Phase Out the Entire Federal Personnel Manual

1. Phase out the entire Federal Personnel Manual and all agency
implementing directives.

The President should issue an Executive Order that declares that the FPM
will be substantially revised, reduced, or otherwise eliminated by
December 1994, and that

--- directs OPM to involve agencies in identifying those portions of the
FPM that are essential, should be retained and for whom, are useful and
to whom, and are unnecessary;

--- restricts agency supplementation of law and regulation; and

--- requires maximum delegation of personnel management authorities to
the lowest practical organizational level within agencies and to line
managers or self-managed work teams operating in flattened
organizational structures.

The positive implications of this action are the short-term elimination
of unnecessary red tape and the potential for streamlining and
simplifying all aspects of the personnel system.  On the other hand,
additional time may be needed to implement it fully, especially in light
of other National Performance Review (NPR) recommendations. However, the
objective can be met if pursued as a priority and if agencies are
involved in the governmentwide effort.  Additionally, the process itself
will ensure that all NPR personnel recommendations are addressed.