SUBCHAPTER II-PERSONNEL

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021- Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, §1701(u)(3)(A), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2152 , amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, §1842(a), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4244 , which added this chapter, by adding subchapter heading. Heading was editorially conformed to the style used in this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Pilot Program on Dynamic Shaping of the Workforce To Improve the Technical Skills and Expertise at Certain Department of Defense Laboratories

Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title XI, §1109, Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 1028 , as amended by Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title XI, §1112(b), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2012 ; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title II, §215(d)(3), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1593 ; Pub. L. 117–263, div. A, title XI, §1110, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2820 , provided that:

"(a) Pilot Program Required.-The Secretary of Defense shall establish a pilot program to utilize the authorities specified in subsection (b) at the Department of Defense laboratories specified in subsection (c) to provide the directors of such laboratories the authority to dynamically shape the mix of technical skills and expertise in the workforces of such laboratories in order to achieve one or more of the following:

"(1) To meet organizational and Department-designated missions in the most cost-effective and efficient manner.

"(2) To upgrade and enhance the scientific quality of the workforces of such laboratories.

"(3) To shape such workforces to better respond to such missions.

"(4) To reduce the average unit cost of such workforces.

"(b) Workforce Shaping Authorities.-The authorities that shall be available for use by the director of a Department of Defense laboratory under the pilot program are the following:

"(1) Flexible length and renewable term technical appointments.-

"(A) In general.-Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, authority otherwise available to the director by law (and within the available budgetary resources of the laboratory) to make appointments as follows:

"(i) Appointment of qualified scientific and technical personnel who are not current Department of Defense civilian employees into any scientific or technical position in the laboratory for a period of more than one year but not more than six years.

"(ii) Appointment of qualified scientific and technical personnel who are Department civilian employees in term appointments into any scientific or technical position in the laboratory for a period of more than one year but not more than six years.

"(B) Benefits.-Personnel appointed under this paragraph shall be provided with benefits comparable to those provided to similar employees at the laboratory concerned, including professional development opportunities, eligibility for all laboratory awards programs, and designation as 'status applicants' for the purposes of eligibility for positions in the Federal service.

"(C) Extension of appointments.-The appointment of any individual under this paragraph may be extended without limit in up to six year increments at any time during any term of service under such conditions as the director concerned shall establish for purposes of this paragraph.

"(2) Reemployment of annuitants.-Authorities to authorize the director of any science and technology reinvention laboratory (in this section referred to as 'STRL') to reemploy annuitants in accordance with section 9902(g) of title 5, United States Code, except that as a condition for reemployment the director may authorize the deduction from the pay of any annuitant so reemployed of an amount up to the amount of the annuity otherwise payable to such annuitant allocable to the period of actual employment of such annuitant, which amount shall be determined in a manner specified by the director for purposes of this paragraph to ensure the most cost effective execution of designated missions by the laboratory while retaining critical technical skills.

"(3) Early retirement incentives.-Authorities to authorize the director of any STRL to authorize voluntary early retirement of employees in accordance with section 8336 of title 5, United States Code, without regard to section 8336(d)(2)(D) or 3522 of such title, and with employees so separated voluntarily from service.

"(4) Separation incentive pay.-Authorities to authorize the director of any STRL to pay voluntary separation pay to employees in accordance with section 8414(b)(1)(B) of title 5, United States Code, without regard to clause (iv) or (v) of such section or section 3522 of such title, and with-

"(A) employees so separated voluntarily from service under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for purposes of the pilot program; and

"(B) payments to employees so separated authorized under section 3523 of such title without regard to-

"(i) the plan otherwise required by section 3522 of such title; and

"(ii) paragraph (1) or (3) of section 3523(b) of such title.

"(c) Laboratories.-The Department of Defense laboratories specified in this subsection are the laboratories designated under section 4121(b) of title 10, United States Code.

"(d) Expiration.-

"(1) In general.-The authority in this section shall expire on December 31, 2027.

"(2) Continuation of authorities exercised before termination.-The expiration in paragraph (1) shall not be construed to effect the continuation after the date specified in paragraph (1) of any term of employment or other benefit authorized under this section before that date in accordance with the terms of such authorization."

