Our performance plans are written in terms of how we do our job. Our PDs are the what is our job. There are instances of the performance plan including a target for the current year, such as Larla widgetizing an entire division, per a PP.

Anonymous wrote:Fundamentally though, know that any award, bonus, quality step increase, and other recognition is tied to your performance plan, not your PD.

thanks! THIS is helpful.
So....it's not my performance plan outlining duties that are keeping me from above and beyond recognition. Ok, that's what I thought - counter to what my coworker said, even though she's been a fed for 38 years.

OP, it may help to read a bit on performance management in the federal workplace. It is absurdly complicated for no good reason (as with many things in the government). It is ridiculous that my performance rating is 32 pages long, but so it is. Fundamentally though, know that any award, bonus, quality step increase, and other recognition is tied to your performance plan, not your PD.

Here is a good place to start:

http://www.opm.gov/services-for-agencies/performance-management/

OP here....just for reference, my performance plan says things like "will take an online course on the Constitution" even though I have a masters degree in government, taught government, and am the only one in my group with any understanding of how government functions (and worked on the Hill). So I am trying to see what the purpose of all this stuff is if it's not doing anything for my career/compensation. But, different issue.

thanks for your help, all!