EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Indian Affairs provides services directly or through contracts, grants, or compacts to a service population of more than 1.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who are enrolled members of 567 Federally recognized tribes in the 48 contiguous United States and Alaska. The extensive scope of Indian Affairs programs is authorized by numerous treaties, court decisions, and legislation and covers virtually the entire range of Federal, state and local government services. Programs administered through Indian Affairs include social services, natural resources management, economic development, law enforcement and detention services, administration of tribal courts, implementation of land and water claim settlements, replacement and repair of schools, repair and maintenance of roads and bridges, repair of structural deficiencies on high hazard dams, and land consolidation activities.
The mission of the Bureau of Indian Affairs is to enhance the quality of life, to promote economic opportunity, and to carry out the responsibility to protect and improve the trust assets of American Indians, Indian Tribes, and Alaska Natives. The Bureau administers and manages 55 million surface acres and 57 million acres of subsurface minerals estates held in trust by the United States for individuals and Tribes. The mission of the Bureau of Indian Education is to provide quality education opportunities from early childhood through life in Indian Country for individuals attending Bureau schools. The Bureau provides education services to approximately 41,000 Indian students through 183 schools and dormitories and provides funding to 31 colleges, universities and post-secondary schools.
In the event that a funding measure is not enacted, Indian Affairs needs to prepare for a lapse in appropriations and as such has created a Contingency Plan for essential operations. The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs will be responsible for implementing and adjusting the plan to respond to the length of the appropriations hiatus and changes in external circumstances. The Plan:
- Provides planning guidance for the following offices: Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs; the Bureau of Indian Affairs: and the Bureau of Indian Education.
- Provides operational direction for the Indian Affairs Contingency Plan team.
- Identifies the Excepted personnel and the Exempt personnel that would be able to continue operations with non-appropriated funds.
The Plan is supported by plans at the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education organizational levels. Each Bureau Director has concurred with the Plan in the event of a lapse in appropriations. Denoted below is a summary of the Indian Affairs organizations (by total employees) should the respective Contingency Plan(s) be effected.
| Office | Employees on Board | Retained | Retained | Retained | Retained | Retained | Subject to Furlough |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate Confirmed Pres. Appt. | Excepted - Law Enforcement | Exempt - Funded by Other than Annual Appropriations | Excepted - Protection of Life and Property | Total Retained | |||
| Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs | 215 | 1 | 77 | 78 | 137 | ||
|
Bureau of Indian Affairs |
4,490 | 764 | 560 | 265 | 1435 | 2,662 | |
|
Bureau of Indian Education |
3,378 | 3,228 | 150 | 3,378 | 0 | ||
| Total | 8,083 | 1 | 764 | 3,863 | 492 | 3,966 | 2,799 |
Denoted below is the breakout of Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs employees in the event the Plan is activated. Total encumbered employees are 215 as of mid-September, 2015. Under the Plan, a total of 78 employees funded by annual appropriations have been identified to be on duty as Excepted Employees. A total of 137 employees would be subject to furlough status.
|
Office/Location |
Employees on Board | Senate Confirmed Pres. Appt. | Excepted - Protection of Life and Property | Exempt - Funded by Other than Annual Appropriations | Total During Contingency |
Subject to Furlough |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary |
215 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 152 | |
|
Public Affairs |
2 | 2 | ||||
|
Congressional Affairs |
0 | 0 | ||||
|
Self-Governance |
2 | 2 | ||||
|
Deputy Assistant Secretary – Mgmt. |
2 | 2 | ||||
|
Office of Human Capital Management |
9 | 9 | ||||
|
Office of Information Management Technology |
23 | 23 | ||||
|
Office of Budget |
2 | 2 | ||||
|
Office of the Chief Financial Officer |
24 | 24 | ||||
|
Office of Facilities, Environmental and Cultural Resources |
2 | 2 | ||||
|
Office of Facilities Management and Construction |
8 | 8 | ||||
| Total | 215 | 1 | 77 | 78 | 137 |
Estimate of the time to complete the shutdown: For all three organizations, it is estimated a half day (4 hours) will be required to implement the Plan on day 1.
OVERVIEW
The purpose of the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Contingency Plan is to ensure the continuous performance of essential functions, continued leadership of the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Indian Education and provide for an orderly means of addressing problems and keeping essential operations running smoothly. To do so, the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs has incorporated the following key continuity concepts into operational procedures to ensure a robust continuity capability exists:
- Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs essential functions
- Clear lines of authority
- Necessary communications capabilities
The Plan encompasses Indian Affairs offices regardless of physical location. It also encompasses all resources and capabilities that will be used in support of the mission such as other Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs and Bureau facilities, personnel, or communications infrastructure needed to support such essential operations. This plan assumes a shutdown of no more than approximately 30 calendar days or 22 work days.
