§16298c National Energy Technology Laboratory Reforms

Summary

Gives the Director of the National Energy Technology Laboratory authority to hire scientists, engineers, or business experts outside normal civil service rules to meet specific project needs. The Director may set their basic pay up to level II of the Executive Schedule (see section 5313 of title 5). The Director may also give additional payments, but the extra pay in any 12‑month period cannot be more than the smallest of $25,000, 25% of the employee’s annual basic pay, or the calendar‑year limit in section 5307(a)(1) of title 5. Those hires may serve no more than 3 years, and no more than 10 full‑time such employees may work at the lab at the same time. Starting in fiscal year 2021, the lab may get lab‑directed research and development (LDRD) funding. Each year the Secretary may move up to the same LDRD rate used for other National Laboratories into a special fund for LDRD. That fund is for LDRD only, is run by the Secretary, does not expire each year, and is not subject to appropriation. The Director must follow Department of Energy Order 413.2C (dated August 2, 2018, or a successor) when doing LDRD. The Secretary must report each year to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives on how the authority was used. The Secretary must give the Director control of the lab’s human resources to help carry out these rules. Not later than 2 years after December 27, 2020, the Secretary must send those same two committees a report assessing the lab’s science and management, reviewing the hiring and LDRD authorities, and recommending Department policy or legislative changes.