U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Ensuring the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce

Alternative Personnel Systems

Reports

Alternative Personnel Systems (APS) is a commonly accepted term for the host of personnel systems outside of the Competitive Civil Service. APSs are designed to address longstanding issues in Federal agencies, such as performance management and compensation. They may be established under discrete legislation for an agency or a community of agencies, under the demonstration project provisions of Chapter 47 of title 5 U.S.C., or under new provisions of title 5, which now allow both the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense to set up contemporary human resource management systems. APSs cover various aspects of human resources management. The current emphasis of APSs is on moving away from traditional classification and pay systems toward alternative systems where market rates and performance are central drivers of pay.

Following are current APS reports:

• A Status Report on Demonstration Projects and Other Performance-based Pay Systems - 2007 [1.49 MB]
• A Status Report on Personnel Demonstration Projects in the Federal Government - 2006 [364 KB]
• Creating a Foundation for the 21st Century Federal Workforce
  An Assessment of the Implementation of the Department of Defense National Security Personnel System - May 2007
  [1.68 MB]
• Creating a Foundation for the 21st Century Federal Workforce
  An Assessment of the Implementation of the Department of Homeland Security Alternative Personnel System - May 2007
  [1.94 MB]

Alternative Personnel Systems in Practice and a Guide to the Future - October 2005

The material presented in the report summarizes the 25 years of successful experience in Alternative Personnel Systems. In addition, it provides a look at how performance management systems throughout Government have been upgraded and are being judged against stringent standards. OPM is working hard to ensure the key infrastructure will be in place and operating effectively to support further transformation of Federal pay systems. As shown within this report, results of these efforts to address agency readiness are encouraging, but more work will be required to implement a strategic compensation system as the Administration's legislative proposal envisions. Planning and preparation are essential, and this report concludes with an outline of the steps to be taken.

This material should prove useful in gaining a more in-depth appreciation of how far the Federal Government has already come with respect to using performance-based pay and how we are prepared to proceed in the future.

Download Alternative Personnel Systems October 2005 [575 KB]

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