[Federal Register: October 6, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 193)]
[Notices]
[Page 57704-57705]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06oc03-78]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians
Working Group on the ``As-Is'' ``To-Be'' Process and Trust
Improvement Efforts
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs and Office of the Special Trustee for
American Indians, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: On April 22, 2003, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the
Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) in the
Department of the Interior filed a Federal Register notice (68 FR
19846) calling for nominations of Tribal officials to participate in a
working group to discuss the ``As-Is'' ``To-Be'' processes and provide
input and comments on potential alternatives on how the trust process
should be improved and administered. Because mechanisms are now in
place for soliciting input from Tribes on the ``To-Be'' processes, the
Department will not be convening a new working group.
DATES: Effective on the date of publication of this notice in the
Federal Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: ATTN: Terry Virden, Deputy
Commissioner for Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Room 4160,
1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240; or ATTN: Donna Erwin, Acting
Special Trustee, Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians,
Room 5140, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Electronic Data Systems Corporation, in
its January 2002 Trust Reform Report, recommended that the Department
develop an accurate, current state model to include business processes,
internal controls, and associated information technology. The
Department worked extensively on documenting the ``As-Is'' business
processes currently employed in managing Indian trust assets. Through
this ``As-Is'' business process,
[[Page 57705]]
the Department established a comprehensive understanding of current
trust business operations, identified needs and opportunities for
improvement, and was able to understand the variances among geographic
regions, and their causes.
The development of the initial ``To-Be'' model takes into
consideration those recommendations and lessons learned from the ``As-
Is'' process. The Department is in the process of comparing these
processes to the initial ``To Be'' model processes to determine how
existing processes can be improved. Finally, the Department will
integrate the final ``To-Be'' model processes with universal support
and operational functions, and these reengineered business processes
will be documented with appropriate polices, procedures, guidelines and
handbooks.
The Department has identified a reengineering core team for the
purpose of engaging appropriate Interior bureaus, agencies and offices,
and Tribes in the reengineering effort at different levels. The
Department recognizes that Tribal assistance is critical to the
identification of trust business process alternatives and opportunities
for improvement. The core team is divided into a technical group (Tier
1) and a review and validation group (Tier 2). Because the activities
of these core teams will involve consultations with tribes and tribal
organizations, the Department will not be convening a new working
group.
Dated: September 10, 2003.
Aurene M. Martin,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
Ross O. Swimmer,
Special Trustee.
[FR Doc. 03-25231 Filed 10-3-03; 8:45 am]
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