Employee Performance Appraisal Plans (EPAPs)

1400-451 (953) P
April 11, 2013
EMS TRANSIMISSION:
Instruction Memorandum No. WY-2013-029
Expires: 9/30/2014
To: All Supervisors
From: Associate State Director
Subject: Employee Performance Appraisal Plans (EPAPs)
Mid-Year Review DD: 05/31/2013
Closeout of Fiscal_Year (FY) 2013 DD: 10/31/2013
Initiation of FY 2014 DD: 11/30/2013
Program: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Performance Management System,
370 DM 430 and BLM Manual 1400-430.
Purpose: The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum (IM) is to serve as an annual reminder
of the requirements regarding Employee Performance Appraisal Plans (EPAPs).
Policy/Action: Supervisors are required to develop an EPAP within 60 days of the employee
entering on duty. Mid-year reviews, FY 2013 close outs, and initiation of FY 2014 EPAPs must
be completed by the specified deadlines shown above using the most recent forms.
Background: Supervisors must evaluate each employee’s performance against established
criteria and provide a summary rating either when the employee leaves their position or at the
end of each FY, whichever is sooner, as long as the employee has been in the position for at least
90 days. In addition, supervisors should modify EPAP criteria, as needed, to reflect current
office priorities. After any substantial change of an EPAP, no summary rating can be given until
the employee has been on that EPAP for at least 90 days.
Mid-Year Review for FY 2013
Effective and timely feedback during the performance appraisal period should be given to
address employee performance on elements and standards. Feedback is essential so that
employees know in a timely manner how well they are performing. They need to be told what
they are doing well and if there are areas needing improvement. Supervisors are required to
meet with each employee at least one time during the FY for a mid-year review of their EPAP.
This mid-year review must occur no later than May 31 of each year.
United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Wyoming State Office
P.O. Box 1828
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009-1828
IN REPLY REFER TO:
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Supervisors are encouraged to meet with new employees, especially those new to Federal
service, on a more frequent basis to ensure employees have a clear understanding of the
performance management system and to provide feedback on supervisor expectations.
Closeout of EPAPs for FY 2013
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, the date an Individual Development Plan was initiated (mandatory for supervisory
employees) and the end-of-year summary rating.
EPAPs with an overall summary rating of Exceptional (level 5), Minimally Successful (level 2),
or Unsatisfactory (level 1), must be approved by the rating official, a reviewing official and the
Associate State Director 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 (DSD) or District Manager (DM) is required.
Each Division and District must submit their completed EPAPs as a complete group to Human
Resources (HR). The group should be alphabetized for the Division or District and must account
for all employees in their Division or District. All EPAPs must be received in HR no later than
October 31, 2013.
Initiation of EPAPs for FY 2014
Supervisors must adhere to the Department’s Performance Management System, 370 DM 430
when initiating EPAPs.
The Department of the Interior (DOI) EPAP forms, DI-3100 S for supervisors and DI-3100 for
all other employees (both dated September 2012), must 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, 2013. These forms are located on the EPAP intranet page
http://web.wy.blm.gov/953/epaps/index.htm.
Employees may have up to five, but must have at least one critical element. Supervisors must
develop enough elements to adequately assess the employee’s performance of the essential
functions of their position. Every employee is expected to have at least one critical element that
is linked to the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals of the DOI/BLM. This
element should cascade from the State Director and/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 http://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
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Wyoming’s EPAP intranet page http://web.wy.blm.gov/953/epaps/index.htm. All employees are
required to read this information and sign the EPAP form certifying that they have read it.
EPAPs are required for all employees that have been in duty status for at least 90 days. This
includes details, temporary promotions, students, or other temporary assignments or details that
are at least 90 days in length.
All EPAPs for FY 2014 are to be initiated by November 30, 2013.
Timeframe: Effective Immediately
Budget Impact: N/A
Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: Reference material includes 5 CFR 430, 370 DM 430,
and BLM Manual 1400-430.
Coordination: This policy was coordinated with the DSDs and DMs.
Contact: Please refer questions to Missy Cook, Human Resources Specialist, at 307-775-6352 or
rcook@blm.gov; or Leslie Leigh, Human Resources Specialist, at 307-775-6161 or
lleigh@blm.gov.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Mary Jo Rugwell Sherry Dixon
Associate State Director Administrative Assistant
Distribution
Director (700), 5613 MIB 1
CF 1