Message from the DirectorIn May, I had the privilege of joining an exceptional cadre of employees at the National Operations Center (NOC) as its Director. The NOC is at

the heart of all that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) does—we operationalize the policies of BLM leadership and provide the vital services

and products that enable work by our field, state, and Washington offices. Our employees are committed to delivering quality products and services

throughout the Bureau and working with our external partners and customers.

The NOC has made great strides in improving customer service over the last several years, and we are dedicated to continued improvement. This

improvement requires a commitment to customer engagement and relationships built on trust, respect, and integrity. By empowering our workforce

at the NOC, strengthening relationships with our BLM customers and other partners, and promoting effective communication that focuses on

customer needs, we will achieve the even higher standards set for next year.

In fiscal year (FY) 2016, we will continue to deliver quality customer service to support field, state, and national operations; provide

accountability for NOC operations; and support a diverse, high-performing NOC workforce. In addition, I have outlined twelve strategic priorities to

further improve capability, capacity, and cost efficiency of BLM programs, policies, and offices.

My appreciation for the important role that the NOC has in supporting the Bureau has grown as I reflect on the significant accomplishments from

2015. This report highlights only a portion of all that we accomplished last year. We look forward to the even greater opportunities in the year to come.

Ed Roberson Director, National Operations CenterSetting High StandardsThe NOC provides national-level solutions and sound, technical expertise from within its four divisions:

Human Resources Services

provides bureauwide services in employee relations and labor relations, classification, staffing and employment, security operations, and benefits and retirement as well as internal human resources services for the NOC.

Information Resource Management

administers the BLM’s information technology (IT) infrastructure by providing configuration management and security; infrastructure operations; applications, database management, and program support; projects, engineering, and development; and fire and aviation IT operations services.

Resource Services

provides a technical interface between national policy and field operations through scientific and specialized expertise and products in assessment and monitoring, program operations, resource data, and technical operations.

Business Services

manages a portfolio of services that includes financial services, accounting operations, national property and support, acquisitions, and architecture and engineering (A&E).

Ensuring Fiscal ResponsibilityInFY2015,theNOCoperatedwithabudgetof$102,944,279managedbythefourdivisionsandtheDirector’sOffice.Inaddition,theNOCmanaged$77,880,842of Bureau funds originally allocated to other field, state, and Washington offices or national centers and obligated those funds for contracts, procurement, and financial agreements on behalf of those offices.

Enabling Program and Field OperationsCLASSIFICATION• Completed925classificationactionsandprocessed72percentofthoseactions

within target dates.• Developed59standardpositiondescriptions,includingfiremanagement

officer, assistant fire management officer, field manager, assistant field manager, district manager, and associate district manager.

BENEFITS AND RETIREMENT• Processedmorethan400electionsofFederalEmployeesHealthBenefits(FEHB)

for eligible employees across the BLM. • Calculated909retirementestimatesandprocessed359retirementsbureauwide.• Processed509FEHBelectionsfortemporaryfirefighters.

STAFFING AND EMPLOYMENT• Supportedworkforcediversityandinclusionbyusingyouthandveteranhiring

authorities and funding a grant with the Colorado Youth Corps Association to employ college students.

• Developedandissued33temporaryseasonalvacancyannouncementsandaddressed371questionsfromapplicants.

IT HELP DESK • ProvidedITcustomersupportbureauwideforallITsystemsandimplemented

service improvements to enhance customer experiences and support.• ProvidedITsupportduringpreparednesslevel5fireoperations,emergency

moves, and other technical surge demands. • ProactivelymonitoredallBLMserversforfunctionalitytorespondtoissues

prior to users having to report them.

IT APPLICATIONS DEVELOPMENT• Increasedcollectionofminingclaimmaintenancefeesfrom$1.6millionlastyearto$2.2millionthroughtheBLMPaymentPortal,asystemthatpreventsfunds from lingering in suspense accounts.

• Migratedright-of-waycommunicationsitebillingandcollectionsresponsibilitiestotheNOCandcreatedaCommunicationSiteRental SystemandCommunicationUsesBillingandCollectionTeamthatcentrallyprocessed3,003communicationsiteinventorycertifications,createdandsent2,355communicationsitebillstotalingmorethan$8.8million,andcollectedmorethan$8.7millionincommunicationsiterentals.

