ARMD Associate Administrator 

Awards Fiscal Year 2023

Nomination, Evaluation, and Selection Guidelines 

Coordinated by 

Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Washington, DC 
ARMD Associate Administrator Awards Fiscal Year 2023

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Table of Contents

I. Purpose 3

II. Award Categories 3

III. Eligibility/Frequency 4

IV. Nomination Process–Submission Guidelines 4

V. Evaluation and Selection Processes 5

VI. Process Participants 6

VII. Schedule 7

VIII. Awards 7
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ARMD Associate Administrator Awards Fiscal Year 2023

I. PURPOSE

The Associate Administrator (AA) Awards will be presented each year to individuals and groups who 

contribute to Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) activities and who demonstrate 

exemplary performance in one of six areas of consideration: Technology and Innovation, Leadership and 

Management Excellence, Program and Mission Support, High Potentials Award, Strategic Partnerships, 

and Pushing the Envelope. 

The awards are intended to recognize essential contributions of the ARMD team and will be given to civil 

service employees, government contractors, or students/interns who have shown exemplary performance 

in one of the award categories, both in approach and results. 

II. AWARD CATEGORIES

The AA Awards highlight key areas of focus for ARMD and provide a vehicle to recognize distinguished 

teams or individuals for their outstanding contributions to the primary goals and objectives of the ARMD 

mission. The ARMD AA Award categories are: 

Technology and Innovation 

Exemplary performance by an individual or group that results in significant unique or innovative technical 

research concepts and technologies that position ARMD, NASA, and the aeronautics community and 

industry for success in addressing national challenges. This category also would include test and 

evaluation contributions. 

Leadership and Management Excellence 

Exemplary performance by an individual in leading and managing people in the formulation and 

accomplishment of disciplined research in the field of aeronautics, demonstrating leadership qualities that 

invite collaboration and cultivate dedication to team excellence. Leaders of ARMD-related research 

activities take action that allows others to foster a sense of pride and accomplishment in achieving the 

mission of ARMD.

Program and Mission Support 

Exemplary performance by an individual or group to provide non-technical mission support to aeronautics 

research programs, projects, and related activities that significantly improves and streamlines their 

efficiency and effectiveness of operations. This could be in functions typically associated with the NASA 

Mission Support Directorate (procurement, HR, policy/evaluation, etc.) or other support activities such as 

resources management, IT, legal counsel, communications, knowledge management, education, 

legislative affairs, administrative support, etc. These efforts enable the successful completion and 

advancement of significant program goals that otherwise may not have been achieved. 

High Potentials 

Exemplary performance by an individual student, intern, or someone in the first five years of their federal 

service career that have made significant contributions to the advancement of aeronautics research, and 

that have clearly demonstrated high potential in their abilities and skills in the areas of science, 

technology, engineering, and/or math. They have actively and positively contributed to addressing 

technical challenges, and to the overall mission of NASA. 

Strategic Partnerships 

Exemplary performance by an individual to establish or strengthen strategic partnerships with non-NASA 

entities that leverage emerging capabilities in the U.S. and abroad to significantly advance the 

achievement of aeronautics research and development objectives, generate robust and timely knowledge 

transfer, and strengthen trust and credibility with U.S. and foreign partners. For example, these efforts 
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ARMD Associate Administrator Awards Fiscal Year 2023

could result in significantly increased quality of NASA Research Announcements or other collaborative 

agreements. 

Pushing the Envelope 

Exemplary performance by an individual or group in taking on an ambitious challenge, and although not 

meeting the technical objectives, positively applying the learning experience toward advancing the 

aeronautics community. This category emphasizes the positive impact that can result from broadly 

disseminating and applying the knowledge gained from a rigorous, objective evaluation. 

III. ELIGIBILITY/FREQUENCY

All NASA civil service employees, government contractors, and students/interns engaged with ARMD 

projects are eligible to be nominated for all but the Pushing the Envelope and High Potentials categories. 

Pushing the Envelope is limited to NASA civil servants or groups led by NASA civil servants. The High 

Potentials category is limited to those as defined in the category description above. 

Individual nominees will be accepted for all categories. Groups may be nominated for awards in the 

Technology and Innovation, Program and Mission Support, and Pushing the Envelope categories only. 

