Who decided which employees are within the MEO scope?
The decision was based on whether an employee performs the work functions described in the Performance Work Statement (PWS) for the A-76 study of extramural support services, and the percentage of time spent on those functions. That information was reported by the ICs and confirmed by the MEO development team by various means, including a search of the NIH Human Resources Database.

When will employees know if their jobs will be transferred to DEAS and whether they should apply for positions in DEAS?
On January 16, 2004, the NIH human resources director sent notification letters to the employees whose major job functions will transfer to the Division of Extramural Activities Support, letting them know they are in the pool of employees who will be considered for positions in DEAS.

Can information on the in-scope percentage of our positions be made available?
Your IC executive officer can tell you what percentage of your time was reported as spent on in-scope work, if you have not already been informed. However, to respect the privacy of employees, your executive officer will not give you information about the in-scope percentages of other employees.

We've been told that if we are 50% or more in scope, we're automatically affected by the MEO. I've also heard that if you spend less than 50% of your time on in-scope work, you're affected. Please clarify.
The FTEs of nearly all employees who spend 50% or more of their time on in-scope work will be transferred from the ICs to the NIH OD. Those employees were notified in January that they are in the pool of people to be considered for positions in the Division of Extramural Activities Support. Individuals who spend less than 50% of their time on in-scope work will not be considered for the initial round of DEAS staffing. However, they could eventually be reassigned to DEAS if there are positions or specific skills not filled during the initial round of staffing.   Management can reassign an employee to another position at the employee's current grade level if needed.

I heard that employees who were less than 50% in scope could remain with their ICs, and it would be up to the IC to fill in the remaining percent of time for that employee. If that's the case, should the ICs be trying to find other employment opportunities for those employees?
Employees who remain in their ICs will no longer perform extramural support functions after those functions transfer to the Division of Extramural Activities Support. The ICs will assign the employees other duties to fill the time previously spent on those functions, including the non-MEO duties previously performed by employees who were transferred out of the IC.

If I move to DEAS, what happens to the percentage of my job that is not in scope?
Your IC will assign the work to employees who remain in the IC.

What positions are included in DEAS?
The Division of Extramural Activities Support will perform the functions specified in the Performance Work Statement (http://www.nih.gov/od/olao/oa/contracts/GrantsMgmt2/index.html). The functions support grants management, peer review and scientific program management.

What if I disagree that I'm in scope?
Employees with questions about how their work was determined to be within scope should discuss them with their IC executive officers.

Can an IC remove employees with disabilities from consideration for jobs in DEAS based on concern that they will be required to do work beyond their abilities?
Employees with disabilities will be considered for positions in the Division of Extramural Activities Support if they were performing in-scope work functions. As is true for all NIH employees with disabilities, those in DEAS will be provided reasonable accommodations.

Updated February 10, 2004