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NBC PROFILE - WINTER 2006
Bureau Aviation Evaluation Program |
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Following the recent Aviation Program Evaluation of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) National Aviation Office, Les Herman (on the left), the AMD Aviation Program Evaluation Specialist, compares notes with Kevin Hamilton, the BLM National
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In an effort to ".raise the safety standards and increase the efficiency." of aircraft activities with the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Aviation Management Directorate (AMD), National Business Center (NBC), conducts aviation program evaluations to assess the health of aviation programs within the DOI via regular monitoring of key "vital signs."
Since April 2005, the AMD has conducted eight Bureau aviation program evaluations in cooperation with aviation program managers representing each of those organizations. The evaluations are conducted by an evaluation team that uses a systematic process for analyzing various aspects of each aviation program within the DOI and for the subsequent reporting of the status of those programs to senior management. The aviation program evaluation system is a proactive process for gathering and analyzing data associated with the process, execution, and outcomes of aviation programs with a primary objective of program enhancement. This quality assurance system assesses the safety of aviation services provided, ensures efficiency in management of complex resources, and provides a means for sharing best practices.
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 Mike Hinkes (left), Refuge Officer/Pilot from the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, discusses aviation safety issues with Mike Jefferies (center), the Acting Aviation Program Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and Ken Barnes (right), the Regional Aviation Program Manager, AK, for the National Park Service (NPS), during the recent combined FWS and NPS aviation program evaluation in Alaska.
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The DOI's aviation program evaluations are conducted in each of the Bureau's geographic units (region/state) that use aviation resources on a five-year interval. The AMD Aviation Program Evaluation Specialist coordinates with the Bureau Aviation Program Manager and, depending upon the area where the evaluation will take place, with the AMD Regional Director for evaluation scheduling, team membership, and itinerary. The AMD Associate Director provides initial correspondence for evaluation/scheduling to the Bureau Regional Director or State Director in the geographical area where the aviation evaluation will be conducted, with a courtesy copy provided to the Bureau Director.
Prior to and after completion of the field evaluations, Bureau Regional Directors or State Directors and staff are briefed in person, by telephone, or via e-mail. The evaluation team visits Bureau field offices (national park, wildlife refuge, etc.) and aviation support facilities (helibases, airports, retardant bases, dispatch centers), as time permits, to include cooperating or interagency facilities.
General areas of aviation program assessment are:
- Administration - Assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of management practices, controls, and organizational structure, determining the need for aviation resources, evaluating program expenditures and outcomes, completing cost comparisons between available procurement alternatives (government-owned, contract, or rental), and assessing bureau customer satisfaction with aviation services provided by the AMD.
- Operations - Assessing whether operations are functioning as intended by management and evaluating procedures used to comply with Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) and Departmental Manuals (DMs). This may be conducted as a short-term response to safety concerns, as an operational risk assessment, or to review procedural issues of an immediate concern.
- Safety - Analyzing bureau accident prevention activities, accident history, and participation in the DOI Aviation Mishap Information System, as well as identifying trends in the program that may precipitate mishaps.
- Training - Determining the level of participation in aviation management and safety training for initial competency and for the maintenance of skills.
- Security - Assessment of aircraft and aviation facility security to determine compliance with security policies and procedures designed to safeguard the DOI-owned or controlled aircraft against theft and associated misuse by terrorists or individuals engaging in other criminal activity.
When aviation program evaluations are completed, findings are identified and are accompanied by recommendations for aviation program enhancement, with suggested assignments to bureau or AMD offices. Bureaus are responsible for the assignment of their personnel for the development or completion of corrective action in response to recommendations. The final report is developed by the Aviation Program Evaluation Specialist in coordination with the Bureau Aviation Program Manager and forwarded from the AMD Associate Director to the Bureau Director. Following the completion and delivery of the evaluation report, the Aviation Program Evaluation Specialist continues to coordinate with the Bureau Aviation Program Manager to track evaluation recommendations and target dates for subsequent follow-up for each geographic area evaluation. Program evaluations will conclude with the Aviation Program Evaluation Specialist documenting enhancements that have been made to the DOI's aviation programs.
The evaluation schedule for FY 2006 includes ten aviation program evaluations, with the first evaluation completed December 2005.
For More Information:
Robert Gallaway
Bob_Gallaway@oas.gov
208-433-5071
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