FY 2016 Strategic PrioritiesThe following strategic priorities represent a continued commitment to empower our workforce and improve program and field operations bureauwide:

• Fosterahigh-performing NOC workforce, including supporting employee diversity and development, hiring youth and veterans, and planning for succession and scarce skill needs.

• Streamlinethehiringprocess,includingprovidingstandardized position descriptions and hiring packages to reduce classification time.

• Provideallemployeesbureauwidewithbenefits and retirement information, counseling, and processing.

• Achieveacleanfinancial audit and produce timely and accurate financial reports.

• EnhancebureauwideIT desktop customer support by continually improving the types of services provided to best meet the BLM’s needs.

• Implementaflexible,centrally supported phone system bureauwide to significantly lower costs and increase mobility support.

IT SERVICE DELIVERY• MigratedfivestatestotheNationalDataCenterattheNOCtomeettheFederal

Data Center Consolidation Initiative requirement. • MigratedtheGeneralLandOfficeRecordsSystemtotheNOCandaddedMontanatotheNOC-hostedEnterpriseGeographicInformationSystem.

• UpdatedtheITEnd-UserServiceCatalog,providingBLMcustomerswithauser-friendly guide to available IT services and the request process.

LANDSCAPE APPROACH • Completedthreephase2rapidecoregionalassessmentsandsupported

ongoing development of another four phase 2 assessments.• Initiatedeffortstodevelopaweb-basedclearinghouseofscienceinformation

in support of the National Science Committee.• LaunchedtheLandscapeApproachDataPortal,makingrapidecoregional

assessment, sage-grouse, and Fire and Invasives Assessment Tool data available publicly.

TECHNICAL AND SCARCE SKILLS • Providedhydrogeology,airquality,socialscience,economic,andotherscarceskillsupportfor35landuseplans.

• Completed17airqualitymodelingreviewsandanalysesfor6states.• Oversaw23visitorsatisfactionsurveysadministeredacross11states.• Providedenvironmentalengineering,siteinvestigation,contracting,riskassessment,andtrainingat30hazardousmaterials/abandonedminelandsitesacross 12 states.

• Researchedandprovidedmorethan1,890itemsfromtheBLM’snationallibrary.

GEOSPATIAL IMAGERY AND MAPPING• Providedremotesensingservices,includingfine-scalemappingand

infrared imagery.• Providedpre-andpostfiresatelliteimageryandburned/unburnedclassification

products to the field.

DATA SHARING, STANDARDS, AND APPLICATIONS• Developedandlaunchedtherecreationmapapplication.• Oversaworprovidedguidanceforthecollection,datapreparation,quality

assurance, and data standards for the release of map and web applications, including the National Conservation Lands recreation maps, California—DiscovertheDesert,Top20MountainBikingOpportunities,andMyPublicLandsRoadtripsapplications.

ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, AND DESIGN• Developedandimplementedabuildingsustainabilityinspectionprogram,enablingcompliancewiththeFederalEnergyManagementProgram’sguidingprinciples, and developed a related sustainability training program for the BLM and other governmental agencies.

• Completed96bridgeinspectionsin7states.• CompletedthefirstFederalHighwayAdministrationreviewoftheBLMbridge

inspection program, resulting in a comprehensive plan of corrective action.

FLEET, WORKING CAPITAL FUND, AND PRINTED MATERIALS• Processed154,611disbursementsforthefleetutilizationprogramtotaling$53.4million.

• Processed869purchaserequestsfornewvehicleandheavyequipmentacquisitions.

• Shipped7,584packagesandprocessed2,398ordersthroughPrintedMaterialsDistribution Services.

FINANCES AND REPORTING• Completedindividualcloseoutsforall292fundsbureauwide,themostofany

Bureau in the Department of the Interior (DOI). • Receivedanunqualified(clean)auditopinion.

PAYMENTS AND PROCUREMENT• Paid99.1percentofinvoicesontime,exceedingtheDOIgoalof98percent.• Processed54,687paymentsworthnearly$620million.• Disbursedmorethan$38millioninSecureRuralSchoolspaymentsto 18Oregoncounties.

• Processed1,544contractactionsatavalueof$132.5million.• Processedlandsalerevenuesof$77millionandtotaldisbursementsof $39millionto130differentSouthernNevadaPublicLandManagement Act projects.

TRAVEL AND PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION• Processedmorethan40,000travelpaymentsfornearly$12.6million.• Processed376permanentchangeofstationmoves.

