Defense unveils first group of employees to shift to new personnel system

Approximately 60,000 Defense Department civilian employees will shift to the new National Security Personnel System during the first phase of its launch, which is scheduled for the summer of 2005, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.

Navy Secretary Gordon England, who is heading up the NSPS effort, also announced that a new NSPS labor relations system will be implemented across the department at that time.

The 2004 National Defense Authorization Act gave the Pentagon the authority to dramatically overhaul its personnel system. Those changes are expected to include a performance pay system and reduced collective bargaining powers for labor unions. Pentagon leaders also indicated they wanted to streamline the department's appeals process.

The first phase of the deployment of the new system--dubbed "Spiral One"-is scheduled to begin as early as July 2005. It will include 60,000 employees. The next two waves will follow within 18 months.

Spiral Two "will comprise the remainder of the eligible workforce and will be initiated following an assessment of Spiral One and after the secretary of Defense certifies the department's performance management system," the NSPS program office said in a press release.

Spiral Three is slated to include employees at Defense Department laboratories-despite the fact that these personnel are not yet eligible to take part in NSPS.

"Spiral Three will comprise the DoD labs should current legislative restrictions be eliminated," the press release said.

By the end of all three waves, 300,000 Defense Department civilians will have been shifted into NSPS.

The Pentagon released a breakdown of which facilities and activities will have their civilian personnel transferred during Spiral One.

England said NSPS will provide the Pentagon with "a modern, flexible and agile human resource system." Mary Lacey, program executive officer for NSPS, asked employees to provide feedback as the system is put in place.

Pentagon officials expect to finish writing new personnel regulations by the end of the month, according to a Dec. 3 letter from Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Office of Personnel Management Director Kay Coles James.

The development of the new personnel system has generated its share of controversy. Labor union leaders have accused Defense personnel officials of shutting the unions out of the process and withholding information on the new system.

Several top lawmakers have called for transparency and cooperation in developing the NSPS. The Defense Department said it will share details about the system when the proposed regulations are published in the Federal Register.