NSPS transitions running ahead of schedule

The Defense Department so far has transitioned 7,000 employees out of the National Security Personnel System and into the General Schedule, and it will have three-quarters of its 226,000 NSPS employees out of the system by the end of the third quarter, according to the head of the NSPS Transition Office.

NSPSTO Director John James Jr. said most NSPS employees, about 75 percent, will be transitioned into the General Schedule by Sept. 30, more than a year ahead of the deadline set out in the fiscal 2010 National Defense Authorization Act.

“We’re ahead of schedule and are maintaining a tight time frame,” James said. “We are moving prudently and expeditiously. Components are working hard to ensure that we are properly classifying positions from NSPS to the General Schedule system.”

Related stories

Transition office established to hasten end of pay for performance

Survey reveals discontent with pay-for-performance plans

Pay for performance: A modester proposal

Pay for performance haunted by NSPS failure

Performance management in action

Research questions link between pay and performance

4 approaches to pay for performance

The remaining 25 percent of NSPS employees are scheduled for transition out of NSPS in fiscal 2011, James said. These include groups that will go to other personnel systems besides the GS system, such as the Acquisition Demonstration Project, Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratories, and organizations going through the Base Realignment and Closure process.

DOD also wants to take more time before transitioning dentists, physicians and other medical employees, so these employees also will transition in fiscal 2011, James said.

Once NSPS positions are classified under the General Schedule, automation capability is required to transition large numbers of employees at a time from NSPS to GS. Updates to the automated system supporting mass conversions of employees were completed on April 25 and the larger NSPS organizations can now begin making the transition, James said.

As an aid to employees, NSPSTO has posted on its Web site briefing charts that show the projected transitions in fiscal 2010 and the projected pay system upon conversion from NSPS.