Amendment to Temporary Transitional Senior Executive Service Appointment Authorities

MEMORANDUM TO: Heads and Acting Heads of Departments and Agencies FROM: Charles Ezell, Acting Director, U.S. Office of Personnel Management DATE: February 18, 2025 RE: Amendment to Temporary Transitional Senior Executive Service Appointment Authorities

Pursuant to the January 20, 2025, U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Memorandum entitled Temporary Transition Schedule C and Schedule C Authorities and Noncareer Senior Executive Service Appointing Authorities, OPM granted a temporary allocation of noncareer Senior Executive Service appointment authorities to facilitate the Presidential transition. Appointments under these authorities were not to exceed 30 days. Since that time, several agencies have identified their need for additional time for these appointees to effect transition in agency policies and programs and to complete pre-appointment actions. In response to agency requests, we are providing this supplemental memorandum to update OPM instructions regarding use of the authorities provided on January 20, 2025. Effective immediately, the noncareer SES appointment authorities issued under the memorandum of January 20, 2025, are extended to each agency solely for use in making temporary transition noncareer SES appointments. Subject to statutory limits under 5 U.S.C. § 3134(d) on noncareer appointments in each agency, these authorities may be used to make noncareer SES appointments for transition purposes until May 31, 2025. An appointment made under this authority may not exceed May 31, 2025, or 60 days after the appointment date, whichever is later. The appointment authority provided in this memorandum will revert to OPM on May 31, 2025, unless, on that date, it is being used for a temporary transition noncareer SES appointment. In that case, the authority will revert to OPM when the appointment ends. The SF-50 initiating an appointment shall include remarks noting the temporary appointment with a “Not to Exceed” date consistent with the instructions in this memorandum, which may serve as the removal notice required by 5 C.F.R. § 359.902. Agencies shall notify OPM within five business days of an appointment by entering the appointment into the Executive and Schedule C System (ESCS) and submitting the completed OPM Form 1652 generated by the system. Agencies shall also notify OPM within three business days when the appointment ends, by vacating the position in ESCS.

For an individual the agency wishes to retain beyond May 31, 2025, or 60 days after the appointment date, whichever is later, the agency should request OPM approval for a noncareer authority that is not time-limited, or other appropriate appointing authority, as soon as possible to enable timely approval and avoid a break in service. A request may be initiated by entering a new request through ESCS and submitting the completed OPM Form 1652 generated by the system. As a reminder, regarding Temporary Transitional Schedule C (TTC), an individual may be appointed to a TTC position for a period of up to 120 days, and this period may be further extended once for an additional 120 days without OPM approval. Agencies shall notify OPM within five business days of each appointment by entering the appointment into the ESCS and submitting the completed OPM Form 1019 generated by ESCS. Agencies shall ensure all appropriate fields are completed in the form and the certification statement is signed and dated by the department/agency head or designee. Agencies shall notify OPM within three business days when a TTC position is vacated, by submitting a completed OPM Form 1019. Please do not hesitate to contact OPM if you have any questions regarding this matter at NCAP@opm.gov. cc: Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs), Deputy CHCOs, Human Resources Directors, and Chiefs of Staff