The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is committed to ensuring the quality of the Senior Executive Service (SES) cadre. Senior executives must excel within a results-oriented performance culture, and the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) ensure they have the competencies needed to do so. On February 3rd, 2006, we issued the Draft ECQs for your review and comment. We greatly appreciate the time you took to provide valuable feedback, and your suggestions assisted us in updating and enhancing the ECQs.

The revised ECQs (attachment 1) will be effective October 1, 2006. These updates and changes will be reflected on OPM's The Senior Executive Service website (http://www.opm.gov/ses/).

We received comments from numerous agencies inquiring how the candidates would address the Fundamental Competencies. Because the Fundamental Competencies are cross-cutting, they should be addressed over the course of the candidate's ECQ narrative. It is not necessary to address them directly as long as the narrative, in its totality, shows mastery of these competencies on the whole. We will also provide a Q & A document (attachment 2) that addresses this issue.

Issuing the new ECQs is a critical step in improving how senior executives are assessed and selected. In that same spirit, beginning in Fiscal Year 2007, OPM will begin to review and evaluate the application and Qualifications Review Board (QRB) processes to identify areas that could be improved.

Once again, thank you for your valuable feedback. Your involvement was essential in the revision of the ECQs. For further information, please contact your Human Capital Officer at OPM.

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cc:  Human Resources Directors