[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 193 (Monday, October 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57704-57705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-25231]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians


Working Group on the ``As-Is'' ``To-Be'' Process and Trust 
Improvement Efforts

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs and Office of the Special Trustee for 
American Indians, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On April 22, 2003, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the 
Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) in the 
Department of the Interior filed a Federal Register notice (68 FR 
19846) calling for nominations of Tribal officials to participate in a 
working group to discuss the ``As-Is'' ``To-Be'' processes and provide 
input and comments on potential alternatives on how the trust process 
should be improved and administered. Because mechanisms are now in 
place for soliciting input from Tribes on the ``To-Be'' processes, the 
Department will not be convening a new working group.

DATES: Effective on the date of publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: ATTN: Terry Virden, Deputy 
Commissioner for Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Room 4160, 
1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240; or ATTN: Donna Erwin, Acting 
Special Trustee, Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, 
Room 5140, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Electronic Data Systems Corporation, in 
its January 2002 Trust Reform Report, recommended that the Department 
develop an accurate, current state model to include business processes, 
internal controls, and associated information technology. The 
Department worked extensively on documenting the ``As-Is'' business 
processes currently employed in managing Indian trust assets. Through 
this ``As-Is'' business process,

[[Page 57705]]

the Department established a comprehensive understanding of current 
trust business operations, identified needs and opportunities for 
improvement, and was able to understand the variances among geographic 
regions, and their causes.
    The development of the initial ``To-Be'' model takes into 
consideration those recommendations and lessons learned from the ``As-
Is'' process. The Department is in the process of comparing these 
processes to the initial ``To Be'' model processes to determine how 
existing processes can be improved. Finally, the Department will 
integrate the final ``To-Be'' model processes with universal support 
and operational functions, and these reengineered business processes 
will be documented with appropriate polices, procedures, guidelines and 
handbooks.
    The Department has identified a reengineering core team for the 
purpose of engaging appropriate Interior bureaus, agencies and offices, 
and Tribes in the reengineering effort at different levels. The 
Department recognizes that Tribal assistance is critical to the 
identification of trust business process alternatives and opportunities 
for improvement. The core team is divided into a technical group (Tier 
1) and a review and validation group (Tier 2). Because the activities 
of these core teams will involve consultations with tribes and tribal 
organizations, the Department will not be convening a new working 
group.

    Dated: September 10, 2003.
Aurene M. Martin,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
Ross O. Swimmer,
Special Trustee.
[FR Doc. 03-25231 Filed 10-3-03; 8:45 am]
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