5 C.F.R. § 470.301 – Program expectations.

(a) Demonstration projects permit the Office of Personnel Management and Federal agencies to test alternative personnel management concepts in controlled situations to determine the likely effects and ramifications of proposed changes before putting them into general effect. OPM will assist agencies, within available resources, in developing projects which demonstrate new or improved personnel methods.
(b) The demonstration project must be proposed in a research context. The project plan must include a research design which contains:
1. (1) Measurable goals or objectives;
2. (2) Acceptable expected results or outcomes;
3. (3) A description of the procedures, methods and techniques to be demonstrated in achieving the desired goals or objectives;
4. (4) An evaluation section describing the data collection and analysis procedures to be used to assess the success or failure of the project from a qualitative and quantitative standpoint; and
5. (5) An itemization of all costs and benefits associated with the project, to the agency, the Government, and the community.
(c) OPM may establish and maintain activities which publish, exchange and apply the results of demonstration projects.
(d) OPM may seek legislation, or to the extent already authorized by law, make changes in regulation to implement permanently successful procedures, techniques, new management knowledge, and materials which improve personnel management programs or techniques.