GSA Student Loan Repayment Plan

Purpose: 

This Order contains the agency’s Student Loan Repayment Plan. It proscribes the rules and procedures regarding how to use this authority to address difficult staffing challenges during recruitment or retention.

Background: 

This Order helps to implement the statutory authority for Federal agencies found at 5 U.S.C. § 5379 and the regulations found at 5 CFR Part 537. Each agency must have an implementation plan in order to use this authority. 

Applicability: 

This Order applies to all GSA employees with the following exceptions:

1. The Office of Inspector General (OIG), given its independence under the Inspector General Reform Act of 2008 (5 U.S.C. §§ 401-424).

Cancellation: 

1. This Order cancels the prior Order, version 9537.1B, GSA Student Loan Repayment Plan 

Summary of Changes: 

1. This Order includes certain Administration-provided policy language related to Excepted Service Schedule F (i.e. Schedule Policy/Career), authorized under Executive Order 14171 and the final rule, Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service, 91 FR 5580 (February 6, 2026).
2. This Order limits the agency to single-year approvals, which has been the agency’s historical past operational practice; and
3. This Order provides the Chief Human Capital Officer with delegated authority to approve student loan repayment incentive requests. In the past, since 2012, such packages had required the dual approval of the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Human Capital Officer.

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. This authority is implemented via coordination between a line or staff office and the Office of Human Resources Management.
2. Student loan repayment approval involves the following individuals:
   1. The Requesting Official, who is either an existing employee’s supervisor or a hiring official;
   2. The Reviewing Official, who is the Head of Staff or Service Office, or his or her designee; and
   3. The Approving Official, who is the Chief Human Capital Officer within the Office of Human Resources Management.