Title 5Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-73

§9505 Performance awards for senior executives

Title 5 › Part PART III— - EMPLOYEES › Subpart Subpart I— - Miscellaneous › Chapter CHAPTER 95— - PERSONNEL FLEXIBILITIES RELATING TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE › § 9505

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Before September 30, 2013, the Treasury Secretary can give IRS senior executives who run major programs a performance bonus even if that goes past the limit in section 5384(b)(2), if the Secretary finds the bonus deserved based on the executive’s work. The Secretary must look at the executive’s help in meeting goals under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, subtitle III of title 40, Revenue Procedure 64–22 (as of July 30, 1997), taxpayer service surveys, and other performance measures or plans made with the IRS Oversight Board. Any award larger than 20 percent of the executive’s basic pay must be approved by the Treasury Secretary. Each fiscal year the Treasury Secretary sets the total pool of performance awards available for career senior IRS executives under this rule and section 5384. That total cannot be larger than the maximum that would apply if section 5384(b)(3) treated the Internal Revenue Service as “an agency.” The IRS is not counted when figuring award limits for other Treasury career senior executives. A bonus cannot be paid in a year if it would make the executive’s total annual pay go above the maximum set by section 104 of title 3.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §9505

Government Organization and Employees — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Before September 30, 2013, Internal Revenue Service senior executives who have program management responsibility over significant functions of the Internal Revenue Service may be paid a performance bonus without regard to the limitation in section 5384(b)(2) if the Secretary of the Treasury finds such award warranted based on the executive’s performance.
(b)In evaluating an executive’s performance for purposes of an award under this section, the Secretary of the Treasury shall take into account the executive’s contributions toward the successful accomplishment of goals and objectives established under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, subtitle III of title 40, Revenue Procedure 64–22 (as in effect on July 30, 1997), taxpayer service surveys, and other performance metrics or plans established in consultation with the Internal Revenue Service Oversight Board.
(c)Any award in excess of 20 percent of an executive’s rate of basic pay shall be approved by the Secretary of the Treasury.
(d)Notwithstanding section 5384(b)(3), the Secretary of the Treasury shall determine the aggregate amount of performance awards available to be paid during any fiscal year under this section and section 5384 to career senior executives in the Internal Revenue Service. Such amount may not exceed the maximum amount which would be allowable under paragraph (3) of section 5384(b) if such paragraph were applied by substituting “the Internal Revenue Service” for “an agency”. The Internal Revenue Service shall not be included in the determination under section 5384(b)(3) of the aggregate amount of performance awards payable to career senior executives in the Department of the Treasury other than the Internal Revenue Service.
(e)Notwithstanding section 5307, a performance bonus award may not be paid to an executive in a calendar year if, or to the extent that, the executive’s total annual compensation will exceed the maximum amount of total annual compensation payable at the rate determined under section 104 of title 3.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, referred to in subsec. (b), is Pub. L. 103–62, Aug. 3, 1993, 107 Stat. 285, which enacted section 306 of this title, sections 1115 to 1119, 9703, and 9704 of Title 31, Money and Finance, and sections 2801 to 2805 of Title 39, Postal Service, amended section 1105 of Title 31, and enacted provisions set out as notes under section 1101 and 1115 of Title 31. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 1993 Amendment note set out under section 1101 of Title 31 and Tables.

Amendments

2013—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 113–6 substituted “Before
September 30, 2013” for “Before
July 23, 2013”. 2007—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–161 substituted “Before
July 23, 2013” for “For a period of 10 years after the date of enactment of this section”. 2003—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 108–7 substituted “Such amount may not exceed the maximum amount which would be allowable under paragraph (3) of section 5384(b) if such paragraph were applied by substituting ‘the Internal Revenue Service’ for ‘an agency’.” for “Such amount may not exceed an amount equal to 5 percent of the aggregate amount of basic pay paid to career senior executives in the Internal Revenue Service during the preceding fiscal year.” 2002—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–217 substituted “subtitle III of title 40” for “division E of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–106; 110 Stat. 679)”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2003 Amendment Pub. L. 108–7, div. J, title VI, § 645(b), Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 474, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply with respect to fiscal years beginning after September 30, 2002.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 9505

Title 5Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73