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

Alternative Personnel Systems

Alternative Personnel Systems (APSs) is a commonly accepted term for the host of personnel systems generally outside of the competitive civil service designed to address longstanding issues in Federal agencies, such as strengthening performance management and updating position classification and competitive 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 performance-based pay systems, where agencies have sought flexibilities to classification and pay under the General Schedule.

OPM is statutorily charged with improving the strategic human capital management of the Government’s civilian workforce, including associated planning and evaluation efforts. OPM has a requirement and an obligation to support agencies’ strategic human capital management efforts, including assessing agency implementation of new systems and programs.

Visit our reports section to find specific assessments