Washington, D.C.  --  U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Kay Coles James today reported four additions to the list of agencies with certified Senior Executive Service appraisal systems.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development, National Science Foundation, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Patent and Trademark Office recently have received SES appraisal system certification.

"Consistent with the goals of President George W. Bush, agencies are continuing their diligent work to develop and submit appraisal systems that accurately measure and reflect the results for which their senior executives are accountable," said James. "The leadership teams at these four agencies are committed to performance and quality services for taxpayers."

To date, 34 federal agencies employing 5,092 senior executives and senior professionals have received provisional or full certification of their appraisal systems, opening the door for SES members at those agencies to receive higher salaries based on their performance. Certification also raises the aggregate pay and bonus level for senior professionals. Two agencies have earned full certification of their appraisal systems.

Said James: "More so today than in recent memory, we must assure the American public that the business of government is being conducted efficiently and the national security concerns of our citizens are being met by employees who are accountable for results."

OPM, with OMB concurrence, grants certification to agencies that have working appraisal systems in place and tracks records documenting their ability to make meaningful distinctions in the relative performance of Senior Executives and Senior Professionals against nine criteria in leadership, accountability and oversight.

Upon certification, either provisional or full, an agency can increase the

pay of its highest-performing senior executives to the rate for level II of the Executive Schedule, $162,100 in 2005. Without certification, an agency must cap executive pay at the rate of pay for Executive Level III, $149,200 in 2005.

Certification also raises the cap on the aggregate annual limit on pay and bonuses SES members and senior professionals can earn. Senior professionals represent another category of high-level federal employees.

Agencies that have received full certification of their SES performance-appraisal systems:

General Services Administration

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (SL/ST only)

Agencies that have received provisional certification of their SES performance-appraisal systems:

Department of Agriculture

Department of Commerce

Department of Energy

Department of Health and Human Services

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Department of Housing and Urban Development (OIG)

Department of Interior

Department of Justice

Department of Labor

Department of State

Department of Transportation

Department of Treasury

Department of Veterans Affairs

Agency for International Development

Environmental Protection Agency

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Federal Communications Commission

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Federal Trade Commission 

Merit Systems Protection Board

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

National Endowment for the Arts

National Labor Relations Board

National Science Foundation

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Office of National Drug Control Policy

Office of Personnel Management

Patent and Trademark Office

Railroad Retirement Board

Small Business Administration

Small Business Administration (OIG)

Social Security Administration