Enterprise Program

About Us

The Enterprise Program was initiated in 1997 by the Region 5 Reinvention Lab as part of the National Performance Review. In 2006 the program became a permanent, national program.

Some of the key aspects outlined within the program area are:

Choice — Enterprise Units provide an alternate choice for Forest Service units to obtain support and services.

Financial Accountability — Enterprise Units receive no direct appropriated funds and must strive for full cost recovery. As such, unit members develop heightened awareness of costs, delivery of quality, and gains in efficiencies.

Work with a Purpose — Enterprise Units do not work for profit like commercial businesses. They work for the purpose of contributing to the Forest Service Mission, and through their training and experience exercise a discriminating awareness of effectiveness and efficiencies.

Spreading Cost Awareness — Forest Service units that utilize enterprise services frequently are exposed to how enterprise recognizes expenses and calculates rates of cost recovery used to estimate project costs. This begins the expansion of true cost recognition beyond the nucleus of enterprise.

Additional Information relating to Enterprise

• Forest Service’s Enterprise Program Gains Recognition. The Enterprise Initiative was selected as a semifinalist in the 2000 Innovations in American Government Awards Program. In addition to the abovementioned honored award recognition the Forest Service’s Enterprise Program was highlighted this year at the July, Excellence in Government 2000 Conference – CONNECTING CITIZENS SERVICES RESULTS.