FY 2016 Strategic Priorities continued

• Supportthedevelopmentanddeploymentofthefirstfivemodulesoftherevised Automated Fluid Minerals Support System application.

• SupporttechnicaldevelopmentandimplementationoftheBLM Landscape Approach.

• SupportGreater Sage-Grouse plan implementation.

• Increasescience and data access, integration, and application within BLM and with other agencies.

• SupporttheNational Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration.

• ImplementtheGIS Transformation Initiative, including: - Standardize and institutionalize BLM’s geospatial data management and

web publication strategies.- Enable WiFi capability in district and field offices.- Establish mobile strategies and applicationsforprograms/businesslines.

Improving Capability, Capacity, and Cost EfficiencyIn FY 2015, the NOC made significant contributions to the BLM mission by:

SUPPORTING GREATER SAGE-GROUSE (GRSG) CONSERVATION• Completedtier2cumulativeeffectsanalysesforall15environmentalimpact

statements prepared to amend or revise land use plans affecting 10 states.• Completedaninterimversionofthelandscapereport,which

provided geospatial information about land use plan decisions and management activities.

• Facilitatedthecollectionofeconomicdataandcoordinatedtheeconomicportions of the draft environmental impact statements.

• DevelopedandhostedprioritydatalayersidentifiedbytheGeospatial Steering Committee.

• CoordinatedthedevelopmentoftheGRSGConservationEffortsDatabase.• CompletedanddistributedTechnicalReference6710-1todescribethehabitat

assessment framework.• ProcuredprintingservicesforalloftheGRSGenvironmentalimpact

statements, ensuring their simultaneous release, and for the Nevada records of decision.

DEPLOYING INTEGRATED DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS • ManagedthedevelopmentanddeploymentoftheredesignedAutomated

Fluid Minerals Support System (AFMSS) 2 based on user business requirements, tested functionality, and delivered training to the field.

• DeployedePlanningphase1toallstatesand73fieldofficesandsupportedtwostates in deploying phase 2.

• DevelopedanddeployedtheRiparianProperFunctioningConditionDatabase.

SHOWCASING BLM LANDS AND PROGRAMS• Createdandpublishedmorethan200communicationsproducts.• Createdoriginalartworkfor10“vintage”stylepostersandmorethan

60 portal signs.• LaunchedanewecommercesitetoofferBLM-brandedgoodstoemployeesat

their own expense.

MODERNIZING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY• UpgradedtheBLMvideoteleconferencingsystemtoenableoperability

across the BLM network, eliminating the high cost of maintaining legacy telephone circuits.

• Completed$3.4millioninITtechnicalrefreshpurchasesforBureaulaptop/desktop systems, saving more than $2 million over the independent government cost estimate.

• DeployedbusinessandguestWiFinetworkstostateofficesandcenters across the BLM.

LEADING BUSINESS PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS• Reducedoreliminatedmiscellaneousandundeliveredobligations.• Reducedaccountspayablesuspenseby94percent,frommorethan $966,000lastyeartolessthan$60,000.

• Developed59standardpositiondescriptionstostreamlineandshortenthehiring process.

• IntegratedtheTimberSaleInformationSystemwiththeCollectionsandBillings System.

• ImprovedBLM’sITsystemsecuritybyreducingvulnerabilitiesfrom170permachineto17.

• ImprovedandexpandedITcustomerservice,includinginstitutingcustomercallbacks and improved service-level tracking and reporting.

CREATING COST SAVINGS• ImplementedanewBLMcellularcontract,reducingthenumberofemployeespurchasingphonesfrom100to3andsaving more than $2 million annually.

• Processedover170datacircuitchangerequestsbureauwide,saving more than $448,000 annually by disconnecting unneeded services.

• Designed,approved,andprocureda$6.75millionvoiceoverinternetprotocol(VOIP)phonesystem,whichwillsave more than $30 million in phone replacement, operational, and long distance costs.

• CentralizedITpurchasingforalloftheBLMtoensureefficientusageofitsITinvestment and eliminate unneeded IT purchases.

• IdentifiederroneousbillingsfromtheDOIOfficeofAviationServices,saving more than $9 million.

• Provided6,250hoursofbureauwideprocurementtraining,saving more than $300,000 compared to the cost of similar training provided or arranged externally.