NSPS Performance Appraisal Cycle Closes

The performance appraisal cycle closed on September 30, 2007 for most of the 110,000 Spiral 1 employees under NSPS.  Supervisors and employees are in the process of finalizing self assessments and performance evaluations.

An effective self assessment and evaluation should emphasize outcomes and results achieved relative to job objectives and mission accomplishment.  The focus should be on what was accomplished, how it was accomplished, and how employees contributed to achieving organizational goals.

Performance indicators describe levels of performance used to measure, evaluate, and rate job objectives.  The iSuccess online course can help employees understand the standardized performance indicators and why they are critical when preparing self assessments and evaluations.  To review the performance indicators for each NSPS pay schedule and pay band.

Employees are also assessed on “how” they perform their work using the contributing factors identified as relevant to the successful performance of each job objective.  Descriptions of contributing factors are available for Professional/Analytical, Technical/Support, and Supervisor/Manager pay schedules, and are described at the “expected” and “enhanced” performance levels.

Employees in Spiral 1 organizations are encouraged to review the iSuccess course for assistance.  Performance payouts for Spiral 1 organizations will be in January 2008.  Spiral 2 employees are not affected by this performance cycle.

2008 Government-wide Pay Increase for NSPS Employees

Under the General Schedule, most employees currently receive the January Government-wide Pay Increase (GPI) in two parts:  a base salary increase and a locality pay increase.  While the final amount of the GPI is still not known, it will be distributed differently to employees now under NSPS.

The Defense Department (DoD) is taking the next step towards a more robust pay-for-performance system to enable DoD to better compensate its employees based on contribution to mission accomplishment.  As a result, the GPI for Spiral 1 employees will be distributed as follows:

Local market supplements will be the same as the Government-wide increases for locality pay for employees with an acceptable performance rating (rating of record of 2 or higher).

1.25% of the January 2008 GPI (not allocated for locality pay) will be added to pay pools and distributed through the pay pool process based on performance.

The remaining portion of the GPI (not allocated for locality pay) will be granted as an increase to base salary for employees with an acceptable performance rating.  (Although employees on pay retention are eligible for locality pay increases, they are ineligible for this base salary increase.)

The minimum of NSPS pay bands will be adjusted by this remaining portion of the GPI.  Additionally, the maximum of pay bands will be adjusted by the full amount of the GPI, not including locality pay.

Spiral 1 employees ineligible for a rating of record and performance payout and all Spiral 2 employees will receive the equivalent of the full January 2008 GPI.