Federal Daily - August 10, 2009

Example Offers Key Pointers for Self-Assessment

By Kathryn Troutman, Co-author, “Writing Your NSPS Self Assessment,” 2nd Ed.

It is time again for National Security Personnel System (NSPS) and Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) self-assessments. In what may be the last round for NSPS—at least in its current form—employees in the system should think about the biggest projects, changes, supervisory challenges, and mission accomplishments that have occurred over the past year. Writing these accomplishments on paper takes concentration and time.

To see how this is done, let’s look at a sample self-assessment, filed by Jeremy Jenkins. Jeremy will write up his last year’s accomplishments with the aim of winning his property accountability and supply management Job Objective.

The entire 2,000 characters he will use will focus on writing about the property book and how he improved the inventory control system despite having no budgeted financial resources for the task. Jeremy overcame obstacles, took initiative and designed an automated system. The new system resulted in a 40 percent reduction in property losses.

Jeremy’s hard work offers a great example of improvement in quality logistics support for the Army Soldier School—an accomplishment that not only makes him look good, but which over time will greatly improve supply readiness and customer services for soldiers.

Strategy—Your strategy for writing accomplishments for each Job Objective is to tell a story. Give one or two examples of the best work you have performed in 2009. Make it easy for your supervisor and pay pool to read by using the “Context-Challenge-Action-Results” (CCAR) model for your accomplishments.

The NSPS Writing Plan—Ask yourself: What have I done this year that helped me meet my mission? Overall, if you write up three to six accomplishments for your year, you will be finished with your self-assessment.

The following sample NSPS self-assessment for Performance Appraisal Application V. 3.0 illustrates an example of one Job Objective and one accomplishment that was a major achievement for the year in this objective.
PART A - Administrative Data
Jeremy Jenkins, YC-2003-1, Supervisory Supply Specialist, Army Soldier School
PART D – Relevant Organizational Mission/Strategic Goals
Deliver responsive, quality logistics support to the Army Soldier School, ensuring training supply readiness, staff development, and quality customer service.

PART G - Job Objectives, Contributing Factors, Assessments

Job Objective: Property Accountability/Supply Management
S (Specific): Property book is updated; supplies are available to meet mission requirements.
M (Measurable): Army Soldier School Book, turn-in, property receipt and issuances, supervision of Army Soldier School ADP and unit supply is accurate and updated on a daily basis. Hand receipts are monitored and tracked accurately with 95 percent accuracy. Provide timely accurate information, advice to customers regarding property transactions, investigations, and transfers; responses to customers are made within 24 hours.
A (Aligned): Ensures supply readiness.
R (Realistic/Relevant): N/A
T (Timed): Maintaining customer satisfaction, and customer’s mission accomplishment is met 95 percent of the time.

Character count: 919; Contributing factor: Technical Proficiency

Job Objective: Property Accountability/Supply Management
CCAR Self-Assessment
Context: As the Manager of the Army Soldier School Academy Property Book, I recognized the need for an improved inventory control system from the current hand receipt transactions and took the lead to collaborate with the IT services department to create an online request for property, turn-in, property receipt, and issue (performed advanced tasks).
Challenge: With no financial resources budgeted (overcame obstacles), I took initiative by collaborating with internal experts and used my creativity in identifying other sources that could be of assistance to design the request forms and post an automated, shared document to improve accountability and inventory control.
Action: Using what I learned from my research, I worked closely with IT to ensure the system developed met user needs. I implemented procedures to ensure a smooth and seamless transition of all hand receipt transactions into the automated system. I also suggested that IT conduct a pilot test of the system. Finally, I developed and presented training to customers on new system and reminded customers on the procedures for property transactions, investigations, and transfers. On an ongoing basis, I ensure that the PBUSE system is current.
Results: I exceeded expectations. More than 500 inventory requests, more than 98 percent, are received annually that are now documented in an automated system with improved inventory control, accountability, and life-cycle planning for senior decision-makers. I have received positive feedback on the new system and lost property has been reduced by 40 percent.

Character count: 1,762

This job objective and NSPS self-assessment example are published with permission from the co-author and publisher, “Writing Your NSPS Self-Assessment,” 2nd Ed., Kathryn Troutman and The Resume Place, Inc. For more information on the best NSPS keywords and a free NSPS Accomplishment Builder, go to: www.resume-place.com/afini/?id=8ddd6751be5ba54d9c414321b8974bc1.

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Objections to Postal Relief Bill Taking Root, Union Says

Union leaders last week had the chance to tell Senate lawmakers why they believe a new Postal Service relief bill amendment would ruin the collective bargaining process. In a question-and-answer session following testimony on Aug. 6 before a Senate subcommittee, American Postal Workers Union (APWU) President William Burrus and National Association of Letter Carriers President Fred Rolando were asked by senators why postal unions objected to the amendment to the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Funding Reform Act of 2009, S. 1507. The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., would require arbitrators who rule on postal contracts to take into account the “financial health of the Postal Service.” But the union leaders argued that arbitration boards already take Postal Service finances into account. And Burrus reminded the panel that under the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, postal workers yielded their right to strike in exchange for the promise of free collective bargaining. The Coburn amendment, he argued, would tie the hands of labor negotiators by putting the emphasis on the service’s financial condition. “Collective bargaining is either free or it’s not,” Burrus said, adding that Coburn’s amendment would put “a thumb on the scale” for management during contract deliberations. Burrus later encouraged APWU members to continue to express their concerns. “It is clear our message has begun to get through,” he said. “We must continue to press the point.” The main bill, S. 1507, and a House companion bill, H. 22, would reverse a law that requires the Postal Service to “pre-fund” retiree healthcare benefits—a requirement that threatens to drive the Postal Service into insolvency. To see more, go to: http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.
Hearing&Hearing_id=deeb3cbd-c284-4321-bf5a-64c0b21cf38a or www.apwu.org/news/webart/2009/09-091-testimony-
s1507-q_a-090806.htm.

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CBP Offers $250,000 Reward for Tips in Agent’s Unsolved Murder

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Aug. 6 announced it was offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the death of Border Patrol (BP) Agent Robert Rosas. The BP agent was killed in the line of duty July 23 near Campo, Calif., after responding to suspicious activity in an area notorious for alien and drug smuggling, said CBP acting Commissioner Jayson P. Ahern. The CBP award is being offered in addition to the FBI’s $100,000 reward offer and an additional $10,000 offer for the recovery of Agent Rosas’s service weapon. Reports indicate that Rosas exited his vehicle in the vicinity of a truck trail to track a group of individuals. Border Patrol Agents patrolling nearby heard gunshots in the vicinity, and later found Rosas’s body near his service vehicle. He had been shot several times. CBP is asking anyone with information concerning the death of Rosas to contact the FBI at (858) 565-1255. To see more, go to: www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/08062009_3.xml.

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