(a) Statutory authority. Chapter 43 of title 5, United States Code, provides for the establishment of Senior Executive Service (SES) performance appraisal systems and appraisal of senior executive performance. This subpart prescribes regulations for managing SES performance to implement the statutory provisions at 5 U.S.C. 4311-4315.

(b) Purpose. In order to improve the overall performance of Government, agencies must establish performance management systems that hold senior executives accountable (within their assigned areas of responsibility and control) for their individual performance and for organizational performance by—

(1) Encouraging excellence in senior executive performance;

(2) Aligning executive performance plans with the results-oriented goals required by the Government Performance and Results Act Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRAMA) or other strategic planning initiatives;

(3) Setting and communicating individual and organizational goals and expectations that clearly fall within the executive's area of responsibility and control;

(4) Reporting on the success of meeting organizational goals (including any factors that may have impacted success);

(5) Systematically appraising senior executive performance using measures that balance organizational results with customer and employee perspectives, and other perspectives as appropriate; and

(6) Using performance appraisals as a basis for pay, awards, development, retention, removal, and other personnel decisions.

(c) Savings provision. Agencies without OPM approval to use the basic SES appraisal system issued by U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and Budget on January 4, 2012, must design, obtain OPM approval for, and implement systems conforming to the requirements of this subpart no later than one year after October 26, 2015. No provision of this subpart will affect any administrative proceedings related to any action initiated under a provision of this chapter before October 26, 2015.