Effective Date: 10/31/00

Series: Organization

Part 112: Policy, Management and Budget

Chapter 10: National Business Center

Originating Office: National Business Center

10.1 National Business Center. The National Business Center (NBC) is located within the Office of the Secretary (OS) of the Department of the Interior (DOI) and is responsible for providing financial and administrative services and support on a national level to the Office of the Secretary, Department bureaus and offices, and numerous other federal agencies. The NBC serves as host to a variety of Departmental administrative systems, supporting the functions of personnel, finance and accounting, procurement and contracts, and property management. Specifically, the NBC provides federal payroll and personnel processing systems and services; financial management systems and services; acquisition systems and services; human resources services; information resource management systems and services; telecommunications; printing and reproduction; property management; transportation services; facilities management; quarters management; and specialized employee services such as security clearances, medical services, drug testing, worker’s compensation case management, and the accessibility technology center. The Department of the Interior University is also located in the NBC. The Director operates the NBC on a full cost-recovery business basis.

10.2 Organizational Philosophy. The mission of the NBC is to provide excellent and entrepreneurial services and products to its customers so that they, in turn, can achieve their missions more easily and cost-effectively. The NBC’s focus is on customer satisfaction, by anticipating and responding to external and internal customer needs, and on becoming the service provider of choice within the Department and the federal sector. The NBC management establishes effective Departmental policies (where assigned) and operational procedures, maintains the highest standards of professional expertise and cooperative teamwork, and makes the most effective use of available technology.

10.3 Organization. The NBC is led by a Director who reports to the Director of Administration under the Deputy Assistant Secretary - Budget and Finance. The NBC is organized into the DOI University, the Office of Budget and Marketing, the Directorate of Administrative Operations, and the Directorate of Products and Services whose heads report to the NBC’s Director and Deputy Director. (See attached organization chart)

A. DOI University. The DOI University (DOIU) is headed by a President and provides basic skills training within the Department through its four Departmental Learning Centers located throughout the United States: Washington, DC; Denver, Colorado; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Anchorage, Alaska. The DOIU provides operational support to the Department’s Office of Personnel Policy in its Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program, Team Leadership Program, and Career Transition Program; coordinates several external training programs with Department-wide and government-wide impact (e.g., the acquisition intern programs); and provides re-engineering training to elements of the Department. The DOIU establishes a Department-wide training system under a single organization and offers life-long learning curricula designed to facilitate strategic program objectives of the Department.

B. Office of Budget and Marketing. Oversees and manages the NBC’s budget. Prepares annual budget estimates and requests, executes the approved budget, and monitors the allocation of funds. Maintains critical records on the execution of the Working Capital Fund. Establishes and implements a uniform, comprehensive, and effective marketing strategy for the entire NBC.

C. Directorate of Administrative Operations. The head of the Directorate of Administrative Operations is called an Assistant Director. The Directorate is comprised of the following business lines whose heads are called Division Chiefs.

(1) Financial Management. Provides centralized accounting and other financial services for the NBC, the OS and independent agencies and commissions assigned to the Department for administrative support, primarily from its Washington, DC office, but also from its subordinate offices in Denver, Colorado and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Examines and pays vouchers and maintains a viable system of financial and related records from which needed information on resources, revenues, obligations, expenditures, and disbursements, can be obtained and reported to management. Operates travel card and travel accounting programs, oversees Departmental headquarters contract travel agency services, and administers the Department-wide international passport and visa program. Maintains liaison with the Office of Financial Management, General Accounting Office, and Department of the Treasury. Keeps management officials advised of financial status and provides them with essential financial statements, progress reports, special analytical statements, and other information required for financial management.

(2) Acquisition Services. Operates three geographically dispersed offices: Washington, DC; Denver, Colorado; and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Provides the full range of acquisition services such as purchase cards, procurement, contracting, grants, cooperative agreements, interagency agreements, memoranda of understanding, and acquisition advisory services for the NBC, the Office of the Secretary (OS), other Departmental offices, designated bureau activities, and other agencies which utilize OS contracts. Develops contracts for use by all bureaus throughout the Department and/or for government-wide use. Represents the NBC, as well as the OS, and/or Department as necessary, on interagency task forces and work groups on developing/revising the Federal Acquisition Regulations, Department of the Interior Acquisition Regulations, and associated implementing guidelines. Develops and implements acquisition operational procedures to most effectively meet the needs of the serviced areas; maintains a system for generating and recording procurement actions; and provides associated customer support.

(3) Human Resources. Provides the NBC, and potentially other federal agencies, with the full range of human resources management products and services from its three office locations: Washington, DC; Reston, Virginia; and Denver, Colorado. Specifically, maintains responsibility for such functions as classification, staffing, recruitment, employee relations, labor relations, and employee benefits. Also provides advisory services on employee development and equal employment/affirmative action opportunities. In association with the Office of Personnel Policy, develops Department-wide policy on and maintains operations responsibility for quality of work life initiatives and employee conflict resolution.

