[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 48 (Monday, March 12, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14561-14562]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-5870]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


Tribal Consultation Sessions--Administrative Organizational 
Assessment Draft Report, Organizational Streamlining of BIA and BIE, 
and BIE Topics

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs (AS-IA), 
the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and the Bureau of Indian Education 
(BIE) are hosting several upcoming tribal consultation sessions. The 
purpose of the sessions is to obtain tribal input on: the 
Administrative Organizational Assessment Draft Report on the 
organization of the AS-IA; ways to streamline the organizations of the 
BIA and the BIE; Johnson-O'Malley student count update; and the draft 
SF-424B assurance statement--non-construction programs.

DATES: See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for 
dates of the tribal consultation sessions. We will consider all 
comments received by close of business on May 25, 2012.

ADDRESSES: See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for 
locations of the tribal consultation sessions. Submit comments by email 
to: [email protected] or by U.S. mail to: Organizational 
Streamlining Comments, Office of the Assistant Secretary--Indian 
Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, Mail Stop 4141 MIB, 
Washington, DC 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the Administrative Organizational 
Assessment Draft Report, contact: Paul Tsosie, Chief of Staff, Office 
of the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, (202) 208-7163. For BIA 
Streamlining, contact: Bryan Rice, Deputy Bureau Director, Office of 
Trust Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, (202) 208-7513. For BIE 
Streamlining, the Johnson-O'Malley Student Count Update, or Draft SF-
424B Assurance Statement--Non-construction Programs, contact: Brian 
Drapeaux, Chief of Staff, Bureau of Indian Education, (202) 208-6123.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The AS-IA, BIA, and BIE will be hosting the 
following tribal consultation sessions and invite tribal leaders to 
participate:

[[Page 14562]]



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                  Date                               Location
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, April 12-Friday, April 13,     Miccosukee Resort and Gaming,
 2012.                                    500 SW 177th Ave., Miami, FL
                                          33194, (866) 599-6674.
                                         When booking use: ``Bureau of
                                          Indian Affairs''.
Thursday, April 19-Friday, April 20,     Radisson Fort McDowell Resort
 2012.                                    Hotel, 10438 N. Fort McDowell
                                          Road, Scottsdale/Fountain
                                          Hill, AZ 85264, (480) 789-
                                          5300.
                                         When booking use: ``Bureau of
                                          Indian Affairs Streamline
                                          Consultation''.
Thursday, April 26-Friday, April 27,     Northern Quest Resort & Casino,
 2012.                                    100 N. Hayford Road, Airway
                                          Heights, WA 99001, (509) 481-
                                          6166.
Thursday, May 3-Friday, May 4, 2012....  Holiday Inn Rapid City-Rushmore
                                          Plaza, 505 N. 5th Street,
                                          Rapid City, SD 57701, (605)
                                          348-4000.
Thursday, May 10-Friday, May 11, 2012..  Choctaw Casino Resort, 4216 S.
                                          Hwy 69/75, Durant, OK 74701,
                                          (580) 931-8340.
Thursday, May 17-Friday, May 18, 2012..  Thunder Valley Casino Resort,
                                          1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln,
                                          CA 95648, (877) 468-8777.
                                         When booking use:
                                          ``120516BURE''.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The agenda for each of the sessions will be as follows (all times 
are local):

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------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Day 1 Agenda
------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 a.m.-10 a.m...................  Administrative            AS-IA
                                   Organizational
                                   Assessment Draft Report.
10 a.m.-12:30 p.m...............  BIA Streamlining Plan...  BIA
12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m.............  Lunch (on your own).....  ............
1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m..............  BIA Streamlining Plan     BIA
                                   (continued).
2:30 p.m.-5 p.m.................  BIE Streamlining Plan...  BIE
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Day 2 Agenda
------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 a.m.-12 p.m...................  Johnson-O'Malley Student  BIE
                                   Count Update.
                                  Draft SF-424B Assurance
                                   Statement--Non-
                                   construction Programs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A brief description of each of the topics is provided below. 
Further information is available at: http://www.indianaffairs.gov/WhoWeAre/AS-IA/Consultation/index.htm.
    The Administrative Organizational Assessment Draft Report--The AS-
IA is seeking input on the results of the Administrative Organizational 
Assessment Draft Report. The Assessment was conducted by an impartial 
third-party contractor, the Bronner Group, LLC, to evaluate the 
administrative support structures for BIA and BIE. The Draft Report 
includes a number of recommendations in the following functional areas: 
budget and financial management; acquisition and contract management; 
property management and building maintenance; human resources; safety 
management; and communications. More information on the Draft Report is 
available at: http://www.indianaffairs.gov/WhoWeAre/AS-IA/Consultation/index.htm.
    The BIA Streamlining Plan--The BIA is seeking tribal input on ways 
to streamline its organization to meet budgetary constraints and 
increase efficiency in the delivery of services to tribes and Indian 
beneficiaries. The BIA is particularly interested in tribes' 
perspectives on consolidation of agency or field offices with minimal 
staffing and/or services, and consolidation of regional office programs 
or services where efficiencies may be achieved.
    The BIE Streamlining Plan--The BIE is seeking tribal input on ways 
to streamline its organization to meet imminent budgetary constraints 
and to improve the quality of education provided to students served by 
BIE-funded schools.
    The Johnson-O'Malley Student Count Update--The BIE is seeking 
tribal input on updating its count of students eligible for Johnson-
O'Malley Program funding. As part of the Fiscal Year 2012 
appropriations, Congress directed the BIE, in consultation with tribes 
and the U.S. Department of Education, to update its count of students 
eligible for the Johnson-O'Malley Program funding, and to report the 
results to Congress.
    The Draft SF-424B Assurance Statement--Non-Construction Programs--
The BIE is seeking tribal input on revision of provisions of the SF-
424B Assurance Statement for Public Law 100-297 Tribally Controlled 
Grant Schools. The assurance statement accompanies the transfer of 
funds from the BIE to tribally controlled grant schools. The BIE is 
particularly interested in tribes' perspectives on adding the following 
to the assurance statement: ``Will comply with all applicable statutory 
and regulatory requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act (ESEA), also known as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, 
and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).''

    Dated: March 6, 2012.
Larry Echo Hawk,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2012-5870 Filed 3-9-12; 8:45 am]
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