beginning rate of compensation
(6) In this subsection— (A) The term “beginning rate of compensation”, with respect to health-care personnel positions in non-Department health-care facilities corresponding to a grade of a covered position, means the sum of— (i) the minimum rate of pay established for personnel in such positions who have education, training, and experience equivalent or similar to the education, training, and experience required for health-care personnel employed in the same category of Department covered positions; and (ii) other employee benefits for those positions to the extent that those benefits are reasonably quantifiable. (B) The term “corresponding”, with respect to health-care personnel positions in non-Department health-care facilities, means those positions for which the education, training, and experience requirements are equivalent or similar to the education, training, and experience requirements for health-care personnel positions in Department health-care facilities.