A fact sheet with a detailed description of performance appraisal system certification requirements.
complies with required certification criteria.
The benefit to certification is clear in that agencies with a certified SES or SL/ST appraisal system may apply a higher maximum rate of basic pay (equal to level II of the Executive Schedule ) and higher aggregate limit on pay (equal to the Vice President's salary).
provisional certification (continuing for 12 months) when an agency at least minimally meets each certification criterion.
Certification cannot be granted if an agency does not meet any single certification criterion.
OPM is committed to providing agency partners with a valid and reliable process to determine performance appraisal system certification eligibility. Since the issuance of interim regulations specifying the requirements and procedures for agencies to request certification of their SES and SL/ST performance appraisal systems in July 2004, OPM has collaborated with agency partners to issue iterative improvements to SES and SL/ST performance management and performance appraisal certification and will continue to do so.
I encourage agency senior leaders to review the attached Performance Appraisal System Certification Reference Guide to gain an understanding of the criteria with which an agency appraisal system must demonstrate compliance to be eligible for certification and how the certification process supports agencies in establishing and maintaining effective performance appraisal systems for their senior leaders. If you should have questions regarding required performance management activities and/or the SES and SL/ST performance appraisal system certification process, please contact OPM Executive Resources and Performance Management, at (202) 606-2720, or performance-management@opm.gov.