Awards & Recognition

The Department of the Interior’s Awards and Recognition Program rewards employees for high performance, exemplary work, and acts of bravery. For questions about this year’s ceremony or information on nominating someone for an award next year, please consult your office or bureau’s servicing Human Resources Office.

The DOI Convocation Honor Award is the most prestigious recognition that can be granted by the Department for career accomplishments, exceptional support of the Department’s mission, or for heroism.  The following awards are presented at the Honor Awards Convocation:

• Safety and Health Award of Excellence & Aviation Safety Award – These awards recognize individuals or groups that have performed an outstanding service for or made a contribution of unusual value to the occupational safety and health of employees, visitors, and volunteers; and aircraft accident prevention.
• Distinguished Service Award – The highest honorary recognition an employee can receive within DOI. It is granted for an outstanding contribution to science, outstanding skill or ability in the performance of duty, outstanding contribution made during an eminent career in the Department, or any other exceptional contribution to the public service.
• Citizen’s Award for Bravery – This award is granted to private citizens for heroic acts or unusual bravery in the face of danger. Recipients have risked their lives to save the life of a Departmental employee or the lives of other individuals while on property owned by or entrusted to the DOI.
• Valor Award – This award is presented to Interior employees who have demonstrated unusual courage involving a high degree of personal risk in the face of danger. The act of heroism is not required to be related to official duties or to have occurred at the official duty station.

How to Submit:

Nominations for the 2020/2021 awards must be finalized and submitted to the Department's Office of Human Capital (OHC) by June 11, 2021. After OHC has reviewed the awards for quality control, and all required surnames, completed packages will be forwarded to the Office of the Executive Secretariat for Secretarial signature or for the Safety and Health Awards, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH). Please read Memo (4/12/2021): 2020/2021 DOI Honor Awards Convocation Announcement and Nomination Deadline and contact Honor Awards Convocation Director Tina Walton with questions.