EXCEPTED PERSONNEL
The Plan identifies Excepted Personnel in the following three categories: Protection of Human Life; Protection of Federal Property; and Preventing Harm. These personnel are the minimum required to enable the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs to provide vital services, exercise civil authority, and maintain the safety of the general public.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Essential Functions
Coordinate emergency response activities on tribal and allotted lands.
Coordinate critical services that address health and safety of tribes and Indian Affairs employees.
Manage and coordinate allegations of child abuse.
Coordinate law enforcement and detention operations on Indian lands under Federal jurisdiction, coordinate Tribal law enforcement activities, and enforcement of Federal laws.
Protect Federal facilities and infrastructure.
ESSENTIAL SUPPORT ACTIVITIES
Essential Support Activities are those things that are necessary to enable the execution of Essential Functions by designated Excepted Personnel.
Essential Support Activities
Provide finance and accounting activities to support trust activities and excepted services and personnel.
Provide acquisition and logistics support for excepted personnel.
Provide financial system support necessary to support excepted personnel.
Communicate with Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs employees, providing information on the status of operations.
Operate and maintain facilities for the health and safety of Federal employees and the protection of property.
Account for status of the workforce and recall employees to duty, as required.
Provide communications and the information technology service that allows the function. Coordinate approval of emergency funding transfers, and reprogramming requests to ensure funding is in place to sustain essential operations.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Assistant Secretary- Indian Affairs
The Assistant Secretary- Indian Affairs:
- The Chief of Staff to the Assistant Secretary will ensure the adequacy of the Contingency Plan and be the primary liaison to the Department and implement any changes to the Contingency Plan.
Deputy Assistant Secretary – Management
The Deputy Assistant Secretary – Management is responsible for the following:
- Executes essential functions related to the Deputy Assistant Secretary – Management programs, including Budget, Information Technology, Financial Systems and Human Resources.
Assistant Director for Information Resources – Indian Affairs
The Assistant Director for Information Resources – Indian Affairs is responsible for the following:
- Supports the Secretary of the Interior and Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs through the implementation of telecommunications and network services.
- Maintains network support and server infrastructure for Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs.
- Provides technical assistance to Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs offices and Bureaus.
Director, Office of Human Capital Management
The Director, Office of Human Capital Management, has the following responsibilities:
- Effect shutdown and furlough procedures.
- Answer employee inquiries, including provide an employee Frequently Asked Questions (informational bulletin) to be distributed via e-mail and posted on the Bureau of Indian Affairs Website to answer Plan related questions.
- Be prepared to execute procedures to bring employees back to work.
Director, Office of Budget
The Director, Office of Budget has the following responsibilities:
- Provide budget briefings and manage budget activities including the execution of non-lapsing appropriations.
- Support funding determinations from non-lapsing appropriations
- Respond to congressional inquiries.
Directors, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education
The Heads of Bureaus are responsible for effective management and execution of Excepted Personnel/Essential Functions within their respective Bureaus and the coordination of such with the Chief of Staff. In line with this function, the Directors of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education:
- Ensure readiness of the Bureau to implement its Bureau specific Contingency Plan.
- Ensure assigned personnel execute the Plan responsibilities should implementation be required.
- Provide Contingency policy advice.
- Provide the Bureau-specific Plans.
- Oversee management of Bureau functions, facilities, infrastructure, and personnel.
Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Continuity Team Members
Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Contingency Team Members bear the overall responsibility for maintaining the Department’s essential functions during Contingency operations. Contingency Team members are as follows:
- Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs
- Chief of Staff
- Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs
- Deputy Assistant Secretary – Management
- Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs
- Director, Bureau of Indian Education
ALERTS AND NOTIFICATION
If the Plan is activated, notification will be communicated to all employees by internal telephone tree (specific to each office), e-mail and/or website posting. The Chief of Staff will implement the notification procedures.
Attachment(s):
- List of Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Excepted Employees
- Bureau of Indian Affairs Contingency Plan
- Bureau of Indian Education Contingency Plan
ASSISTANT SECRETARY – INDIAN AFFAIRS EXCEPTED PERSONNEL
|
Office |
Title |
|---|---|
|
Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs |
Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs |
|
Chief of Staff |
|
|
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs |
|
|
Support Staff |
|
|
Communications Office |
Director, Public Affairs |
|
Public Affairs Specialist |
|
|
Office of Self-Governance |
Director |
|
Finance Specialist |
Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, Immediate Office
Key top leadership of Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs are deemed excepted employees should the Plan be effected.
