[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 185 (Thursday, September 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57580-57581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24224]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

[Docket Number: 150904821-5821-01]


Alternative Personnel Management System at the National Institute 
of Standards and Technology

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a modification to existing provisions of 
the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Alternative 
Personnel Management System (APMS), changing the classification 
structure for the Administrative (ZA) career path, Pay Bands I through 
IV, based upon a classification review of the level of difficulty and 
responsibility associated with each Pay Band.

DATES: This notice is effective on September 24, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, please 
contact Janet Hoffman, by telephone at (301) 975-3185 or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In accordance with Public Law 99-574, the National Bureau of 
Standards Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 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 published 
demonstration project plan was modified twice, once to clarify certain 
NIST authorities (54 FR 21331, May 17, 1989) and once to revise the 
performance appraisal system and the pay administration system in order 
to better link pay with performance (55 FR 39220, September 25, 1990). 
The APMS was made permanent in Section 10 of the National Technology 
Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995, Public Law 104-113, 110 Stat. 775 
(Mar. 7, 1996) (codified at 15 U.S.C. 275 note), and the project plan 
and subsequent amendments were consolidated in the final APMS plan, 
which was published in the Federal Register on October 21, 1997 (62 FR 
54604). NIST published seven subsequent amendments to the final APMS 
plan: One on May 6, 2005 (70 FR 23996), which became effective upon 
publication in the Federal Register; one on July 15, 2008 (73 FR 
40500), which became effective on October 1, 2008; one on July 21, 2009 
(74 FR 35841), which became effective upon publication in the Federal 
Register; one on January 5, 2011 (76 FR 539), which became effective 
upon publication in the Federal Register; one on June 19, 2012 (77 FR 
36485), which became effective upon publication in the Federal 
Register; one on August 13, 2012 (77 FR 48128), which became effective 
upon publication in the Federal Register; and one on August 24, 2012 
(77 FR 51518), which became effective upon publication in the Federal 
Register. NIST published a correction to the final APMS plan on July 
21, 2009 (74 FR 35843), which became effective upon publication in the 
Federal Register.
    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 modifies the classification structure 
for the Administrative (ZA) career path, Pay Bands I through IV, based 
upon a classification review of the level of difficulty and 
responsibility associated with each Pay Band.

Richard Cavanagh,
Acting Associate Director for Laboratory Programs.

Table of Contents

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

[[Page 57581]]

I. Executive Summary

    The National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) 
Alternative Personnel Management System (APMS) (62 FR 54604, October 
21, 1997) 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.
    This amendment modifies the October 21, 1997 Federal Register 
notice. Specifically, it modifies the classification structure for the 
Administrative (ZA) career path, Pay Band I through IV. NIST will 
continually monitor the effectiveness of this modification.

II. Basis for APMS Plan Modification

    Modification of the APMS is based upon a change in the 
classification structure of the ZA career path. This new structural 
change will enable NIST to meet the intended design and objectives of 
the plan and increase the future vitality of the NIST workforce. The 
NIST APMS allows the NIST Director to make minor procedural 
modifications within already existing waivers of law or regulation with 
appropriate notice. Accordingly, NIST modifies the APMS to change the 
classification structure for the Administrative (ZA) career path, Pay 
Bands I through IV (set forth below).

III. Changes in the APMS Plan

    The APMS at NIST, published in the Federal Register on October 21, 
1997 (62 FR 54604), as amended, is modified as follows:
    1. The chart titled ``NIST Career Paths and Pay Bands'' under the 
subsection titled ``Position Classification'' is replaced with:
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN24SE15.005

[FR Doc. 2015-24224 Filed 9-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P