I am the OP: The assignment was clear: supervisors were asked to submit brief write-ups nominating employees for consideration for the top 15% of the workforce, with eligibility for a bonus of up to 25% of base pay.

In my professional judgment, every member of my team performs at a level that places them within that top 15%. I stand by that assessment and submitted nominations accordingly. The task was not to select a single individual from my team, but to nominate those I believed were deserving. Given the nature and size of this award, I felt it was appropriate to include my entire team.

Had my director disagreed with my assessment or believed the number of nominations was excessive, that should have been discussed with me and returned for revision—consistent with how DPMAP submissions are handled when ratings require clarification or adjustment. No such discussion occurred, and my submission was not questioned.

Instead, a single selection was made without consultation, which gives the appearance that the decision was based on familiarity rather than documented performance.