Competitive Service Act of 2015

Summary: (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on February 29, 2016.  Competitive Service Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) This bill authorizes an appointing authority (i.e., a federal agency appointing an individual to a position in the competitive service), other than the appointing authority that requested a certificate of eligibles for filling a position, to select an individual from that certificate for appointment to a position that is: (1) in the same occupational series as the position for which the certificate of eligibles was issued, and (2) at a similar grade level as the original position. The appointing authority must select an individual from the certificate of eligibles within 240 days after the issuance of the certificate. The bill sets forth further requirements relating to the sharing of certificates by agencies, notice to agency employees of available positions, and alternative ranking and selection procedures for job applicants. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
    This Act may be cited as the ``Competitive Service Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL APPOINTING AUTHORITIES FOR COMPETITIVE SERVICE.
    (a) In General.--Section 3318 of title 5, United States Code, is 
amended--
        (1) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections (c) 
    and (d), respectively; and
        (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
    ``(b) Other Appointing Authorities.--
        ``(1) In general.--During the 240-day period beginning on the 
    date of issuance of a certificate of eligibles under section 
    3317(a), an appointing authority other than the appointing 
    authority requesting the certificate (in this subsection referred 
    to as the `other appointing authority') may select an individual 
    from that certificate in accordance with this subsection for an 
    appointment to a position that is--
            ``(A) in the same occupational series as the position for 
        which the certification of eligibles was issued (in this 
        subsection referred to as the `original position'); and
            ``(B) at a similar grade level as the original position.
        ``(2) Applicability.--An appointing authority requesting a 
    certificate of eligibles may share the certificate with another 
    appointing authority only if the announcement of the original 
    position provided notice that the resulting list of eligible 
    candidates may be used by another appointing authority.
        ``(3) Requirements.--The selection of an individual under 
    paragraph (1)--
            ``(A) shall be made in accordance with subsection (a); and
            ``(B) subject to paragraph (4), may be made without any 
        additional posting under section 3327.
        ``(4) Internal notice.--Before selecting an individual under 
    paragraph (1), and subject to the requirements of any collective 
    bargaining obligation of the other appointing authority, the other 
    appointing authority shall--
            ``(A) provide notice of the available position to employees 
        of the other appointing authority;
            ``(B) provide up to 10 business days for employees of the 
        other appointing authority to apply for the position; and
            ``(C) review the qualifications of employees submitting an 
        application.
        ``(5) Collective bargaining obligations.--Nothing in this 
    subsection limits any collective bargaining obligation of an agency 
    under chapter 71.''.
    (b) Alternative Ranking and Selection Procedures.--Section 3319 of 
title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (c) and 
inserting the following:
    ``(c) Selection.--
        ``(1) In general.--An appointing official may select any 
    applicant in the highest quality category or, if fewer than 3 
    candidates have been assigned to the highest quality category, in a 
    merged category consisting of the highest and the second highest 
    quality categories.
        ``(2) Use by other appointing officials.--Under regulations 
    prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management, appointing 
    officials other than the appointing official described in paragraph 
    (1) (in this subsection referred to as the `other appointing 
    official') may select an applicant for an appointment to a position 
    that is--
            ``(A) in the same occupational series as the position for 
        which the certification of eligibles was issued (in this 
        subsection referred to as the `original position'); and
            ``(B) at a similar grade level as the original position.
        ``(3) Applicability.--An appointing authority requesting a 
    certificate of eligibles may share the certificate with another 
    appointing authority only if the announcement of the original 
    position provided notice that the resulting list of eligible 
    candidates may be used by another appointing authority.
        ``(4) Requirements.--The selection of an individual under 
    paragraph (2)--
            ``(A) shall be made in accordance with this subsection; and
            ``(B) subject to paragraph (5), may be made without any 
        additional posting under section 3327.
        ``(5) Internal notice.--Before selecting an individual under 
    paragraph (2), and subject to the requirements of any collective 
    bargaining obligation of the other appointing authority (within the 
    meaning given that term in section 3318(b)(1)), the other 
    appointing official shall--
            ``(A) provide notice of the available position to employees 
        of the appointing authority employing the other appointing 
        official;
            ``(B) provide up to 10 business days for employees of the 
        other appointing authority to apply for the position; and
            ``(C) review the qualifications of employees submitting an 
        application.
        ``(6) Collective bargaining obligations.--Nothing in this 
    subsection limits any collective bargaining obligation of an agency 
    under chapter 71.
        ``(7) Preference eligibles.--Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and 
    (2), an appointing official may not pass over a preference eligible 
    in the same category from which selection is made, unless the 
    requirements of section 3317(b) and 3318(c), as applicable, are 
    satisfied.''.
    (c) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--Section 9510(b)(5) of 
title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking ``3318(b)'' and 
inserting ``3318(c)''.
    (d) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall 
issue an interim final rule with comment to carry out the amendments 
made by this section.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.