1. The Booz Allen Award Nominations:
Putting the Pieces Together
Presented by: Jennifer Swartz
Awards Program Coordinator
September 11, 2009
Booz Allen Hamilton Standard Colors
Colors should be used in the color pairs whenever possible. Do not mix and match colors, use pairs together as shown.
Black, White and Gray can be used with any of the other colors.
Purple Pantone 2765
R 12
G 4
B 79
Green Pantone 357
R 15
G 67
B 24
Blue Pantone 2 88
R 11
G 31
B 101
Pantone Cool Gray 6
R 158
G 158
B 158
Black
Red Pantone 485
R 252
G 5
B 14
Yellow Pantone 3965
R 232
G 244
B 4
Aqua Pantone 319
R 126
G 204
B 189
White

2. Agenda Our Booz Allen Awards program Overview of the Awards
Journey of a Nomination
Advice to Nominators

3. Booz Allen Awards Program
Who is your Awards Program Coordinator?
Jennifer Swartz
Who is eligible to receive an award?
Anyone up through Level III
Who can nominate staff for Booz Allen awards?
Anyone at the Firm, at any level
What is the address for the Booz Allen awards website?
How many different types of awards are there?
There are four types of awards – the eCard, High 5, Performance and Team, and the VIP
Can an employee receive more than one award in the Booz Allen award year?
Yes, an employee can receive multiple awards in the award year

4. Types of Awards eCard High5 Performance & Team Values In Practice
Overview of Awards
Types of Awards
eCard
High5
Performance & Team
Values In Practice

5. Make a Difference eCard
A simple way to say “Thank You’ to colleagues for a job well done.
Provides the recipient with a permanent reminder that his/her contribution was important to the success of a project or team.
System notifies the recipient’s manager.
Certificate can be printed by the recipient so he or she may display it.
Take the time to thank someone who has made a positive impact in your world TODAY!

7. High5 Award Given for going “above and beyond.”
Nomination highlights a situational short-term impact.
Employee receives a monetary award of either $75 Gift Cheque or a virtual trip to the Company Store.
Employee will also receive a certificate of appreciation (with the Website address on back), as well as a crystal mug etched with the High 5 logo.
It is intended to be an "on the spot" award to be processed and delivered in a short time frame.

9. Performance and Team Award
Sustained performance for period of project or service offering or “Exceptional Achievement that results in, or has the potential to result in, significant benefit to the firm.”
Employee has been a significant benefit across their team or outside their immediate organization.
Employee has sustained achievement over longer term.
Employee is nominated for a monetary award given in $250 increments up to $1000.
Employee receives a Plaque of Recognition.

10. Performance and Team Award
The award may be made at one of four levels:
$250 gift cheque, for outstanding effort or results
$500 gift cheque, for extended outstanding effort or results
$750 gift cheque, for outstanding leadership or extraordinary contribution to intellectual capital, business development, or client mission
$1000 gift cheque, for superior leadership or extraordinary contribution to intellectual capital, business development, or client mission
These amounts are the net amount to the employee after taxes, in addition to the cheque and plaque presented by the supervisor or manager directly to the employee. The award will be announced during a team celebratory event.

12. Values in Practice Award
The Values in Practice (VIP) Award recognizes program eligible employees through level III who are role models of the Firm's Core Values in their work, in their interactions with clients and colleagues, and in their personal conduct.
Presented in the form of a special gift and an elegant vacation package, the VIP award symbolizes timeless values practiced hour by hour, day by day.
The Core Values include the individual values of professionalism, fairness, integrity, respect, and trust, and the business values of client service, diversity, entrepreneurship, excellence, and teamwork.

