The history of the Defense (DoD) civilian personnel system: the conversion from General Service (GS) to National Security Personnel System (NSPS) and then back to General Service

Abstract

The purpose of this Joint Applied Project (JAP) is to examine and provide a thorough overview of the history of the Defense's (DoD) civilian personnel system. The research will explore converting civil servants from the General Schedule (GS) pay system to the National Security Personnel System (NSPS), then converting back to the GS system. This JAP will explore the inception of the GS System and discuss the perceived advantages and disadvantages. It will also explore the reason for the change to NSPS and the enactment of NSPS through the National Defense Authorization Act for 2004. It will also discuss the effects of the transition to the new pay-for-performance system. It will then examine the concerns, perceived issues, and discuss the perceived advantages and disadvantages of NSPS. It will explore the reasons surrounding the reimplementation of the GS system and the abolishment of NSPS through the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010. The data collected and analyzed will address the preferences and the perceptions from the affected employees who experienced the implementation of NSPS. It will conclude discussing these findings with suggestions for further research into the DoD's Civilian Personnel System.