JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas — The Air Force will roll out a new Department of Defense civilian appraisal program in April designed to improve overall job performance, enhance supervisor and employee communication, and more effectively develop and reward the workforce. 

The new program, called the DoD Performance Management and Appraisal Program, is part of the DoD’s collaborative labor-management effort known as New Beginnings. DPMAP will link employee duties and performance to the organization’s mission and goals. It will also make distinctions in overall job performance and will include a three-tier level rating — outstanding, fully successful and unacceptable. The first annual appraisal under this new system will be in 2018. 

“Our civilian Airmen are an important part of the Air Force mission, and we want to continue to build on our culture of high performance with this new program,” said Cynthia Manchester, performance management program manager at Headquarters Air Force. “While DPMAP may feel familiar to the current Air Force appraisal program, it provides for greater employee-supervisor communication, increased employee engagement and timely recognition.” 

Educational training is available to civilians and their supervisors in advance of the April roll out. Training options include web-based training via Joint Knowledge Online, or an eight-to-12 hour in-resident class, or a combination of the two. Employees will receive information about scheduling and taking DPMAP training when it is planned for their base. DPMAP training is mandatory for all DPMAP covered civilians and their supervisors. 

For more information, search “New Beginnings” on the myPers web site. Individuals who do not have a myPers account can request one by following these instructions. Additional information can also be found at Defense Civilian Personnel Advisory Service on the New Beginnings page or by visiting the local civilian personnel office.