Special Recreation Permit Audit Toolkit

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240

http://www.blm.gov

May 20, 2009

In Reply Refer To

8300 (250) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 05/20/2009

Information Bulletin No. 2009-078

To: All Field Office Officials

Attn: Recreation Program State Leads, Recreation Staff and Designated Collection Officers

From: Division Chief, National Recreation and Visitor Services

Subject: Special Recreation Permit Audit Toolkit

Program Area: Recreation and Visitor Services and National Landscape Conservation System.

Purpose: This Information Bulletin (IB) transmits to the field offices (FO), the steps for conducting required Special Recreation Permit (SRP) Program Audits.

Policy/Action: Outlines the SRP Program Audits process and provides a guide to FOs on methods to conduct independent audits of Commercial, Competitive, Vending, and Organized Group SRP programs.

Timeframe: Effective immediately.

Budget Impact: Audits are funded by the states through base funding and/or recreation fee collections.

Background: The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM), Department of the Interior Strategic Performance Target is to “provide for and receive fair value in recreation.” Conducting periodic independent audits (recommended every 5 years) of the commercial SRP program is critical to ensure the BLM is meeting this goal. Also the Government Accountability Office and the Department of the Interior, Office of the Inspector General have directed the BLM to conduct recreation program independent evaluations and audits to improve accountability. Periodic audits will help the BLM ensure the existence of a fair, equitable, and consistent business environment for permittees, will ensure that the American public receives fair market value from the commercial use of its public land, and will help the BLM determine if the Recreation Permit and Fee Handbook guidance is being applied appropriately. More specifically, the objectives of the audit are to determine if the BLM has collected fees in accordance with the terms and conditions of the SRP, to evaluate the SRP holder’s accounting system, and to determine the adequacy of the BLM’s recordkeeping processes, procedures and actions pertaining to SRP administration. Over the past several years, directives in the Annual Work Plan have required specific states, on a rotational basis, to complete statewide audits (contract by a certified public accountant) of their commercial SRP programs. This direction also requires each state to conduct statewide audits every 5 years. State annual cost targets include funding to complete the required audits. Costs for these audits will vary from state to state depending on the scope and complexity of the state’s SRP program.

The BLM has developed a national Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract (through 2014) with Tronconi Segarra & Associates, LLP to conduct the statewide independent SRP audits. This national contract allows the States to work with the same contractor for economies of scale, ease of audit implementation, and consistency in auditing and reporting.

Manual/Handbook Section Affected: None.

Contact: If you have any questions concerning this IB, please contact Bob Ratcliffe, Chief, Division of Recreation and Visitor Services at 202-452-5040 or Anthony Bobo, Jr., BLM National Recreation Fee Program Manager at 202-452-0333.

Signed by:                                                                      Authenticated by:

Robert T. Ratcliff                                                            Robert M. Williams

Division Chief                                                                 Division of IRM Governance,WO-560

National Recreation and Visitor Services

2 Attachments

1- Special Recreation Permit Audit Toolkit (50 pp)

2- Independent Special Recreation Permit Audit Schedule and Audit Process (3 pp)