Employee Performance Appraisal Plans (EPAPs)

Instruction Memorandum

United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Wyoming State Office
P.O. Box 1828

IN REPLY REFER TO: Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009-1828
1400-451 (953) P
August 4, 2010
EMS Transmission: August 5, 2010

Instruction Memorandum No. WY-2010-044
Expires: 9/30/2011

To: All Supervisors
From: Associate State Director
Subject: Employee Performance Appraisal Plans (EPAPs)
Closeout of FY 2010 DD: 10/30/2010
Performance Awards Submitted to HR DD: 11/30/2010
Initiation of FY 2011 DD: 11/30/2010

Program: The Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Awards Program 370 DM 451, Performance Management System 370 DM 430, 1400-430 and
1400-451.

Purpose: The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum (IM) is twofold, (1) as an annual
reminder of the requirements regarding employee performance appraisal plans (EPAP), and (2)
to provide guidance and deadlines for processing performance-based cash awards and Quality
Step Increases (QSI).

Policy/Action: EPAPs must be completed for Fiscal_Year (FY) 2010, and new EPAPs for FY
2011 must be put in place by the specified deadlines; specific guidance follows.

Closeout of EPAPs for FY 2010
Completed EPAPs should show the employee and the rating official signatures reflecting the
notification and initiation of performance standards, receipt of training, at least one progress
review, and the end-of-year rating.

EPAPs with an overall summary rating of Exceptional (level 5), Minimally Successful (level 2),
or Unsatisfactory (level 1), must be approved by both the rating official and a reviewing official
prior to discussion with the employee. The authority to serve as a reviewing official is delegated
to Field Managers or higher level managers, however, concurrence from the Deputy State
Director or District Manager is required.

Each Division and District must submit their completed EPAPs as a complete group to Human
Resources (HR), and must account for all employees in their Division, Office or District. All
EPAPs must be received in HR no later than October 31, 2010.

Processing of FY 2010 Performance Awards
For budget planning purposes, 1% of labor costs for the payment of monetary awards is the
recommended guideline. This would include performance-based cash awards based on an
employee’s end-of-year EPAP rating of record (ROR) as well as Special Thanks for Achieving
Results (STAR) awards granted throughout the year in recognition of special accomplishments.
Employees are not entitled to awards, and awards are not guaranteed regardless of rating level.
All awards are given at the discretion of the supervisor.

Performance Award amounts must be in accordance with the Department’s Performance
Management System, 370 DM 430:
-Employees with ratings of Superior (level 4) are eligible to receive up to 3% of their
gross income.
-Employees with ratings of Exceptional (level 5) must be considered for an award, and are
eligible to receive up to 5% of their gross income or a QSI. QSIs cannot be delayed
beyond December 31, 2010, without Department approval.
-Employees receiving Level 4 or 5 ratings can be approved for a time-off award up to a
maximum of 40 hours in lieu of a cash award.
-Employees with ratings of Fully Successful (level 3) or lower are not eligible to receive
an end-of-year performance award, but may receive a STAR for reasons other than
sustained performance tied to the EPAP rating.
-End-of-year performance-based cash awards and QSIs are intended to reward employee
achievements and should be granted in a manner that differentiates between levels of
performance.

In accordance with Wyoming’s Delegation of Authority, awards up to $910 (gross) can be
approved by the first-level supervisor. Awards greater than $910 (gross) must have
concurrence/approval from the DM or DSD.

Performance Awards for each office will not be processed until all EPAPs for that office have
been received in HR. In addition, all awards will undergo a procedural review prior to
processing; therefore supervisors will not distribute or notify employees of awards prior to
receiving the completed SF-50 and award from Human Resources.

Each Division or District must enter performance-based cash awards, time-off awards, and QSIs
into FPPS and forward a hard copy of the award to the Human Resources Office no later than
November 30, 2010, using the DOI Awards Form DI-451, Revised May 2008. A fillable
version of this form is located on the HR intranet page web.wy.blm.gov/953/forms.htm. A
copy of the front page of the employee’s completed EPAP is to be attached to the awards form as
documentation supporting the award.

Initiation of EPAPs for FY 2011
Supervisors must adhere to the Department’s Performance Management System, 370 DM 430
when initiating EPAPs.
The DOI’s EPAP forms, DI-3100 S for supervisors and DI-3100 for all other employees (both
dated September 2009), should be used to establish critical elements and standards for employees
within 60 days of the beginning of the performance appraisal cycle, or no later than November
30, 2010. These forms are located on the EPAP intranet page
web.wy.blm.gov/953/epaps/index.htm.

Employees may have up to five critical elements, but will have no fewer than four critical
elements. Every employee is expected to have at least one critical element which is linked to the
Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals of the DOI/BLM. This element
should cascade from the State Director or Associate State Director’s EPAP(s). The GPRA goals
can be found in section 7 of BLM’s Strategic Plan, which is located on Wyoming’s EPAP
intranet page web.wy.blm.gov/953/epaps/index.htm.

When initiating EPAPs both the supervisor and the employee should fill out sections A-1, A-2,
and A-3 of the front page of the EPAP form. The employee training information required for
section A-2 is now included in the non-supervisory EPAP form, DI-3100, and is available on
Wyoming’s EPAP intranet page web.wy.blm.gov/953/epaps/index.htm.

EPAPs are required for all employees in place for at least 90 days. This includes details,
temporary promotions, or other temporary assignments at least 90 days in length.
All EPAPs for FY 2011 are to be initiated by November 30, 2010.

Timeframe: Effective Immediately
Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: Reference material includes 5 CFR 430, 5 CFR 451, 370
DM 430, 370 DM 451, Personnel Bulletin 07-07, and BLM Manual 1400-430.
Coordination: This policy was coordinated with the Deputy State Directors and District
Managers.
Contact: Please refer questions to Julie Nelson at 307-775-6107 or Julie_Nelson@blm.gov
or Missy Cook at 307-775-6352 or Missy_Cook@blm.gov.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Ruth Welch Pamela D. Hernandez
Associate State Director Division of Support Services
Distribution
Director (700), 5613 MIB 1
CF 1