Revised Guidance for Establishing Implementation Priorities for Land Use Plans

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov

October 25, 2012

In Reply Refer To:

1610 (210) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 11/20/2012

Instructional Memorandum No. 2013-014

Expires:  09/30/2014

To:                   All Field Office Officials

From:               Director

Subject:           Revised Guidance for Establishing Implementation Priorities for Land Use Plans

Program Area:          All Program Areas

Purpose:  This Instruction Memorandum (IM) replaces IM 2008-041, Guidance for Establishing Implementation Priorities for Land Use Plans (LUPs).  This guidance was developed through a collaborative process and was informed by lessons learned from previous implementation workshops and through a national survey on the effectiveness of the workshops.  The IM is designed to meet the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) obligation to better implement, monitor, and evaluate land use plans.

The process laid out in this IM seeks to improve LUP implementation by simplifying and reformatting the LUP Implementation Strategy.  The goals of the process are to increase consistency in LUP implementation; track and measure the progress of implementing plans by connecting workload accomplishments to LUPs; provide stable and attainable targets; and provide BLM Field Offices (FOs), District Offices (DOs) and State Offices (SOs) a valuable tool for prioritization and workload planning.

Changes from the past implementation processes include:

• Three online video modules available through the National Training Center (NTC) replace Washington Office (WO) in-person facilitation;
• Increased facilitation and review role for SO Planning & Environmental Coordinators (P&ECs);
• Modification from a four-step to a three-step process;
• Elimination of mandatory budget formulation and development;
• Development of a LUP communication strategy separate from the LUP implementation process; and
• Simplification of the LUP implementation worksheet.

Policy/Action:   The FO must complete the three-step implementation process described below  within 1 year after the signing of the Record of Decision.  Field Office staff will form interdisciplinary teams for plans completed after 2008 that have not undergone an implementation strategy must also complete this process.  Such teams may also be formed to complete the process for older plans.  The process gives program specialists, managers, and others involved in the LUP process an opportunity to identify, prioritize, and budget for the work outlined in the LUP.

After completing a LUP, the interdisciplinary team, with managerial involvement, should view Module 1 (Step 1) of the online implementation training, available through the Department of the Interior (DOI) Learn and the NTC’s Knowledge Resource Center (KRC) at http://www.ntc.blm.gov/krc/viewresource.php?courseID=590.

Step 1 of the implementation training involves identifying the work associated with implementing the LUP, the geographic location of work in the planning area, and the accompanying Program Elements (PEs) that measure that work.  To complete Step 1, the interdisciplinary team will populate the relevant columns of the plan implementation worksheet (in Excel).  Although not required, it may be beneficial to include the SO Planning and Environmental Coordinator (P&EC) in Step 1.

After populating the columns of the plan implementation worksheet that correspond with Step 1, the field manager will send the completed worksheet to their SO P&EC, who will review it for adequacy and completeness, and then grant the FO the permission to proceed with Step 2.

Step 2 involves documenting the priority of the work identified in Step 1 in the relevant columns of the plan implementation worksheet.  Similar to Step 1, the interdisciplinary team should view Module 2 of the online plan implementation training on DOI Learn or the KRC and, with help from a facilitator, complete Step 2 of the plan implementation strategy.  The SO P&EC should facilitate the training; if the SO P&EC is unavailable, they will contact the NTC, who will help identify a facilitator.

Step 3 involves scheduling the work into the out-years in the relevant columns of the plan implementation worksheet.  Instructions on how to do this are in Module 3 of the online plan implementation training.  This work can be scheduled immediately following Step 2, or at a later time.  Step 3 should also be completed with help from the SO P&EC or another trained facilitator.

Involving the field manager in Steps 2 and 3 is critical.  Additionally, involving the district manager, cooperating agencies, state program leads, budget officers, or other internal and/or external partners to participate in Steps 2 and 3 can greatly enhance the value and effectiveness of the implementation strategy.  The FOs should ensure that the implementation strategy worksheet is a living document that is updated annually to include new fiscal years and changing priorities.

The benefits of a completed implementation strategy worksheet are numerous:  it will help with both internal and external priority setting and workload planning, and it can also assist the FO as it develops a budget framework and requests funding for the various tasks identified in the LUP.

All documents associated with the revised LUP Implementation Strategy process (including the Participant Guide, example Excel spreadsheet, and blank plan Implementation Strategy template), and links to all three training modules can be found on the NTC’s KRC at: http://www.ntc.blm.gov/krc/viewresource.php?courseID=590.

Timeframe:  This IM is effective immediately.

Budget Impact:  The overall impact to budgets will be minimal.  Implementation of this guidance should improve identification and reporting of priority actions to implement and evaluate LUPs.

Background:  The BLM has strived to improve FOs ability to implement, monitor, and evaluate LUPs for some time.  The initial development of a LUP implementation framework and strategy began in the early 2000s.  Performance evaluations showed that the BLM did not have a systematic program in place to monitor and evaluate LUP effectiveness based on budget and performance.  As a result, the BLM developed an interdisciplinary process for LUP implementation and evaluation.  The intent of the program was to provide the BLM with a systematic method for planning and achieving the desired outcomes for LUPs based on anticipated funding.  As of the date of this IM, FO’s have conducted 49 LUP implementation workshops.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected:  This policy replaces IM 2008-041, Guidance for Establishing Implementation Priorities for Land Use Plans (12/10/07), and the “collaborative four-step method for developing an implementation strategy…” found in Section IV, E “Developing Strategies to Facilitate Implementation of LUPs” in the BLM Land Use Planning Handbook, H-1601-1 (03/11/05).

Coordination:  The process identified in this policy was developed with the assistance of multiple BLM FOs and SOs, the NTC, FA-600, WO-210, and WO-170.

Contact:  For further information, contact Thomas Bartholomew, Program Analyst at 202-912-7201, Dave Johnson, Planning and Environmental Analyst at 202-912-7292, or

Cathy Humphrey, NTC Training Coordinator at 602-906-5536.

Signed by:                                                       Authenticated by:

Mike Pool                                                        Robert M. Williams

Acting, Director                                              Division of IRM Governance,WO-560