National Association of Conservation Districts

National Association of Conservation Districts

NACD's mission is to serve conservation districts by providing national leadership and a unified voice for natural resource conservation.

Computers for Districts

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

NACD appreciates your patience, input and feedback. We will keep you informed of our actions. Thank you for your leadership and commitment to maintaining an effective partnership to provide conservation services throughout the nation.

  1. May a conservation district still buy a computer through/from the USDA contract?
  2. What other security requirements might we expect?
  3. What is the current status of districts using producer information from the usda data bases?
  4. How many computers will be available for districts to use to provide services to farmers and ranchers?
  5. What is an Information Exchange MOU and what is an interconnectivity agreement?
  6. What is an interconnectivity agreement?
  7. What is the annual fee approach to charging for computers?
  8. What should our district/state do today relative to computer support?
  9. What is the history of the USDA Common Computing Environment (CCE)?
  10. What is the current and anticipated level of ITS support to NRCS and its partners?
  11. How do I know when I get a new CCE computer with seat management?
  12. Why should I pay a seat cost when I just bought a new computer in 2007?
  13. Why should I pay the same seat cost if I am operating a four-year-old computer and my neighbor has a brand new one?


1. May a conservation district still buy a computer through/from the USDA contract?

A: Yes. The current forms are on the NACD website. We will update our forms and website whenever a new contract is available or USDA changes their approach.

2. What other security requirements might we expect?

A: In FY 2009, NRCS and partners with computers on the federal government network will be required to apply increased security measures including:

3. What is the current status of districts using producer information from the USDA data bases?

A: At this time districts (district employees) may use producer data necessary to provide conservation planning and implementation services. The employees using such information must assure that they are not releasing the data to anyone for any other purposes.

We anticipate written guidance on the procedures to ensure that district employees will continue to have access to needed producer information for planning and applying conservation measures.

4. How many computers will be available for districts to use to provide services to farmers and ranchers?

A: As mentioned in our March 20  memo, NRCS is committed nationally to having each conservation district on the system so that the data and technical tools to service farmers and ranchers is available to local office employees. These arrangements will vary by state and by specific conservation district needs. Therefore, it is important for districts in each state to communicate and work with state and federal partners on these matters.

5. What are mobile technologies?

A: We understand that conservation practice planning, design, and installation can usually be done most effectively on the farm and ranch with the producer. Laptop and tablet computers with wireless connections are now being used to provide many services directly while on the farm or ranch. In time, more and more technical conservation services will be provided in that manner. Increased use of mobile technologies is part of the Department’s long range plans.

6. What is an Information Exchange MOU and what is an interconnectivity agreement?

A: The Information Exchange MOU is a document between the partnership agencies to establish the terms, conditions, and safeguards for sharing data files and information, and specifies details that may be required to provide overall privacy and security safeguards for customer’s information. An Interconnectivity Security Agreement (ISA) is a written document that establishes the terms, conditions, and safeguards when partnership agencies directly connect computer systems to exchange information. As an example an ISA would be required for a State agency computer system to connect to the National Conservation Planning Database. These documents are intended to be used under the existing umbrella mutual agreements.

7. What is the annual fee approach to charging for computers?

A: The industry average for provisioning and supporting an office employee in a large widely distributed partnership such as ours with a computer, the software on it, including GIS, GPS, engineering, word processing, spreadsheets, presentation, collaboration, database, e-mail, organizational business applications, security, and the requisite technical support, network and Internet access, phone, and conferencing services is about $3,200 per year. This often is called “total cost of ownership” when an organization buys and supports an employee in-house. We all know that we can get by for less in our home computers, but we do not have the same set of requirements.

However, many private and public sector organizations buy provisioning and support as a service rather than managing it in-house. NRCS and other USDA agencies are considering establishing a flat service fee and current estimates are about $3,400, which also includes geographic information system (GIS) software licensing. The fee also would provide a new computer to the user every 4 years, and would provide for software upgrades on a fixed schedule. A commonly accepted term to describe this concept is “seat management.” For a full description of the included costs in USDA for a seat management approach please contact or see Steve Webber, NRCS Fort Collins CO at 970-295-5420.

8. What should our district/state do today relative to computer support?

A: We know that decisions on computer security, access and cost are being made now for many conservation districts, and many conservation districts feel that they cannot wait months for issues to be resolved. We understand your need to act as you see best to continue to provide services to customers.

At this time, NACD and NASCA ask conservation districts to talk with your state and federal partners. Become informed so that you can properly manage these changes, and avoid actions that fragment your local partnership, ultimately negatively affecting your customers.

9. What is the history of the USDA Common Computing Environment (CCE)?

A: From 2000 to 2007, Congress funded capital expenditures to modernize USDA service center agency offices including:

The central fund, called the Common Computing Environment (CCE), originally amounted to about $60 million per year, declining in the past three years to $43 million, $20 million, and now zero. In the future, the agencies are expected to support the standard infrastructure out of their budgets.

Congress has not appropriated a separate central fund to support the infrastructure for FY 2008., However, NRCS will support existing computers, including the 3,500 plus computers assigned to district employees.

While it lasted, the CCE investment enabled NRCS to maintain and increase productivity and program delivery while keeping staffing numbers level. Without the fund, ways must be found to streamline computing services. Fortunately, it is likely there is a fundamental shift underway towards network-based computing, which is beginning to reduce reliance on a lot of hardware and other infrastructure in local offices.

10. What is the current and anticipated level of ITS support to NRCS and its partners?

A: Going into FY 2008, NRCS has paid OCIO-ITS to support slightly more than 22,000 computers assigned to about 15,700 NRCS and partner employees in about 3,000 locations.  This payment includes the software, infrastructure, and technical support provided by more than 400 ITS employees in 200 locations. There is general agreement that the quality of service must be improved, and a primary way to do this is to reduce the number of computers to support.

In order to control future costs and improve the quality of support, NRCS currently is working with states and other agency organizational units to eliminate outdated and excess computers and reduce the inventory to approximately 18,000 computers assigned to agency and partner employees.
State and other agency organizational units (e.g. service centers, national headquarters, etc) have the discretion to pay for additional computers out of their individual budgets. The current estimated cost is $3,400 per “seat.”
 
Beginning in fiscal year 2009, NRCS anticipates having the budget to support a minimum of 18,000 computers. We can expect further budget clarity during the next few months and like most efforts this one will evolve and change between now and when USDA and NRCS have final budget numbers for FY 2009.

11. How do I know when I get a new CCE computer with seat management?

A: No CCE computer will be older than five years. The replacement of a CCE computer will be scheduled well in advance as the replacement process will occur throughout the year. In any one year, 20 percent of the older computers will be replaced. Of course, there will be a transition period going to the seat management model.  In FY 2009 NRCS will provide the $3000 per seat support for these 18,000 computers off the top and NRCS computers that are 4 years old or older will be purchased by States.  In 2010 we hope to fully implement the seat management approach.

Varying service levels may also be offered, giving managers the option to pay a higher seat cost for a three-year cycle, and perhaps a premium for a one-year replacement cycle.

12. Why should I pay a seat cost when I just bought a new computer in 2007?

A: During the transition period, it is likely that you will pay the seat cost minus the cost of the computer, which will cover the annual cost for software licensing and technical support. At some point, the hardware cost would be added back in.

13. Why should I pay the same seat cost if I am operating a four-year-old computer and my neighbor has a brand new one?

A: The intent is that this will balance out over time. When you get a new replacement computer, your neighbor’s will be four years old.