What Is the National Security Personnel System?
As of 2010, the National Security Personnel System is in the midst of transition to the General Schedule (GS), a personnel pay schedule for federal employees. This system was a short-lived program, authorized by Congress in 2004-2005 and effected in 2006. NSPS, a pay-for-performance personnel system, must be fully transitioned to the GS by January 1, 2012.
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Definition
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NSPS differs from the GS because it is not just a way to classify employee positions into occupational groups and establish pay schedules for each occupation. The NSPS also includes components for performance management (pay for performance) and staffing.
Parts
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The NSPS covers civilian employees in the U.S. Department of Defense. The four parts of this system that facilitate pay for performance are: classification system, compensation (pay) structure, performance management system and staffing/employment.
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Size
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The Office of Personnel Management (the federal government's personnel arm) participated in the transition of the defense civilian personnel to the NSPS. At the time (October 26, 2005), OPM Director Linda M. Springer noted more than 700,000 workers would fall under the new system. This figure represented 40 percent of the employees working for the United States civil service, according to Springer.
Pay Bands
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The NSPS system consists of three pay bands. The first pay band includes entry level positions, internships and developmental positions. The second pay band includes full-performance and journey level positions. The third pay band includes the professional occupations, such as subject matter experts and program managers.
Considerations
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The NSPS used its own system of classifying employee positions. Some positions that were classified in the GS before the transition to the NSPS will revert back to their old GS classification. Other positions must be classified to the GS system by the human resources personnel managing the transition.
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References
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