REE Commercial Services Management Program
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs) & Answers
- How does the FAIR Act relate to A-76?
- Will every function listed in the FAIR Act Inventory be competed?
- Are there functions that cannot be contracted?
- How are decisions made concerning which functions are inherently Governmental and which are not?
- Can the inventory be challenged?
- What recourse do affected employees have to challenge the way that their functions have been classified on the FAIR Act Inventory?
- What is the current OMB approved FAIR Act Inventory for REE?
- What is the history of A-76 policy?
- How will REE actually do this Competitive Sourcing?
- Does Competitive Sourcing mean REE does not value its employees?
- Why is REE engaging in competitive sourcing?
- Are there FTE reduction goals or targets for REE associated with Competitive Sourcing?
- Which jobs will be studied under Competitive Sourcing?
- Is all of USDA participating in competitive sourcing?
- If I ignore it, will it go away?
- Is Competitive Sourcing a procurement initiative?
- Are we only doing it because we are being “ordered”
to do Competitive Sourcing?
METHODOLOGIES, TIMETABLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FAQs
- What is the A-76 study methodology?
- How does the A-76 competition process work?
- What is the direct conversion methodology?
- How does competitive sourcing differ from privatization?
- How will the comparative evaluations be conducted?
- Should an activity wait until it has been identified for cost comparison to begin optimizing work processes?
- What should an employee do for himself or herself while the study is taking place?
- How can an employee help safeguard information that may give prospective contractors an unfair advantage?
HUMAN RESOURCES & UNION RELATED FAQs
- How and when will employees know that the work performed by their position is eligible for competitive sourcing?
- How and when can unions participate in the competitive sourcing process?
- Will employees have any input into the review and cost comparison process?
- What is the "Conflict of Interest" issue that employees hear about in conjunction with competitive sourcing studies?
- Can employees bid on their own work? If employees can form groups and bid on their own work, don’t they have the advantage over a contractor bidding on the same work? Is this fair?
- Can employees appeal the outcome of a cost comparison decision that results in the work of their positions being contracted out?
- What happens to REE employees if the function is awarded to the in-house REE organization (the Most Efficient Organization)?
- What happens to the REE employees at the end of an A-76 study or direct conversion if the function is awarded to a private sector contractor?
- Is a contractor obligated to offer the same compensation and benefits package as REE?
- What types of programs are available to assist federal employees who are separated or face separation by reduction in force?
- When is an employee whose job has been abolished eligible for discontinued service retirement?
- What is RIF (reduction in force)? How does it apply to competitive sourcing?
- What if an employee is not separated through RIF but instead experiences a change to lower grade as a result of RIF procedures. Do grade and pay retention provisions apply?
- How long does grade retention last and how does it work?
- What is pay retention and how long does it last?
- How are Federal benefits affected in a RIF situation?
- Do severance pay and unemployment compensation apply in RIF?
- Does an employee have rights under the EEO process to file for alleged discrimination (age, race, etc.) when and if their position is (1) identified as commercial in the inventory phase and (2) outsourced at the end of the express, streamlined, or A-76 process?
- Under existing rules, is there an appeal process for direct conversions and for Express Reviews for 10 and Fewer FTE?
ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION/NEXT STEPS
Last updated: 11/15/07
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