[Decision Concerning Compensation of OTA Employees Under P.L. 92-484]

The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) requested a decision concerning its authority under the Technology Assessment Act to fix the compensation of all OTA employees. Although GAO concurred that the act authorized OTA to establish salaries and compensation levels for OTA employees without regard to the general schedule for federal employees, it did not concur with the OTA interpretation that OTA was authorized to do so without regard to the levels that Congress established. GAO held that OTA employees were: (1) congressional staff members; and (2) subject to the provisions of the act and congressional regulations governing personnel appointments and classifications.