124 STAT. 3173 PUBLIC LAW 111–292—DEC. 9, 2010 ‘‘(i) provide for the effective and appropriate functioning of the program; and ‘‘(ii) ensure that— ‘‘(I) reasonable technological or other alternatives to employee travel are used before requiring employee travel, including teleconferencing, videoconferencing or internet- based technologies; ‘‘(II) the program is applied consistently and equitably throughout the Patent and Trademark Office; and ‘‘(III) an optimal operating standard is developed and implemented for maximizing the use of the telework arrangement described under paragraph (2) while mini- mizing agency travel expenses and employee travel require- ments. ‘‘(5)(A) The test program under this subsection shall be designed to enhance cost savings or other efficiencies that accrue to the Government. ‘‘(B) The Director of the Patent and Trademark Office shall— ‘‘(i) prepare an analysis of the expected costs and bene- fits and a set of criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the program; and ‘‘(ii) before the test program is implemented, submit the analysis and criteria to the Administrator of General Services and to the appropriate committees of Congress. ‘‘(C) With respect to an employee of the Patent and Trademark Office who voluntarily relocates from the pre-existing duty station of that employee, the operating procedures of the program may include a reasonable maximum number of occasional visits to the pre-existing duty station before that employee is eligible for pay- ment of any accrued travel expenses by the Office. ‘‘(g) The authority to conduct test programs under this section shall expire 7 years after the date of the enactment of the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010.’’. (b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 5710 the following: ‘‘5711. Authority for telework travel expenses test programs.’’. SEC. 4. TELEWORK RESEARCH. (a) RESEARCH BY OPM ON TELEWORK.—The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall— (1) research the utilization of telework by public and private sector entities that identify best practices and recommendations for the Federal Government; (2) review the outcomes associated with an increase in telework, including the effects of telework on energy consump- tion, job creation and availability, urban transportation pat- terns, and the ability to anticipate the dispersal of work during periods of emergency; and (3) make any studies or reviews performed under this subsection available to the public. (b) USE OF CONTRACT TO CARRY OUT RESEARCH.—The Director of the Office of Personnel Management may carry out subsection (a) under a contract entered into by the Director using competitive procedures under section 303 of the Federal Property and Adminis- trative Services Act of 1949 (41 U.S.C. 253). 5 USC 6501 note. Expiration date. Criteria. Cost analysis.