13. VIP Award The VIP Award Recipient receives:
An engraved silver-plated frame from Links of London.
Two additional firm-provided vacation days.
Choice of a land-based or cruise vacation.
The land-based vacation includes:
Round-trip airfare for two people to anywhere in the continental U.S., Canada, Hawaii, Mexico, or the Caribbean
Deluxe hotel accommodations for two for up to three nights
Rental car for three days or ground transfers to and from the airport and hotel.
The Bahamas cruise vacation includes:
Round-trip airfare for two (Miami)
Premium four-day, three-night ocean view cabin
All on-board meals (alcohol excluded)
Port taxes

14. Journey of a Nomination
Login to Booz Allen Awards website
Nominator completes and submits nomination
Awards Coordinator receives a notification
Awards Coordinator formats the nomination and previous award history for the Awards Board
Awards Board reviews the nomination for approval

15. Approval Process Award approved
Award Coordinator edits and makes changes as needed – grammatical or format
Award Coordinator orders the award through Booz Allen Awards site
Notification is sent to nominator, TOL manager, and Awards Coordinator that the nomination was accepted
Award arrives within 10 days of order date
Award Coordinator “in-processes” the award
Award Coordinator works with Managers of recipients to arrange the presentation awards at Brown Bags or other appropriate settings

16. What the Awards Board is looking for in a nomination
Criteria-based
The Awards Board is relying upon your words to give them a positive, factual picture of your nominee’s accomplishments
Be sure to have an understanding of the criteria for your nomination
Do not exaggerate or undersell your nominee
Clarity
Proofread your submission
Grammatical errors and misspelled words distract from the quality of the nomination
Avoid jargon, unexplained acronyms, and run-on sentences
Ask for help
Concise submissions
Keep it brief – too much information or not enough information can reduce votes
Measurable examples
Quantitative and qualitative
Keep the Board engaged using descriptive statements that the Board will remember
Give one or two examples of the outstanding actions taken

17. Situation
Booz Allen staff can nominate fellow staff for awards through the online tool, Booz Allen Awards ( The process is fairly user-friendly; however, there is a limited number of characters that can be used to describe the actions and achievements of an individual being nominated. Further, there is specific criteria that must be met by the nominated individual in order for the award to be approved by the Awards Board.

18. Problem
The Leavenworth Awards Board receives awards nominations that are not written in a clear and descriptive manner that communicates the criteria for the award have been met. As a result, it is difficult for the Board to approve submitted nominations based on necessary criteria and the information provided by the nominator.

19. Question
How can those who nominate co-workers for awards write nominations that clearly present the distinguishing criteria?

20. Answer Review criteria for nomination Use the S.M.A.R.T. method
Specific Impacts the individual/team accomplishment had on the client
Measurable Impacts the nominee had on client service. For example, cost saving, time saved, response time, cases handled, increases in client service and process improvements
Accomplishment Description of what was achieved
Results What were the actual, specific results of the action/program
Time frame When did the action or series of actions occur
Follow the Award Nomination Checklist

21. Award Nomination Checklist
Have you addressed all submission questions related to the award category?
Have you completed all sections of the nomination form?
Is the brief description 1-2 sentences?
Have you given measurable results?
Have you given multiple examples of achievement with supporting evidence?
Have you done a spell check and grammar check?
Have you had another pair of eyes review the nomination?

22. Sample High 5 Nomination
Name of Assignment: Socio/Political Wargaming Scenario Developer 
Brief Description: In recognition of contributions to the TRADOC Analysis Center CRN Scenario Workshop during the period of April 2008. 
Justification: Maria’s extensive experience with and understanding of diverse socio/political environments and conditions enabled her to provide a basis of understanding to over 40 workshop participants from various organizations and agencies. Using the framework provided by Maria, participants were better informed of the complexities involved with the scenario, and were thus able to provide more rigor and fidelity to their portions of the joint operations plan concept. Several participants remarked on her ability to clearly and succinctly summarize the interaction between actors, and the impact of nongovernmental and international agencies on the affected populations. Her approach was innovative and generated significant follow-up discussion between participants. Her extensive field expertise and passion for her area of interest was clearly evident, and she demonstrated the intellectual capital that Booz Allen is known for in the defense industry. 

