---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 8547"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "8547"
heading: "Report on contract positions at National Weather Service"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/8547"
units:
  - "Chapter 111 — Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation"
  - "Subchapter III — Federal Weather Coordination"
---

# §8547. Report on contract positions at National Weather Service

- (a) **Report required—** Not later than 180 days after April 18, 2017, the [Under Secretary](/usc/15/8501.md?p=4) shall submit to Congress a report on the use of contractors at the National Weather Service for the most recently completed fiscal year.
- (b) **Contents—** The report required by [subsection (a)](#a) shall include, with respect to the most recently completed fiscal year, the following:
  - (1) The total number of full-time equivalent employees at the National Weather Service, disaggregated by each equivalent level of the General Schedule.
  - (2) The total number of full-time equivalent contractors at the National Weather Service, disaggregated by each equivalent level of the General Schedule that most closely approximates their duties.
  - (3) The total number of vacant positions at the National Weather Service on the day before April 18, 2017, disaggregated by each equivalent level of the General Schedule.
  - (4) The five most common positions filled by full-time equivalent contractors at the National Weather Service and the equivalent level of the General Schedule that most closely approximates the duties of such positions.
  - (5) Of the positions identified under [paragraph (4)](#b-4), the percentage of full-time equivalent contractors in those positions that have held a prior position at the National Weather Service or another entity in National[^1] Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/15/636e.md?p=1).
  - (6) The average full-time equivalent salary for Federal employees at the National Weather Service for each equivalent level of the General Schedule.
  - (7) The average salary for full-time equivalent contractors performing at each equivalent level of the General Schedule at the National Weather Service.
  - (8) A description of any actions taken by the [Under Secretary](/usc/15/8501.md?p=4) to respond to the issues raised by the Inspector General of the Department of Commerce regarding the hiring of former National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/15/636e.md?p=1) employees as contractors at the National Weather Service such as the issues raised in the Investigative Report dated June 2, 2015 (OIG–12–0447).
- (c) **Annual publication—** For each fiscal year after the fiscal year covered by the report required by [subsection (a)](#a), the [Under Secretary](/usc/15/8501.md?p=4) shall, not later than 180 days after the completion of the fiscal year, publish on a publicly accessible Internet website the information described in paragraphs [(1)](#b-1) through [(8)](#b-8) of subsection (b) for such fiscal year.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be preceded by “the”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 115–25, title IV, § 410, Apr. 18, 2017, 131 Stat. 112.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The General Schedule, referred to in subsec. (b), is set out under section 5332 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.