The United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions, known as the Plum Book, is a publication of the United States Senate’s Committee on Governmental Affairs and the House of Representatives’ Committee on Government Reform. It lists more than 7,000 federal civil service leadership and support positions in the legislative and executive branches of the federal government that may be subject to noncompetitive appointment. These are called Schedule C positions.

The following excerpt from the Plum Book defines Schedule C positions:

Schedule C positions are excepted from the competitive service because of their confidential or policy-determining character. Most such positions are at grade 15 of the General Schedule or lower. Schedule C positions above the GS-15 level are either in the Senior Level (SL) personnel system or are specifically authorized in law…

Requests for Schedule C exception are appropriate when:

1. The position involves making or approving substantive policy recommendations; or
2. The work of the position can be performed successfully only by someone with a thorough knowledge of and sympathy with the goals, priorities, and preferences of an official who has a confidential or policy determining relationship with the President or the agency head…

The immediate supervisor of a Schedule C position must be a Presidential appointee, a Senior Executive Service appointee (career or noncareer) occupying a General position, or a Schedule C appointee.

The Plum Book is published after each U.S. presidential election.