# 2026-14703: Army Lab Offers Workers More Personnel Flexibility 2026-14703, Personnel Demonstration Project at the United States Army Communications-Electronics Command Software Engineering Center Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory (STRL), is a Federal Register notice from Defense Department published 2026-07-22, effective This proposal may not be implemented until a 30-day comment period is provided, comments addressed, and a final Federal Register notice published. To be considered, written comments must be submitted on or before August 21, 2026.; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-29). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14703 - As of: 2026-07-29 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-14703 - Title: Personnel Demonstration Project at the United States Army Communications-Electronics Command Software Engineering Center Science and Technology Reinvention Laboratory (STRL) - Type: Notice - Agencies: Defense Department - Citation: 91 FR 46081 - Published: 2026-07-22 - Effective: This proposal may not be implemented until a 30-day comment period is provided, comments addressed, and a final Federal Register notice published. To be considered, written comments must be submitted on or before August 21, 2026. - Comments close: 2026-08-21 - Significant: no - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: none - Last updated: 2026-07-29 ## In one line Army Lab Offers Workers More Personnel Flexibility ## Summary The Army’s Software Engineering Center is updating its personnel rules to give employees more flexibility and better ways to manage their jobs. This change affects workers at the Communications-Electronics Command and aims to keep things running smoothly after recent reorganizations. The new plan won’t start until after a 30-day comment period ending August 21, 2026, so everyone has a chance to weigh in. ## Abstract This Federal Register Notice (FRN) serves as notice of the proposed adoption of a new personnel demonstration project plan and flexibilities by the STRL comprised of the United States Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) Software Engineering Center (SEC), a successor STRL of the CECOM STRL. The CECOM STRL and, subsequent to reorganization, its two successor organizations--the CECOM SEC STRL and the Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Center (C5ISR) STRL--have successfully implemented the personnel demonstration project plan since October 30, 2001. Because the successor STRLs operate under different commands and internal operating procedures, the CECOM SEC STRL proposes to independently adopt, with some modifications, a similar personnel demonstration project plan that is applicable only to the CECOM STRL. ## Effects PRIA read - All Eligible CECOM SEC Civilians Included: benefit, medium. The STRL demonstration project will apply to all CECOM SEC civilian employees in the occupational series listed in Appendix A, including employees who were previously in bargaining units and those currently under the Acq Demo pay plan. The plan excludes Senior Executive Service (SES), Senior Level… - Conversion of Acq Demo Employees to STRL Demo: benefit, medium. CECOM SEC intends to convert employees currently participating in the Acquisition Demonstration (Acq Demo) pay plan into the STRL Demo pay plan so the entire workforce operates under a single STRL demonstration project. Leadership expects this single system to improve recruitment, retention, and mo… - Expanded DE-III Pay Band to GS-14 Step 10: benefit, high. The STRL Demo expands the DE-III pay band (Category 2) to include GS-12, step 1 through GS-14, step 10 for designated team leader, supervisor, and technical champion positions, allowing those positions to be paid up to the GS-14, step 10 equivalency. - Select IT 2210 Positions Moved to E&S Pay Band: benefit, medium. Certain IT Management (IT Specialist) positions in job series 2210 may be placed in the Engineering & Science (E&S) career path (DB pay plan) when they contribute to highly technical or scientific RDE programs, giving those positions pay band and salary growth opportunities comparable to engineers… - New Senior Scientific Technical Manager (SSTM) Band: benefit, high. The STRL Demo creates Senior Scientific Technical Manager (SSTM) positions managed under E&S pay band V (DB-V) for roles classified above GS-15 equivalency; these SSTM positions are distinct from SES, ST, and SL positions and are intended to expand career opportunities for senior technical leaders. - Pay‑for‑Performance Replaces Some Increases: benefit, medium. The STRL Demo uses an annual pay‑for‑performance (PFP) system—rather than traditional within‑grade increases—where payouts (base pay increases and/or bonuses or time‑off awards) are based on total performance scores; payouts must be made effective within 120 days after the end of the rating cycle a… - Minimum Funding for Pay Pools: 2% and 1%: benefit, high. The STRL Demo sets the funding floor for pay pools: at least 2.0 percent of total salary annually must be available for base pay increases, and funds for bonus payouts must be funded separately at no less than 1.0 percent of total salary annually. - Significant Accomplishment Rule for Top 15%: mixed, low. The STRL Demo specifies that the 'significant accomplishment' rule will apply only to non‑supervisory employees in the Engineering & Science (E&S) Band III whose base salary falls within the top 15 percent of that band. - Temporary Details to Higher Pay Bands: benefit, low. Employees detailed to a position in a higher pay band may be assigned non‑competitively for up to one year; assignments beyond one year require competitive procedures. - Sabbaticals and Training Opportunities Added: benefit, medium. The STRL Demo includes sabbaticals and support for academic degree, certificate, and critical skills training as part of employee development and incentives to attract and retain technical talent. - VERA/VSIP and Workforce Shaping Changes: mixed, medium. The STRL Demo includes changes to workforce shaping rules such as the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) and the Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP), which may be used to reshape the workforce under the project. - Classification Appeals Process for Employees: benefit, low. Employees may appeal determinations of career path, occupational series, position title, and pay band through a defined process: raise concerns to supervisors in writing, then to the Associate Director, then the SEC Director, and finally to the CECOM Deputy to the Commanding General if needed. ## Related documents - [2026-19160](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19160): Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 16, 17, and 35, 2026-09-18 - [2026-18317](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18317): Updated Definition of “Waters of the United States”, 2026-09-09 - [2026-11505](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-11505): DoD Assistance to Non-Government, Entertainment-Oriented Media Productions, 2026-06-09 - [2026-09067](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-09067): Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Mitigating Risks Related to Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (DFARS Case 2021-D0…, 2026-05-07 - [2026-09038](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-09038): Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (DFARS Case 2024-D021), 2026-05-07 - [2025-20402](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-20402): Updated Definition of “Waters of the United States”, 2025-11-20 ## Sources - [2026-14703 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/22/2026-14703/personnel-demonstration-project-at-the-united-states-army-communications-electronics-command) - [2026-14703 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-07-22/pdf/2026-14703.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-14702, Draft NUREG: Training Review Criteria and Procedures](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14702) - [Next: 2026-14704, Bulk Manufacturer of Controlled Substances Application: Cerilliant Corporation](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14704) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14703 (as of 2026-07-29).