R 101345Z AUG 09
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 0475/09
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/U.S. MARINE CORPS TRUSTED AGENT, GUEST RATER AND GUEST REVIEWER GUIDANCE//
POC/T. SIPE/CIV/UNIT:MPC/-/TEL:(703) 432-9413//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  PURPOSE.  THIS MARADMIN APPLIES TO ALL ORGANIZATIONS AND POSITIONS COVERED BY THE NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYSTEM (NSPS).
2.  THE PEO NSPS RELEASED NEW ENHANCEMENTS TO THE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL APPLICATION (PAA) ESTABLISHING THE FOLLOWING DELEGATED AND GUEST PARTICIPANT ROLES:
    A. TRUSTED AGENT
    B. GUEST RATER
    C. GUEST REVIEWER
3.  DOCUMENTATION ON THE USE OF THESE ROLES WAS DISTRIBUTED PREVIOUSLY TO EACH ORGANIZATION'S NSPS PROGRAM MANAGER AND PAY POOL ADMINISTRATOR (PPA), WITH DIRECTION NOT TO PROMOTE THE USE OF THESE ROLES UNTIL GUIDANCE COULD BE PROVIDED.
4.  GUEST RATERS/GUEST REVIEWERS.  MARINE CORPS WILL NOT UTILIZE DELEGATED GUEST RATER AND GUEST REVIEWER ROLES SINCE THOSE DELEGATED WILL BE ABLE TO VIEW PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION (PII) ON THE EMPLOYEE DETAILS TAB REFLECTING GRADE, CURRENT SALARY, RANGE DATA, ETC.  UNTIL DOD ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE, RATING OFFICIALS (RO) CAN OBTAIN INPUT ON AN EMPLOYEE'S PERFORMANCE FROM APPROPRIATE SOURCES (TEAM LEADS, PROJECT MANAGERS, ETC.) VIA OTHER VENUES (E.G., EMAIL, PHONE CONVERSATION, INTERVIEW) THAT DO NOT REQUIRE RELEASE OF OR ACCESS TO AN EMPLOYEE'S PII.
5.  TRUSTED AGENTS.  THE TRUSTED AGENT IN THE MARINE CORPS IS CONSIDERED AN ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE TO ASSIST AN RO OR HIGHER LEVEL REVIEWER (HLR) WHEN DEMANDED BY PRIORITIES.  SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS REMAIN ACCOUNTABLE FOR EFFECTIVELY MANAGING THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR WORKFORCE.  EACH ORGANIZATION MUST DEVELOP STRICT BUSINESS RULES TO ENSURE THE TRUSTED AGENT IS PROPERLY UTILIZED AND CONTROLLED.  BUSINESS RULES AT A MINIMUM SHOULD REFLECT THE FOLLOWING:
    A. ORGANIZATIONS MUST ESTABLISH A REQUEST AND APPROVAL PROCESS FOR AN RO OR HLR TO DELEGATE SOMEONE TO ACT AS A TRUSTED AGENT.  THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW AUTHORITY OR PAY POOL MANAGER (PPM) WILL BE THE FINAL APPROVING AUTHORITY.  THIS AUTHORITY MAY BE DELEGATED TO THE SUB-PAY POOL MANAGER LEVEL AS APPROPRIATE.  PPMS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND HAVE FINAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OVERSIGHT OF THE PAY POOL PROCESS, INCLUDING THE USE OF TRUSTED AGENTS.
    B. RATING OFFICIALS OR HIGHER LEVEL REVIEWERS BELOW THE GRADE OF O6, PAY BAND 3, OR NAF EQUIVALENT CANNOT DELEGATE A TRUSTED AGENT. 
    C. THOSE DELEGATED AS TRUSTED AGENTS MUST SIGN A NON-DISCLOSURE STATEMENT.
    D. RATING OFFICIALS MUST PROVIDE WRITTEN ASSESSMENTS AND RECOMMENDED RATINGS TO DELEGATED TRUSTED AGENTS.
    E. DELEGATED TRUSTED AGENTS MUST ENTER RO COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS INTO THE PAA VERBATIM.
    F. HIGHER LEVEL REVIEWERS MUST PROVIDE SPECIFIC GUIDANCE TO THE TRUSTED AGENT FOR ANY ACTION TAKEN ON THEIR BEHALF IN THE PAA.
    G. WHEN TRUSTED AGENTS ENTER DATA FOR THE RO OR HLR INTO THE PAA, A HARDCOPY OF THE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL FORM (DD 2906) MUST BE PRINTED AND A "WET" SIGNATURE OBTAINED FROM THE RO OR HLR APPROVING THEIR INPUTS.  COPIES OF THE SIGNED DD 2906 WILL BE MAINTAINED BY THE ORGANIZATION FOR A MINIMUM OF THREE YEARS.
6.  THE FOLLOWING CANNOT BE DELEGATED AS A TRUSTED AGENT:
    A. CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES
    B. LOCAL NATIONALS
    C. NON-CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES.
7.  FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT MR. TOM SIPE,  MARINE CORPS NSPS PROGRAM OFFICE (MPC-20) AT GEORGE.SIPE@USMC.MIL.
8.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY (SES) MR. M. F. APPLEGATE, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER PLANS AND POLICY DIVISION.//