article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Air Force Work Force Renewal Act''. SEC. 2. TEMPORARY AUTHORITY REGARDING VOLUNTARY SEPARATION INCENTIVES AND EARLY RETIREMENT FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE. (a) Separation Pay.--Section 5597(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Under such program separation pay may also be offered for the purpose of maintaining continuity of skills among employees of the Department of the Air Force and adapting the skills of the workforce of such Department to emerging technologies critical to the needs and goals of such Department.''. (b) Retirement Under Civil Service Retirement System.--Section 8336 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(o)(1) An employee of the Department of the Air Force who is separated from the service voluntarily as a result of a determination described in paragraph (2) after completing 25 years of service or after becoming 50 years of age and completing 20 years of service is entitled to an annuity. ``(2) A determination under this paragraph is a determination by the Secretary of the Air Force that the separation described in paragraph (1) is necessary for the purpose of maintaining continuity of skills among employees of the Department of the Air Force and adapting the skills of the workforce of the Department to emerging technologies critical to the needs and goals of the Department.''. (c) Retirement Under Federal Employees' Retirement System.--Section 8414 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(d)(1) An employee of the Department of the Air Force who is separated from the service voluntarily as a result of a determination described in paragraph (2) after completing 25 years of service or after becoming 50 years of age and completing 20 years of service is entitled to an annuity. ``(2) A determination under this paragraph is a determination by the Secretary of the Air Force that the separation described in paragraph (1) is necessary for the purpose of maintaining continuity of skills among employees of the Department of the Air Force and adapting the skills of the workforce of the Department to emerging technologies critical to the needs and goals of the Department.''. (d) Limitation of Applicability.--The authority to provide separation pay and retirement benefits under the amendments made by this section-- (1) may be exercised with respect to not more than 1000 civilian employees of the Department of the Air Force during each calendar year; and (2) shall expire on the date that is five years after the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 3. AIR FORCE EXPERIMENTAL PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR TECHNICAL PERSONNEL. (a) Program Authorized.--During the 5-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force may carry out a program of experimental use of the special personnel management authority provided in subsection (b) in order to facilitate recruitment of civilian personnel to perform the following: (1) Research and exploratory or advanced development. (2) Acquisition of major weapons systems, excluding sustainment activities. (b) Special Personnel Management Authority.--(1) Under the program, the Secretary may-- (A) appoint eminent scientists and engineers from outside the civil service and uniformed services (as such terms are defined in section 2101 of title 5, United States Code) to not more than 62 positions in the Department of the Air Force without regard to the provisions of such title governing the appointment of employees in the civil service, except that the Secretary shall-- (i) provide for consideration of veterans' preference eligibility as described in section 2108 of such title; and (ii) follow merit system principles, as established in chapter 23 of such title; (B) prescribe the rates of basic pay for positions to which employees are appointed under subparagraph (A) at rates not in excess of the rate payable for positions at level I of the Executive Schedule under section 5312 of such title; and (C) make payments to any employee appointed under subparagraph (A) in addition to basic pay within the limitation applicable to the employee under subsection (d)(1). (2) Of the 62 positions described in paragraph (1)-- (A) 50 of such positions shall be allocated to organizations performing research and exploratory or advanced development; and (B) 12 of such positions shall be allocated to organizations whose primary mission is the development and acquisition of major weapons systems, excluding sustainment activities. (c) Limitation on Term of Appointment.--(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the service of an employee under an appointment under subsection (b)(1) may not exceed 4 years. (2) The Secretary may, in the case of a particular employee, extend the period to which service is limited under paragraph (1) by not more than 2 years if the Secretary determines that such action in necessary to promote the efficiency of the Department of the Air Force. (d) Limitations on Additional Payments.--(1) The total amount of additional payments paid to an employee under subsection (b)(1)(C) for any 12-month period may not exceed the lesser of the following amounts: (A) $25,000. (B) The amount equal to 25 percent of the employee's annual rate of basic pay. (2) An employee appointed under subsection (b)(1) is not eligible for a bonus, monetary award, or other monetary incentive for service other than payments authorized under subsection (b)(1)(C). (e) Period of Program.--(1) The program authorized under this section shall terminate at the end of the 5-year period referred to in subsection (a). (2) After the termination of the program-- (A) no appointment may be made under subsection (b)(1); (B) a rate of basic pay prescribed under subsection (b)(1)(B) may not take effect for a position; and (C) no period of service may be extended under subsection (c). (f) Savings Provisions.--In the case of an employee who, on the day before the termination of the program, is serving in a position pursuant to an appointment under subsection (b)(1)-- (1) the termination of the program shall not terminate the employee's employment in that position before the expiration of the lesser of-- (A) the period for which the employee was appointed; or (B) the period to which the employee's service is limited under subsection (c), including any extension made under paragraph (2) of that subsection before the termination of the program; and (2) the rate of basic pay prescribed for the position under subsection (b)(1)(B) may not be reduced for so long (within the period applicable to the employee under paragraph (1)) as the employee continues to serve in the position without a break in service. (g) Annual Report.