Quick Hits

*** The Office of Personnel Management plans to issue draft changes to General Schedule qualification policies by Aug. 21, in keeping with a June 2020 executive order. The order is aimed at eliminating "unnecessary obstacles" to federal employment by focusing on skill assessments over credentials like college degrees. In a July 31 memo to agency heads, Michael Rigas, acting head of OPM, told agencies to name points of contact for discussion of the new policy and get ready to participate in "listening sessions" with human resources leaders inside and outside of government. Implementation of the new policy is scheduled for Dec. 24, 2020.

*** The General Services Administration is a little more than halfway through its three-phased approach to consolidate its many Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contracts into a single solicitation and contract for products, services and solutions. It said on Aug. 3 that it had completed its second phase of the consolidation on the last day of July with almost 100% of contractors signing off on contract updates that streamline terms and conditions for the new MAS solicitation. A third phase, it said in the statement, has begun which will consolidate current schedule-holders' multiple contracts.