Executive Order 10717—The President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service

By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Government Employees' Incentive Awards Act, approved September 1, 1954 (68 Stat. 1112), and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows:

SECTION 1. There is hereby established an honorary award for the recognition of distinguished service by civilian officers and employees of the Federal Government. The award shall be known as the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service, and shall consist of a gold medal, the design of which accompanies and is hereby made a part of this order, suspended on a ribbon of appropriate material and color, and accompanying appurtenances. Each medal shall be suitably inscribed, and an appropriate citation shall accompany each award.

SEC. 2. The President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service shall be presented by the President to civilian officers or employees of the Federal Government for exceptionally meritorious or outstanding civilian service performed in connection with or in relation to their official employment. Presentation of the award shall be made at such times as the President may determine; but not more than five awards shall be made in any one year. An award involving a group achievement shall be considered as a single award.

SEC. 3. There is hereby established the Distinguished Civilian Service Awards Board (hereinafter referred to as the Board), which shall consist of five members, appointed by the President from the Federal civilian service. The Chairman of the Board shall be designated by the President from the membership of the Board.

SEC. 4. The terms of service of the members of the Board shall be four years, except that the first term of service of two of the original members, other than the Chairman, shall be two years instead of four years. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy on the Board occurring prior to the expiration of the term of his predecessor shall be appointed for the remainder of such term.

SEC. 5. The members of the Board shall serve as such without additional compensation. The Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, or his designated representative, shall serve as Executive Secretary of the Board, and the Civil Service Commission is requested to furnish the Board the necessary staff and other services.

SEC. 6. The Board shall advise and assist the President in the selection of persons to whom the award shall be tendered. In performing its functions, the Board shall carefully review recommendations submitted to it and decide which of them, if any, warrant presentation to the President, and shall transmit to the President, for his consideration, the names of those persons deemed by it to merit the award, together with its reasons therefor. Recipients for the award shall be selected by the President.

SEC. 7. Recommendations for the award may be made by the heads of executive departments and agencies. Each recommendation shall be made personally by the head of the department or agency in which the proposed recipient of the award is employed, and shall be submitted, with appropriate supporting material, to the Board for its consideration.

SEC. 8. The Board shall be guided in the performance of its functions by the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of section 304 of the Government Employees Incentive Awards Act, and by criteria and procedures established by it with the approval of the President. Such criteria shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) The significance and importance of the contribution to the Government or the public interest shall be so outstanding or exceptional that, in the opinion of the Board, the officer or employee is deserving of greater public commendation and official recognition than that which can be accorded by the head of the department or agency in which he is employed.

(b) Awards shall be made only to civilian career officers or employees of the Government, or to officers or employees whose Federal service, in the opinion of the Board, can reasonably be considered as career service.

Sac. 9. This order shall become effective on July 1, 1957.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

THE WHITE HOUSE,

June 27, 1957.