Missle Defense Agency

U.S Department of Defense

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National Security Personnel System (NSPS)

Helping you progress helps us perform

The National Security Personnel System (NSPS) is a human resource management system that provides the Department of Defense (DoD) with tools to compensate and reward its employees. NSPS enhances the MDA’s mission by helping us attract and retain the best employees, by promoting broader skill development and advancement opportunities within pay bands. The NSPS provides the tools that help you as an MDA employee to progress throughout your career.

The NSPS helps a Total Force (military, civilian personnel, Reserve, Guard, and contractors) operate as a single cohesive unit, with each member performing the work most suitable to his or her skills, further enhancing our joint mission.

Three concepts are core to the system:

  • Accountability: Employees are responsible for their own careers by taking ownership of their performance. Both employees and their supervisors have open communications to ensure employees know what is expected.
  • Flexibility: NSPS is a simplified, adaptable management system that matches the right people with the right jobs at the right time.
  • Results: Individual performance and contribution are recognized with salary increases and bonuses. Employee results help the MDA achieve its own organizational goals as well as the DoD’s overall mission.

NSPS promotes a culture in which the contributions of the Department’s civilian employees are more accurately and fully recognized and rewarded. This system establishes a pay range for each pay band, with a minimum and a maximum pay rate. Pay ranges adjust periodically, generally in January each year. When the rate ranges go up, employees with ratings above “unacceptable” will receive the increase, in addition to their earned performance rating salary change and/or their bonus. Further details about the various aspects of the NSPS are available at www.cpms.osd.mil/nsps.