--(1) Not later than October 15 of each of years 2001 through 2006, the Secretary shall submit a report on the program to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives. (2) The annual report shall contain, for the period covered by the report, the following: (A) A detailed discussion of the exercise of authority under this section. (B) The sources from which individuals appointed under subsection (b)(1) were recruited. (C) The methodology used for identifying and selecting such individuals. (D) Any additional information that the Secretary considers helpful for assessing the utility of the authority under this section. SEC. 4. AIR FORCE EXPERIMENTAL HIRING PROGRAM. (a) Program Authorized.--During the 5-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Air Force may carry out a program of experimental use of the authority provided in subsections (b), (c), and (d) in order to facilitate recruitment of civilian personnel to carry out the following: (1) Research and exploratory or advanced development. (2) Acquisition of major weapons systems, excluding sustainment activities. (b) Category Ranking.--(1) Notwithstanding sections 3309, 3313, 3317(a), and 3318(a) of title 5, United States Code, the Secretary may provide that applicants for positions in the Department of the Air Force be evaluated according to a quality category rating system based on relative degrees of merit, rather than according to numerical ratings. (2) Under the system described in paragraph (1), each applicant who meets the minimum qualification requirements shall be assigned to the appropriate category based on an evaluation of the quality of the applicant's knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to successful performance in the position to be filled. (3) Within each such quality category, applicants who are eligible for veterans' preference under section 2108 of such title shall have priority over applicants who are not eligible for such preference. (4)(A) Each applicant, other than applicants for scientific and professional positions at the GS-9 level or above, or the equivalent, who meets the minimum qualifications requirements and who is eligible for veterans' preference under section 2108(3)(C) of such title and who has a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more shall have the highest priority in the quality category. (B) Applicants for scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or above, or the equivalent, shall be listed within their category grouping, except that applicants who are eligible for veterans' preference under such section 2108 shall have priority over applicants who are not eligible for preference. Among preference eligibles, preference shall be given without regard to the type of preference. (5) Under the system described in paragraph (1), an appointing official may select any qualified applicant within the highest category, except that such an official may not pass over a preference eligible for an individual who is not a preference eligible in the same category unless the requirements of section 3312(b) or 3318(b) of title 5, United States Code, are satisfied. If fewer than 3 applicants have been assigned to the highest category, an appointing official may select any qualified applicant in the next lower category or categories, if necessary to provide a pool of at least 3 qualified applicants. An appointing official may not pass over a preference eligible applicant to select a nonpreference eligible applicant in a lower category. (c) Shortage and Critical Need Hiring Authority.--(1) Notwithstanding section 3304(b) of title 5, United States Code, the Secretary of the Air Force may appoint individuals into the competitive service to fill civilian positions in the Department of the Air Force without competition, provided public notice has been given and the positions meet one of the following criteria: (A) There is a severe shortage of qualified candidates for the position. (B) There is a need for expedited hiring for the position. (C) The position is unique and has special qualifications. (D) The position has a historically high turnover rate. (2) The Secretary may appoint individuals with exceptional academic qualifications or special experience to positions described in paragraph (1). Individuals who qualify on the basis of education must possess a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent grade point average on a different scale). (3) Applicants who are eligible for veterans' preference under section 2108 of title 5, United States Code, shall have priority over applicants who are not eligible for such preference. Among preference eligibles, a preference eligible applicant under subparagraphs (C) through (G) of section 2108(3) of such title shall have priority over an applicant who is eligible for preference under subparagraphs (A) or (B) of such section. An appointing official may not pass over a preference eligible applicant to select a nonpreference eligible applicant unless the requirements of section 3312(b) or 3318(b) of such title are satisfied.
summary: Entitles employees who are voluntarily separated for the above reasons after completing 25 years of service or after becoming 50 years of age and completing 20 years of service to an annuity under either the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees' Retirement System. Limits the provision of such pay and annuity benefits to not more than 1000 employees in a calendar year. Terminates such authority five years after the enactment of this Act. Authorizes the Secretary of the Air Force, during the five-year period beginning on the enactment of this Act, to carry out a program of experimental use of special personnel management authority to appoint scientists and engineers from outside the civil service to perform: (1) research and exploratory or advanced development; and (2) acquisition of major weapons systems. Limits the number of such appointments to 62, with 50 appointed for the research and development positions and 12 for the acquisition positions. Limits the appointment term to four years, with an authorized two-year extension when necessary to promote Air Force efficiency. Limits the total amount to be paid to employees for any 12-month period as payments in addition to basic pay (offered to recruit highly-qualified individuals). Requires an annual program report from the Secretary to the congressional defense committees during 2001 through 2006. Authorizes the Secretary, during the same period, to carry out a program of experimental hiring for the above positions, using an employee rating system based on relative degrees of merit rather than numerical ratings. Gives priority to candidates with a service- connected disability rating of ten percent or more. Authorizes the Secretary to appoint individuals to fill civilian Air Force positions without competition, provided that public notice has been given and: (1) there is a severe shortage of qualified candidates; (2) there is a need for expediting such hiring; (3) the position is unique and has special qualifications; or (4) the position has a historically high turnover rate. Authorizes the Secretary to appoint to such positions individuals with exceptional academic qualifications (grade point average of 3.5 or higher) or special experience. Gives priority to applicants who are eligible for the veterans' preference.