Presidential Management Fellows Program

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Merit based hiring for presidential fellows

AKA “Presidential Fellows Accountability Act”


Which agency/agencies promulgated the regulation? *
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Which title, parts, and/or sections of the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) should be rescinded? *
5 C.F.R. Part 362, Subpart D ( §§ 362.401–362.409 )
What is your name?
—OPTIONAL--
Is your proposed rescission a notice of proposed rulemaking, final rule, direct final rule, interim final rule, or interpretive rule? *
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
What is the name of the regulation being rescinded, if applicable? *
Presidential Management Fellows Program
Please provide a short summary of the justifications for the rescission. *
Eliminates the regulatory carve-out that admits roughly 200 Presidential Management Fellows annually without competitive-service examinations, rating-panel review, or veteran-preference—restoring full merit-based hiring for GS-entry positions
Please insert the address of the agency. [NPRM, DFR, and IFR only]
U.S. Office of Personnel Management 1900 E Street NW Washington, DC 20415
Please insert the contact information for the agency. *
regulations@opm.gov
What is the background for the regulation being rescinded? *
Under 5 U.S.C. § 3152, OPM implements the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program at 5 C.F.R. Part 362, Subpart D. Originally authorized by Executive Order 12731, this subpart admits select graduate-level candidates into GS-entry roles with waivers of standard competitive-service procedures
Explain the reasons for the rescission. *
1. Restore open competition: Require all GS-entry PMF slots to be filled via OPM’s competitive-service vacancy announcements, written assessments, rating-panel evaluations, and veteran-preference rules. 2. Prevent patronage pipelines: Eliminate a fellowship authority that bypasses transparent qualification checks. 3. Promote consistency: Align PMF hiring with the merit-system safeguards used for all other entry-level federal positions.
Describe the text of the relevant C.F.R. provisions as it will exist after the rescission. *
5 C.F.R. Part 362, Subpart D (Presidential Management Fellows Program; §§ 362.401–362.409) is hereby removed. No position formerly authorized under this subpart may be classified outside OPM’s competitive-service provisions for General Schedule entry. All such positions shall be advertised, assessed, and filled in accordance with OPM’s competitive-service and veteran-preference procedures.
Please insert the name of the current agency head. *
Scott Kupor
Please insert the title of the agency head. *
Director, U.S. Office of Personnel Management

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