Washington, D.C. - U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Linda M. Springer today testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs regarding OPM's efforts to evaluate the initial stages of the Department of Defense (DoD) National Security Personnel System (NSPS), a new pay system which determines employee pay increases based on performance. 11,000 DoD employees currently work under the NSPS system - phased in during the initial implementation known as Spiral 1.1.

"We have supported DoD in every way to make sure the implementation of NSPS proceeds smoothly," Director Springer said. "Now with implementing issuances developed, we are turning our attention to evaluating how the new system is working for the initial 11,000 employees."

Springer told the committee three different NSPS evaluations are either planned or underway. They include a review to assist the Secretary of Defense in making a determination that NSPS will meet the statutory criteria for applying it beyond 300,000 employees; an ongoing program evaluation conducted by DoD for which OPM is providing consultation; and an independent OPM evaluation to assess the effectiveness of NSPS.

OPM's evaluation includes assessing the comprehensiveness of the training provided to executives, managers, supervisors, and employees as they are spiraled into NSPS.

Springer said OPM expects to produce its first implementation assessment by May 1, 2007 and has included it as a goal in the agency's Strategic and Operational Plan.

"We will continue to collaborate with DoD as we assess the strength of the NSPS performance management system and prepare for more widespread implementation," Springer said. "I believe NSPS provides the flexibilities DoD needs to be more responsive to the ever-changing national security environment, while preserving employee protections and benefits."

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