(2) ELIGIBILITY PERIOD.—The Director shall 
establish an eligibility period during which agencies 
may appoint Fellow finalists. 
(b) EXTENSIONS.—In accordance with criteria estab-
lished by an agency, the agency may extend the term of 
a Fellow for not more than 120 days to cover a rare or 
unusual circumstance. 
(c) GRADE.—An agency may appoint a Fellow at the 
GS–09, GS–11, or GS–12 level (or any equivalent under 
a pay and classification system other than the General 
Schedule, such as the Federal Wage System) depending 
on the qualifications of the Fellow. 
(d) TRIAL PERIOD.—The duration of the appoint-
ment of a Fellow in the excepted service shall be consid-
ered to be a trial period, but not a probationary period. 
(e) WORK SCHEDULES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the other provi-
sions of this subsection, a Fellow shall have a full- 
time work schedule. 
(2) PART-TIME SCHEDULES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A Fellow may request 
a part-time work schedule for a limited period 
of not more than 180 days, which the agency 
may approve if— 
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(i) the agency and the Fellow have de-
termined that such approval would not 
negatively impact the ability of the Fellow 
to meet all Program requirements by the 
end of the appointment of the Fellow; and 
(ii) the agency includes an approval of 
a specific time period during which the 
part-time work schedule applies that the 
agency determines to be appropriate. 
(B) UPDATING OF AGREEMENT.—The Pro-
gram agreement of a Fellow shall be updated 
with the new work schedule of the Fellow upon 
the approval of any part-time schedule under 
subparagraph (A). 
(C) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
this paragraph may be construed to entitle a 
Fellow to the approval of a request for a part- 
time work schedule. 
(f) RELATIONSHIP TO DIRECT-HIRE AUTHORITY.— 
Notwithstanding any provision of section 3115 or 3116 
of title 5, United States Code, an appointment by an agen-
cy under the Program shall be considered to be an ap-
pointment made using the authority provided to the agen-
cy under the applicable section. 
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SEC. 6. DEVELOPMENT, EVALUATION, PROMOTION, AND 
CERTIFICATION. 
(a) INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS.—Not later 
than 90 days after the date on which the Program begins 
in a fiscal year, the head of each agency shall approve 
an Individual Development Plan (referred to in this sec-
tion as an ‘‘IDP’’) for each Fellow serving under an ap-
pointment within the agency, which shall— 
(1) set forth the specific developmental activi-
ties that are mutually agreed upon by the Fellow 
and the supervisor of the Fellow; and 
(2) be developed in consultation with— 
(A) the supervisor of the Fellow; and 
(B)(i) the agency PMF Coordinator; or 
(ii) the mentor assigned to the Fellow, who 
shall not be required to be assigned by the 
agency. 
(b) REQUIRED DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES.— 
(1) GENERAL RESOURCES.— 
(A) OPM RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Direc-
tor shall provide, for each class or cohort of 
Fellows— 
(i) leadership development activities 
and general Program resources; and 
(ii) information on available training 
opportunities known to the Director. 
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(B) 
AGENCY
RESPONSIBILITIES.—Each 
agency shall provide to each class or cohort of 
Fellows appropriate agency-specific onboarding 
and employee orientation activities. 
(2) AGENCY TRAINING.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Each agency shall pro-
vide each Fellow serving under an appointment 
within the agency not fewer than 80 hours of 
formal interactive training per year that ad-
dresses the competencies outlined in the appli-
cable IDP. 
(B) CERTAIN TRAINING NOT INCLUDED.— 
Mandatory annual training, such as information 
security and ethics training, shall not count to-
ward the satisfaction of the requirement under 
subparagraph (A). 
(3) MENTORS.—Not later than 90 days after 
the start of an appointment of a Fellow, the applica-
ble agency shall assign the Fellow a mentor, who 
shall be a managerial employee of the agency outside 
the chain of command of the Fellow. 
(4) ASSIGNMENTS.—An agency shall provide 
each Fellow serving under an appointment within 
the agency with not less than 1 rotational or devel-
opmental assignment with full-time management or 
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technical responsibilities that is consistent with the 
IDP of the Fellow and the following: 
(A) Each Fellow shall receive not less than 
1 developmental assignment that is not shorter 
than 120 days and not longer than 180 days, 
which shall have management or technical re-
sponsibilities consistent with the IDP of the 
Fellow. 
