Endangered Species Act Counterpart Regulations: Workload Process Improvement

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Endangered Species Act Counterpart Regulations
Workload Process Improvement
Letitia (Tish) Toomer Acting Director Operations
Management and Oversight Division
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What is Workload Process Improvement ?

• Charge to obtain results, efficiency in achieving
  those results and continued streamlining of
  business processes

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Workload Process Improvementand Accountability

• OMOD responsibility (GM 340 Part 407)
• Improve NRCS efficiency
• GPRA
• PMA
• OMB Part
• Institutionalize awareness of field office
  workload

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Workload Process Improvement Procedures

• New policy or change to existing policy?
• Why is the policy being implemented?
• What field level work will be impacted?
• What specific tasks will change?
• Will the time to complete the task increase or
  decrease?
• Quantify the change

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Workload Process Improvement

• Objective of ESA Counterpart Regulations and
  Programmatic Consultation Streamline NRCS
  compliance with endangered species act
  requirements
• Is it worth the investment?

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Workload Process ImprovementBenefit of ESA
Counterpart Regulations

• Clarify and streamline existing policy
• No formal consultation for TA only plans
• No consultation for certified wetland
  determinations
• No concurrence (biological assessment) for not
  likely to affect or beneficial effect
  determinations

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Workload Process ImprovementOther Benefits

• Clarify NRCS policy
• Clearer definitions of wildlife habitat related
  terms (pulse, press, threshold events vs. short
  or long term effect)

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Workload Process ImprovementFactors to Consider

• Are workload impacts nationwide?
• Are particular disciplines affected?
• Are there impacts at other (SO) levels of the
  organization?
• Which tasks are affected
• What Core Work Products are affected?

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Workload Process ImprovementExactly How
Beneficial?
Based on analysis in FY 2002

• Reduce task time
• Soliciting necessary reviews for conservation
  implementation
• Estimated savings 79 staff years
• Reduce number of jobs affected
• Biological assessments
• Estimated savings 37 staff years

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Workload Process ImprovementHow Much?

• Field workload efficiency improved .68
• Save a total of 116 staff years (12.6 Million
  based on NRCS average SY cost)
• Time redirected to conservation planning and
  technology development

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Workload Process Improvement Tools

• WLBR Model
• calculations based on WLA 2001 data
• PRMS/PRS data
• Number of critical wildlife habitat inventories
  developed in 2000 and 2001

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Workload Process ImprovementMore Tools

• Other accountability system data
• How much conservation implementation is completed
  with CTA program
• Field advisory board and other subject matter
  experts
• Interviews with state and field level biologists
• Review assumptions and procedures with field
  advisory team

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Workload Process ImprovementBottom Line

• Implementation of programmatic consultation can
  improve the way we do business
• Improve efficient and effective use of agency
  resources
• Provide high quality customer assistance
• Eliminate burdensome business processes