The first stage began in January 2006 when our payroll/personnel service provider, the National Finance Center (NFC), began sending data feeds of our personnel transactions, SF-50s, Notification of Personnel Actions, to the eOPF system. Personnel transactions are loaded into eOPF every two weeks (pay day week) after the pay period closes out on NFC.
The second stage was the conversion scanning into eOPF to make the paper file an electronic record. This stage was completed in April 2008 for all NOAA- serviced organizations, except NWS, NOS and NESDIS which were completed in August 2010. Conversion scanning enables employees to see their entire eOPF online.
The third phase is the ongoing scanning of official documents. On a continuing basis, forms that are not electronic are scanned into the system. Examples are: enter-on-duty forms, updated benefits election forms, beneficiary forms, military service records, and authorization memos and forms. This scanning is managed by the servicing WFMO staff office.

You can monitor your own records for accuracy;
You can print documents that you need;
Your eOPF continues to protect your privacy. Access is limited to authorized personnel. There is no change in policy regarding who has authority to access your OPF;
Your eOPF is more secure than a paper file and fulfills an important role in Continuity of Operations (COOP).

NOAA Workforce Management Office

Serving NOAA's Most Valuable Asset - People

Quality Step Increase (QSIs)

Eligibility

The following eligibility requirements apply when recommending an employee for a Quality Step Increase (QSI):

If the employee is covered by the five-level system, he or she must have received a final rating of Level 5
NOAA Corps Officers and employees who are part of the CAPS are not eligible for QSIs
A QSI may be granted in addition to a regular within-grade increase if the following eligibility requirements are met.

The employee:

has held the same grade and type of position, and not been detailed or temporarily promoted (unless to the sametype of position) for at least 6 months prior to the end of the appraisal cycle
has been in a pay status for at least 6 months before the end of the appraisal cycle

does not have a promotion in progress or anticipated within 60 days after the effective date of the increase
is not at the top step of his/her grade
has not received a QSI within 52 consecutive calendar weeks preceding the effective date of the increase.*

*Multiple QSIs should only occur in rare circumstances.

Page last edited: August 05, 2011