23. Sample Performance and Team Nomination ($250)
Name of Assignment: Military Analyst, US Army/Marine Corps Education Center 
Brief Description: In recognition of Mrs. Patricia Cornell for her exceptional contribution during the period September 25, 2008 to February 28, Mrs. Cornell's leadership, technical and analytical skills have been central to the performance of the Booz Allen Hamilton team on the US Army and Marine Corps Education Center Mission Support Contract. Her efforts have clearly enhanced the Booz Allen Hamilton reputation for excellence in the United States Army and the US Marine Corps. 
Justification: Mrs. Cornell has performed in an exceptional manner as a military analyst for the Booz Allen support contract for the US Army and Marine Corps Education Center during the start-up phase. She has primary responsibility for the monthly Education Center Situation Report (SITREP), a major part of the Education Center's United States Strategic Command (STRATCOM) efforts. Mrs. Cornell works very closely with the Education Center Director in preparation of his briefings to the multitude of visitors the Education Center attracts. She writes the Center's weekly D4 report and Executive Summaries (EXSUMs) for the Center that go to the Commanding General, US Army Combined Arms Center, Fort Leavenworth. Mrs. Cornell also performs analytical review of various publications, articles and documents and prepares POI for the Education Leader Workshops. Mrs. Cornell also brought a spirit of innovation with the creation of a Wiki site for the purpose of editing a draft Education Center Handbook. The Director of the Education Center and other members of the staff have expressed appreciation for the quality of her work and her careful attention to the detail. Her professionalism and tireless dedication epitomize the Firm's core values and clearly demonstrate to the Education Center staff that her performance is worthy of emulation. Patricia Cornell has brought great credit to herself, the Leavenworth Office and to Booz Allen Hamilton. 

24. Sample Performance and Team Nomination ($500)
Name of Assignment:
Defense Production Adjustment & Risk Management Office Web Applications Program
Brief Description: In recognition of the exemplary effort provided in the standup of the program team supporting the Defense Production Adjustment & Risk Management Office Web Applications program. 
Justification: As the Defense Production Adjustment & Risk Management Office Web Applications program's "Program Management Assistant," Elizabeth is to be commended for the outstanding support she has provided in helping to get the program team staffed and functioning smoothly from the period of 15 Oct to 31 Dec, Working well above what was expected of her as a Researcher, she showed initiative and imagination in helping the team get out of the starting gate of a highly visible contract for the Firm. In her role as the team communications lead, she set up the structure for the distribution of recurring and impromptu messages to the program staff of a team comprised of eight different firms. She coordinated arrangements and agendas for several recruiting and team building events in support of the program initiation. She took the lead in setting up a tracking tool to communicate to the client the status of on-boarding of staff across all firms in a fashion that depicts that of a single integrated team. However, most importantly, Elizabeth served as the lynch pin to documenting and streamlining the on-boarding process and welcoming all forty plus members of the team, guiding them through the detailed and often confusing requirements set by Defense so that each new staff member became a productive member of the team from the first day they joined. 

25. Sample Performance and Team Nomination ($750)
Name of Assignment: Army Space Exploration Modeling & Simulation Laboratory 
Brief Description: In recognition of Ted Young's outstanding leadership and exemplary personal contributions to the Army Space Exploration M&S Laboratory’s Starburst Initiative over the past year. 
Justification:
Ted has provided outstanding leadership, task delivery, and business development efforts related to the Starburst Initiative for the past year. He has built an exceptional relationship with the client, is a trusted agent and is asked to represent the client's interest in numerous meetings and symposia. As part of building this trust he has frequently traveled to high profile events at the last minute, prepared superb briefings on short notice, and become recognized an expert in the representation of the operational environment in simulation. His efforts have raised the visibility of Booz Allen Hamilton across the Army‘s Space Exploration community. He has provided superb leadership to a cross functional team of six full time staff from the MSWA, IT, and Army teams. He has been a calming presence for the team operating in a rapidly changing environment with numerous quick-turn taskings. He consistently models a professional approach to tough technical and group dynamic situations. Over the course of the year he has added three staff to the effort and is projected to add two more in the near future. This business development is directly related to the reputation for being able to deliver that the team has built with the client under his leadership. In summary, Ted has provided outstanding leadership to a high impact team, personally built an exceptional value based relationship with the client, and doubled the business effort over the past year. 

26. QUESTIONS?