- 1 July -30 June - ES, ST, SL, GM, WS/GS-13 and above, employees at equivalent levels in other pay plans. Note: The US Army Corps of Engineers has been approved for an exception to this rating cycle to allow all 13-15s in the COE to be rated on a 1 Oct - 30 Sept rating cycle.
- 1 Nov-31 Oct - WS/GS - 9 through 12, employees at equivalent levels in other pay plans (except WL and WS).
- The annual appraisal periods for the Base System are locally determined rating cycles: WG, WL, WS/GS 1 - 8 and employees at equivalent levels in other pay plans are included. In addiiton, some demonstration projects have different rating cycles.
The annual rating is rendered at the end of an appraisal period. An employee must have worked under an approved performance plan before they may receive an appraisal. Annual appraisals are due in the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center as soon as practical after the end of the rating period but at least within 45 days. Performance plans are attached to the appraisal while being processed.
If guidance is needed for preparing a performance rating, refer to Management-Employee Relations Program - TAPES Checklist - Senior System and/or TAPES Checklist - Base System.
The following pages provide guidance on how to prepare the annual rating when the employee or the rating official departs before the end of the rating cycle, and how to handle employees being assigned to temporary details or promotions.
Change in Rating Official: If the rating official (Rater) changes or departs during the last 120 days of rating period and the employee has had approval objectives in place for 120 days or more, a closeout appraisal rating is accomplished before the supervisor leaves. If more than 120 days remains in the rating cycle, a special rating is prepared. This is not a rating of record for official purposes, but serves only as information for the new supervisor to use when he/she does the annual rating. If the supervisor has supervised the employee for over 120 days and leaves within 120 days of the annual appraisal due date, then he or she must officially close out the employee's annual rating, what is commonly known as an "early annual". The DA 7223 (Base System Civilian Evaluation Report) or DA 7222 (Senior System Civilian Evaluation Report) is completed and signed according to the requirements at that location. It is then discussed with the ratee. If the rating official changes or departs during the rating period and has supervised the employee for less than 120 days, the performance plan is transferred to the new supervisor.
Employee Transfers: The same will be true for an employee who leaves his/her position to take another federal position within 120 days from the end of his/her annual rating period. The annual rating will be rendered and signed by the current supervisor. It is imperative that supervisors fulfill this obligation particulary when either the supervisor or employee is involved in a PCS move.
Employee Receives Promotion: If the ratee receives a promotion from a position covered by one rating cycle to a position in another rating cycle, e.g., a promotion from a GS 12 to a GS 13, the employee would receive an early annual rating if promoted within 120 days of the due date of his/her GS 12 position. The employee would then go under the rating cycle for the GS 13 for the next year, normally 1 July to 30 June. If the employee has not been under a plan for 120 days when promoted he/she would not receive a closeout rating as a 12 and would just go under the new GS 13 rating cycle. If the employee has been under a plan as a 12 for 120 days, but is more than 120 days from the GS 12 cycle being due, then the employee receives a special close out rating that is given to the new supevisor to consider in rating the employee at the annual rating cycle.
Note: Career interns are rated six months after their entry into the position and again after twelve months. The first rating (at six months) is considered a Special Rating. The first annual rating is rendered at the end of twelve months. In their second and third years, the Intern is only rated annually. They continue on that unique annual rating cycle (based on their entry into the positions) until they complete the Intern Program - at which time they are phased into the DA cyclic rating periods.