Interior Assistant Secretary Kenneth. L. Smith announced today that Management Concepts, Incorporated (MCI) of Falls Church, Virginia has been awarded a $5 12,000 contract for a detailed study of the results of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971 (ANCSA).
The Secretary of the Interior, under ANCSA, must report to Congress in 1985 on actions taken to implement the act and the status of Alaska Natives.
The Secretary's report could have a major impact on future Congressional actions affecting the Alaska Natives, including possible modifications of the ANCSA provisions. The study to be done by MCI will provide the background information necessary for a thorough and complete report, Smith said. In addition, he said, the Secretary and his staff have established good working relationships with the Native leadership and will have developed considerable additional information from many Alaskan sources. The act created 13 Native regional corporations and a larger number of village and other corporations to receive approximately $1 billion dollars and 40 million acres of land in full settlement of the Alaska Natives' aboriginal claims in the state.
All restrictions on the sale or alienation of properties received under ANCSA will expire in 1991. The study to be done by Management Concepts Incorporated must include comparisons of the status of Alaska Natives before and after the implementation of ANCSA. The status of the Native corporations will be reported, including an evaluation of their economic stability and viability, their management capabilities and predictions of future developments. The contract with MCI requires that problems and issues related to ANCSA be identified and recommendations for solutions provided. The contract requires MCI to distribute a draft report in May 1984 to all affected Native groups, the state government and certain other agencies and organizations for review and comment The final report is due June 30, 1984. MCI was one of twelve bidders for the contract. The company has done more than 25 research and education projects in Alaska since 1979. Work with American. Indian or Alaska Native groups constitutes about 40 percent of the firm's activities.
