project (project) and published the final 
plan in the Federal Register Wednesday, December 24, 1997 (62 FR Pages 
67434-67463). The project pursued several key objectives of the 
National Performance Review. The project was designed to simplify 
current classification systems for greater flexibility in: (1) 
Classifying work and paying employees; (2) establishing a performance 
management and rewards system for improving individual and 
organizational performance; and (3) improving recruiting and examining 
to attract highly-qualified candidates. The purpose of the project was 
to strengthen the contribution of human resources management and test 
whether the same innovations conducted under the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology alternative personnel system would produce 
similarly successful results in other DoC environments. The project was 
implemented on March 29, 1998. The project plan has been modified six 
times to clarify certain DoC Demonstration Project authorities, and to 
extend and expand the project (64 FR Pages 52810-52812 (September 30, 
1999), 68 FR Pages 47948-47949 (August 12, 2003), 68 FR Pages 54505-
54507 (September 17, 2003), 70 FR Pages 38732-38733 (July 5, 2005), 71 
FR Pages 25615-25616 (May 1, 2006), and 71 FR Pages 50950-50952 (August 
28, 2006)). With the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
2008, Public Law 110-161, on December 26, 2007, the project was made 
permanent (extended indefinitely) and renamed the Commerce Alternative 
Personnel System (CAPS).
    The CAPS provides for modifications to be made as experience is 
gained, results are analyzed and conclusions are reached on how the 
system is working. This notice announces that the DoC modifies CAPS to 
add a new occupational series 2150, Transportation Operations series to 
the system, and moves the Consumer Safety 696 occupational series in 
the (ZP) Scientific and Engineering career path from the Administrative 
(ZA) career path.
    The DoC will follow the CAPS plan as published in the Federal 
Register dated December 24, 1997, and subsequent modifications as 
listed in the Background Section of this notice.

Deborah A. Jefferson,
Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer and Director for Human Resources 
Management.

Table of Contents

I. Executive Summary
II. Basis for CAPS Modification
III. Changes to the Project Plan

I. Executive Summary

    CAPS is designed to (1) improve hiring and allow DoC to compete 
more effectively for high-quality candidates through direct hiring, 
selective use of higher entry salaries, and selective use of 
recruitment incentives; (2) motivate and retain staff through higher 
pay potential, pay-for-performance, more responsive personnel systems, 
and selective use of retention incentives; (3) strengthen the manager's 
role in personnel management through delegation of personnel 
authorities; and (4) increase the efficiency of personnel systems 
through the installation of a simpler and more flexible classification 
system based on pay banding through reduction of guidelines, steps, and 
paperwork in classification, hiring, and other personnel systems, and 
through automation.

II. Basis for CAPS Modification

    CAPS is designed to provide managers at the lowest organizational 
level the authority, control and flexibility to recruit, retain, 
develop, recognize, and motivate its workforce, while ensuring adequate 
accountability and oversight.
    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office 
of Marine and Aviation Operations has requested to add the 
Transportation Operations Series, 2150 to the Administrative (ZA) 
career path. The series covers duties of which are to administer, 
supervise, or perform work involving the planning, directing, or 
operating of rail, motor, air, or water transportation systems and 
service,

[[Page 22729]]

including positions involving responsibility for operation of both 
transportation service and terminal facilities.
    NOAA has requested that the 696 Consumer Safety Series be removed 
from the Administrative (ZA) career path and placed in the Scientific 
and Engineering (ZP) career path as the 696 occupational series is a 
professional and scientific position and has its own OPM Individual 
Occupational Requirements to be used in conjunction with OPM's Group 
Coverage Qualification Standards for Professional and Scientific Work. 
The change of this series to the (ZP) career path will have no impact 
on the pay, series, or pay band classification of employees in this 
series. A copy of this approved Federal Register notice will be 
provided to the affected employees prior to making the change 
effective.

III. Changes to the Project Plan

    The CAPS at DoC, published in Federal Register (FR) Volume 62, 
Number 247, on Wednesday, December 24, 1997 is amended as follows:
    1. The following series is added to Table 2

Administrative (ZA) Career Path, 2150, Transportation Operations 
Series.

    2. The following series is moved from the Administrative (ZA) 
Career Path and placed in the

Scientific and Engineering (ZP) Career Path, 696, Consumer Safety 
Series.

[FR Doc. E9-11213 Filed 5-13-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-03-P