Managing for Excellence - Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why was the National Research Council (NRC) asked to conduct its study, “Managing Construction and Infrastructure in the 21st Century Bureau of Reclamation.”
A. It was recognized that the 21st Century would bring new challenges for Reclamation’s management of water and hydropower delivery. The NRC was asked to provide advice on the appropriate organizational, managerial, and resource configurations to meet that challenge. The Managing for Excellence Action Plan was developed in response to that study; it was approved in February 2006, and will be implemented over the next several years.
Q. When will the Managing for Execellence Action Plan be implemented?
A. Employee teams have been formed for 41 action items. These teams have begun to analyze the issues and will be obtaining input from stakeholders and employees, collecting data and conducting in-depth studies, and developing options and recommendations. All but 12 of the action items will be completed in 2006, and all action items will be complete by December, 2007. As teams complete their action items, Reclamation leadership will make decisions for implementing recommended changes and improvements.
Q. What effect will Managing for Excellence have on Reclamation’s mission, budget, programs, costs, FTEs and water users?
A. Reclamation’s mission will not change, but Managing for Excellence will help us meet our customers’ water and power needs in a more effective and efficient manner. Specific impacts are not known at this time, but will become apparent as options evolve and recommendations are approved.
Q. Could full implementation of the NRC recommendations result in the elimination of the Bureau of Reclamation?
A. No, given the complexity of the water and power resource challenges facing the West in the 21st Century, there is a clear role for Reclamation to deliver the water and power vital to its customers and citizens living in the West. There will certainly be changes in how we accomplish our mission, there will be greater involvement on the part of customers, more O&M and title transfers will occur, and more work may be outsourced, but the magnitude and criticality of the Federal water and power infrastructure in the West requires a Federal presence through Reclamation.
Q. Why doesn't Managing for Excellence address each specific NRC recommendation?
A. The Reclamation Leadership Team and the Executive Team that developed Managing for Excellence decided that the NRC recommendations fit into eight broad functional areas. These functional areas are:
- relationships with customers and other stakeholders;
- policies and organization;
- engineering and design services;
- major repair challenges;
- project management;
- asset sustainment;
- research and laboratory services; and
- human resources/work force.
All the NRC recommendations are being addressed through the 41 action items, which are organized through these functional areas.
Last Updated: January 18, 2008