OPM offers data guidance to help inform new federal executives website

Coming on the heels of debuting its new public-facing repository of high-ranking federal officials, the Office of Personnel Management released guidance last week outlining how agencies should report data to the website and how often. 

The March 1 guidance details how agencies will comply with the Periodically Listing Updates to Management (PLUM) Act, which moved OPM away from maintaining the quadrennial Plum Book after this year to an annually updated website that offers information about senior agency leaders, Senior Executive Service members and other top or non-competitively appointed officials. 

OPM officials launched the new website in January, phasing out the physical Plum Book that dated back to President Eisenhower’s 1952 request for a list of every position his administration would have to fill. 

At the time of its launch, the PLUM reporting website possessed the names, roles and pay levels of more than 8,000 executives, with plans to grow to 10,000 with subsequent updates.

Last week’s guidance instructed agencies to utilize OPM’s Executive and Schedule C System application to submit required personnel information, including “agency component, position title, name of incumbent (if filled), names of all previous incumbents going back to Jan. 20, 2021, appointment type, geographic location of the position, pay plan, grade, level or rate of pay, tenure and expiration date (if applicable), and—for vacant positions—the name of the acting official or official performing the duties of the vacant position, if any.”

Agency heads will be required to update their PLUM reporting data at least annually, but OPM recommended that ESCS updates take place regularly to best ensure accurate information. 

Agency heads must also serve as the certifying official of the information, but may delegate certification duties for all presidential and political appointees to their White House liaison, policy and supporting positions occupied by career civil servants can be handled by the agency’s chief human capital officer or another senior agency official.

Agencies will also have to document any acting incumbencies temporarily holding positions normally performed by political appointees requiring Senate confirmation or performing the duties of any vacant policy and supporting position.

OPM has also opened an email address to field public comment on the policy.