(B)(i) The developmental assignment de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) may be within the 
organization of the Fellow, in another compo-
nent of the employing agency, or in another 
agency, as permitted by the employing agency. 
(ii) Each assignment described in this sub-
paragraph shall be in a different work unit led 
by a supervisor other than the usual supervisor 
of the Fellow. 
(C)(i) Each developmental assignment de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) shall provide a 
challenging work experience of a caliber appro-
priate for a participant in the flagship leader-
ship development program of the Federal Gov-
ernment. 
(ii) For the purposes of clause (i), an ap-
propriate developmental assignment may in-
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clude a project implementing a new executive 
order or major piece of legislation, agency reor-
ganization, or cross-agency collaboration on a 
major initiative. 
(5) SHORT-TERM
ASSIGNMENTS.—In addition 
to the assignments described in paragraph (4), a 
Fellow may receive another short-term rotational as-
signment, which— 
(A) shall be not shorter than 30 days and 
not longer than 180 days, at the discretion of 
the employing agency; and 
(B) may take place within the organization 
of the Fellow, in another component of the em-
ploying agency, or in another agency, as per-
mitted by the employing agency. 
(6) ASSESSMENT OF SUBSEQUENT CLASSES.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Upon the request of 
the Director, the employing agency shall make 
a Fellow available to assist in the assessment 
process for subsequent Program classes. 
(B) SATISFACTION OF TRAINING REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Any interactive training provided to a 
Fellow in connection with assisting the Director 
under subparagraph (A) may be counted toward 
the training requirement under paragraph (2). 
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(c) PROMOTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An employing agency may 
promote any Fellow who meets the qualification re-
quirements for the applicable position. 
(2) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
paragraph (1) may be construed to confer any enti-
tlement to a promotion. 
(d) CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
(A) ERB EVALUATION.—Not later than 45 
days before the date on which the Program 
ends in a fiscal year, each Executive Resources 
Board shall evaluate each Fellow serving under 
an appointment within the applicable agency 
and determine whether the Executive Resources 
Board can certify in writing that the Fellow 
met all of the requirements of the Program, in-
cluding the performance and developmental ex-
pectations set forth in the performance plan 
and IDP of the Fellow. 
(B) CONSULTATION PERMITTED.—In car-
rying out subparagraph (A), an Executive Re-
sources Board may consult with the mentor of 
a Fellow. 
(2) SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION.— 
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(A) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 30 
days before the date on which a Fellow com-
pletes the Program, an Executive Resources 
Board shall notify each Fellow serving under an 
appointment within the applicable agency re-
garding the decision of the Board with respect 
to certification of successful completion of the 
Program by the Fellow. 
(B) CONVERSION ELIGIBILITY.—A Fellow 
who the applicable Executive Resources Board 
certifies as having met all of the requirements 
of the Program shall be eligible for conversion 
in accordance with section 10. 
(C) FORWARDING TO OPM.—Each Execu-
tive Resources Board shall forward to the Di-
rector all certifications of the Board under this 
paragraph. 
(3) FAILURE TO CERTIFY.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—If an Executive Re-
sources Board decides not to certify a Fellow 
under this subsection, the Fellow may request 
reconsideration of that determination by the Di-
rector, if the Fellow, not later than 15 days 
after the date on which the Board makes that 
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decision, submits the request in writing with 
appropriate documentation and justification. 
(B) CONTINUATION
IN
PROGRAM.—With 
respect to a Fellow who has submitted a re-
quest for reconsideration under subparagraph 
(A)— 
(i) the Fellow may continue in the 
Program pending the outcome of that re-
quest; and 
(ii) the applicable agency shall con-
tinue to provide appropriate developmental 
activities to the Fellow during the period 
in which that request is pending. 
(C) INELIGIBILITY.—A Fellow who is not 
approved for certification under this subsection 
and who has not submitted a timely request for 
reconsideration under subparagraph (A), or 
whose request for reconsideration under that 
subparagraph (A) has been denied, shall not be 
eligible for conversion under section 10. 
