5 Things to know about Presidential Rank Awards Nominated by OPM

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has started to get nominations for Presidential Rank Awards 2016. If you are curious about what they are and what they entail then here are a few facts about these awards that may be useful information for you.

Special Things about Presidential Rank Awards Nominated by OPM

1. Only the Most Amazing People Get Selected: The employees of the agencies who are eligible to get nominated must have a track record of delivering unusual results on a consistent basis. They must also have supreme leadership skills to lead people and lead changes. Their personal and professional standards are also mapped. Even small details such as the payment of federal taxes by the SES member get scrutinized.
2. It’s Nearly 4 Decades Old:
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   The awards have been in existence since the year 1978 when Congress established it. So, it’s a nearly 40 year’s old tradition that still holds major significance for the SES members as well as its organizers,
3. The Monetary Rewards are Lucrative: The winner of these awards get sorted into two categories and receive significant monetary rewards. People falling under the category of Distinguished Executives get 35% of their annual salary as a bonus when they get the reward. On the other hand, people falling under the second category, i.e. Meritorious Executives are given 20% of their annual salary as a bonus.
4. Budget Plays a Role Here: The budget plays a vital role in the distribution of these rewards. When the budget was low in the year 2013, these awards were suspended. In 2015, the budget situation became better and the awards were held again. The OPM accepted nominations even when the awards were suspended.
5. No Repetitions: If an employee has won this award in the last five years, he or she may still be nominated but may not receive the award again. This step is vital in ensuring that the maximum numbers of talented employees get recognition from the President, who selects the winner.

The nominations will be accepted till 4^th April 2016 and the review process would be very stringent this time (as per a memo released by OPM acting director Beth Cobert). The reason behind the rigorousness is that the organizers want to ensure that only the most appropriate nominees get selected by the agencies for presidential recognition.