Department of the Interior

Departmental Manual

 

 

Effective Date: 12/11/01

Series:  Departmental Directives

Part 011:  The Departmental Manual

Chapter 4:  Review, Clearance, and Publication

 

Originating Office:  Office of Planning and Performance Management

011 DM 4

 

4.1     Purpose.  This chapter describes the procedures for the Departmental review, surname, and publication of proposed new or revised chapters or the removal of chapters from the Departmental Manual (DM).

 

4.2     Policy. 

 

A.      Bureaus and Offices.  Bureau and office DM chapters must be reviewed and cleared by the Departmental policy offices and approved by the appropriate approving official prior to issuance.  This requirement applies to new chapters, revised chapters, or chapters to be removed from the DM.

 

B.      Office of Inspector General.  The Office of Inspector General will notify the Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget and forward its chapters to the Office of Planning and Performance Management prior to issuing chapters in the DM.

 

4.3     Preparation of DM Chapters.  Prior to developing new or revised DM chapters, bureaus and offices should consult with the Office of Planning and Performance Management if guidance is needed.  Packages are to be prepared for review and approval as follows:

 

A.      Clearance Record (Form DI 228).  The Clearance Record is used to document concurrence by each reviewing office.  Each office head signs the Clearance Record upon completion of the office review.  Bureaus and offices should complete the first surname block with the title, name, and signature of the office head.  The Office of Planning and Performance Management will complete the remainder of the surname boxes.

 

B.      Transmittal Sheet (Form DI 416).  The Transmittal Sheet promulgates the chapter.  It contains a brief description of each chapter.  The description includes an explanation of the reason for the change and a summary or highlight of the major changes.  Bureaus and offices may prepare a Transmittal Sheet or provide the narrative description to the Office of Planning and Performance Management who will prepare the Transmittal Sheet.

 

C.      Proposed Chapter(s).  (New, revised or chapters to be removed).  When changes are made to chapters, the chapter is issued in its entirety.  Complete chapters must be submitted for review and approval.  Bureaus and offices must send an electronic copy by e-mail to the appropriate staff person in the Office of Planning and Performance Management or include the proposed chapter on a disk in the folder.

 

D.      Transmittal Memorandums.  Transmittal memorandums may also be used to provide additional information or justification for the action being taken.

 

(1)     The transmittal memorandum should be addressed through the appropriate Assistant Secretary to the Secretarial Officer approving the DM.

 

(2)     The content and format of memorandums for organizational proposals are described in 101 DM 3.

 

E.       Supporting Documentation.  Other supporting documentation should be provided as appropriate.  (Include memorandums, comments, recommendations, results of studies, etc.)

 

F.       Marked-up Copy.  A marked-up copy (electronic or paper) of the previously published chapter, if applicable.

 

4.4     Assembly of the Package for Review.

 

A.      Right-side of the folder - Items A - C in the order listed in paragraph 4.3 above.

 

B.      Left-side of the folder - Items D - F in the order listed in paragraph 4.3 above.

 

4.5     Departmental Review and Clearance. 

 

A.      Submitting DM Chapters for the Departmental Review.

 

(1)     All chapters, except those to be published in the 200 - 299 series will be forwarded through the appropriate Assistant Secretary to the Office of Planning and Performance Management for the formal Departmental review and clearance. 

 

(2)     Chapters published in the 200 - 299 series should be surnamed by the appropriate Assistant Secretary before being sent to the Office of Planning and Performance Management.  Upon completion of the Departmental review, the Office of Planning and Performance Management will return the chapter to the Assistant Secretary for signature.  After signature by the Assistant Secretary, the signed original is returned to the Office of Planning and Performance Management for placement in the Department=s official files.

 

B.      Responsibilities. 

 

(1)     The Office of Planning and Performance Management will review the chapter for correctness and format; edit the proposed chapter as necessary in consultation with the drafter; resolve any overlaps or possible conflicts in policy; and, as necessary rewrite or add material if needed for completeness.

 

(2)     Reviewing officials will review the proposed chapter and surname the Clearance Record to indicate concurrence. 

 

(3)     Each bureau and office must designate a person to serve as the Directives Representative to the Department.  The representative will serve as the primary contact and coordinate with the Office of Planning and Performance Management on all DM chapters for their respective bureau or office. 

 

C.      Reviewing and Surnaming DM Chapters.  The major activities of the review and surname process are described below and summarized in a chart in Appendix 1. 

 

(1)     Upon receipt of the package, the Office of Planning and Performance Management will create a control file, review the documents, and send the package out for review and surname.  The Office of Planning and Performance Management will have ten working days to review and prepare the package for the formal Departmental review and surname.  (Failure to consult with the appropriate Departmental offices prior to submitting chapters for the Departmental review and surname may result in a longer review period for the Office of Planning and Performance Management and the Departmental policy offices.)

 

(2)     All chapters sent out for Departmental review will be given a date by which the review and surname are to be completed.  Each reviewing office will have ten working days to review the chapter and surname the Clearance Record.  (Organizational change requests may require an extended review period if a reprogramming is needed.)  Offices will review the chapter concurrently. 

 

D.      Concurrence or Non-Concurrence.  Offices must complete the review and surname and return the Clearance Record along with any comments to the Office of Planning and Performance Management by the due date.  If a reviewing office does not concur with the proposed changes, it must return the Clearance Record along with an explanation for its non-concurrence and any suggestions for acceptable changes.

 

E.       Resolution of Problems or Issues to Obtain Concurrence.  The Office of Planning and Performance Management will work with the originating and reviewing offices to resolve issues and obtain concurrences within ten working days after the review and surname period ends.  When substantive changes are made to a chapter subsequent to the original surnaming, offices will be requested to review and re-surname the Clearance Record.   

 

4.6     Approval.  Approving officials will have five working days to review and sign the chapter.  After the chapter is signed by the appropriate approving official, it will be returned to the Office of Planning and Performance Management.

 

4.7     Publication of Departmental Manual Chapters.  The Office of Planning and Performance Management will have five working days to number and date all approved chapters and upload the electronic files in the Electronic Library of Interior Policies (ELIPS).

 

4.8     Notification of Approved Chapters.  An e-mail message will be sent to designated bureau and office representatives after a chapter is approved and uploaded into ELIPS.  The e-mail notices will be generated automatically by ELIPS and sent out weekly.  The message will include a list of all chapters issued for the week.  Bureau and office representatives are responsible for sending internal notices throughout their respective bureau or office.

 

4.9     Official Records.  The Office of Planning and Performance Management maintains the Department=s official, permanent files of all DM chapters. 

 

4.10   Availability of Departmental Manual Chapters.  Copies of all current DM chapters are available on ELIPS at website address: http://elips.doi.gov.  Archived copies of chapters that are not in ELIPS may be obtained upon request from the Office of Planning and Performance Management.

 

011 DM 4

Appendix 1

 

 

TIME-LINE FOR REVIEWING AND APPROVING

DEPARTMENTAL MANUAL CHAPTERS

 

 

 

 

¹ Failure to consult with the appropriate Departmental offices prior to submitting chapters for Departmental review and surname may result in a longer review period for PPP and the Departmental policy offices.

 

² Organizational change requests may require an extended review if a reprogramming is needed.

 

12/11/01 #3387

Replaces 9/14/88 #2810