Continuity of Operations Overview

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Continuity of Operations Overview
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Continuity of Operations (COOP)

• Catastrophic events such as the attacks of
  September 11, 2001, and Hurricane Katrina in
  2005, demonstrated the need to
• Emphasize continuity
• Incorporate continuity into day-to-day planning
  in order to reduce vulnerability and ensure
  performance of essential functions

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A Katrina Success Story
USDAs National Finance Center shuts down in face
of Katrina, August 27, 2005
Hurricane not expected to disrupt payroll, TSP
services
USDA National Finance Center Reopens In Eastern
New Orleans, November 15, 2005
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• A Katrina Success Story
• National Finance Center paid half a million
  Federal workers on time during Hurricane Katrina
  without delays
• Surged work force before landfall allowing them
  to complete payroll processing for federal
  employees
• Shut down operations and deployed to backup
  locations
• Backup data was trucked out of the New Orleans
  facility
• Advance deployment team moved to backup sites
• Within a 50-hour period, they began catch-up
  processing

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WHAT IF?
IRS Building in Washington DC, June 25,2006
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WHAT IF?
Pandemic Influenza
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What If?

• US Forest Service Santa Clara/Mojave Rivers
  Ranger District (SCMRRD) Office
• October 20, 2007

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USFS SCMRRD Office

• LOSSES
• Most original files records destroyed
• All buildings trailers
• Mechanical equipment
• Computers
• Government vehicles
• Employee vehicles damaged
• Employee personal items
• Leased equipment
• Cell phones
• Office equipment

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Smoke drifts around downtown San Diego.
(Submitted to YourScene by gutinho)
WHAT IF?
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What is COOP?

• COOP includes. . .
• The activities of individual departments and
  agencies and their subcompartments to ensure that
  their essential functions are performed
• COOP activities include
• Plans and procedures to ensure that essential
  functions are performed
• Tests, training, and exercises (TTE) essential
  for ensuring a viable COOP capability

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National Continuity Program Policy Guidance
National Security Presidential Directive (NSPD)
51/ Homeland Security Presidential Directive
(HSPD) 20 Subject Continuity Policy May 4,
2007
A culture of continuity
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Benefits

• COOP is a good business practice. It enables
  agencies to continue their essential functions
  across a broad spectrum of hazards and
  emergencies
• Natural
• Manmade
• Technological
• National security emergency

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COOP Challenges

• Similar challenges
• Limited to no budget for facilities and equipment
• MOUs
• Creative resource management
• Limited funded positions
• Business continuity gauged by profit/bottom-line
• Government COOP is driven by the National
  Essential Functions

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Key Elements of COOP Capability

• Plans and Procedures
• Essential Functions
• Delegation of Authority
• Orders of Succession
• Alternate Facilities
• Interoperable Communications
• Vital Records
• Human Capital

• Test, Training, and Exercises (TTE)
• Devolution
• Reconstitution

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What is new and different?

• DA Continuity Coordinators
• Continuity Program Management Cycle
• Continuity Requirements and Metrics
• Risk Management
• Budgeting and Acquisition of Resources
• MEFs, PMEFs, and NEFs
• Four Continuity Plan Operational Phases
• Readiness and Preparedness
• Activation and Relocation
• Continuity Operations
• Reconstitution
• Coordination with State, local, territorial and
  tribal governments and the Private Sector

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Essential Functions

• The critical activities that are performed by
  organizations, especially after a disruption of
  normal activities
• There are three categories of essential
  functions
• National Essential Functions (NEF)
• Primary Mission Essential Functions (PMEF)
• Mission Essential Functions (MEF)

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National Essential Functions

• 1.Ensuring the continued functioning of our form
  of government under the Constitution, including
  the functioning of the three separate branches of
  government
• 2.Providing leadership visible to the Nation and
  the world and maintaining the trust and
  confidence of the American people
• 3.Defending the Constitution of the United States
  against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and
  preventing or interdicting attacks against the
  United States or its people, property, or
  interests
• 4.Maintaining and fostering effective
  relationships with foreign nations

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National Essential Functions

• 5.Protecting against threats to the homeland and
  bringing to justice perpetrators of crimes or
  attacks against the United States or its people,
  property, or interests
• 6.Providing rapid and effective response to and
  recovery from the domestic consequences of an
  attack or other incident
• 7.Protecting and stabilizing the Nations economy
  and ensuring public confidence in its financial
  systems and
• 8.Providing for critical Federal Government
  services that address the national health,
  safety, and welfare needs of the United States.

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COOP Concepts

• Use a minimal workforce (Emergency Relocation
  Group/ERG) to maintain essential functions at an
  alternate site (Emergency Relocation Site/ERS).
• Operational within 12 hours notice
• Sustaining operations for at least 30 days or
  until a permanent facility can become operational
• If ERG cannot maintain essential functions,
  devolve (transfer) those functions to another
  office/agency

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COOP Impacts

• Impact on the Organization
• Leadership
• Operations
• Security
• Communications

A viable COOP plan will minimize the adverse
impacts of a COOP event!
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COOP Impacts

• You and your family
• Uncertainty
• Personal and family security
• Job security
• Economic well-being

A viable COOP plan and a family support plan will
minimize the adverse impacts of a COOP event!
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Family support plans should

• Provide a means for keeping employees and family
  members informed.
• Use READY.gov and OPM.gov to develop Family
  Preparedness plans
• Contact and communications information.
• Immediate Emergency Checklist
• Medical
• Financial
• Automobile/Transportation
• Legal/Administrative
• Important documents
• Wills and Power of Authorities
• Titles and Registrations

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Continuity Program Management Cycle
Plans and Procedures
Develop Corrective Action Plans
Test, Training and Exercise
Evaluations, After Action Reports, and Lessons
Learned
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USFS SCMRRD Office

• IMMEDIATE NEEDS
• Telephones
• Photo copy machine
• Fax machine
• Printers
• Computers
• Facility
• Cell Phones
• Vehicles
• Fuel Cards
• Site Security
• Hazmat/Site cleanup contract

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USFS SCMRRD Office

• LESSONS LEARNED
• Have a COOP Plan
• Utilizing National Archives
• Use thumb drives for back ups
• Take lap top computers home
• Deal with employee emotions/feelings
• Track employees in facilities after
  hours/weekends/holidays
• Know your agency claims procedure
• Be able to list your losses
• Check your contracts on leased equipment and
  responsibility
• Know your cooperators
• Los Angeles County Fire
• City of Santa Clarita
• Federal Executive Board
• FEMA
• National Archives
• Procurement or contracting agent with a high
  warrant approval ability
• Keep copies of equipment contracts on thumb drive

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Summary
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Anything adjustable will sooner or later need
adjustment. - Ancient Volkswagen Proverb
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