Department
of the Interior
Departmental
Manual
Effective Date: 9/22/06
Series: Organization
Part 118: Minerals Management Service
Chapter 3: Office of the Director
Originating Office: Minerals Management Service
118 DM 3
3.1 Director. The Director oversees all of the programs and
activities of the Minerals Management Service (MMS) and establishes and
maintains necessary communication channels with the Congress, the States,
Indian tribes and allottee associations, industry, the environmental community,
and other government agencies. The
Director is assisted in carrying out these duties by
the following:
A. The Chief
of Staff has oversight of the Correspondence Unit that is responsible for
managing correspondence and FOIA requests for the Director’s office.
B. The Deputy
Director - Chief Financial Officer (CFO) serves as the MMS’s CFO, assists the Director in managing
the programs and activities of the MMS, and acts in the absence of the
Director.
C. The Deputy
Director assists
the Director in managing the programs and activities of the MMS, acts in the
absence of the Director, and chairs the
Information Technology Investment Review Board.
The Deputy Director also supervises two staff offices.
3.2 Staff offices. The following staff offices report to the Deputy
Director:
A. Office of Congressional Affairs. The Chief, Office of Congressional Affairs, serves as the MMS primary point of contact between MMS and the Congress. The office maintains an open line of communication regarding MMS programs and policies, items of legislative action involving MMS, the dissemination of material, and any other statements of MMS positions on matters under consideration by the Congress. The office is responsible for MMS legislative initiatives, trends and developments, anticipated needs for new legislation, and the policy and programmatic impacts of existing legislative proposals. Responsibilities also include the preparation and coordination of testimony for Department or MMS witnesses, as required, and coordination of arrangements for congressional visits/meetings. The office maintains close liaison with the Secretary’s Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs.
B. Office
of Public Affairs. The Chief,
Office of Public Affairs (OPA), is responsible for the broad communications
strategy and outreach to external customers and stakeholders of the MMS. The Chief, OPA, also oversees the bureau’s
communication-related work. The office
provides liaison for the bureau with the news media and intergovernmental and
external constituencies on issues affecting the MMS. The OPA also provides leadership in efforts
to involve the public in MMS decisionmaking processes. The office manages the content of the MMS web
page, prepares and distributes news releases to the print and electronic media,
and responds to inquiries from the media and the public or refers such
inquiries to the appropriate MMS official.
The OPA reviews speeches and publications for consistency. Staff members identify trends and problems
related to MMS programs with external constituencies; provide liaison to
federal, state, and local governmental organizations and committees on issues
related to MMS programs; and coordinate a variety of outreach efforts. The office maintains close liaison with the
Secretary’s Offices of Communications and External Affairs. The Office of Public Affairs has offices in
the following locations:
9/22/06 #3733
Replaces 5/28/04 #3626