The AA Awards will be given annually. The number of individual or group awards granted each year will 

be determined based on the number and strength of the nominations submitted. 

IV. NOMINATION PROCESS – SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Any ARMD civil service employee, government contractor, student, or intern may submit a nomination for 

an individual or group award. Students and interns also may be nominated by an academic mentor or 

supervisor. Self-nominations are allowed. 

Groups can include, for example, members from a specific program or project, a special event team, or 

committee. Nominators must identify at least one group leader for each group award submission. 

Nominations should be for contributions and accomplishments the individual or group made during the 

fiscal year for which these awards are being presented. Submitting the same nomination for consideration 

under multiple categories is not allowed. 

All nominations must be cleared by the individual or group leader nominee’s immediate 

supervisor, who must sign the nomination form. 

To submit a nomination, fill out the form (Attachment A), ensure all signatures are made, and then email a 

copy of the document in Word or PDF format to hq-armdaaawards@mail.nasa.gov no later than 

November 30, 2023. Upon receipt, all nominations will be recorded, compiled, and then sent to a panel

for review. Award honorees will be announced early in 2024.

The nomination requires a justification narrative that must clearly describe how an outstanding approach 

and resulting accomplishments during the past fiscal year makes the nominated individual or group 

deserving of an award in that specific category. Emphasis should be placed on how the actions taken by 

the individual or group resulted in an outcome that had or will have an impact on ARMD, its partners, 

and/or stakeholders. For the Pushing the Envelope award, describe the lessons learned from trying to 

overcome an ambitious challenge and how they were disseminated and/or used by ARMD, its partners, 

and/or stakeholders. 

The narrative is not to exceed 750 words. It may be included by using the space provided on the form, or 

as a separate page with a 1-inch margin on the top and 1⁄2-inch margins on the sides and bottom. 
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ARMD Associate Administrator Awards Fiscal Year 2023

In all cases, an 11-point, Times New Roman font must be used. Including graphics with the nomination as 

separate attachments is discouraged unless critical for providing clarity. 

Nominations not conforming to these guidelines will not be considered. 

Special Instructions for Group Award Nominations 

For group awards, in addition to the standard nomination form, please submit via email the group member 

names using the attached Excel group member template. At the top of the spreadsheet, provide the 

group name and check the award for which the group is being nominated. The first three rows of the 

spreadsheet provide examples of how to enter the information. 

The information provided in the First/Middle/Last name columns is what will appear on each group 

member’s certificate. If the group member has a doctorate, please put “Dr.” in the “Prefix” column. If the 

group member is a contractor, please note that in the last column under “Contractor.”

V. EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESSES

Evaluation Factors 

Throughout the nomination and selection processes, two factors, Impact and Responsiveness, will be 

used to evaluate potential award candidates relative to achievements toward ARMD program goals and 

objectives: 

• Impact considers the relevance of the work – Did it address an issue of importance to ARMD? –

as well as the benefit that accrued to NASA and its stakeholders in other government agencies

and the aeronautics industry.

• Innovation considers the degree to which the contribution was innovative, creative, and

inclusive of new perspectives and skill sets.

Scoring Guidelines

Using a competitive scale review process, the AA Award panel members will review and develop a 

numerical ranking for each nomination using personal expertise and judgment and based on the 

evaluation factors and guidelines outlined above. Each submission and factor will be assessed using a 

competitive scale, from non-competitive to highly competitive, with each factor receiving a score from zero 

(0) to ten (10), with ten being the highest.

Non-Competitive=0, Less Competitive=1-3, Competitive=4-7, Highly Competitive=8-10

These scoring guidelines are provided for reference and assistance in assessment and relative ranking of 

the nominees. ARMD recognizes that all employee efforts are valuable contributions to the mission of the 

agency. These guidelines are simply an objective way for raters to score submissions in a consistent 

manner.

