Under Secretary's Award Program Nominations and Descriptions

The Under Secretary's Awards Panel asked that the following points be highlighted.

• The clerical/technical support grade range is from GS-1 through GS-11 in appropriate series, (which includes GS/WG jobs in which promotions happen in one grade intervals, e.g., GS 4 to GS 5).

• The supervisory category is limited to persons who have actual line authority responsibilities. The justification should include outstanding accomplishments that relate specifically to supervision.

• Do not fill in the narrative of the CD 326, rather put "See Attached". The attachment should be printed in no less than 10 pitch font.

• In the narrative on the CD 326 form, provide a certificate citation.

ITA Under Secretary's Award

Purpose

The purpose of this award is to recognize employees who have shown superior performance throughout the year and have contributed significantly to the achievement of ITA goals and objectives.

Eligibility

All ITA employees are eligible, except Senior Executive Service and Schedule C employees. Employees may be nominated as individuals or groups (maximum of 10). Nominees must have a minimum of one year of service with ITA at the time of nomination and have a "Meets Expectations" (or equivalent) rating.

Employees may receive individual awards only once during a five year period. Groups (including teams and organizational units) may receive this award only once in a five year period.

Frequency

The ITA Under Secretary's Awards are given annually.

Types of Accomplishments

The ITA Under Secretary's Award recognizes accomplishments of the highest scope and impact which advance the goals of the International Trade Administration: Such accomplishments should reflect major ITA goals such as:

• Providing practical information to help US industry select markets for its products.

• Ensuring that US industry has access to international markets as required by our trade agreements.

• Safeguarding US industry from unfair competition from dumped and subsidized imports.

• Delivering major human resources, financial management, information management, or organizational management and support services deemed to have resulted in a long-term benefit to the International Trade Administration.

The following are examples of accomplishments, by an individual or group, which are worthy of consideration for this award:

• Developed bold, state-of-the-art strategies for export promotion, export counseling, conducting market research, or launching innovative marketing techniques. These may have included coordination throughout ITA, the Department, other Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee members or the private sector.

• Utilized expertise in several major industrial sectors to participate in critical trade negotiations, managed a mission to overseas markets or advocated on behalf of American bidders for international contracts.

• Participated with the United States Trade Representative in negotiating fair and transparent international rules for antidumping and countervailing duty investigations.

• Developed human resources, financial management, information management, or organizational and management support systems which required a high level of innovation and extensive coordination throughout ITA, the Department, or other agencies.

• A supervisor is recognized by her staff and colleagues as an extraordinary supervisor. Her strengths include a concern for her employees and an exceptional ability to motivate staff to perform to their maximum capacity. She takes time to solicit input from her staff at organizational change points and encourages their involvement and ownership of new efforts within the unit. This supervisor is a model coach and mentor. She has paid significant attention to effective implementation of the 2-level performance appraisal system. She has encouraged all unit members to work together at developing and accomplishing unit-wide priorities that are consistent with the goals of ITA and Commerce. Her work with employees to develop individual goals which are results oriented and stretch the individual to perform to maximum capacity is remarkable. Feedback to her employees is given throughout the performance cycle and she often asks her employees to give feedback on her own performance. She uses the various types of recognition available throughout the year to reward truly outstanding performance as well as special achievements. The supervisor utilizes available tools and resources effectively. She encourages people to develop and provides creative mechanisms for the staff to continue to develop and learn even when budgets are limited. She is open to change and innovation and is always trying to do it better and more efficiently. The supervisor has faced significant challenges during the year because of reorganization, departing employees, or significant absences of staff. Nonetheless, the unit has consistently been able to produce and has been the recipient of much appreciation and praise.

• A technical/clerical support employee demonstrated outstanding leadership skills and initiative in assessing the need for training for support employees throughout a unit. The employee independently worked with managers throughout the unit to determine what specific skills were lacking in a majority of the support staff, presented his findings to the management chain and then worked with the Office of Human Resources to make arrangements to design/conduct a series of classes to meet the needs.

• A technical/clerical support employee worked closely with a team of specialists during a 6 month period to work out the logistical details of a series of 10 conferences to be conducted in the United States. The support employee located 10 separate facilities, negotiated contracts for facilities and audiovisual equipment, took the lead in assembling the extensive conference materials, oversaw the responses to invitations and developed conference attendee listings and along with the specialists involved oversaw the checkin/registration process. Many of the conference attendees provided feedback on the professionalism of the logistics and registration processes for the conference which could be directly attributed to the support employee.

Selection Criteria

The following factors will be considered in evaluating Under Secretary Award nominations:

• The importance of the nominees' personal contribution to ITA programs and the extent or degree to which it served an urgent need.

• Superior performance in all aspects of work throughout the year that is recognized throughout the individual's unit and outside the individual's immediate work unit.

• The uniqueness and originality of the nominee's contribution.

• Whether the contribution has brought unusual credit to ITA and the DOC.

• Whether the nominee's contribution resulted in an unusually important and clearly demonstrated improvement in an ITA program.

• If the nominee is a supervisor, whether his or her specific contribution demonstrates significant skills of leadership such as the ability to lead and guide a competent staff, develop staff talents, and successfully run a productive program.

• If the nominee is a group, whether all members worked together and all individuals to be recognized have contributed substantially to the successful achievement of a major unit goal which brings credit to ITA.

• Exceptional leadership, skill, ingenuity or ability displayed in administration or performance of duties which accomplished significant savings in money, time, staff resources, or equipment.

• Exceptional leadership in the development and implementation of ITA diversity goals.

• Creation or development of a major improvement in a service which results in a high degree of benefit to ITA.

• Successful implementation of new or improved policies in ITA.

• Exceptional skill and ingenuity in focusing on policy needs.