ALCOAST 095/09
COMDTNOTE 12430
SUBJ: GUIDANCE FOR DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE UNDER THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY/PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM (DHS/PMS)
1.  THIS ALCOAST PROVIDES SUPERVISORS OF CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES
EVALUATED UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY/PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (DHS/PMS) WITH CURRENT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE
2008-2009 PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL CYCLE.  THE NEW APPRAISAL FORMS ARE
TO BE USED TO DOCUMENT PERFORMANCE RESULTS.  THERE ARE
APPROXIMATELY 800 CIVILIANS EMPLOYEES COAST GUARD WIDE THAT ARE
BEING EVALUATED ON DHS/PMS.  THEY ARE ALL SUPERVISORS/MANAGERS.
THIS GUIDANCE DOES NOT PERTAIN TO CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES THAT ARE BEING
EVALUATED UNDER THE EXCELLENCE, ACHIEVEMENT, AND RECOGNITION SYSTEM
(EARS).
2.  THE DHS E-PERFORMANCE TOOL (ETOOL) BECAME INACTIVE ON 26
NOVEMBER 2008.  SUPERVISORS OF CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WHO ARE
RATED UNDER THE DHS/PMS WERE ADVISED TO TRANSFER THE
DHS/PMS PERFORMANCE PLANS FROM THE ETOOL TO A MICROSOFT
WORD DOCUMENT.
3.  TO DOCUMENT PERFORMANCE, NEW FORMS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED
AS AN INTERIM MEASURE FOR THE 2008-2009 RATING CYCLE AND
CLOSE OUT.  THESE MUST BE USED BY SUPERVISORS WHO ARE
EVALUATING DHS/PMS CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES.  SIX DIFFERENT
APPRAISAL FORMS ARE AVAILABLE TO ENABLE SUPERVISORS TO
SELECT THE APPROPRIATE FORM FOR EACH EMPLOYEE BASED ON PAY
PLAN, CATEGORY (PROFESSIONAL, TECHNICAL OR LAW ENFORCEMENT), PAY
GRADE, SUPERVISORY STATUS, AND OCCUPATIONAL SERIES.  THE APPRAISAL
FORMS, INSTRUCTIONS, AND JOB AIDS MAY BE FOUND ON THE COAST GUARD
CIVILIAN PERSONNEL WEB PAGE AT THE FOLLOWING LINK:
HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/CIVILIANHR/AWARDS/EPERFORMANCE.ASP.
4.  SUPERVISORS SHOULD SELECT THE APPROPRIATE EMPLOYEE
CATEGORY TO DOWNLOAD THE CORRECT APPRAISAL FORM WHICH IS PRE-
POPULATED WITH THE PROPER COMPETENCIES AND STANDARDS.
COMPLETE THE EMPLOYEE INFORMATION AND ENTER THE INDIVIDUAL
PERFORMANCE GOALS.  ENTER THE WEIGHTS FOR EACH GOAL AND
FOLLOW THE GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS (ALSO FOUND AT THE LINK
ABOVE) FOR THE 2008-2009 RATING CYCLE TO COMPLETE THE PROCESS.
THE COMPETENCIES, PREVIOUSLY VALIDATED BY THE OFFICE OF
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, HAVE NOT CHANGED.
5.  ALL EMPLOYEES BEING EVALUATED UNDER DHS/PMS SHOULD BE
PLACED ON A PERFORMANCE PLAN VIA THE NEW FORMS WITHIN 30
DAYS AFTER THE START OF THE APPRAISAL PERIOD, WHICH BEGINS ON
1 APRIL 2009, OR WITHIN 30 DAYS FOLLOWING THE DATE OF HIRE.
EMPLOYEES WHO BEGAN THE RATING CYCLE ON 1 APRIL 2008 SHOULD
HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED A PROGRESS REVIEW.  SUPERVISORS AND
MANAGERS SHOULD FOLLOW THE CRITERIA AS STATED IN THE STEPS BELOW TO
CREATE RESULTS-FOCUSED, INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE GOALS.
  A.  DEFINE WORK UNIT PRIORITIES THAT RELATE SPECIFICALLY TO
THE STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE ORGANIZATION.
  B.  IDENTIFY THREE TO FIVE PERFORMANCE GOALS WITH DEFINED
OUTCOMES AND CRITICAL ACTIONS THAT ALIGN WITH
ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS, AS OPPOSED TO FOCUSING ON ACTIVITIES.
  C.  PROVIDE CLEAR MEASURES OF SUCCESS TO IDENTIFY WHEN AN
OUTCOME HAS BEEN ACHIEVED.  THESE MEASURES SHOULD INCLUDE
QUALITY, TIMELINESS, OR OTHER FACTORS THAT GAUGE THE
SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A PERFORMANCE GOAL.  THE
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND MEASURES SHOULD BE WRITTEN AT
BOTH THE ACHIEVED EXPECTATIONS AND ACHIEVED EXCELLENCE
LEVELS.
   (1)  ACHIEVED EXPECTATIONS.  PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AT THIS
LEVEL ARE LINKED TO THE SUCCESSFUL ACHIEVEMENT OF THE
DESIRED OUTCOME(S).  ACHIEVING EXPECTATIONS IS MORE THAN
SIMPLY PERFORMING EVERYDAY JOB ACTIVITIES.  RESULTS THAT
SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM SUCCESS IS EXPECTED.
   (2)  ACHIEVED EXCELLENCE.  PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AT THIS
LEVEL DEFINE ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT IS WELL ABOVE AND BEYOND
MEETING EXPECTATIONS, AND RESULTS SIGNIFICANTLY HELP THE
ORGANIZATION ACHIEVE OR EXCEED ITS GOALS.
6.  THIS INTERIM GUIDANCE WILL BE COMPLEMENTED BY ADDITIONAL,
SPECIFIC ANNUAL CLOSE-OUT INFORMATION WHICH WILL BE FORWARDED TO
SUPERVISORS AND THE PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE PAY OFFICIALS(PIPO), AS
WE APPROACH THE END OF THE RATING PERIOD ON 31 MARCH 2009.
7.  QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE 2008-2009 PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL
CYCLE COVERING EMPLOYEES RATED UNDER DHS/PMS, SHOULD BE
DIRECTED TO YOUR SERVICING COMMAND STAFF ADVISOR OR HUMAN
RESOURCE SPECIALIST.
8.  MR. CURTIS B. ODOM, ACTING DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL
MANAGEMENT, SENDS.
9.  INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.