(4) Information Technology. Provides automated systems and support to the OS and other customers, to include: requirements analysis; minicomputer and client/server based application development and maintenance; information systems management; access to Departmental Administrative Systems installed locally and at the various sites of the NBC (Washington, DC; Reston, Virginia; Denver, Colorado; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Anchorage, Alaska); management and security for the OS minicomputer; OS LAN management; hardware and software services such as acquisition, installation and diagnostics of computer-related hardware and software; and end-user support for commercial off-the-shelf software. Operates the Information Technology Center at the Interior Complex which includes a state of the art technical library, software packages for customer use and evaluation, computer-based training, desk-side assistance from skilled technicians, access to specialized hardware, and document preparation using state of the art equipment and software. Provides internal infrastructure support services to internal and external clients. Performs all cross-functional technical services and assists in supporting application-specific technical support teams. Manages, establishes strategic planning for, and maintains standardization of Interior Complex telecommunications infrastructure. Provides consulting and engineering services in the areas of building wiring, video conferencing, telephonic and data network systems equipment, data switching and routing to the OS, Interior Complex occupants, field offices and outside agencies. Provides analysis, troubleshooting, configuration, installation, and training services in the areas of video conferencing, voice processing, telephone systems, teleconferencing, and data network cabling to the OS, Interior Complex occupants, and selected field offices. Reviews and processes video conferencing and local and long distance telephone bills for the OS headquarters and selected field offices. Provides records management services, including coordination of FOIA request processing for the OS. Maintains responsibility for the certification of documents maintained in the Secretary’s central files.

(5) Facilities Management. Develops and implements space management operational policies and procedures at Departmental Headquarters, OS facilities nationwide and selected other locations. Administers the Department’s GSA building delegations program. Manages, operates, and maintains the Departmental Headquarters buildings complex including repair of building systems and equipment. Develops, implements, and manages parking and ride-sharing programs at the Main and South Interior Buildings. Provides a variety of building related services at the Interior Complex, some of which are available throughout the Washington metropolitan area, including: space assignment, reimbursable building alterations and design services, custodial services, concessions management, emergency procedures coordination, operation of the Interior Complex’s family support room, recycling, and issuance of Departmental flags, seals and emblems. Establishes Department-wide policy regarding Departmental flags, seals and emblems.

(6) Employee and Public Services. Provides Department-wide oversight of drug and alcohol testing programs including drug program education, program review/evaluation and establishment of operational policies and procedures impacting 65 federal agencies that obtain associated services from the NBC. Provides administrative oversight/direction for Departmental implementation of the Federal Employee Compensation Act Program. Manages and operates the Departmental Library; provides a central depository for all Departmental publications and on-line research assistance to all elements of the Department; establishes Department-wide policy on library management. Manages and operates the Departmental Museum. Manages Departmental Museum exhibits development, collections conservation, and cultural/educational programs. Administers OS personnel security nationwide and physical security operational policies, procedures, and programs at the Interior Complex. Provides a number of specialized employee services including operation of a health unit at Departmental headquarters which provides a variety of health related services such as health maintenance activities, employee counseling, and emergency evaluation services; operation of an accessibility technology center to facilitate the accommodation of disabled employees; management of the OS occupational health and safety program; and acquisition (through the Departmental Library) of books and subscriptions for OS components nationwide. Oversees the Department’s Federal Executive Board located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

(7) Logistic Services. Provides a variety of logistical and support services varying in scope. Maintains operational liaison for the Department with the U.S. Postal Service, State Department, Government Printing Office, and General Services Administration on matters pertaining to programmatic responsibilities. Provides transportation services for the OS and bureau customers nationwide. Additional services provided to OS components nationwide include: mail management (including mail management policy for the entire Department), centralized ordering of GPO publications, vehicle fleet management, property inventory and accountability, reimbursable property issuance, and related support services. Provides printing and graphics services to Departmental elements nationwide as requested; maintains responsibility for printing policy for the entire Department. Provides the following Departmental headquarters level services: electronic publishing, photography, printing plant operations, operation of self-service copy centers (in the Interior Complex), moving services, centralized mail services, mail contract oversight (even at satellite locations), warehousing, shipping and receiving, motor pool operations, employee locator services, Develops, implements, and modifies, as necessary, operational policies and procedures specific to its customer base in carrying out its responsibilities and the provision of services.

(8) Modernization Team. Organizes and coordinates all efforts to modernize the physical structure of the Department’s headquarters building in Washington, DC.

D. Directorate of Products and Services. The head of the Directorate of Products and Services is called an Assistant Director. The Directorate of Products and Services conducts most of its business from its Denver, Colorado location; however, there are also offices in Reston, Virginia and Albuquerque, New Mexico. This Directorate is comprised of the following business lines whose heads are called Division Chiefs.

(1) Payroll and Personnel Services. Serves as systems manager for the Federal Personnel and Payroll System (FPPS). Provides the Department and several other federal agencies with payroll operations and payroll accounting services.

(2) Finance and Acquisition Systems. Serves as system manager for the Federal Financial System (FFS) software application. Manages the FFS contract. Provides a variety of services to its customers, including: system analysis, design, implementation, testing, and security; software installation; training; and reporting. Assures computer and telecommunica-tions services necessary to process the supported administrative systems are provided. Serves as system manager for and implements IDEAS (Interior Department Electronic Acquisition System), a software application which standardizes procurement activities within the Department.

(3) Finance and Accounting. Conducts a variety of accounting operations for Departmental and external customers. Accounting services include processing travel vouchers, vendor payments, preparing financial statements, managing debt collections, providing requisite training to customers on systems, and providing real and personal property management and inventory assistance.

(4) Data Center. Manages the operation of the NBC’s computer mainframe. Ensures appropriate mainframe support for such applications as FPPS and FFS. Enters into agreements with other bureaus and non-Interior customers for use of the mainframe to run a variety of software applications.

(5) Administrative Support. Provides administrative support internally to the Directorate of Products and Services (facilities management, logistics, budget, management control, etc.). Externally, provides technical training in the finance and pay systems. Manages the Quarters Program which sets rental rates for government housing for most of the federal government.

10/31/00 #3347

Replaces 3/17/98 #3200