Department of the Interior

Departmental Manual

 

Effective Date: 12/21/93

Series:  Information Resources Management

Part 375:  IRM Program Management

Chapter 5:  IRM Program Review

 

Originating Office: Office of Information Resources Management

375 DM 5

 

5.1  Purpose.  This chapter establishes policy and assigns responsibilities for conducting the Federal Information Resources Management (IRM) Review Program within the Department of the Interior.

 

5.2  Background.  The Paperwork Reduction Act requires that Federal agencies and the General Services Administration (GSA) establish and implement IRM review programs.  In meeting this requirement, the Department shall conduct IRM reviews to determine if its information management activities are being carried out in an efficient, effective, and economical manner.  The Act requires GSA to selectively review and assess, every 3 years, the adequacy and effectiveness of each agency's information management activities and IRM Review Program.

 

5.3  Authority.

 

A.  Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

 

B.  Paperwork Reduction Reauthorization Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-500).

 

C.  Federal Information Resources Management Regulation (FIRMR) Bulletin C-6, Federal Information Resources Management Review Program.

 

5.4  Scope.  This chapter applies to all bureaus and offices within the Department of the Interior which have responsibilities for carrying out the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 and the supplementing FIRMR.

 

5.5  Objectives.  The objectives of the Department's IRM Review Program are to determine: 

 

A.  If each bureau or office is carrying out its IRM activities in an efficient, effective, and economical manner in support of program missions and objectives; 

 

B.  How well each bureau or office is complying with established Federal and Departmental IRM policies, procedures, principles, and standards.

 

5.6  Definitions.

 

A.  Federal IRM Review Program.  A program established by FIRMR Bulletin C-6 to support improvements in Federal IRM and to meet specific objectives as listed in paragraph 5.5 of this Departmental Manual chapter.

 

B.  IRM Review.  An organized process to periodically evaluate the extent to which an agency achieves the goals and objectives of specific IRM activities such as telecommunications, end-user computing, records management, and ADP management.

 

C.  Management Control Review.  (Formerly called internal control review.)  A systematic evaluation of a control system to determine if the controls in operation are adequate to provide reasonable assurance of meeting component objectives efficiently and effectively, and of safeguarding Government resources.  See 340 DM and the Management Control Handbook for additional guidance on management control reviews.

 

5.7  Policy.  It is the policy of the Department to maintain an effective, continuing program for assessing the contributions of IRM programs to the achievement of Department and bureau/office goals and objectives, and to determine the level of compliance with OMB Circulars and FIRMR. (Refer to paragraphs 5.3 and 5.9 of this chapter.)

 

5.8 Responsibilities.

 

A.  The Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget (PMB) is the Designated Senior Official (DSO) for IRM in the Department.

 

B.  The Director, Office of Information Resources Management (PIR) is responsible for:

 

(1)  Exercising Departmental oversight for bureau policy development, coordination, and compliance of bureau IRM functions.

 

(2)  Evaluating the results of bureau IRM review programs and program report submissions for compliance with GSA Federal IRM Review Program criteria.

 

(3)  Developing and providing criteria to bureaus for establishing and conducting Federal IRM program reviews as required by regulations and guidelines.

 

(4)  Providing administrative management support to the program, including coordinating Departmental requests and input from bureaus for data calls and reports, assisting in forming review teams, and writing and editing review reports.

 

(5)  Identifying bureau IRM functional areas to be reviewed by the Department.

 

(6)  Coordinating IRM review plans with the Office of Inspector General and other appropriate offices to avoid duplication of efforts.

 

 (7)  Assisting bureaus and offices in developing IRM Review Program functions.

 

C.  Heads of Bureaus and Offices are responsible for:

 

(1)  Establishing, as part of the bureau/office IRM program, a process for conducting internal bureau reviews of the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of IRM functions in support of the bureau's or office's mission, programs, and administrative activities.

 

(2)  Establishing and providing reporting mechanisms as required by the Federal IRM Review Program implemented by PIR.

 

(3)  Participating in and providing required information for compliance reviews conducted by PIR.

 

(4)  Providing plans to the Director, PIR, for bureau/office reviews to be conducted during a fiscal year as required by PIR as part of the review process mandated by the Paperwork Reduction Act.

 

(5)  Responding to and initiating followup actions relating to the findings and recommendations included in internal bureau and Department review reports.  Followup actions should be tracked to completion. 

 

5.9  Relationship to Other Review Requirements.  In conducting IRM reviews, bureaus/offices should consider and take advantage of all ongoing related review activities in the IRM area.  This includes reviews conducted under the following guidelines:

 

A.  OMB Circular A-123, annual assessments of risk or vulnerability and management control evaluations.

 

            B.  OMB Circular A-127, financial management systems reviews.

 

C.  OMB Circular A-76, performance of commercial activity reviews.

 

D.  OMB Circular A-130, IRM activity, privacy, and security reviews.

 

5.10  Reporting Requirements.

 

A.  PIR will issue annual reporting instructions in July of each year providing detailed guidance concerning the reporting requirements for IRM review reports, as well as instructions concerning the type and scope of IRM reviews to be reported in the next fiscal year.

 

B.  No later than December 1 each year, bureaus/offices will provide reports on IRM reviews completed in the current fiscal year and plans for reviews to be conducted in the next fiscal year. 

 

C.  PIR will analyze all bureau/office reports and prepare an annual consolidated Departmental IRM Review Report.  Each annual IRM Review Program Report will be distributed to bureaus/offices and, as requested, to GSA.

 

12/21/93 #2990

Replaces 7/31/86 #2698