Public-Private Talent Experience

PPTE provides a platform for mid-career employees from the private sector and government to enhance mutual understanding of business operations and innovative best practices. This professional development program targets high-performers with demonstrated leadership aptitude. Ideally, a reciprocal approach will be used: one government participant for each private sector participant; however, this is not a job swap. Experience participants will continue to be paid and remain an employee of their current company throughout the experience.

The opportunities for program participants are significant. Participants will work on-site with one of the program’s partner agencies or companies.

Previous industry partners include:
Accenture | Amazon | Ball Aerospace | Boeing | Booz Allen Hamilton | Deloitte | General Atomics Aeronautical Systems | General Dynamics | Guidehouse | Lockheed Martin | National Defense Industrial Association | National Industries for the Blind | Northrop Grumman | Raytheon | SAIC | Sterling Foods | Virgin Orbit

Previous DoD partners include:
OSD | Army | Navy | Air Force | DoD Agencies

Hosts will learn about industry/government practices and gain strategic insights from the point of view of experience participants working on-site. This knowledge can be implemented to optimize operational efficiency and improve relationships with industry/government partners. Additionally, the experience will broaden participants’ perspectives through exposure to operations and innovations exclusive to their detail, which can be shared with leadership and leveraged by their home organization.

PPTE program participants are high-performing, mid-career professionals (10-15 years' experience preferred, or GS-12-15 or broadband equivalent). At a minimum, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- U.S. Citizen
- Able to commit to a six-month assignment
- Annual base salary (not including locality pay and other bonuses) does not exceed at or above 86.5% of the current basic rate for Executive Schedule Level II
- Supervisory and Human Resources approval
- Active Secret clearance (strongly preferred)

The PPTE, as articulated in Section 1599g of title 10, U.S.C., allows the Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of a private-sector organization and the consent of the employee, to arrange for the temporary assignment (detail) of a DoD civilian employee to that private-sector organization, or an employee of their private-sector organization to the DoD.

If you are representing an interested government agency or industry organization, and are responsible for facilitating the placement of an employee or hosting an experience participant, below are links to the documents to assist your participation in the program.

GETTING STARTED
Checklist
Playbook
Starter Kit

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION
Standard MOA
Acknowledgement Form Template
Continued Service Agreement (government only)
DISQUALIFICATION STATEMENT (industry only)
Experience Plan Template

Click here for more FAQs.

1. What authority establishes this Program?
   A: The Public-Private Talent Experience (PPTE), as articulated in Section 1599g of title 10, U.S.C., provides a platform for Department of Defense (DoD) and private sector participants to increase communication and gain a better understanding of comparative business operations and challenges. The PPTE authority and implementation plan was published on July 19, 2018.
   
   DSD Implementation Memo
   
   
2. How is the PPTE authority used?
   A: This authority provides that the Secretary of Defense may, with the agreement of a private-sector organization and the consent of the employee, arrange for the temporary assignment of an employee to such private-sector organization, or from such private-sector organization to a DoD organization.
   
   
3. Who does this authority apply to?
   A: The authority applies to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the DoD.
   
   
4. Does the Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 1000.17, Detail of DoD Personnel to Duty Outside the Department of Defense, and DoDI 1100.23, Detail of Personnel to OSD apply to the PPTE?
   A: No, DoDIs 1000.17 and 1100.23 do not apply to the PPTE. DoD employees will be considered to be on detail during the period of assignment in accordance with section 1599g of title 10, U.S.C.
   
   
5. Is this a job swap?
   A: The program is a two-way public-private experience. This is not a job swap – it uses a reciprocal approach; that is, one government participant for each industry participant.
   
   
6. Who may be considered for a PPTE assignment?
   A: The PPTE is open to DoD civilian employees at the General Schedule grade 12 through 15 (or equivalent) and at the Federal Wage System journeyman level and above. DoD employees and private-sector employees must have knowledge, skills, and abilities to be considered a subject matter expert in their occupational field and perform and meet or exceed all performance standards established at the fully successful level or above.
   
   
7. What is the duration of a PPTE assignment and can it be extended?
   A: The average expected length of an assignment is 6 months. An assignment will not be less than 3 months and may not exceed 2 years. Extensions beyond 2 years and up to a total of 4 years may be made to meet critical mission or program requirements. In no case may an assignment exceed a total of 4 years.
   
   An assignment may, at any time and for any reason, be terminated by the DoD or the private-sector organization concerned. Where possible, the party terminating the assignment prior to the agreed upon end date should provide 30 days advance written notice to the other party along with a statement of reasons.
   
   
8. What agreement is required between the DoD Component, the private-sector organization, and the participant?
   A: The DoD Component, the private-sector organization, and participant must complete a written memorandum of agreement (MOA) which describes the rights, responsibilities and other terms of the agreement.
   
   DoD employees must complete either a Confidential or Public Financial Disclosure Report, whichever applies; a continued service obligation agreement; ethics training in accordance with the Office of Government Ethics regulations; and all other applicable training requirements prior to the implementation of the MOA.
   
   Private-sector participants must complete either a Confidential or Public Financial Disclosure Report, whichever applies; a disqualification statement prohibiting the private-sector employee from working on matters related to his or her private-sector organization; and ethics training in accordance with Office of Government Ethics regulations prior to the implementation of the MOA.
   
   Standard MOA
   
   
9. Can approval authority be delegated below the component Secretaries?
   A: The authority, in paragraph 1.b., to assign DoD employees to private-sector organizations and to approve assignments of private-sector employees to DoD organizations under the PPTE program may be exercised by the Secretaries of the military Departments and Directors of Defense Agencies and DoD Field Activities with independent appointing authority for themselves and their serviced organizations, as defined by their respective DoD chartering directives and the Chief Management Officer (CMO) for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). In essence, the Components can decide who will approve the PPTE assignments. According to DoD Office of General Counsel (OGC), since this language does not state authority is delegated, it is assumed authority is delegated.
   
   
10. Who pays the PPTE participant’s salary while on assignment?
    A: PPTE participants will continue to receive pay and benefits from their home organization and will not receive pay or benefits from the receiving organization. There is a salary cap at $172,500 through December 31, 2021, due to post-government employment restrictions and so that “cooling off” periods are not triggered. This cap refers only to a participant’s base salary – it does not include bonuses and/or benefits. Travel and training expenses during the assignment are usually covered by the home organization but there is flexibility for the host organization to cover those expenses if necessary. Such an agreement between host and home organizations should be discussed in advance of signing the MOA.
    
    
11. What service obligation is required of DoD participants after an assignment has been completed?
    A: Upon completion of the PPTE assignment, DoD participants will serve in the DoD for a period equal to twice the length of the assignment or, with advance written approval by the Heads of the DoD Components, will serve elsewhere in the Federal civil service for a period equal to twice the length of their assignment.
    
    CONTINUED SERVICE AGREEMENT (government only)
    
    
12. Can private-sector participants supervise DoD employees?
    A: No. Private-sector participants may not supervise DoD employees. This includes, but is not limited to, restrictions on evaluating performance, approving time and attendance, granting awards, or executing disciplinary actions.