DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

CHARTER FOR THE
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PARTNERSHIP

Purpose and Goal

The Department of the Interior Property Management Partnership is a professional organization made up of Departmental (Office of Acquisition and Property Management) and bureau officials responsible for the management of real, personal and museum property. The Partnership is created to:

• Provide a structure through which bureau officials develop common strategies and agreements to improve systems, operations, services, and information for real, personal and museum property in order to achieve efficiencies and cost effectiveness;

• Oversee the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Managing Property in the Department of the Interior and make recommendations on changing the Plan; and

  -- Oversee implementing new processes and procedures, and

  -- Promote the sharing of information and resources

• Provide recommendations to the Director, Office of Acquisition and Property Management (PAM) and to appropriate top bureau management.

The Partnership will focus resources at its disposal on improvements that:

• Satisfy the customer;

• Share resources;

• Develop people and expertise for a competent and motivated workforce;

• Integrate and streamline business processes and practices; and

• Assure proper protection, maintenance, treatment and use of all property.

Partnership Organization

The Property Management Partnership will consist of one representative from each of the three management areas of real, personal and museum property for each bureau and PAM. The activities of the existing property management committees will be subsumed under the Partnership. Existing property committees (e.g. Property Management Committee and Interior Museum Property Committee) will be reformed as a subcommittee of the Partnership. It will consist of the bureau representatives on the Partnership and such other members as those representatives wish to include. The recommendations of the Partnership will be made to the Director, PAM and to the appropriate top bureau management responsible for real, personal and museum property. Each bureau, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board and PAM has one vote. The Partnership may extend and withdraw the right to vote to other organizational representatives as appropriate. A consensus will be sought on matters that come before the Partnership for decision. If consensus cannot be achieved, a two-thirds vote will be the basis for decision. Recommendations of the Partnership are not binding on bureaus and offices.

A Chairperson and Associate Chairperson will serve for one year, and will be selected from among the Partnership representatives. The Associate Chair will assume the Chair after a one year term of service as Associate. At that time, a new Associate Chair will be elected.

The Partnership recognizes that property management needs to interface with the full range of administrative disciplines: accounting, budget, acquisition, finance, and information resources management. To effectively accomplish its goal, the Partnership will reach out to these disciplines to form expanded Partnership teams to address the overall complex administrative management challenges.

As determined by the Partnership, the Office of Budget (POB), the Office of Financial Management (PFM) and the Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the procurement and Federal assistance program of the Office of Acquisition and Property Management will be invited to participate in the Partnership's activities. The National Business Center, the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, and other program offices may also be requested to participate in Partnership activities. When appropriate, bureau counterparts will be invited to participate. Participation by any of the above noted organizations may be either on a meeting-by meeting basis, or on a permanent ex-officio basis.

Project Action Teams

The Partnership will use Project Action Teams (PAT) to address/carry out its initiatives and activities. The bureaus agree to provide the Partnership the resources to carry out the PAT activities. The PATs will be staffed by the bureaus and PAM, and as appropriate POB, PFM and PIR. PAT representatives should have the technical knowledge and expertise to present various positions and requirements (e.g., property managers, system analysts, administrative officers and curators). In general, the PATs will manage the projects (action items) through lead bureaus and will be accountable to the Partnership through their Partnership representatives. Each PAT will select its respective PAT leaders.

Specific responsibility for PAT accomplishments rests with the PAT leader and their respective bureau official on the Partnership. PATs will be formed to meet specific objectives and prepare technical analyses and develop recommendations for presentation to, and consideration by, the full Partnership organization. PATs may also be used to assist in implementing recommendations. All products prepared by the PATs will be submitted to the Partnership Chair for review and decision by the full Partnership.

The Partnership may appoint other special teams, as needed. The Partnership or a Partnership designated official will determine the structure and composition of special teams (e.g. software advisory board).

Roles and Responsibilities

Bureaus

The Bureaus may provide the Partnership resources, as available, to carry out its activities and the recommendations of the PATs. Participating organizations will identify Partnership representatives and alternates who will participate in each meeting and who will represent the positions of their respective organizations. Participating bureaus will provide meeting space.

Office of Acquisition and Property Management (PAM)

PAM will be a member of the Partnership and participate in Partnership activities including PATs. PAM will also provide timely feedback and facilitate coordination between the Partnership and appropriate top bureau management concerning Partnership recommendations and products.

Other Departmental Offices

POB, PFM, PIR, and the procurement and Federal assistance program of the Office of Acquisition and Property Management will participate, when invited, in the Partnership meetings by providing technical and advisory support relative to their functions. Representatives from these organizations will provide updates on issues and problems.

Partnership

The Partnership will provide periodic project summaries of Partnership PAT accomplishments to appropriate top bureau management, bureaus and PAM. An annual report of Partnership activities and accomplishments will be submitted to the Director, PAM and to appropriate top bureau management.

Partnership Administration

The Chairperson will be responsible for the direction and administration of the Partnership, including:

• Developing and maintaining a Management Action Plan for the activities of the PATs;

• Coordinating and facilitating the exchange of management information necessary for the Partnership to track each project;

• Directing and influencing the activities of the PATs and any special teams, in cooperation with the team leaders and, as appropriate, other Partnerships;

• Preparing and distributing periodic reports or summaries of activities;

• Representing the Partnership at other Departmental meetings;

• Assisting in obtaining the resources necessary to carry out PAT objectives;

• Scheduling meetings, developing and distributing agendas, conducting meetings, preparing meeting minutes as appropriate, and distributing meeting minutes to each Partnership representative;

• Soliciting comments and recommendations from Partnership representatives; and

• Presenting reports and recommendations made by the Partnership to the Director, PAM and to appropriate top bureau management.

Meetings will be held on a regular basis, but at least every other month. The location of the meetings will normally be in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Meetings will be held at field locations when appropriate. PAT and standing sub-committees draft reports will be distributed prior to scheduled meetings.

Concurrence

I concur with the establishment of the Property Management Partnership.

[Senior Officials representing Interior's bureaus concurred with the Charter]

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Existing property committees (e.g. Property Management Committee and Interior Museum Property Committee) will be reformed as subcommittees of the Partnership. It will consist of the bureau representatives on the Partnership and such other members as those representatives wish to include.

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