Title: Formative Evaluation of Personnel System Agency: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Requirement: Evaluate a new performance measurement and compensation system implemented by the FAA. Solution: JPS was hired by the FAA to conduct a formative evaluation of the new program implemented by the Office of Research and Acquisition in an effort to test human capital strategies to make the FAA a high performance organization. The program involved creating an employee appraisal process that emphasized results-based performance standards, a competency-based system that assessed the capabilities of employees, and a merit-based compensation system that operated on broad work categories and pay-bands. JPS began the effort by reviewing the authority conferred by Congress, interviewing stakeholders, and reviewing documentation describing ARA's program.  We also reviewed the literature of the state-of-the art in relevant areas of performance management, compensation, merit pay, and training. JPS then developed and implemented an evaluation plan.  As part of the evaluation, JPS conducted 11 focus groups with employees and managers, collected and analyzed critical incident data, and interviewed senior management. JPS also reviewed the data that ARA had collected internally to track and document the implementation of the new personnel program. JPS provided an evaluation report and a project briefing. JPS also provided a written analysis of baseline data to be collected to support future impact evaluations of the program.