ALCOAST 389/08
COMDTNOTE 12400
SUBJ: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY/PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (DHS/PMS) FOR NONBARGAINING
UNIT (NBU) EMPLOYEES
1.  THIS MESSAGE ANNOUNCES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY/PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (DHS/PMS) FOR COAST
GUARD NON-BARGAINING UNIT (NBU) EMPLOYEES EFFECTIVE NLT 30
SEPTEMBER 2008.  FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION ON NBU EMPLOYEES,
CONTACT YOUR SERVICING COMMAND STAFF ADVISOR (CSA) OR HUMAN
RESOURCES SPECIALIST (HR SPECIALIST).
2.  IN APRIL 2001, THE PRESIDENT ESTABLISHED THE PRESIDENTS
MANAGEMENT AGENDA (PMA) AS A MANDATE TO ALL FEDERAL AGENCIES AND
DEPARTMENTS, THE GOAL OF WHICH WAS TO IMPROVE THE MANAGEMENT AND
PERFORMANCE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BY EMPHASIZING RESULTS.  THE
DHS ISSUED REGULATIONS FOR A NEW PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
(THEN MAXHR) IN FEBRUARY 2005.  THESE REGULATIONS WERE WRITTEN TO
AFFORD FLEXIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, WHILE ENSURING AN ABILITY TO
ATTRACT, RETAIN, AND REWARD A WORKFORCE ABLE TO MEET ITS CRITICAL
MISSIONS.
3.  DURING THE FIRST PHASE OF THE DHS/PMS IMPLEMENTATION,
APPROXIMATELY 800 CIVILIAN MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS WERE
TRANSFERRED FROM THE EXCELLENCE, ACHIEVEMENT, AND RECOGNITION
SYSTEM (EARS) TO DHS/PMS.  THIS INITATIATED THE USE OF THE 14-STEP
ETOOL PROCESS OF DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE ACTIONS WITHIN THE ETOOL.
IN THE NEXT PHASE OF IMPLEMENTATION, OCCURRING BY THE END OF FY08,
NBU EMPLOYEES WILL BE TRANSITIONED FROM EARS TO DHS/PMS.
TRANSITIONING IN TWO PHASES PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO ELIMINATE
SOME OF THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CHANGE, THEREFORE, WE
EXPECT A SMOOTH PROCESS. WE DO NOT EXPECT THIS TRANSITION TO CHANGE
THE PROCESS FOR ISSUING PERFORMANCE AWARDS.
4.  IN PREPARATION FOR THE TRANSITION TO DHS/PMS, NBU EMPLOYEES
CURRENTLY COVERED UNDER EARS FOR THE RATING CYCLE 1 APRIL 2008
THROUGH 31 MARCH 2009, WHO ARE IDENTIFIABLE BY A BARGAINING UNIT
STATUS CODE IN THE CIVILIAN PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, MUST BE
CLOSED OUT UNDER EARS AND AN INTERIM RATING PREPARED AND ISSUED BY
THEIR SUPERVISORS NLT 30 SEPTEMBER 2008.  NO RATING OF RECORD UNDER
THE EARS SYSTEM WILL BE ISSUED.
5.  UNDER DHS/PMS NBU EMPLOYEES MUST UPDATE THEIR PROFILES AND
ESTABLISH THEIR GOALS IN THE DHS/PMS ETOOL BEGINING 1 SEPTEMBER
2008, BUT NLT 30 SEPTEMBER 2008.  SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS OF NBU
EMPLOYEES WILL RECEIVE ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION TO VERIFY PROFILES
FOR EACH OF THEIR NBU SUBORDINATES.  SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS ARE
EXPECTED TO GUIDE AND ASSIST THEIR EMPLOYEES WITH THE PROCESS
6.  THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINMENT DIVISION (CG-1213)
LAUNCHED AN EXTENSIVE TRAINING EFFORT TO MEET THIS NEED.  SINCE THE
BEGINING OF THE FISCAL YEAR, MORE THAN 700 EMPLOYEES, MANAGERS AND
SUPERVISORS HAVE BEEN TRAINED ON THE ETOOL AND DHS/PMS POLICY
GUIDANCE.  TRAINING WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE 30 SEPTEMBER
IMPLEMENTATION DATE WITH A HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE 8-STEP ETOOL
WORKFLOW.  THE OFFICE OF LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
(CG-133)  WILL PROVIDE 12, ONE-AND-A-HALF-DAY WORKSHOPS TO PROVIDE
SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL TOOLS THEY NEED TO
CARRY OUT THEIR DHS/PMS RESPONSIBILITIES.  PLEASE REFER TO ALCOAST
283/08 FOR THE DATES AND LOCATIONS OF THIS TRAINING.
7.  INFORMATION ABOUT THE DHS/PMS, THE 8-STEP ETOOL PROCESS, AND
JOB AIDS MAY BE FOUND AT:
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/CIVILIANHR/AWARDS/EPERFORMANCE.ASP.  FURTHER
INFORMATION ON TRANSFERING EARS PERFORMANCE PLANS TO THE ETOOL, AS
WELL AS 2009 APPRAISAL CLOSEOUT FOR THE DHS/PMS, WILL BE PROVIDED
VIA YOUR CSA OR HR SPECIALIST.
8.  RDML DANIEL A. NEPTUN, DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, SENDS.
9.  INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED