Chapter 15. External Awards

Introduction

Each year, the Department participates in award programs sponsored by external organizations, associations, or foundations. Awards run the gamut from those which recognize financial management to awards for women in science and engineering. Employees who meet the award programs' specific criteria may be nominated. Due dates vary by each award.

Note: Although some external organizations permit the submission of nominations on-line, bureaus are still required to submit nominations to the Department for review and approval by the Department’s Incentive Awards Board before submission to the sponsoring organization. This is to ensure that the Department has an opportunity to conduct a clearance on all nominees to ensure that only high quality nominations, which reflect favorably on the Department, are forwarded to the sponsoring organization.

Nomination Process

Listed below are the steps in the external award process:

• The Department's Incentive Awards Officer forwards a request for nominations to the Principal and Servicing Human Resources Managers and Incentive Awards Program Officers with a due date.
• The Operating Units distribute the request for nominations to line and staff organizations with an internal due date.
• The Operating unit reviews the nomination for compliance with the external organization's submission requirements and forwards the nomination to the Secretarial Officer or Head of the Operating Unit for approval.
• The approved nomination is forwarded to the Secretarial Officer or Head of the Operating Unit for approval.
• The nomination is reviewed by the Department for compliance with the organization's submission requirements.
• The approved nomination is forwarded to the Department's Incentive Awards Board for review and recommendation.
• Nominations approved by the Board are forwarded to the sponsoring organization.
• Nominations must be signed by the Secretarial Officer or Head of the Operating Unit.

External Award Checklist

This checklist will assist you in the process of formulating quality nominations. This checklist must accompany the letter transmitting your nominations and be signed by the Incentive Awards Program Officer certifying the nomination’s are complete and meet the criteria of the sponsoring organization.