The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs provides overall leadership and direction for all organizational components of Indian Affairs nationwide. As a Senate-confirmed appointee this position is Excepted. This position dictates when the Plan will go into effect and any modifications to it during its implementation and execution.
The Chief of Staff executes the daily administrative responsibilities for the Assistant Secretary and the Immediate Office on the whole. This position is responsible for ensuring the implementation and execution of the Plan on a nationwide basis in addition to ensuring the conduct of essential duties and responsibilities.
The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs is responsible for advising the Assistant Secretary on policy matters, including position(s) on litigation matters, which may arise during the effect of the Plan. This position serves as the expert policy counsel on these matters.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary – Policy and Economic Development will provide Executive oversight and staff support for subordinate offices which do not have any employees identified as excepted: Office of Federal Acknowledgement and the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development. In addition, the position oversees all Self Governance Compact tribal activities which includes protection of individuals, life and property (i.e., law enforcement, child protection services).
COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
The Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs has developed a communications team to work with Tribes and external stakeholders in the event the Plan is implemented and to communicate with employees. A lapse in appropriations for the Federal Government will also have ramifications for the 567 Federally recognized Tribes in their daily operations.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY – INDIAN AFFAIRS OFFICES WITH NO DESIGNATED EXCEPTED EMPLOYEES
DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY – MANAGEMENT EXCEPTED PERSONNEL
Immediate Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary - Management
|
Division/Branch |
Title/Function |
|
Immediate Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary – Management |
Deputy Assistant Secretary – Management |
|
Administrative Officer |
Office of Human Capital Management
|
Division/Branch |
Title/Function |
|---|---|
|
Washington, DC |
Director, Office of Human Capital Management |
|
Human Resources Operations, Reston, VA |
Human Resources Specialist Human Resources Assistant |
|
Human Resources, Albuquerque, NM |
Human Resources Specialist |
|
Human Resources , Anadarko, OK |
Human Resources Specialist |
|
Human Resources , Billings, MT |
Human Resources Specialist |
|
Human Resources, Albuquerque, NM |
Human Resources Officer for the Bureau of Indian Education |
|
Human Resources , Albuquerque, NM |
Human Resources Specialist - BIE
Human Resources Specialist (Classification/Pay Issues)
|
Office of Information Management Technology
|
Division/Branch |
Title/Function |
|---|---|
|
Office of Information Management Technology |
Senior Advisor Information Resources |
|
Data Center and Enterprise Services (email, network, and servers) |
Information Technology Security E-mail
Main Interior Building Servers
Albuquerque, New Mexico Servers
Database Administration Telecommunications
|
|
Field Support |
Information Technology Support Personnel at:
Alaska Region, Juneau, Alaska
Eastern Region, Nashville, Tennessee
Eastern Oklahoma Region, Muskogee, Oklahoma
Great Plains Region, Aberdeen, South Dakota
Midwest Region, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Navajo Region, Gallup, New Mexico
Northwest Region, Portland, Oregon
Pacific Region, Sacramento, California
Rocky Mountain Region, Billings, Montana
Southern Plains Region, Anadarko, Oklahoma
Southwest Region, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Western Region, Phoenix, Arizona
National Interagency Fire Center, Boise, Idaho
|
Office of the Chief Financial Officer
|
Division/Branch |
Title/Function |
|---|---|
|
CFO Immediate Office |
Chief Financial Office |
|
Acquisitions |
Supervisory Contracting Officer
Charge Card Support
Contracting Officer
|
|
Financial Systems Division |
Division Chief
Financial and Business Management System (FBMS) Production
Support Lead
FBMS Bureau Lead
Security Point of Contact
|
|
Accounting Operations Division |
Supervisory Accountant
Obligations
SDS Processing – Collections
SDS Processing – IPAC
SDS Processing – Vendor Payments
Travel support for exempt personnel
|
Office of Budget and Performance Management
|
Division/Branch |
Title/Function |
|---|---|
|
Budget Division |
Budget Director
Supervisory Budget Analyst
|
Office of Facilities, Property, and Safety Management
|
Division/Branch |
Title/Function |
|---|---|
|
Office of Facilities, Property, and Safety Management |
Director, Office of Facilities, Property, and Safety Management |
|
Budget Analyst |
|
|
Division of Safety and Risk Management |
Division Chief |
|
Division of Property Management |
Division Chief |
|
Division of Facilities Mgmt. and Construction |
Division Chief |
