This article addresses a proposed overhaul of the U.S. federal government's employee performance management system by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), described as the most significant reform in decades. OPM's central argument is that current ratings are inflated — with nearly two-thirds of non-Senior Executive Service employees receiving top scores from FY2022–2024 and only 0.6% rated below a three — and that a forced distribution model is necessary to restore accountability and differentiate performance levels meaningfully. The proposed rule would cap top ratings (fours and fives on a five-point scale), reduce rating levels from five to four, remove higher-level review requirements for 'unacceptable' ratings, exempt political appointees, bar union grievances over ratings, and require biennial OPM approval of agency appraisal systems. Key evidence cited includes a 2010 Management Science study on leniency bias and a 2016 GAO report confirming near-universal high ratings. However, agency representatives internally criticized the proposal, and the cited study itself warned of post-implementation performance drops. Implementation costs have escalated from approximately $200,000 to $3.5 million. Key insights: From FY2022 to FY2024, nearly two-thirds of non-SES federal employees received a four or five rating, with only 0.6% rated below a three, providing the statistical basis for OPM's inflation argument. The 2010 Management Science study cited by OPM to support forced distribution actually found that short-term performance gains were followed by a sharp decline, with employees becoming demotivated when they could no longer attain previously accessible high grades and bonuses. OPM reversed its own longstanding position — previously describing forced distribution as inconsistent with sound performance management — framing the shift as a necessary accountability measure under the current administration. Practical takeaways: The proposal illustrates how forced distribution systems can be introduced at scale in large public-sector workforces, with accompanying provisions such as union grievance restrictions and biennial system approval requirements as governance mechanisms. The escalation of implementation costs from $200,000 to $3.5 million reflects the operational complexity of retrofitting HR and IT systems across a multi-million employee civil service, a consideration relevant to large-scale PMS reform in any organization.