[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 97 (Monday, May 20, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22807-22808]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10380]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[Docket No.: 190430420-9420-01]
Commerce Alternative Personnel System
AGENCY: Office of Administration, Office of Human Resources Management,
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the expansion of employee coverage under
the Commerce Alternative Personnel System (CAPS), 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 of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) located in the Northeast Fisheries Science Center.
DATES: The amended Commerce Alternative Personnel System is effective
May 20, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Department of Commerce--Sandra
Thompson, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 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 thirteen times to clarify certain DoC Demonstration Project
authorities, and
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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); 80 FR 25 (January 2, 2015); 81
FR 20322 (April 7, 2016); 81 FR 40653 (June 22, 2016); 81 FR 54787
(August 17, 2016); 82 FR 1688 (January 6, 2017); and 83 FR 54707
(October 31, 2018). 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
bargaining unit employees in the NMFS located in the Northeast
Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC).
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 1 office of the
Deputy Secretary in the Office of the Secretary, 6 offices of the Chief
Financial Officer/Assistant Secretary for Administration in the Office
of the Secretary; the Bureau of Economic Analysis; 2 units of the
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA): The
Institute for Telecommunication Sciences and the First Responder
Network Authority (an independent authority within NTIA); and 12 units
of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: The Office of
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, the National Marine Fisheries
Service, the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information
Service, the National Weather Service--Space Environment Center, the
National Ocean Service, the Program Planning and Integration Office,
the Office of the Under Secretary, the Marine and Aviation Operations,
the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, the Office of the Chief
Financial Officer, the Office of Human Capital Services, formerly the
Workforce Management Office, and the Office of the Chief Information
Officer.
This amendment modifies the December 24, 1997, Federal Register
notice. Specifically, it expands DoC CAPS to include NMFS bargaining
unit employees located in the NEFSC.
II. Basis for CAPS Expansion
A. Purpose
CAPS is designed to provide supervisors/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.
NMFS is responsible for the stewardship of the nation's ocean
resources and their habitat. NMFS provide vital services for the nation
including productive and sustainable fisheries, safe sources of
seafood, the recovery and conservation of protected resources, and
healthy ecosystems. NMFS works in partnership with Regional Fishery
Management Councils to assess and predict the status of fish stocks,
set catch limits, ensure compliance with fisheries regulations, and
reduce bycatch. Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the
Endangered Species Act, NMFS works to recover protected marine species
while allowing economic and recreational opportunities. Since the
inception of the demonstration project in 1997, and subsequent
modification/expansion notices, units of NMFS have participated in
CAPS. A September 17, 2003, notice (68 FR 54505) announced the
expansion of CAPS to include non-bargaining unit employees located in
the NEFSC. With the majority of NEFSC employees being covered by an
alternative personnel management system, NOAA and NMFS made the
determination to convert the remaining bargaining unit GS NEFSC
workforce under CAPS.
The expansion of CAPS coverage to include the remaining bargaining
unit GS employees of NEFSC will allow NMFS to continue to benefit from
the flexibilities provided by CAPS and should improve the
organization's ability to recruit and retain a high-quality workforce.
DoC's CAPS allows for modifications of procedures if no new waiver
from law or regulation is added. Given that this expansion 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 thirteen previous Federal Register notices and this
Federal Register notice will also be accessible electronically upon
approval. Subsequent supervisor training and informational briefings
for all employees will be accomplished prior to the implementation date
of the expansion.
C. Labor Participation
The Labor organization was notified about the CAPS expansion
pertaining to their bargaining unit membership. Bargaining unit
employees are covered by AFGE Local 231, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
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
Within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS),
Additional employees in the following:
Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC)
2. The following bargaining units are added to the project plan,
Section II F--Labor Participation Table 4--Bargaining Unit Coverage
NEFSC........................... Woods Hole, MA.... AFGE Local 231.
[FR Doc. 2019-10380 Filed 5-17-19; 8:45 am]
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