Radio Equipment Purchasing Restriction

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov

August 8, 2008

In Reply Refer To:
1292 (410) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 08/22/2008
Instruction Memorandum No. 2008-173
Expires: 09/30/2009

To: State and Center Directors
Attn: State Radio Leads

From: Deputy Assistant Director, Fire and Aviation

Subject: Radio Equipment Purchasing Restriction

Program Area: Land Mobile Radio Communications

Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) contains information detailing the decision by Department of Interior DOI to allow BLM Baseline Site Assessments to satisfy the requirement for DOI State Supported Internal Control Reviews (ICR) – Phase Two.

Policy/Action: On June 16, 2008, The DOI issued a Memorandum (attached) which contained a list of radio site facilities which needed to be inspected to comply with Phase Two of the ICR. An agreement has been reached with DOI OCIO that allows the BLM Baseline Site Assessments performed by the BLM contractor to satisfy the ICR Phase Two site inspection requirement. It was decided that the previous data collected during the Baseline Site Assessments would be provided as our part of Phase Two to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). ICR teams will be conducting inspections of other Bureaus’ sites in your states, but not those of the BLM.

No further action is required by the BLM during Phase Two inspections other than providing personnel to augment the review teams. DOI requested that whenever possible, team members from the Phase One inspections participate in the upcoming Phase Two site inspections.

Timeframe: Immediately

Budget Impact: Costs for the team members will be paid by their office and should be approximately $4,000.00 for each person.

Background: The Office of the Inspector General issued a report that many DOI radio sites were in various states of disrepair and unsafe. Part of the “get well plan” included radio site assessments. The National Radio Communications Division WO-410 and the OC-510 CASHE program established a contract and funding mechanism to conduct the baseline inspections of all BLM radio site facilities.

The goal of WO-410 and OC-510 is to establish a baseline of the conditions of the facilities by inspecting 100 sites each year. States are required to take action to correct findings identified during the inspections. For detailed information on procedures and requirements, please see WO IM No. 2008-145 Compliance Assessment – Safety, Health, and the Environment (CASHE) Audits of Radio Sites.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: None

Coordination: DOI Telecommunications Office, WO-400 and NRCD.

Contact: Please address any questions or concerns regarding this policy to Annette Box at
208- 387-5822.

Signed by: Authenticated by:
Lynda L. Boody Robert M. Williams
Deputy Assistant Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-560
Fire and Aviation

1 Attachment
1 - DOI – Memorandum ICR-Phase Two (6 pp)