Pilot Program on Assignment to Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of Private Sector Personnel With Critical Research and Development Expertise

Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title II, §232, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3332 , as amended by Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title X, §1051(t)(1), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1566 ; Pub. L. 117–286, §4(c)(20), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4356 , provided that:

"(a) Pilot Program Authorized.-In accordance with the provisions of this section, the Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency may carry out a pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of temporarily assigning covered individuals with significant technical expertise in research and development areas of critical importance to defense missions to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to lead research or development projects of the Agency.

"(b) Assignment of Covered Individuals.-

"(1) Number of individuals assigned.-Under the pilot program, the Director may assign covered individuals to the Agency as described in subsection (a), but may not have more than five covered individuals so assigned at any given time.

"(2) Period of assignment.-

"(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Director may, under the pilot program, assign a covered individual described in subsection (a) to lead research and development projects of the Agency for a period of not more than two years.

"(B) The Director may extend the assignment of a covered individual for one additional period of not more than two years as the Director considers appropriate.

"(3) Application of certain provisions of law.-

"(A) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Director shall carry out the pilot program in accordance with the provisions of subchapter VI of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code, except that, for purposes of the pilot program, the term 'other organization', as used in such subchapter, shall be deemed to include a covered entity.

"(B) A covered individual employed by a covered entity who is assigned to the Agency under the pilot program is deemed to be an employee of the Department of Defense for purposes of the following provisions of law:

"(i) Chapter 73 of title 5, United States Code.

"(ii) Sections 201, 203, 205, 207, 208, 209, 603, 606, 607, 643, 654, 1905, and 1913 of title 18, United States Code.

"(iii) Sections 1343, 1344, and 1349(b) of title 31, United States Code.

"(iv) Chapter 171 of title 28, United States Code (commonly known as the 'Federal Tort Claims Act'), and any other Federal tort liability statute.

"(v) Chapter 131 of title 5, United States Code.

"(vi) Section 1043 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [26 U.S.C. 1043].

"(vii) Chapter 21 of title 41, United States Code.

"(4) Pay and supervision.-A covered individual employed by a covered entity who is assigned to the Agency under the pilot program-

"(A) may continue to receive pay and benefits from such covered entity with or without reimbursement by the Agency;

"(B) is not entitled to pay from the Agency; and

"(C) shall be subject to supervision by the Director in all duties performed for the Agency under the pilot program.

"(c) Conflicts of Interest.-

"(1) Practices and procedures required.-The Director shall develop practices and procedures to manage conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest that could arise through assignments under the pilot program.

"(2) Elements.-The practices and procedures required by paragraph (1) shall include, at a minimum, the requirement that each covered individual assigned to the Agency under the pilot program shall sign an agreement that provides for the following:

"(A) The nondisclosure of any trade secrets or other nonpublic or proprietary information which is of commercial value to the covered entity from which such covered individual is assigned.

"(B) The assignment of rights to intellectual property developed in the course of any research or development project under the pilot program-

"(i) to the Agency and its contracting partners in accordance with applicable provisions of law regarding intellectual property rights; and

"(ii) not to the covered individual or the covered entity from which such covered individual is assigned.

"(C) Such additional measures as the Director considers necessary to carry out the program in accordance with Federal law.

"(d) Prohibition on Charges by Covered Entities.-A covered entity may not charge the Federal Government, as direct or indirect costs under a Federal contract, the costs of pay or benefits paid by the covered entity to a covered individual assigned to the Agency under the pilot program.

"(e) Termination of Authority.-The authority provided in this section shall expire on September 30, 2025, except that any covered individual assigned to the Agency under the pilot program shall continue in such assignment until the terms of such assignment have been satisfied.

"(f) Definitions.-In this section:

"(1) The term 'covered individual' means any individual who is employed by a covered entity.

"(2) The term 'covered entity' means any non-Federal, nongovernmental entity that, as of the date on which a covered individual employed by the entity is assigned to the Agency under the pilot program, is a nontraditional defense contractor (as defined in section 2302 of title 10, United States Code [see 10 U.S.C. 3014])."