UB

Coordination and Oversight

roup (COG) Annual Report or Fiscal Year 2010

.S. Department of the Interior ureau of Reclamation March 2011

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Mission Statements The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and provide access to our Nations natural and cultural heritage and honor our trust responsibilities to Indian Tribes and our commitments to island communities. The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public.

Coordination and Oversight Group (COG) Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2010

U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Coordination and Oversight Group March 2011

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Acronyms and Abbreviations ARRA American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 CIO Chief Information Officer COG Coordination and Oversight Group Department U.S. Department of the Interior D&S Directives and Standards DCO Deputy Commissioner of Operations DC-PAB Deputy Commissioner, Policy, Administration, and Budget ESAM Electronic Service Agreement Module

FCCO Four Corners Construction Office FFA Family Farm Alliance FPDS Federal Procurement Data System FTE Full-Time Equivalent FY Fiscal Year

GP Great Plains GP Region Great Plains Region Engineering Design, Geology and

Exploration Services, and Construction Services IT Information Technology LC Lower Colorado

LC ESO Lower Colorado Region Engineering Services Office MP Mid-Pacific

MPCO Mid-Pacific Construction Office MP Region Mid-Pacific Region Division of Design and Construction,

Division of Planning, and Division of Environmental Affairs Environmental Monitoring Branch

NAICS North American Industry Classification System NewMIS New Management Information System NWRA National Water Resource Association PN Pacific Northwest

PN-RTTS Pacific Northwest Region Resource and Technical Services Provo Provo Area Office RDCCT Reclamation Design and Construction Coordination Team RLT Reclamation Leadership Team RMC Risk Management Center SA Service Agreements SOPs Standard Operating Procedures SPO Service Provider Organization

SSLE Safety, Security, and Law Enforcement TSC Technical Service Center UC Upper Colorado UC Region Upper Colorado Region Engineering Services Group

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary .................................................................................. 1. Introduction ......................................................................................... 2. Background ......................................................................................... 3. FY 2010 COG Activities .................................................................... 4. Business Model Assessments .............................................................

4.1 Business Model Objective Empowerment of the Regions ..... 4.2 Business Model Objective Cost-Effective and Quality

Services ................................................................................ 4.2.1 Product Delivery ............................................................... 4.2.2 Customer Satisfaction (Both Internal and External) ......... 4.2.3 Percent Utilization of Services ..........................................

4.3 Business Model Objective Transparency and Accountability ......................................................................

4.3.1 Percent of Time COG Reporting is Available to Reclamation Managers in a Timely Manner .....................

4.3.2 Percent of COG Recommendations to DCO with Documented Decisions .....................................................

4.4 Business Model Objective Predictability of Workload .......... 4.5 Business Model Objective Maintenance of Core

Technical Capability ............................................................ 4.6 Business Model Objective Strategic Determination of

Outsourcing/Contracting ......................................................... 5. Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations ................................. Appendices Appendix A Reclamation Policy and Associated Directives and Standards Appendix B Technical Capabilities Within Reclamation - Summary Status

Report for FY 2010 Appendix C FY 2009 and FY 2010 Action Plans Appendix D FY 2010 COG Activities Appendix E Cost-Effective and Quality Services Appendix F FY 2010 Data Cost-Effective and Quality Services, and

Customer Feedback Appendix G Reports Developed or Transmitted by the COG in FY 2010 Appendix H COG Recommendations to the Deputy Commissioner for

Operations and Resulting Decisions Appendix I Outsourcing of Technical Services

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Executive Summary The Coordination and Oversight Group (COG) is responsible for facilitating the implementation of Reclamations business model for managing technical services and assisting the Deputy Commissioner, Operations (DCO), to ensure maintenance of adequate expertise in mission-essential technical services. The implementation of the business model and maintenance of these technical capabilities is essential so Reclamation can fulfill all of its responsibilities for delivering water and generating power, while executing program and project requirements within scope, budget, and schedule in a manner that fosters Reclamation-wide collaboration, coordination, and sharing of technical resources in an accountable and transparent manner. The COGs activities, report of findings, and recommendations for fiscal year (FY) 2010 are contained in this report. In order to effectively measure performance as objectively as possible, a large volume of data were gathered and analyzed. These data included technical service: cost, schedule, client feedback, control of decisions for managing programs, employee utilization, work planning, outsourcing, and capabilities. While the implementation of the business model is in its infancy, many of its principles have been in practice for some time. Reclamation shows areas of strength and high competency, as well as some areas of concern where it is important to show improvement. Areas of strength:

Reclamations technical expertise, with a few notable areas of concern, is sustainable and capable of performing the agencys mission. The skill sets identified as endangered capabilities all exist within the Technical Service Center (TSC). The COG, in concert with the appropriate managers, has developed Action Plans and made recommendations to address these issues.

There were 2,392 active service agreements in FY 2010 representing almost $65 million worth of work. Of the agreements completed in FY 2010, 94% were completed within the time agreed, and 95% were completed within the agreed budget. While there should be efforts made to continually improve, it is the COGs opinion that there is no cause for alarm. Future efforts need to ensure data is from a common frame of reference and that it is consistently reported. Credibility of this data cannot be overemphasized.

Coordination and Oversight Group Annual Report for FY 2010

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Utilization of technical staff (direct billing to projects and/or program support) ranged from 75% to 95%, with the majority above 85%. The COG considers this high utilization.

Decisionmaking regarding where technical services are performed remains with the program offices; thus, the business model objective of empowerment of the regions is being met.

Positive feedback was received from the service providers regarding the out year budget information published. Measuring the advanced planned work will be improved upon the implementation of the Electronic Service Agreement Module (ESAM).

Areas of concern:

Ability to internally contract for services including electronic tracking of cost accounting and performance. The development of ESAM, a Web-based application, is intended to provide this ability; however, its implementation has been slow.

In the area of dam safety engineering and risk management, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Risk Management Center (RMC) staffing actions, coupled with retirements and departures to non-Reclamation entities, have led to significant attrition among senior Technical Service Center (TSC) staff with dam safety expertise. The effects of this have primarily been felt in the TSCs Geotechnical Services Division, with additional effects felt in construction management. Reclamation is at risk of losing its corresponding capability. Because the RMC is offering higher grades targeting senior-level staff, the attrition impacts the TSCs ability to peer review critical projects, lead those projects, and train younger staff. While the TSC is actively recruiting entry, mid-career, and senior-level staff, the full impacts of the RMC recruitmentwhich are ongoingare not yet fully known. While these capabilities are currently not shown as endangered (since the data collection, several additional key staff have left Reclamation), the COG is concerned about the potential for losing these capabilities, which are critical to Reclamation fulfilling its mission and being able to remain a smart buyer. The COG will continue to closely monitor this trend and recommends that Reclamation develop strategies to address this concern. These strategies must ensure that Reclamation maintains its ability to accomplish its mission-related workload and its smart buyer capabilities.

Only 2% of the 1,222 service agreements completed in