NASA Procedural Requirements

NPR 3451.1C Effective Date: December 06, 2017 Expiration Date: October 31, 2024

Subject: NASA Awards and Recognition Program

Responsible Office: Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer

Chapter 5. Agency Honor Awards Program

5.1 Introduction

5.1.1 Agency honor awards are approved by the Agency IAB Chair and presented to individuals or groups of individuals who have distinguished themselves by making outstanding contributions to the Agency's mission.

5.1.2 The AA, OHCM publishes a complete list of Agency honor awards, along with eligibility criteria, nominating criteria, and award allocations (as applicable) annually.

5.1.3 There is a limit to the number of nominations for certain awards. In this case, the NSSC determines the number of Center allocations in accordance with Agency guidance.

5.2 Eligibility

5.2.1 Current civil-service (i.e., Government) employees are eligible for public service awards when they are recognized for service performed as a non-civil servant.

5.2.2 Contractors are eligible for Agency civil service awards when they are recognized for service performed as a civil servant.

5.2.3 Federal civil-service employees, including Agency Intergovernmental-Personnel Act appointees, are eligible for Government employee awards under the Agency honor awards program.

5.2.4 Contractors and contractor employees are eligible for awards under the Agency honor awards program when consistent with Paragraph 4.1.

5.3 Annual Call for Nominations

5.3.1 The AA, OHCM annually publishes and distributes the annual call for Agency honor award nominations.

5.3.2 The CAO distributes the call letter to Center Directors, OICs, and the JPL Director.

5.3.3 Nominations are submitted to the NSSC through NAAS.

5.4 Award Review and Approval Procedures

5.4.1 Center boards review and approve all award nominations prior to forwarding to the Agency IAB to certify that the nominations meet the required award criteria; this review includes a suitability review by the Center's General Counsel.

5.4.2 The Agency IAB consists of three expert panels:

a. The Senior Leadership Panel, which includes all of the Center Directors, the Headquarters Executive Director, the NASA Management Office Director, the NSSC Executive Director, and all Associate Administrators, excluding the Associate Administrator for ODEO, review the following awards:

(1) Distinguished Service Medal.

(2) Distinguished Public Service Medal.

(3) Outstanding Leadership Medal.

(4) Outstanding Public Leadership Medal.

(5) Early Career Achievement Medal.

(6) Early Career Public Achievement Medal.

(7) Exceptional Service Medal.

(8) Exceptional Public Service Medal.

(9) Exceptional Achievement Medal.

(10) Exceptional Public Achievement Medal.

(11) Group Achievement Award.

b. The Technical Panel is comprised of the following five sub-panels:

(1) The Scientific sub-panel is responsible for reviewing all Exceptional Scientific Achievement medal nominations and other nominations, as needed. The Agency Chief Scientist chairs the sub-panel. Members will include approximately four Center-level chief scientists.

(2) The Technology sub-panel is responsible for reviewing all Exceptional Technology Achievement medal nominations and other nominations, as needed. The Agency Chief Technologist chairs the sub-panel. Members will include approximately four Center-level chief technologists.

(3) The Engineering sub-panel is responsible for reviewing all Exceptional Engineering Achievement medal nominations and other nominations, as needed. The Agency Chief Engineer chairs the sub-panel. Members will include approximately four Center-level chief engineers.

(4) The Administrative sub-panel is responsible for reviewing all Exceptional Administrative Achievement medal nominations and other nominations, as needed. The AA, OHCM chairs the sub-panel. Members will include approximately four Center-level human resources directors.

(5) The Equal Employment Opportunity sub-panel is responsible for all Equal Employment Opportunity medal nominations and other nominations, as needed. The Associate Administrator of the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity (AA, ODEO) chairs the sub-panel. Members will include approximately four Center-level ODEO Directors.

c. The Reclama Panel is comprised of three OIC members who did not participate in the Senior Leadership or Technical panels. This panel conducts a secondary review of the rejected or change in category nominations at the request of a Center Director. The panel provides a recommendation; the final determination is made by the Agency IAB Chair.

5.4.3 Each sub-panel elects a recorder. The recorder serves as the administrative assistant to the Chair, acts as a liaison between the sub-panel and the NSSC, and records the sub-panel's findings in NAAS.

5.5 Evaluation of Nominees

5.5.1 The criteria contained in the AA, OHCM annual call letter is used to evaluate nominees. The sub-panel Chairs or the NSSC will instruct panel members on how to apply the medal criteria.

5.5.2 The panel members or the sub-panel recorders will document the reasons why any nominee is not recommended for receipt of the medal. These reasons will be recorded in NAAS and shared with the nominating Center.

5.5.3 The NSSC sets the deadline for any adjustments to nominations during the reclama process.

5.6 Out-Of-Cycle Agency Honor Awards

5.6.1 Requests for awards outside the annual call for nominations should be rare and based on extraordinary circumstances and include a detailed explanation of the reasons why the honor award should be presented outside of the annual cycle.

5.6.2 CAOs review all requests for out-of-cycle awards and certify that all of the award criteria requirements are met.

5.6.3 All requests are signed by the Center Director or the OIC.

5.6.4 The Agency restricts the number of certain medals awarded each year. The number of allocations for each Center is distributed along with the Agency annual call for honor awards. Out-of-cycle medals are counted; therefore, they will be deducted from the Center's annual authorized allocation.

5.6.5 Out-of-cycle requests will be forwarded through the AA, OHCM to an Agency IAB subgroup, which is comprised of three members (including the IAB Chair) for approval or disapproval. Approvals require a majority vote.

5.6.6 After successful completion of an Expedition flight mission, a written out-of-cycle request from the JSC HR Director may be submitted to the AA, OHCM for the International Space Station crewmembers and lead flight directors.

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