(a) The Office of Personnel Management, after consulting with the agencies and with employee organizations, shall establish and maintain a job grading system for positions to which this subchapter applies. In carrying out this subsection, the Office shall—

(1) establish the basic occupational alinement and grade structure or structures for the job grading system;

(2) establish and define individual occupations and the boundaries of each occupation;

(3) establish job titles within occupations;

(4) develop and publish job grading standards; and

(5) provide a method to assure consistency in the application of job standards.

(b) The Office, from time to time, shall review such numbers of positions in each agency as will enable the Office to determine whether the agency is placing positions in occupations and grades in conformance with or consistently with published job standards. When the Office finds that a position is not placed in its proper occupation and grade in conformance with published standards or that a position for which there is no published standard is not placed in the occupation and grade consistently with published standards, it shall, after consultation with appropriate officials of the agency concerned, place the position in its appropriate occupation and grade and shall certify this action to the agency. The agency shall act in accordance with the certificate, and the certificate is binding on all administrative, certifying, payroll, disbursing, and accounting officials.

(c) On application, made in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Office, by a prevailing rate employee for the review of the action of an employing agency in placing his position in an occupation and grade for pay purposes, the Office shall—

(1) ascertain currently the facts as to the duties, responsibilities, and qualification requirements of the position;

(2) decide whether the position has been placed in the proper occupation and grade; and

(3) approve, disapprove, or modify, in accordance with its decision, the action of the employing agency in placing the position in an occupation and grade.

The Office shall certify to the agency concerned its action under paragraph (3) of this subsection. The agency shall act in accordance with the certificate, and the certificate is binding on all administrative, certifying, payroll, disbursing, and accounting officials.