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NSPS Pay Scale Could be History, Congress Debates

Officials at the Federal Managers Association said the organization supports the House move on annual pay raises, but is wary of efforts to take broader action while the Defense Business Board review is under way.

“I’d hate to see them go into the middle of a year and try to transfer these systems,” said FMA President Darryl Perkinson.

Shea-Porter said the aim of the amendment was to ensure that Congress could move on overhauling NSPS as soon as the board’s review is completed.

“This amendment gives us the opportunity to take action this year on the recommendations resulting from the department’s review of NSPS,” she said. “Without this language, we would not be able to act until fiscal 2011 and the serious problems would linger unresolved for yet another long year. Our dedicated federal workers deserve better than that.”

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A spokesman from the Defense Department declined to comment on the pending legislation.

Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, a longtime NSPS defender, said it would be “premature” to eliminate Defense’s pay-for-performance system. “I firmly believe that NSPS should continue,” he said.

The committee still was debating the authorization bill on Tuesday evening. Once it passes, it will be taken up by the full House, where it could be modified on the floor. The Senate Armed Services Committee will begin a markup of its version of the bill next week.