[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 67 (Tuesday, April 8, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 19352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07735]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[DR.5A211.IA000413]


Contract Support Costs

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of tribal consultation; extension of comment deadline.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, in conjunction with 
the Acting Director, Indian Health Service (IHS), will conduct a 
consultation session with Indian tribes to work together to identify 
long-term solutions concerning contract support costs (CSC) as it 
relates to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act.

DATES: The consultation session will be held on Tuesday, May 6, 2014, 
from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Written comments must be received July 31, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for 
the location of the tribal consultation session. Submit comments by 
email to: [email protected] or by U.S. mail to: Office of the 
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, 
attn: Sequoyah Simermeyer, Mail Stop 3071 MIB, 1849 C Street NW., 
Washington DC, 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sequoyah Simermeyer, Deputy Chief of 
Staff, Office of the Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, (202) 208-
7163.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs, in 
conjunction with the Acting Director, IHS, will conduct a consultation 
session on CSC at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel, 1700 Jefferson 
Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22201, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on 
Tuesday, May 6, 2014, during the 2014 Tribal Self Governance Annual 
Consultation Conference. This notice is being published as soon as was 
practicable to ensure that we take this opportunity to meet with tribal 
representatives while they are in Arlington for the conference. This 
consultation session follows the consultation session held on the same 
topic at the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Executive 
Winter Session in March 2014. This notice also extends the deadline for 
submission of written comments to July 31, 2014.
    The FY 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act includes funding to 
implement the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 
1975 and authorizes discretionary appropriations for CSC for both the 
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and IHS. The Act did not limit the 
amount available in the FY, as in prior years, for the payment of CSC, 
nor did it include the proposal put forth in the Administration's FY 
2014 budget request that would place a cap on the CSC amounts available 
for each tribal contract or compact. Instead, as set forth in the Joint 
Explanatory Statement accompanying the Act, Congress ``remanded back to 
the agencies to resolve'' the determination of CSC amounts to be paid 
from within the FY 2014 appropriation.
    Congress further directed BIA and IHS to consult with the tribes 
and work with the House and Senate committees of jurisdiction, the 
Office of Management and Budget, and the Committees on Appropriations 
to formulate long-term accounting, budget, and legislative strategies 
to work on solutions going forward. Congress indicated that the 
solution should consider a standardized approach that streamlines the 
contract negotiation process, provides consistent and clear cost 
categories, and ensures efficient and timely cost documentation for the 
agencies and the tribes. This session will allow for broad input 
regarding these activities.
    The BIA and IHS plan to continue consultation throughout the 
following months as each agency addresses implementation of its work 
plan, required to be submitted to Congress by May 17, 2014. The work 
plans will detail the schedule of future consultation sessions and they 
will be made available as soon as possible.

    Dated: April 2, 2014.
Kevin K. Washburn,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2014-07735 Filed 4-7-14; 8:45 am]
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