Audit of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Recruiting and Retention Activities

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Date Issued

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Submitting OIG

Nuclear Regulatory Commission OIG

Agencies Reviewed/Investigated

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Report Number

OIG-NRC-25-A-03

Report Type

Audit

Agency Wide

Yes

Number of Recommendations

Questioned Costs

Funds for Better Use

Report updated under NDAA 5274

Open Recommendations

This report has 1 open recommendations.

Recommendation Number	Significant Recommendation	Recommended Questioned Costs	Recommended Funds for Better Use	Additional Details
2.3	Yes	$0	$0	On May 29, 2025, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued the Merit Hiring Plan for the Federal government (https://www.opm.gov/chcoc/latestmemos/merit-hiring-plan.pdf). Pursuant to the Merit Hiring Plan, the agency is required to submit periodic staffing plans. The agency submitted the OPM-required Annual Staffing Plan on December 16, 2025, and received notification on January 21, 2026, that the staffing plan was approved by OPM and the Office of Management and Budget. The approved staffing plan ends the agency’s hiring freeze and authorizes NRC to begin managing the workforce pursuant to the submitted plan and hiring goals outlined in the Merit Hiring Plan. In keeping with the Merit Hiring Plan, the agency is focusing on early-career and STEM recruitment, and implementation of reforms to the Federal recruitment process. In response to OIG recommendation 2.3, the agency continues to use recruitment and hiring flexibilities authorized under section 161d of the Atomic Energy Act, the ADVANCE Act of 2024, as well as retention and recruitment incentives. The goals set out in the Merit Hiring Plan and the ADVANCE Act are intended to expand the agency’s ability to recruit and retain staff to meet critical mission needs, particularly in technical fields. The flexibilities provided are essential to the Agency’s ability to implement its restructuring plan and to recruit and retain for future hiring needs. OIG Analysis: The NRC’s planned actions meet the intent of the recommendation. The OIG will close the recommendation upon verification that the agency’s excepted service authority has been expanded. This recommendation remains open and resolved. Agency Response Dated July 29, 2025: The NRC continues to incorporate expanded authorities granted in the ADVANCE Act and recent direction in the Office of Personnel Management’s May 29, 2025, Merit Hiring Plan to broaden the agency’s recruitment and retention strategy. The agency is positioned to fully use the agency’s excepted service authority when the federal hiring freeze is lifted. OIG Analysis: The NRC’s planned actions meet the intent of the recommendation. The OIG will close the recommendation upon verification that the agency’s excepted service authority has been expanded. This recommendation remains open and resolved. Agency Response Dated January 17, 2025: NRC initiated an evaluation of the Hiring Process in August 2024. The evaluation is being conducted by the internal hiring process assessment team and its contractor, AvantGarde. Updated procedures addressing the OIG recommendation will be developed based on the evaluation’s findings. OIG Analysis: The proposed actions meet the intent of the recommendation. The OIG will close the recommendation after verifying that the NRC develops plans to expand its excepted service authority. This recommendation remains open and resolved.
Develop plans to expand the use of the NRC’s excepted service authority.