DPA Specialized Staffing Act

Summary#

This bill lets each agency on the Defense Production Act Committee hire subject matter experts directly into competitive service positions. Agencies may make these appointments without following sections 3309–3318 of title 5, United States Code. The experts must be hired only to identify, solicit, evaluate, or approve activities that could receive financial assistance under the Defense Production Act.

What it means for you#

• Agencies represented on the Defense Production Act Committee can appoint experts to competitive service jobs for work tied to Defense Production Act financial assistance.
• People hired under this authority would hold competitive service positions but be appointed under a special hiring rule described in the bill.
• No publicly available information on how many people would be hired or when hires would occur.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

The bill's sponsor and supporters frame the change as a way to let agencies bring in subject matter experts to carry out the work of identifying, soliciting, evaluating, or approving activities eligible for Defense Production Act financial assistance.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.