The 2010 defense authorization bill intends to repeal the National Security Personnel System. Lawmakers, like the American Federation of Government Employees, obviously did not agree with a recent recommendation by a Pentagon task force that suggested the NSPS could be saved with a major overhaul. The defense policy bill, just passed by the House and awaiting a Senate vote, would direct DOD to transition all employees already shifted to NSPS back into the General Schedule system within about two years. According to the conference report summary, DOD would have “flexibilities to reform the DOD hiring process and establish a performance management system.”
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.