Washington, D.C. -- Today, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced the recipients of the 2022 Presidential Rank Awards (PRA), one of the most prestigious awards in the federal career civil service. Chosen by President Biden, the PRAs recognize the hard work and important contributions of dedicated civil servants in the American federal workforce.  

“Last year, we were thrilled that the Office of Personnel Management brought back the Presidential Rank Awards,” said Ronald Klain, White House Chief of Staff. “The President believes strongly in highlighting the accomplishments of federal civil servants and supporting our federal workforce. We look forward to recognizing a new group of distinguished individuals in the career service who consistently produce high quality work and demonstrate an unyielding commitment to public service.” 

This year, the President selected 233 winners from 33 federal agencies for their exceptional leadership, accomplishments, and service over an extended period of time. These individuals are all members of the Senior Executive Service (SES), Senior-Level (SL) and Scientific and Professional (ST) corps.  

This year’s recipients are leaders across government, including a Department of Agriculture employee who established a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) distribution program to ensure that front-line USDA employees were protected and could continue to safely perform essential mission-critical functions nation-wide with no interruption in service delivery during the height of the global pandemic; a Department of Energy employee who led the nation’s development of and transition to high efficiency, zero-emissions electric vehicles (EVs) and other technologies that decarbonize the transportation sector and enable more affordable mobility for all Americans; and a NASA employee who is accountable for the mission success of the James Webb Space Telescope, the world’s largest, most powerful space telescope offering a revolutionary full-color image view of thousands of galaxies. 

“Each and every day, our federal employees are working to address the nation’s most pressing issues, developing technologies to improve millions of lives, and ultimately, achieving the seemingly unachievable on behalf of the American public,” said OPM Director Kiran Ahuja. “This year’s Presidential Rank Awards reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s support for hardworking civil servants who exemplify strength, integrity, industry, and a relentless commitment to public service through their exceptional leadership, contributions, and accomplishments. From developing programs to ensure front-line workers are protected at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and leading the nation toward zero-emissions technology, to directing a mission to discover new galaxies, this year’s recipients illustrate what’s possible when you work for the federal government. Not even the sky is the limit.”  

For the second year, the entire PRA program was managed virtually. Agencies submitted nominations electronically, and OPM conducted review panels virtually. Historically, in-person review panels have been limited to participants who reside in the Washington, D.C. area. Given the virtual nature of this year’s selection process, OPM was able to expand participation by selecting 100 review-panel members who reside around the world. Virtual participation made it possible to have a broad representation of backgrounds and experiences on the review panels.  

As administrator of the PRAs, OPM develops the criteria for agencies, makes determinations of eligibility, and convenes meetings of PRA Review Boards to evaluate the nominees. The OPM Director then recommends finalists to the President, who selects the PRA recipients. The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 established the Presidential Rank Awards Program to recognize a select group of career members of senior leaders for exceptional performance over an extended period of time.   

The complete list of the Presidential Rank Awards may be found on OPM's website.