Interior to Brief Central Office Employees on BIA/OST Reorganization

U.S. Department of the Interior

DOI news Header

Office of the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs

For Immediate Release: June 24, 2003
Contact: Nedra Darling, Indian Affairs

202-219-4152

MEDIA ADVISORY

INTERIOR TO BRIEF CENTRAL OFFICE EMPLOYEES ON
BIA/OST REORGANIZATION
Sessions to be Held June 26 in Washington, D.C. and June 27 in Reston, Va.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Department of the Interior (DOI) is continuing its schedule of presentations to employees of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) on the reorganization of both agencies. This week, employees in the Department's central office will be briefed on June 26 at the main Interior building in Washington, D.C. The briefing for employees in the BIA's satellite office in northern Virginia will take place on June 27 at the Ely S. Parker building in Reston. The Department is seeking to increase accountability and efficiency in its trust management functions by reorganizing the agencies that manage Indian trust funds and assets. Presentations are being held this month at the Bureau's 12 regional offices and other locations around the nation.

Employees will be briefed on the Department's plan for reorganization of the BIA and OST, and on the Comprehensive Trust Management Plan (CTMP) at morning sessions on Thursday and Friday. The CTMP describes how the new BIA and OST organizational structures will improve the delivery of trust services when the reorganization is completed. The Washington, D.C., session will be open to tribal leaders who were unable to attend the presentations held in their regions earlier this month.

In 2002, the Department and the Tribes together undertook an ambitious effort to change the way the BIA and OST deliver trust and non-trust services to Tribes, tribal service populations and trust beneficiaries. The Plan is based on agreements reached with the Joint Tribal Leaders/DOI Task Force established by Secretary Gale Norton to examine and recommend proposals for improving service delivery to recipients and beneficiaries.

WHO:         U.S. Department of the Interior

WHAT:       Departmental presentations on the reorganization of the BIA and OST to
                    Central Office Federal employees.
WHEN:       Central Office: Thursday, June 26, 2003 (all start times are local time):
                    Washington, D.C.
                    8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Presentation of BIA/OST reorganization
                    10:00 a.m.: DOI officials' availability for press interviews and photo ops

                    Central Office: Friday, June 27, 2003 (all start times are local time):
                    Reston, Virginia
                    9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.: Presentation of BIA/OST reorganization
                    10:30 a.m.: DOI officials' availability for press interviews and photo ops

WHERE:    Central Office: Washington (June 26)
                    U.S. Department of the Interior, Sidney R. Yates Auditorium, 1849 C Street,
                    N.W., Washington, D.C., (202) 208-3710.

                    Central Office: Reston (June 27)
                    Bureau of Indian Affairs, Ely S. Parker Building, 2051 Mercator Drive,
                    Reston, Va., (202) 208-3710.

CREDENTIALS: Press registration will be provided. Please bring your sanctioned media credentials and if possible, wear on your shirt collar or around your neck for easy viewing. This will assist our staff. Press seating will be provided.

-DOI-

You can get to the Department of the Interior from here

You can also view the index of press releases

U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC, USA


For Immediate Release: June 24, 2003	Contact: Nedra Darling, Indian Affairs
	202-219-4152