FY2007 Status Report of the Heritage Assets
Partnership
< www.doi.gov/pam/HeritageAssetsPartner
>
Executive Summary
The
Heritage Assets Partnership (HAP) is a standing committee within the Department
of the Interior (DOI) created to support responsible stewardship of DOI’s heritage assets.
The primary goal of the HAP is to direct, evaluate and oversee DOI-wide
efforts to manage and report on heritage assets within the context of DOI’s asset management objectives for real property assets. The HAP also provides Department-wide
strategic vision for heritage assets management. Heritage assets include historic structures,
buildings, archeological sites, and cultural landscapes, many of which are
eligible for or listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP),
and/or are National Historic Landmarks.
Heritage assets also include museum collections.
Purpose
The
HAP is the forum through which bureau heritage assets managers develop common
strategies and agreements to achieve efficient and cost-effective management of
DOI heritage assets while ensuring compliance with Federal cultural resources
laws, regulations, and Executive Orders. The HAP advises the Office of Acquisition and
Property Management and DOI leadership on heritage assets management policy
issues, and provides leadership and guidance on integrating heritage assets in
the formulation and implementation of the DOI Asset Management Plan. The HAP ensures that the DOI Asset Management
Plan supports and is in compliance with DOI’s strategic
plans and objectives, as well as with the National Historic Preservation Act
(16 USC 470), Executive Order 13287– “Preserve America” in the context of
Executive Order 13327 , “Federal Real Property Asset Management,” and the
Archaeological Resources Protection Act (16 USC 470aa-mm). HAP also promotes the sharing of expertise and
enhances asset management employee development by providing management and
technical information about heritage assets through conferences, workshops, task groups, and
seminars.
Current composition
The
permanent members of the HAP are DOI Federal Preservation Officers and their
designees representing the full range of heritage assets disciplines. Other members include: staff with asset
management program responsibilities in the Office of Acquisition and Property
Management; staff with heritage assets financial reporting responsibilities in
the Office of Financial Management; and, staff with heritage assets performance
measure responsibilities in the Office of Planning and Performance Management.
Accomplishments and Ongoing Activities
Strategic Planning
·
Developed white
paper for the Asset Management Team stating the HAP’s
position that archaeological sites are to be considered real property for budgeting
and funding purposes.
·
Continues to
ensure that heritage assets are properly integrated in DOI’s
Asset Management Plan (AMP), asset management list, and other policies and
guidelines, as requested.
·
Prioritizes and
accomplishes actions, when applicable, to improve the operational and financial
management of DOI’s heritage assets.
·
Identifies
authorities and mandates relating to heritage assets that are required to
address asset management priorities.
Operating and Maintaining Heritage
Assets
·
Develops and updates
guidance for determining asset valuation for non-collectible heritage assets,
so that they receive appropriate priority in facility planning. (CRV is not appropriate for non-collectible
heritage assets.)
·
Recommends
policies to enhance common business practices that have multi-bureau and/or
Department-wide application for managing heritage assets.
·
Recommends
operational procedures and solutions to heritage assets management
opportunities, challenges and issues.
·
Assures
consistent Department-wide policy guidance for fulfilling the requirements for
historic properties under Executive Order 13287 of
Evaluating HAP Implementation and
Program Performance
·
Assesses the
effectiveness and impact of Department-wide heritage assets policies.
·
Identifies goals,
with appropriate deadlines, that are consistent with and supportive of the DOI
Asset Management Plan.
·
Uses standardized
metrics and reports to track progress and accomplishments of heritage assets
programs, projects and initiatives.
Capital Planning and Investment
Control (CPIC)
·
Recommends
actions to ensure that the Department’s heritage assets receive appropriate
priority within the CPIC process.
·
Identifies
opportunities to share projects, activities and resources to avoid duplication
of effort.
Communication
A critical area in
which the HAP has proven useful is communication. Prior to its formation, HAP members were not
uniformly involved in discussions with their respective asset managers. With the establishment of the HAP by the DOI
Office of Property and Acquisition Management, the standing
committee of cultural resource managers directly
interacts with the DOI on heritage asset issues. In turn, HAP members work more effectively
with their bureau asset managers, who were already connected to DOI level asset
management teams. This new level of
communication also extended to other DOI offices, such as finance and planning,
thereby facilitating the inclusion of cultural
resources issues into the agendas and activities of those offices. This new level of interaction has allowed for
better transmission of information and, more importantly, has strengthened DOI’s position on its heritage assets through a better
understanding of stewardship responsibilities and greater integration of
heritage assets into asset management and planning.
Proposed Future
Activities
·
Implement the
integration of heritage assets with the operations of the AMP.
·
Address the issue
of increasing Deferred Maintenance (DM) funding for heritage assets.
·
Finalize Section
VI. Heritage Assets in the DOI’s Guidance on Deferred
Maintenance, Current Replacement Value and Facility Condition Index in
Life-Cycle Cost Management
·
Broaden collaboration with
other agencies to promote better stewardship of heritage assets.
·
Participate in the FBMS
Policy Consortium.
·
Adjust Attachment G of the
2010 Budget Guidance
for Five-Year Deferred Maintenance and Capital Improvement Plan to
better reflect the needs of heritage assets.
Tools
Website: www.doi.gov/pam/HeritageAssetsPartner
DM Guidance: http://www.doi.gov/pam/FCIDMCRVGuidance061506.pdf
DOI-AMP: http://www.doi.gov/pam/DOIAMPVer2061407Rev3.pdf