Enterprise Program

About Us

Enterprise Unit Partnership

The Enterprise Unit Partnership is designed to strengthen Enterprise Unit Leader networks and to provide a voice for promoting our collective interests.

Enterprise Unit Partnership Charter

• Explains the purpose, background and membership of the EUP.
• Contains details about roles & responsibilities and operations of the EUP.

EUP Chairperson

• Melissa Marosy
  Creative Conflict Resolution

EUP Vice-Chairperson

• Kelly Fike
  Streamline

EUP Members

• Bill Hay
  TEAMS

• Jules Riley
  Vegetative Management Solutions

• Elizabeth Carroll
  FS Grant Strategists

Forest Service – Pacific Southwest Region

Enterprise Unit Partnership

CHARTER

I. PURPOSE

The Enterprise Unit Partnership (EUP) is established to focus the Enterprise Unit collective towards strengthening business “owner” networks and to provide a unified voice for promoting better business principles in the Forest Service. The EUP will monitor the Enterprise Program effectiveness as it applies to the Forest Service mission and priorities.

II. BACKGROUND

In August of 1997, as part of the Presidential Initiatives under the National Partnership for Reinventing Government, the Pacific Southwest Region and Research Station of the USDA Forest Service were designated as a Reinvention Lab. Under this authority the White House and Chief of the Forest Service authorized the Regional Forester and Station Director to waive Forest Service internal agency rules. The objective of the Reinvention Lab was to develop and test new methods of operation that will lead to more businesslike and accountable approaches in operating the National Forests.

The activities of the Reinvention Lab originally focused on developing an internal “market-driven economy” within the Pacific Southwest Region and Research Station through the use of internal businesses called enterprise units. They have since expanded to other regions and stations. Activities also included developing a business plan strategy for national forests and program areas that can be used to better allocate resources.

The Enterprise Program, which grew out of the Reinvention Lab pilot, is currently made up of 20 Enterprise Units. Each business (Enterprise Unit) is responsible for developing and maintaining a business plan that outlines their products and services, marketing, sales and financial strategy, continued sustainability and growth potential. Through the development of this plan, the enterprise unit “owners” identify their revenue producing (billable) hours and determine their full operating costs. This establishes a pricing structure that covers their business expenses and provides funding for future growth and development of the business; and is competitive within the marketplace. With this, the Enterprise Units are responsible for full-cost recovery and the development of a reserve account for future growth and security.

III. MEMBERSHIP

The EUP represents the Enterprise Units licensed under the R5 Reinvention Lab, created under the National Partnership for Reinventing Government of 1997. It will provide advice to the Steering Committee regarding customer expectations. A single membership is granted to each Enterprise Unit.

IV. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The EUP will:

• Provide platform for information sharing across the Enterprise Organization
• Participate in the selection of all leadership positions, personnel and administrative services providing support to Enterprise Units. This will include positions in the Enterprise Program Office and Enterprise Development Bank.
• Develop and communicate strategies to further the mission of the Enterprise Program
• Provide knowledge, through experience, on better business principles
• Provide advice and counsel to the Steering Committee and the Enterprise Program on matters related to Enterprise
• Provide a network for communication and shared resources between EUs
• Facilitate the smooth transition of new units into the Enterprise Program through mentoring and support
• Facilitate integration of Enterprise information priorities with national direction and emerging issues.
• Provide recommendations on key issues and expected quality of support needed from the Enterprise Program Office and Enterprise Development Bank as it pertains to Enterprise.
• Monitor the Enterprise Program effectiveness as it applies to the Forest Service mission and priorities.
• Address issues of coordination between Enterprise Program Office, Enterprise Units and the Enterprise Development Bank
• Provide a forum for issue advocacy
• Provide the knowledge base for Enterprise Business Principles
• Present Enterprise needs and concerns to the participating Regional Leadership Teams and the Reinvention Steering Committee.
• Encourage formation of subcommittees to address key issues and projects

V. OPERATIONS

The EUP will meet bi-annually or more frequently as needed. One of those meetings each year will focus on planning of the annual review, in addition to general business of the EUP. Most meetings will be devoted to information sharing and addressing key Enterprise issues. Conference calls may also be used to facilitate information sharing. For meetings/conference calls where decisions are to be made, an agenda will be distributed 14 days prior to the meeting. Decision topics will be clearly identified on the agenda. Each Enterprise Unit will pay for travel separately.

Operations of the EUP will require a quorum of fifty one percent of the members and issues will be resolved by consensus where possible but may utilize a majority vote with minority opinions documented. Each membership has one vote and votes can be sent by proxy. Each member will designate an alternate who will stay abreast of EUP activities and can act in the member’s absence. Minutes of all meetings will be shared.

The leadership of the EUP will consist of a Chair, a vice-Chair, and three executive members. The vice-Chair will be a two-year position that assumes the Chair position after the first year to provide continuity in leadership. Other positions will be one-year terms. Subsequent years votes will be conducted to replace a vice Chair and three member positions. There will be a nominating committee consisting of three volunteer members from the EUP that will organize and manage the voting process. Voting will be conducted by secret ballot. Nominees receiving the largest number of votes will become the Chair, followed by the vice-Chair and three executive members. If for some reason, the person receiving the largest number of votes does not feel that they can effectively serve as Chair, they may decline and serve as an executive member, cycling the leadership based on the number of votes received. This leadership will also serve as the Executive Board of Enterprise Unit Leaders.

The Executive Board serves as delegates of the EUP, presenting issues, concerns, needs with a unified voice. They will act as an EUP advocate on issues critical to Enterprise Units. Opinions/positions represented by the Executive Board will have prior endorsement by the EUP.

Chairman and Vice-chairman of the Executive Board will serve as steering committee members with the other three members of the Executive Board as alternates.

VI. BUDGET

Members will participate on this partnership on a volunteer basis, paying all travel and salary costs from their independent units.

EUP Charter

Developed 10/16/01
EU Leader Meeting/Placerville
Jbradley

Edited 3/12/02
EU Leader Meeting/Sacramento
Abuma

Finalized 3/22/02
As per conference call with following EU leaders:

Kendra Bourgart
Annie Buma
Rita Cantu
David Chojnacky
Kelly Fike
JoAnne Fites
Judy Hahn
Bill Hay
Debbie Klippenstein
Cam Lockwood
Bob Loudon
Gloria Monyko
Laura Nance
Ron O’Hanlon
Merl Sturgeon
Laurie Thorpe

Ratified by quorum vote as set forth in the Charter- 03/22/02