Adjective Description Performance

Highly Competitive Exceptional, world-class work or performance

Competitive Excellent, major advancements; excellent performance

Less Competitive Very good, important advancements; above average performance

Non-Competitive Good/Fair, average advancements; expected performance

This document and competitive ranking scale will be the primary reference for evaluating award 

nominations. As part of the official panel review process, panel members may independently solicit 

information or feedback on a candidate’s performance from the appropriate NASA officials, including, 

though not limited to:
ARMD Associate Administrator Awards Fiscal Year 2023

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• NASA Headquarters, Center Contracting Officers, and Contracting Officers’ Technical

Representatives.

• NASA Headquarters and Center program or project personnel with knowledge of the nominee’s

performance.

• Other government agencies, offices, or partners with knowledge of the nominee’s performance.

Although outside advice may be sought and obtained, AA Award-competitive information will not be 

revealed outside the NASA teams and panelists evaluating the nominations.

Award Panel Review

The panel review members will consist of ARMD, Center, other NASA representatives, and/or other 

relevant government agency representatives. Each panelist will review and screen nominations against 

the evaluation factors. The panel chair will convene meetings to review and discuss all nominations. 

Based on the deliberations, the AA Awards coordinator will compile the results and notes, submit by 

award category and submission type (individual or group), and rank ordered recommendations to the 

Associate Administrator. Panels also may recommend “Honorable Mention” recognition to highly 

competitive nominations, at their discretion. The Associate Administrator will then make final selections. 

The number of awards granted will vary based on the number and strength of nominations.

Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure

Names of nominees, nomination reports, commentary, and scoring and ranking information will be kept 

confidential, and such information will be available only to those NASA employees and panelists directly 

involved in the assessment and evaluation process. All panel member deliberations, papers, findings, and 

recommendations will be treated in this confidential manner. Further, all contractor-related information 

and material will be handled as proprietary to protect contractor interests.

Notification of Award

Upon final selection, the AA Award winners and their supervisors, will be notified by the ARMD Associate 

Administrator. 

VI. PROCESS PARTICIPANTS

ARMD AA Award Panelists

The ARMD Deputy Associate Administrator will establish the review panels, consisting of senior-level, 

technically qualified representatives from ARMD Headquarters and NASA Centers, and may include other 

government agency representatives. The AA Awards coordinator will manage the awards process, 

document the panel deliberations, and provide a final report with results and recommendations to the 

Associate Administrator. The ARMD Associate Administrator will be the selecting official and will make 

the final award decisions based on the results and recommendations of the panel review and submission 

rankings. Alternate members or designees may also be selected and included.

Consultants

Although they are not members of the AA Awards panel or the review and evaluation process, other 

NASA offices or employees involved in ARMD programs may be consulted throughout the evaluation 

process for relevant input. These NASA offices may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the 

General Counsel, the Office of the Inspector General, the Office of Procurement, the Office of Equal 

Opportunity Programs, and the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.
ARMD Associate Administrator Awards Fiscal Year 2023

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VII. SCHEDULE

October 2023

• A call memo from the ARMD Associate Administrator to the NASA Centers’ directors and

program directors opens the award cycle.

• Panelists are identified and approved by ARMD Associate Administrator.

October–November 2023

• Adhering to submission guidelines, nominators prepare nomination documents for submission.

December 2023

• The AA Awards coordinator sends award submission packages to panelists for review and rating.

• Panelists are provided guidance to evaluate the awards.

Late January/February 2024

• The review panel meets to deliberate submissions and to provide rank ordered recommendations

to the Associate Administrator.

Late February/March 2024

• The Associate Administrator makes the final selection of award winners.

• Award winners are notified.

• Award trophies and certificates are ordered.

July 2024

• Viewing of the ARMD AA Awards video

VIII. AWARDS

All ARMD FTE’s, contractors, and students and interns are eligible to apply or be nominated. Students 

and interns or someone in the first 5 years of federal service are eligible to apply or be nominated for the 

ARMD High Potentials Award. 

All eligible award recipients, including individual members of groups, will receive a certificate signed by 

the Associate Administrator. Individual and group leader honorees also will receive a moderately sized 

etched item of recognition. 

DEADLINE: Nominations for FY23 should be submitted electronically by November 30, 2023 to: hqarmdaaawards@mail.nasa.gov. Natasha McNeill is the point of contact for the ARMD AA Awards and can 

be reached at Natasha.McNeill-1@nasa.gov or 202-358-2638.