OPM approves direct-hire authority for acquisition jobs

The Office of Personnel Management this week granted federal agencies direct-hire authority for certain acquisition positions.

The regulations, published in the Federal Register Thursday, give non-Defense Department agencies the ability "to recruit and appoint highly qualified individuals" for these jobs. The Pentagon already has separate flexibilities regarding hiring acquisition workers.

"The interim regulation that I have signed is needed to assist federal agencies in hiring individuals for positions that have been difficult to fill," OPM Director Linda M. Springer said in a statement. "This authority will enable agencies to continue to focus on their important missions while fully protecting the core values of the civil service."

Across government, acquisition offices had 1,000 fewer employees in 2004 than they did in 1998, according to an April report issued by the Federal Acquisition Institute.

The announcement specified that the direct-hire authority is for positions "deemed as a shortage category." The regulations give agencies authority to determine if shortages exists for specific acquisition positions without having to request permission from OPM. But they must maintain a file of supporting evidence when they declare a shortage.

Direct hiring, which allows agencies to bypass standard civil service rules, is designed to make it easier for them to quickly hire employees for hard-to-fill jobs. Defense, for example, used OPM-granted direct-hire authority in July 2004 to hire 100 experienced auditors needed to help comply with a 1990 financial management law.

Direct-hire authority was included on a list of 10 easy ways to improve hiring, which OPM sent in a memo to agencies in 2004.

The interim rules expire in September 2007. OPM said it will report to Congress on agencies' use of direct-hire authority in "attracting individuals with unusually high qualifications to the acquisition workforce." Agencies that use the authority are required to submit a report to OPM on their implementation of the rule by Dec. 31, 2006.

OPM is accepting public comments on the regulations through Oct. 3. Comments should be sent to Mark Dobaga, OPM's associate director for talent and capacity policy, at employ@opm.gov.