This is the sort of thing that websites like this can do better than
almost any other venue - actual real time feedback with relevant
information.

I definitely will read the full transcript of your testimony as I think it will be very informative.

There is one comment/question I would have before I do, and I will
be very surprised if you investigated this as part of your study, but
on the other hand maybe you did as you seem very thorough.

I'll amend what I just said. I went back and reread your comment so
the possible non inclusion of what I am about to ask in your study
would have been no fault of your own. You seem to say that for the
information relating to government agencies you relied on the data that
OPM gave you.

Since we are discussing the advantages of converting to performance
based pay to improve our performance in the area of “Performance Based
Rewards and Advancements” I think there may have been a third set of
statistics which OPM did not provide to you which would have been very
interesting.

The government is promoting the new personnel systems and pay for
performance as a way of rewarding top performers. I have seen the first
round of NSPS regulations, and if you consider their cumulative effect
on an employee's financial future - the goal is primarily to control
costs both while the employees is actively working and into retirement
more than to reward top performers.

My personal analysis of the governments motive aside let's get to
the third set of statistics you may not have had access to, and you are
the most reliable source I could ask this question of.

Did OPM allow you to analyze the comparative performance of all of
their pay for performance pilot projects in relation to private
industry?

Did they give you access to individuals of your own choosing who
worked in these pilot projects to ask them if they preferred the GS
type personnel system or the pay for performance pilot project system
better?

Did OPM inform you of the class action complaint filed by FAA
employees because their wages which counted toward retirement were
capped under their pay for performance system (incidentally the same
capping provision is written into both the DHS and NSPS personnel
systems).

My apology - that was definitely more than one question, but my
point was that you may not have seen all the relevant information if
you only had access to what OPM would let you see or consider.

Your ability to analyze the information would seem more than adequate if it were provided.

****

I just finished reading your testimony. I can see that OPM did not
provide you with any of the information I just asked about. Somehow I
am not surprised, but that is certainly not your fault.

I did read many points in your testimony, but a couple of them stood out for me.

Enabling two way communications between employees and their agency is excellent.

The annual surveys that you recommend to gauge employee job
satisfaction is another good idea. The new systems will require very
close oversight, but I have read that the results of the surveys may be
withheld if they contain information which is defined as sensitive.

In other words they may be concealed if needed.

Thank you for your response. It was a pleasure reading it and your testimony as well.