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What is NSPS?

NSPS is the Department of Defense’s (DoD) flexible and responsive civilian management system that:

  • Values performance and contribution
  • Encourages communication
  • Supports broader skill development
  • Promotes excellence in the workplace

NSPS modernizes a 50-year-old civil service system, allowing DoD to better attract, recruit, retain, compensate, reward, and manage employees. The system focuses on people, performance, and employment decisions that are cost-effective and best for business practice.

Need for NSPS

The Department of Defense (DoD) faces immense challenges today and requires an agile and responsible civilian workforce to support its military forces. More than ever, civilian jobs need to be aligned with the mission of the Department and the organization.

An accountable, more flexible, results-oriented civilian workforce is needed to efficiently respond to difficult situations, proactively seek solutions, expand workforce capabilities, improve the capacities of our allies abroad, and strengthen our global force posture. NSPS is a tool that helps the Department achieve this vision.

NSPS creates a civilian workforce that is competency-focused and performance-based, putting the right people in the right jobs at the right time. It accelerates the Department’s efforts to create a Total Force (military, civilian personnel, Reserve, Guard, and contractors) that operates as one cohesive unit, with each individual performing work most suited to personal skill sets.

NSPS Authorizing Documents, Final Regulations, and Implementing Issuances can be found on the Documents page, Click Here

Key Components

NSPS has been carefully designed and structured to work for civilian managers, supervisors, and employees across DoD. More than two and a half years of intensive planning and design has shaped the system’s architecture. As the initial phases or “spirals” of NSPS were implemented in DoD, feedback on the system’s effectiveness was collected.

While minor modifications are occasionally made to enhance the system and ensure that it works for DoD’s multifaceted organizations, the key components of NSPS remain the same. They are:

  • Classification system
  • Compensation structure
  • Performance management system
  • Staffing component

Features and New Flexibilities

The key components of the NSPS pay-for-performance system provide new, unsurpassed opportunities to civilian employees in DoD. The following table outlines some of the system’s features and flexibilities:

NSPS Features Flexibilities
New “streamlined” classification system
  • Jobs in “pay bands” are based on work and competencies
  • Employees move more freely across a broad range of career opportunities in key fields
  • System allows for a more responsive hiring processes
  • System provides more flexibility in work assignments
Supervisors required to set clear, mission-aligned work expectations
  • Employees are clear on how to earn rewards and grow in their career paths
  • Each individual’s work impacts the DoD mission in a meaningful way
Culture of open communication and shared feedback
  • Employees are involved in the performance appraisal process early on
  • Employees participate in developing job objectives and shaping a career path
  • Vocalizing and documenting strengths and weaknesses is expected and can help employees reach goals more efficiently
  • Supervisors are accountable for their work and communications in NSPS
New management flexibilities
  • High-performing employees can be quickly and easily moved into mission-critical positions
Behavioral skills (“soft skills”) affect performance rating
  • Meeting objectives in a poor manner is not acceptable
  • Soft skills requirement helps shape work environment for everyone
Extensive employee and supervisor training
  • Training provides opportunities to expand skill sets
  • Employees and supervisors are trained on NSPS from pre-conversion to final appraisal process
  • Classroom and online training available, providing convenience to employees with remote access
New staffing flexibilities
  • New flexibilities allow DoD organizations build a civilian workforce of willing contributors and flexible responders
  • Puts the right person, in right job, at the right time, for the right pay
New “streamlined” classification system
  • New flexibilities allow DoD organizations build a civilian workforce of willing contributors and flexible responders
  • Jobs in “pay bands” are based on work and competencies
  • Employees move more freely across a broad range of career opportunities in key fields
  • System allows for a more responsive hiring processes
  • System provides more flexibility in work assignments

What Elements Remain Under NSPS

NSPS preserves important employee rights and benefits, such as:

  • Benefits, such as retirement, health, life, etc.
  • Merit System Principles
  • Veterans’ Preference Principles
  • Whistleblower protections
  • Rules against prohibited personnel practices
  • Anti-discrimination laws
  • Fundamental due process
  • Allowances and travel/subsistence expenses
  • Training

Barbara Adams, President & CEO of CareerPro Global, the parent company of www.careerproplus.com and www.militaryresumewriters.com, Ms. Adams has been a member of the careers community for the past 18 years. She holds four prestigious industry certifications. Questions may be emailed to badams@careerprocenter.net.

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