OPM Director Katherine Archuleta released the following memo seeking nominations for the 2015 Presidential Rank Awards:
I am pleased to announce the call for nominations for the FY 2015 Presidential Rank Awards (PRA) program. Federal senior executive employees perform valuable services on behalf of the American public and those with the highest level of sustained performance deserve recognition for their contributions. The Presidential Rank Award was established by statute in 1978 as a means of recognizing that performance. This memorandum serves as a call for agency nominations for those whose service merits the highest level of recognition through a Presidential Rank Award. This is an excellent opportunity to identify the select group of individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to your agency’s effectiveness on a sustained basis. I encourage you to draw on all segments of your executive workforce to identify this select group.
Nominations for FY 2015 Presidential Rank Awards are due to OPM by Monday, March 2, 2015.
Agency Heads should consider the current challenging fiscal conditions and resources needed to meet overall agency mission priorities in determining the number of nominations to submit. Nominees must meet stringent personal and professional standards, therefore, agencies should expect an extremely rigorous review process. As indicated in 5 U.S.C. § 4507(c), the President has the final authority to determine if Presidential Rank Awards will be conferred.
Attached is detailed guidance for preparing and submitting nominations. When considering potential nominees, agencies must exercise due diligence in reviewing both the background of nominees (including any issues relating to conduct or payment of Federal taxes) as well as the programs and organizational components for which the nominees have any responsibility. This is to ensure the appropriateness of the nominees for receiving Presidential recognition. Inspectors General should nominate executives separately from their parent agencies through the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.
If you or your staff members would like any additional information about the program, please contact Stephen T. Shih, Deputy Associate Director, Senior Executive Services and Performance Management, by telephone at (202) 606-8046.
cc: Chief Human Capital Officers and Human Resources Directors
