Federal Workforce
Information on the National Bureau of Standards Personnel Demonstration Project Gao ID: GGD-88-59FS April 5, 1988In response to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) efforts to implement its Personnel Demonstration Project.
GAO found that: (1) NBS has historically had difficulties in recruiting scientists or engineers because of salary limitations; (2) in 1987, NBS experienced a turnover rate of 4.7 percent among its research and scientific staffs; and (3) in January 1988, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) awarded a contract to develop an evaluation package which would enable NBS to respond to outside inquiries about the project's progress. GAO also found that: (1) the project gave NBS authority to directly recruit and hire its employees; (2) NBS planned to develop a measurement system to compare its compensation package with those in the private sector; (3) to keep the project budget neutral, NBS planned to employ fewer or lower-grade personnel; (4) the demonstration project included all of the 3,050 NBS white-collar employees; and (5) because it has just started, NBS has not hired any employees or adjusted salaries under the project.