010 FW 1, Requirements, Responsibilities, and Description

1.1 Purpose. This chapter prescribes the Service directives system for publishing and recording directives of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Instructions pertaining to directives management and directives of the Department, other agencies, and the President are published in 201 FW.

1.2 Authority and Legal Requirements. The provisions of the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. 3101-3102), as interpreted by the Federal Property Management Regulations (41 CFR 101-11.201 and 11.209), and the Departmental Manual (381 DM 1.7C) require the Service to provide proper documentation of its organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, and essential transactions; and to establish an appropriate program for the management of its directives which provide such documentation. In addition, the Public Information Section of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 552) requires the Service to make available to the public (through Federal Register publication) descriptions of its organization, where and how information and decisions can be secured, what and how functions are performed, what requirements must be met to get benefits or service, and what procedures must be followed.

1.3 Responsibilities.

A. The Director fulfills part of these legal requirements by prescribing policies and procedures, and by assigning functions and making delegations. The directives containing such policies, procedures and guidance are issued and published through the Service Directives System.

B. The Deputy Director - Staff is responsible for the Service Directives System. The Deputy Director - Staff is assisted in carrying out this responsibility by the Division of Policy and Directives Management.

C. Service directives shall be observed and followed by all elements of the Service to which they are addressed or to which they apply.

1.4 Components. The Service Directives System consists of:

A. National Policy Issuance System - This system promulgates the Director's national policies for managing the Service and its programs. These policies are necessarily broad and generally require management discretion or judgement in their implementation. They represent the Director's expectations of how the Service and its employees will act in carrying out their official responsibilities. Each issuance is distributed directly to the Service's 950 line officials and staff supervisors. A detailed description of the system is published as NPI #89-01, March 3, 1989, and a list of current issuances is appended to this chapter (Appendix 1.)

B. The Fish and Wildlife Service Manual - The manual contains the standing and continuing directives of the Service with which Service employees must comply. It has regulatory force and effect within the Service. It is used to implement the Service's authorities and the Director's policies, and to "step down" the Service's compliance with other requirements such as Statutes, Executive Orders, Departmental directives, and regulations of other agencies. It establishes the requirements and procedures for employees to follow in carrying out the Service's authorities, responsibilities, and activities. The Fish and Wildlife Service Manual is further described in 011 FW.

C. Federal Regulations - Directives which implement the Service's authorities and which affect the rights of citizens or the authorities of other agencies are a special case. They are published in the Code of Federal Regulations. These directives are not duplicated in the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual; however, the Manual will include any additional internal instructions or procedures that are needed to implement them within the Service. Procedures for preparing Federal Register documents are published at 202 FW.

D. Director's Orders - Orders are limited to temporary delegations of authority, emergency directives, special assignments, and initial policy or guidance for evolving activities. All Orders must be converted as soon as practicable to appropriate parts of the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual, or the Code of Federal Regulations, or revoked. Director's Orders are further described in 012 FW.

E. Memoranda Signed by the Director, a Deputy Director, or Acting Director - Directives may be promulgated in memoranda. Such memoranda are not numbered, and should be limited to operational, incident - specific, project related, or one-time (non-continuing) matters. Memoranda will not be used to convey instructions that have general and continuing applicability to Service activities.

F. Specialized Directives - These directives are for narrow administrative or technical matters and are subordinate to the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual. Because of their specialized nature, they are targeted to serve limited audiences. They will not be used to convey instructions of a programmatic or management nature, or otherwise to avoid publication in the Manual. Authority to issue specialized directives must be published in the Manual and a list of authorized specialized directives will be appended to this chapter (Appendix 2.)

G. Handbooks - Handbooks are not directive in nature, but, rather are used to explain how to comply with directives. Although they do not have regulatory effect, they may be used to convey good or acceptable practices. They may be used also to compile existing directives. Authority to issue handbooks, and amendments thereto, may be granted to Assistant Directors when provided for in the corresponding Fish and Wildlife Service Manual chapter. Handbooks are cross-referenced in and considered to be a part of the Manual, and their structure and content must be coordinated with the Division of Policy and Directives Management. Manual chapters that prescribe handbooks must clearly indicate where copies are available. A list of authorized handbooks is appended to this chapter (Appendix 3.)

H. Regional Directives - Regional Directors are authorized to issue directives that further implement the above directives or that pertain to matters not covered by the above directives. Regional directives systems will be consistent with the provisions of 201 FW 1 and individual directives will not be inconsistent with any directives issued pursuant to this chapter.

1.5 Availability.

A. Directives are available from the Division of Policy and Directives Management in Washington, from Regional Directives Officers in Regional Offices, and from originating offices.

B. National Policy Issuances (1.4A), the Service Manual (1.4B), and Director's Orders (1.4D) are also available electronically via the Service's Information Resource Management (IRM) Library Server (R9IRMLIB).