DOJ - Program Plan
Firearms Programs -- Integrated Violence Reduction Strategy Recovery Plan
Last updated: 2009-05-15Table of Contents
Click on each of the links below to read the part of the Plan relating to each topic.
Objectives
Program Purpose
ATF will utilize the $10 million for three new field offices and one new satellite office along the Southwest Border, two offices in U.S. Consulates in Mexico and hiring 37 Federal employees. These field offices will enhance ATF’s law enforcement and regulatory mission of reducing firearms and explosives-related violent crime associated with Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) by preventing the acquisition and trafficking of firearms (and explosives) by and for Mexican DTOs.
Public Benefits
The expected public benefit of this program’s ARRA activities is public safety. Violence perpetrated by Mexican drug trafficking organizations has increased significantly and has been made possible (in part) by the unlawful acquisition of firearms from the United States. Concerns also exist that drug-related violence in Mexico will continue to spill over into the United States. The new domestic field offices and offices in U.S. Consulates in Mexico will enhance ATF’s law enforcement and regulatory responsibilities of denying firearms to gun traffickers, prohibited persons and those who seek to use them for criminal purposes.
The expenditure of ARRA funds will comply with a Congressionally-approved spending plan.
The ARRA funds will be expended in furtherance of established performance measures.
Measures
The measures have been revised to enrich the performance metrics for Recovery targets. In some instances, targets will not be available until additional baseline data has been collected.
Schedule and Milestones
| Milestone | Completion Date |
|---|---|
| Establish an ATF Field Office in El Centro, CA. Establish an ATF Field Office in Las Cruces, NM. Establish an ATF Satellite Office in Roswell, NM. Establish an ATF Field Office in McAllen, TX. Establish two Consulate offices in Mexico (to be staffed by U.S. Government personnel). Note: Establishment of an ATF Field or Satellite Office is constituted by procuring the space and staffing the office with a senior manager and a core team of law enforcement and regulatory personnel. | 2009-09-30 |
| Procurement of armored vehicles. | 2009-09-30 |
| Hiring of 37 employees (Special Agents (25), Industry Operations Investigators (6), Intelligence Research Specialists (3), and Investigative Analysts (3)) | 2010-09-30 |
Projects and Activities
Kinds and Scope of Program Activities
Law Enforcement – Firearms Trafficking Prevention.
Supplemental funds for an existing initiative (Project Gunrunner) which will reduce cross-border weapons and drug trafficking and the high level of violence on the Southwest Border in the form of assistance to governmental units.
Review Process
ATF executive management is positive about both Project Gunrunner as well as the opportunity to expand the project under the ARRA. ATF’s Acting Director recently sent a special intranet message to all ATF employees informing them of ATF’s efforts to combat increasing violence within Mexico and along the U.S. border in which he discussed the different phases and funding streams associated with Project Gunrunner. This included a discussion of how the $10 million provided to ATF under the ARRA for use on Project Gunrunner was to be used. ATF will address challenges/risks on several levels.
ATF created a Recovery Act /Southwest Border spend plan for the additional ARRA funding of $10 million associated with Project Gunrunner. This plan has been approved by Congress, and the apportionment of funds has been approved by OMB. ATF also established a separate Treasury Account Fund Symbol (15-0699) and designated a special funds code (7STIM) to obligate, track, and report on ARRA expenditures.
Expenditures of ARRA funding will be handled in a highly centralized fashion. The ATF Office of Management and the Southwest Border (SWB) Working Group will monitor all ARRA expenditures and will report any issues or variances to ATF’s Senior Leadership Team. There are no plans to conduct
longer term impact evaluations once the $10M is spent.
ATF has also established a formal method for gathering and communicating project-related risk information. This will facilitate the identification and mitigation of risk, which are in turn being accomplished through a variety of methods, including the monitoring of improper payments, issuing guidance on lobbyist contacts and the ARRA (including formal classroom training for those employees most likely to be contacted by lobbyists), and the standing up the Southwest Border (SWB) Working Group to oversee operations in the region (including Project Gunrunner) to ensure that they are carried out effectively and efficiently.
In addition, the ATF will be using the Department of Justice’s overall risk assessment techniques as well as documenting and evaluating internal controls that impact ARRA compliance monitoring during the annual OMB Circular A-123, Appendix A assessments. ATF’s Office of Management will report the results of these risk and internal control assessments to senior management via the CFO Steering Committee, Senior Leadership Team meetings, and updates to an executive dashboard. The CFO Steering Committee will ensure prompt corrective action of weaknesses identified internally, as well any identified during the upcoming review of Project Gunrunner by the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Justice.
Further information about Project Gunrunner and the ARRA funding being used for that project can be found in ATF Publication 3317.6, Project Gunrunner: The Southwest Border Initiative, at http://www.atf.gov/recovery/index.htm.
Cost and Performance Plan
TRANSPARENCY:
There are no direct recipients of the ARRA funds allocated to ATF. However, ATF will track related activity and results. The public can access ATF’s internet site, as well as ATF Publication 3317.6, Project Gunrunner: The Southwest Border Initiative, at http://www.atf.gov/recovery/index.htm.
ACCOUNTABILITY:
ATF’s existing system of performance accountability using Performance Work Plans and status meetings will be used for Project Gunrunner and the related ARRA funding. In addition to a National Project Coordinator, ATF established a new senior position to oversee a Southwest Border Working Group at ATF Headquarters. ATF also reviewed and updated (as needed) OMB Circular A-123 key business processes in accordance with Department of Justice and OMB guidelines.
ATF has developed a spend plan for the $10 million in ARRA funds for Project Gunrunner.
For performance information on this program, please refer to the Recovery Performance Measures section of the FY 2009 Integrated Violence Reduction Strategy Assessment.
Energy Efficiency Spending Plans
ATF does not have direct leasing authority and must rely on GSA to secure space which complies with energy efficiency and green building requirements, and related Recovery Act Federal Infrastructure requirements. Neither construction of new office buildings nor major renovations will be performed under this program due to the time constraints imposed by the 9/30/09 deadline for establishment of the Project Gunrunner/Southwest Border Initiative offices.
Program Plan Award Types
Direct Federal Program
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Federal Employment
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Source: Data provided by the Agency through the Office of Management and Budget.
