New Retirement System Gets a Test Drive

The system has been developed by Hewitt Associates, with a "defined benefits technology solution" that is based on systems used for large private companies and that has been modified to meet federal requirements and policies. It will calculate retirement benefits and provide employees with information about their retirement options.

Other contractors, including Integic, Accenture and BearingPoint, have played key roles in converting paper personnel records to electronic files, helping manage the project and test and evaluate the system.

Cleaning up paper records -- restoring missing information, translating writing in margins, and verifying dates and other data -- was probably the most time-consuming challenge of the conversion, Springer said. "We didn't know the data would be that bad."

But OPM employees on the project worked extra hours from December through this month so that the first phase could start as planned, Springer said.

Subsequent phases will cover the Postal Service, the rest of the executive branch, and the legislative and judicial branches. That's about 2.7 million employees.

Deadline Near for Federal Medals

With this year's Oscars in the history book, it's time to move on to the Sammies.

The nonprofit Partnership for Public Service is accepting nominations for the 2008 Service to America Medals, known as Sammies, through March 10.

The awards are accompanied by cash prizes of $3,000 to $10,000. All career civilian federal employees are eligible, and anyone may submit a nomination.

Eight medals will be awarded, including for work in national security, law enforcement and the environment. One medal also will honor the Federal Employee of the Year. Winners will be selected based on the impact of their work, on-the-job innovation and commitment to public service.

For information, go to http://www.servicetoamericamedals.org.