Budget Allocation Model Revisions for FY2014 and FY2015

May 2, 2013

In Reply Refer To:
1690 (CA930) P

EMS TRANSMISSION: 5/2/13 
Instruction  Memorandum No. CA-2013-019
Expires:  09/30/2014

To:                   All CA District and Field Managers

From:              State Director

Subject:          Budget Allocation Model Revisions for FY2014 and FY2015         DD: 07/01/13

Program Area:  L1010, L1040 and L1120

Purpose:  This Instruction Memorandum (IM) provides follow-up direction to the FY2013 PTA for Field Office reporting of information associated with the revised allocation drivers for the L1010 (Soil, Water, Air), L1040 (Riparian), and L1120 (Fisheries) Budget Allocation Models (BAMs).

Background:  In May 2012, the California BLM Budget Strategy Team (BST) asked Field Offices and State Office program leads to assess existing BAMs for their effectiveness in allocating program dollars consistent with program direction and resource needs.  Several BAMs were reviewed, and the BST agreed with many of the recommendations.  The BST has decided to implement the proposed changes, and identified FY2013 as the fiscal year in which to collect information necessary to populate information in the allocation drivers.

The FY2013 PTA provided Field Offices with the proposed revised allocation drivers, and this IM provides additional direction to accurately define resources and programs of work that will provide the basis for allocation.  In addition to the information provided by the Field Offices, the State Office has conducted a trend analysis on Washington Office assigned workloads by Field Office to characterize performance.  A performance-based allocation criterion is incorporated into each of the BAMs.

The intent of the BAM revisions is to ensure program funding is directed to those offices based on a commensurate level of natural resource need, capacity to complete work consistent with National direction and California BLM’s Strategic Framework, and historic performance of meeting assigned workloads.

Policy/Action:  The BLM policy in 1681 provides the mechanism that the BLM uses to allocate, by program, funding received through the annual Appropriations Act, to establish planned levels of program accomplishment, and to plan uses of the funds to achieve program objectives in line with Secretarial, Presidential, and Congressional direction for the current fiscal year.

Each Field Office is required to validate data used to populate the BAMs, or provide updated baseline resource and planning information for each of the allocation drivers.  If an office agrees with the numbers identified in the respective BAMs, there is no need to update this information (see data files on the SWARF sharepoint site at:  BAM Data .)  To facilitate reporting, each revised BAM and its allocation drivers are attached and tables are included with each BAM worksheet for data entry and description of data source.  Definitions for each allocation driver are provided to ensure common interpretation and consistent reporting.  All completed forms are to be submitted electronically to the State Budget Officer and respective program lead no later than July 1, 2013.

If the revised BAMs create a shift in Field Office program funds greater than 15 percent for any one program, a phased approach will be employed, such that no one Field Office sees a shift greater than 15 percent in any 1 year.  Based on Field Office updates to these numbers, and subsequent population of the BAMs, the BST may recommend that not all BAMs be implemented in FY2014.  This decision will be made once the total shift in funding is identified.  At a minimum, the L1120 BAM will be implemented in FY2014 and the performance allocation drivers implemented for L1010 and L1040 funds using the existing BAMs.  This phased approach will provide Field Offices sufficient time to shift Tables of Organization to match reductions or increases in funding, and/or to improve program performance.

Contact:  For budget related information, contact Mary Prinzbach, State Office Budget Officer at (916) 978-4508; for L1010, L1040, and L1120 BAMs contact Karl Stein, Natural Resource Specialist, at (530) 224-2156.

Signed by:                                                                                                      
Angie Lara                                                                                                     
Associate State Director                                                                                

Authenticated by:
Richard A. Erickson
Records Management

Attachments - 5
            1 - L1010 Allocation Criteria (5 pp)
            2 - L1040 Allocation Criteria (2 pp)
            3 - L1120 Allocation Criteria (2 pp)
            4 - FY2012 Performance Review Summary for L1040 and L1120 (6 pp)
            5 - FY 2010-2012 L1010 EC Performance Review (2 pp)