Department of the Interior

Departmental Manual

 

Effective Date: 12/11/01

Series:   Departmental Directives

Part 011:   The Departmental Manual

Chapter 5:  Handbooks, Additions, and Other Directives

 

Originating Office:  Office of Planning and Performance Management

011 DM 5

 

5.1     General.  Technical or detailed instructions, or information on specific activities which supplement general policies and procedures stated in the DM are referred to as Handbooks.   Handbooks are a part of the DM.  A DM chapter that is supplemented by a handbook  must include a reference to the handbook along with details on the location of the handbook.

 

A.      Issuance.  Bureau/office heads may issue and revise handbooks when such authority is stated in the corresponding DM chapter.

 

B.      Format.  The format for DM chapters described in 011 DM 3 may be used for Handbooks.

 

C.      Review and Approval.  Handbooks are subject to review and clearance by appropriate bureaus and offices prior to approval.  

 

(1)     Reviews of handbooks will be coordinated by the office issuing the handbook.

 

(2)     Upon completion of the review and signature by the approving official, the handbook along with a Transmittal Sheet will be forwarded to the Office of Planning and Performance Management for a release number and date.  The handbook will be returned to the Office of Primary Responsibility for publication on a website or in the Department=s Electronic Library of Interior Policies.

 

D.      Availability.  DM chapters that prescribe the use of "handbooks" must include the web address for the handbook. 

 

5.2     Interagency Directives as Handbooks.  Certain interagency directives, which prescribe policies and procedures which affect every Federal agency or which fully apply to the Department, have been accepted in their entirety as mandatory for use by all bureaus and offices of the Department.  These directives are regarded as "handbooks" of the DM since they spell out policies and procedures which are too technical and detailed to be incorporated in the Basic Manual.  These interagency directives are considered part of and are cross-referenced in the DM.

 

A.      Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).  Cross-referenced in 401 DM 1, the FAR is a regulation of the General Services Administration, published as a public regulation in 48 CFR Chapter 1, and reprinted in looseleaf form as the FAR.

 

B.      Federal Property Management Regulations (FPMR).  Cross-referenced in 400 DM 1, the FPMR is a regulation of the General Services Administration, published as a public regulation in 41 CFR Chapter 101, and reprinted in looseleaf form as the FPMR.

 

C.      Treasury Financial Manual (TFM).  Cross-referenced in 330 DM 1, the TFM is a directive of the Treasury Department.

 

5.3     Departmental Manual "Additions" to Interagency Directives.  Since mandatory or interagency directives such as those listed in paragraph 5.2 above may require further clarification for activities of the Department, under limited conditions, supplementary directives may be issued as DM "Additions" to the interagency directives.  Supplemental information may be incorporated into a DM chapter(s) or into additional chapter(s) in the DM.  Guidance should be obtained from the Office of Planning and Performance Management prior to development of any new DM Additions.  If DM Additions are issued, they must be formatted and reviewed as prescribed in paragraph 5.1 above.

 

A.      400 DM Additions to the FPMR are the "Interior Property Management Regulations" (IPMR), which supplement the FPMR.  They are issued as Federal Register documents and codified under 41 CFR Chapter 114.  They are issued as IPMR - DM Additions to the FPMR, to be included in the FPMR.  The IPMR is described and cross-referenced in 400 DM 1.

 

B.      401 DM Additions to the FAR  are issued under the "Department of the Interior Acquisition Regulation (DIAR) System" and implement, supplement or deviate from the FAR. Chapters of interest to the general public are published in the Federal Register and codified under 48 CFR Chapter 14; other chapters containing instructions primarily for internal guidance within the Department are issued as unpublished directives.  The DIAR System is described and cross-referenced in 401 DM 1.

 

C.      330 DM Additions to the TFM supplement the TFM, are issued in a separate series, included with the TFM, and are described and cross-referenced in 330 DM 1.

 

5.4     External and Internal Directives.  Some of the directives of other agencies may apply to the activities of the Department, such as Executive orders, Office of Management and Budget Circulars and Bulletins, Comptroller General's Decisions (General Accounting Office), Treasury Memoranda, and others.  These directives are briefly described in 381 DM 3.  Whenever any of these external directives apply to the Department, their provisions are incorporated into appropriate parts and chapters of the DM if the instructions are general, significant and permanent; or they are transmitted to the bureaus and offices through various series of internal directives (described in 381 DM 4) if they are detailed, technical or of temporary duration. 

 

12/11/01 #3388

Replaces 9/14/88 #2810