SEC. 7. MOVEMENT BETWEEN AGENCIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—At any time during the appoint-
ment of a Fellow, the Fellow may move to another agency, 
if— 
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(1) the receiving agency meets all the require-
ments for participating in the Program; 
(2) the original agency releases the appointment 
of the Fellow to the receiving agency; and 
(3) the new employing agency appoints the Fel-
low without a break in service. 
(b) TERMS OF SERVICE.—Upon appointment by a 
new employing agency under subsection (a)(3)— 
(1) the Fellow shall not begin a new Program 
period; and 
(2) because there is no break in service, the 
time served by the Fellow under the previous Pro-
gram appointment shall apply towards the comple-
tion of the Program with the new employing agency. 
(c) NOTIFICATION REQUIRED.—An agency shall no-
tify the Director upon making an appointment described 
in subsection (a)(3). 
(d) REIMBURSEMENTS.—If a move under this section 
occurs during the first 180 days of the appointment of 
a Fellow, the initial employing agency may request from 
the new appointing agency reimbursement of 1⁄4 of the 
placement fee with respect to the Fellow. 
SEC. 8. WITHDRAWAL AND READMISSION. 
(a) WITHDRAWAL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
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(A) TREATMENT
OF
WITHDRAWAL.—A 
Fellow may withdraw from the Program at any 
time, which shall be treated as a resignation 
from the Federal service, except that any obli-
gations established upon appointment, such as 
from accepting a recruitment incentive under 
part 575 of title 5, Code of Federal Regula-
tions, or any successor regulations, shall still 
apply. 
(B) NOTIFICATION.—An agency shall no-
tify the Director when a Fellow within the 
agency withdraws from the Program. 
(2) COMPETITIVE SERVICE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A Fellow who held a 
permanent appointment in the competitive serv-
ice in an agency immediately before entering 
the Program, and who withdraws from the Pro-
gram for a reason that is not related to mis-
conduct, poor performance, or suitability, may, 
at the discretion of the employing agency, be 
placed in a permanent competitive service posi-
tion, as appropriate, in that agency. 
(B) NOT SUBJECT TO APPEAL.—The de-
termination of an agency under subparagraph 
(A) shall not be subject to appeal. 
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(b) READMISSION.— 
(1) NO READMISSION.—If a Fellow withdraws 
from the Program for a reason that relates to mis-
conduct, poor performance, or suitability, as deter-
mined by the employing agency, the individual may 
not be readmitted to the Program at any time. 
(2) PETITION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—If a Fellow withdraws 
from the Program for a reason that is not re-
lated to misconduct, poor performance, or suit-
ability, the individual may petition the original 
employing agency for readmission and re-
appointment to the Program. 
(B) 
REQUIREMENTS.—A 
petition 
sub-
mitted under subparagraph (A) shall be in writ-
ing and include the appropriate justification for 
the requested readmission and reappointment, 
and the applicable agency may approve or deny 
the request. 
(C) SUBMISSION TO OPM.—If, under sub-
paragraph (B), an agency approves a petition 
submitted under subparagraph (A), the agency 
shall submit that approved petition to the Di-
rector, which shall include the status of the ap-
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plicable individual in the Program upon read-
mission and reappointment. 
(D) OPM 
DISCRETION.—The Director, 
upon receipt of an approved petition under sub-
paragraph (C), may overrule the decision of the 
agency submitting that approved petition, and 
that decision of the Director shall not be sub-
ject to appeal. 
SEC. 9. REMOVAL AND REDUCTION IN FORCE. 
(a) REMOVAL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An agency may remove a 
Fellow for a reason related to misconduct, poor per-
formance, or suitability, upon which the agency shall 
submit to the Director written notification of the re-
moval. 
(2) END OF TERM.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—As a condition of em-
ployment, the appointment of a Fellow shall 
end at the end of the 2-year Program period, 
plus any agency-approved extension of the ap-
pointment of the Fellow under section 5(b), un-
less the Fellow is converted under section 10. 
(B) FAILURE TO CONVERT.—If an agency 
does not convert a Fellow at the end of the Pro-
gram, as provided in section 10, or extend the 
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appointment of the Fellow under section 5(b), 
the appointment of the Fellow shall expire on 
the date that is 30 days after the date on 
which, as applicable— 
(i) the certification for Program com-
pletion is denied under section 6(d)(3); or 
(ii) the Director denies a request sub-
mitted by an agency for an extension of 
the appointment. 
