A-76/Competitive Sourcing
A-76 sourcing decision deadline pushed back
By Drew Hamilton
Staff Writer
Dec 3, 2007, 01:25 pm

White Sands Missile Range employees received an update on the A-76 competitive sourcing decision deadline Oct. 31 at the Post Theater.

WSMR Garrison Commander Col. Gary Giebel started off by dispelling rumors about the sourcing decision deadline. Giebel said the decision on the sourcing of components of the Garrison workforce has been pushed back to July of 2008. While there is the possibility that the deadline could be pushed back further, the deadline will not extend beyond January of 2009.

Sally Smoot, chief of the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center, then presented information on options employees have should they need to find a new place of employment. “Between now and the end of the competition, the primary focus of CPAC and the managers is to get everyone placed into positions,” Smoot said. She said CPAC representatives are concerned with the fact that a reduction in force will take place regardless of who wins the bid.

“If the (Garrison’s) Most Efficient Organization wins, we will still have to use reduction in force procedures in order to make the positions fit into the MEO structure, but it will be significantly less disruptive. If the contractor wins the bid then (the RIF) will be larger in scope,” Smoot said. All employees affected by a RIF will be notified at least 60 days in advance. However, once notified there is no guarantee the RIF will actually occur.
Currently the process of retention is made complicated by the fact the workforce is composed of two different employment systems, the GS system and NSPS. This means some employees will have different options than other employees. Employees who could be affected by a RIF and want to know their retention status can make an appointment to talk with Brad Fogerty at CPAC by calling 678-5115.

NSPS retention standing will be affected by three factors: an employee’s tenure group, their performance rating, and their competitive group. Permanent tenure will have priority over term employees, and term will have priority over temporary employees. When evaluating performance ratings, the last three ratings the employee received will be averaged. Non NSPS ratings will not be factored in. Competitive groups can be pulled from different competitive areas based on the employee’s career group, pay schedule, and occupational code.

Smoot went on to explain severance pay options. Severance pay will not total more that one year’s salary and anyone that qualifies for workers compensation, early retirement, and other options that a RIF offers will not be eligible for severance pay.

Severance pay will be determined using the following formula: One week of basic pay for each full year of creditable service up to 10 years for a position held at the time of separation. Two weeks basic pay for each full year of service beyond 10 years for a position held at time of separation. In addition, employees can get 2.5 percent of their basic severance pay allowance for each full three months the employee is over age 40.
Smoot continued by presenting information on the Priority Placement Program. PPP gives employees many options for employment, and early enrollment in the program is strongly encouraged. “The guidance says you can register up to a year in advance in some situations,” Smoot said. “But it’s premature to do so now because we don’t know which positions will be adversely impacted. We will work with the commander to determine the appropriate day to open it up, but that will be at a time when we know which positions are being adversely effected,” she said. Even though PPP’s priority system for placement is based on the GS system, NSPS employees will be evaluated based on a non-NSPS equivalent position.

Mandatory registration is required for anyone who is entitled to severance pay. After receiving a PPP offer, the employee has two calendar days to respond. If the employee does not respond or rejects the offer, the employee will be removed from the program.

Finally Greg DeVogel, MEO team leader, presented future plans to assist employees in finding alternate employment and also talked about the current progress of the MEO team.

The MEO is planning to hold a job fair in the spring. According to the draft concept, the following organizations would participate in the job fair: WSMR and related activities such as Army Research Lab, Navy’s offices on WSMR, Fort Bliss, other Federal agencies, New Mexico Workforce Solutions, New Mexico State University, University of Texas at El Paso, and other academic institutions.

The MEO team’s Performance Work Statements are still in development and the PWS teams are still looking for any good ideas that could help improve them. Anyone with innovative ideas that could enhance the efficiency of the WSMR workforce is encouraged to E-mail their idea to gregory.f.devogel@us.army.mil.
Currently there are no positions that have been identified as inherently governmental. While IMCOM West has identified 44 spaces that could be inherently governmental these spaces have not been designated to any positions. Furthermore, 25 positions have been identified as pending privatization under other programs already in effect and are therefore exempt from this A-76 process.