(b) REDUCTION IN FORCE.—Each Fellow shall be in 
the excepted service group II for purposes of section 
351.502 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, or any 
successor regulation. 
SEC. 10. CONVERSION TO THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—A Fellow shall complete the Pro-
gram within the time limits established under section 5, 
including any agency-approved extension under that sec-
tion, after which the Fellow may be converted under sub-
section (b). 
(b) CONVERSION.—An agency may convert, without 
a break in service, a Fellow who has been successfully cer-
tified under section 6(d)(2) to a term or permanent posi-
tion in the competitive service for which the Fellow is 
qualified. 
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(c) CONVERSION AT A DIFFERENT AGENCY.—A Fel-
low may be converted under subsection (b) to a position 
at a different agency if the following conditions are satis-
fied: 
(1) The original employing agency is unable to 
convert the Fellow to a position in the competitive 
service in the organizational unit of the agency in 
which the Fellow has served or another component 
within the agency— 
(A) including because of unforeseen budget 
constraints, a reorganization, the abolishment 
of positions, or any other appropriate reason; 
and 
(B) which is not because of the failure of 
the Fellow to obtain a certification under sec-
tion 6(d)(2) or because of the misconduct, poor 
performance, or suitability of the Fellow. 
(2) The conversion shall occur before the end of 
the Program period, as established under section 5, 
plus any agency-approved extension under that sec-
tion. 
(3) The position at the new agency shall have 
a full performance level that is equivalent to, or less 
than, the position to which the Fellow would have 
been converted at the original employing agency. 
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SEC. 11. FEDERAL EXECUTIVE BOARDS. 
(a) AUTHORITY AND STATUS.—There are established 
Federal Executive Boards— 
(1) to strengthen the management and adminis-
tration of executive branch activities in selected cen-
ters of field operations; and 
(2) which are organized and function under the 
authority of the Director. 
(b) LOCATIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Federal Executive Boards 
are established, or shall continue, as applicable, in 
the following metropolitan areas: 
(A) Albuquerque-Santa Fe. 
(B) Atlanta. 
(C) Baltimore. 
(D) Boston. 
(E) Buffalo. 
(F) Chicago. 
(G) Cincinnati. 
(H) Cleveland. 
(I) Dallas-Fort Worth. 
(J) Denver. 
(K) Detroit. 
(L) Honolulu. 
(M) Houston. 
(N) Kansas City. 
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(O) Los Angeles. 
(P) Miami. 
(Q) Minneapolis-St. Paul. 
(R) New Orleans. 
(S) New York. 
(T) Newark. 
(U) Philadelphia. 
(V) Pittsburgh. 
(W) Portland. 
(X) St. Louis. 
(Y) San Francisco. 
(Z) Seattle. 
(2) ACTION BY DIRECTOR.—The Director may 
dissolve, merge, or divide any of the Federal Execu-
tive Boards described in paragraph (1), or establish 
new Federal Executive Boards, as the Director de-
termines to be necessary, proper, or convenient. 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE.—The President 
shall direct the head of each agency to arrange for 
the leading officials of the field activities of the 
agency to participate personally in the work of Fed-
eral Executive Boards. 
(2) MEMBERS.— 
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(A) IN GENERAL.—The head of each agen-
cy shall designate— 
(i) by title of office, the principal re-
gional officer, if any, and the principal 
area officer, if any, who shall represent the 
agency on each Federal Executive Board; 
and 
(ii) by name and title of office, the 
special representative, if any, who shall 
represent the head of the agency on each 
Federal Executive Board. 
(B) DESIGNATIONS.—A designation made 
under subparagraph (A)— 
(i) shall be made in writing and trans-
mitted to the Director; 
(ii) may be transmitted through the 
Chair of a Federal Executive Board; and 
(iii) may be amended at any time by 
the head of the applicable agency. 
(3) ALTERNATE MEMBERS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Each member of a 
Federal Executive Board may designate any al-
ternate member, who shall attend meetings and 
otherwise serve in the absence of the member. 
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