WRD Plan for Water Information Functions Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 18:18:38 -0500 To: " , WRD Archive File, Reston, VA " From: "Joanne C. Taylor" Subject: WRD Plan for Water Information Functions Cc: "Alice C Dilandro, Secretary (S), Reston, VA ", "Janet N Arneson, Secretary (Typing), Reston, VA ", "Joanne C Taylor, Secretary (Typing), Reston, VA " >X-Sender: jctaylor@130.11.51.209 >Mime-Version: 1.0 >Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 18:12:38 -0500 >To: "A - Division Chief and Staff", > "B - Branch Chiefs and Offices", > "DC - All District Chiefs", > "Judith B Griffin, Secretary, Reston, VA" , > "Dorothy M Woods, Secretary (AO), Reston, VA" >From: "Robert M Hirsch, Chief Hydrologist, Reston, VA" (Robert > M. Hirsch) (by way of Joanne C. Taylor) >Subject: WRD Plan for Water Information Functions >Cc: "Gordon P Eaton Reston, VA" , > "Bonnie McGregor Reston, VA" , > "Barbara J Ryan Reston, VA" , > "Linda D Stanley Reston, VA" , > "Richard E Witmer Reston, VA" , > "P. Patrick Leahy, Chief Geologist, Reston, VA" , > "Dennis B Fenn, Chief Biologist, Reston, VA" , > "Robert M Hirsch, Chief Hydrologist, Reston, VA" , > "William F Gossman Jr. Reston, VA" , > "Thomas Dolley Reston, VA" , > "Alice C Dilandro, Secretary (S), Reston, VA" , > "Linda S Housel Reston, VA" > > > >In Reply Refer To: >Mail Stop 409 > > > > > MEMORANDUM > > August 6, 1997 > >To: Distribution > >From: Robert M. Hirsch (signed) > Chief Hydrologist > >Subject: WRD Plan for Water Information Functions > >I have asked Jack Fischer and Lew Wade to develop, for the Water Resources >Division (WRD), a detailed staffing and organization plan designed to cover >all functions located under the offices of the Assistant Chief Hydrologist >for Water Information and the Assistant Chief Hydrologist for Technical >Support. The plan also will consider those headquarters functions that are >closely related to WRD information services (such as administrative >information). > >In this memorandum, I will lay out several points: (1) why this plan is >needed, (2) information sources to be considered in developing the plan, >(3) content of the plan, and (4) time frame for development and >implementation of the plan. > >(1) Why this plan is needed. > >The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), WRD, is under considerable pressure to >consolidate or redistribute resources. Reasons include: > > * Overall declines in funding (after adjustment for inflation). > Declines in the amount of division-level overhead funds available > to fund division-level support functions; and, the loss in fiscal > year (FY) 1998 of the Water Resources Assessment line item, which > was a significant funding source for information programs of the > Division. > > * Recommendations from three WRD Headquarters Review teams. > Prominent among these reviews are the recommendations to use > fewer permanent employees in our information management activities > and to locate a larger number of computer development and support > activities outside of Reston, while maintaining them as > headquarters functions. > > * Human resource issues. First, there are important management > positions in the information area that are currently vacant. > Second, we anticipate that there will be a buy-out during the > fall (WRD Senior Management will need a clear picture of the > organization size and skill mix that is needed in order to make > decisions about accepting individual buy-out applications). And > third, recent and anticipated future declines in the number of > Senior Executive Service (SES) positions available to us (i.e., we > may need to reduce the number of SES positions in the Division). > >(2) Information sources to be considered in developing the plan. > >In developing this plan, Jack and Lew will consult extensively with the >current leadership and staff in your offices. They also will consult with >the other Divisions and with the Office of Program Support (OPS) through >their representatives on the Information Council. This is very important >for determining ways in which we can organize ourselves to work together as >a bureau in the area of information dissemination and information >technology. > >The reports of all three Headquarters Review teams will be very critical. >Other documents of importance include minutes of CPAC meetings, the Better >World Committee report, the Draft WRD Strategic Plan, the draft NEXWIS >Project Plan, and the findings from the Reports Reinvention Team. > >Finally, Jack and Lew will need to work with the Assistant Chief >Hydrologist for Operations to determine approximate levels of funding >available for these functions over the next several years. > >(3) Content of the plan. > >The plan will provide a complete organizational structure for water >information, focusing on functions and positions rather than individuals. >Starting with SES-level leadership, the plan will work down through >organizational units necessary to carry out the functions. The number and >grade levels of positions in this optimum organizational structure will be >specified for each unit. The staffing proposals in the plan will be viewed >as a target to be achieved over time, taking into consideration the best >use of existing staff. It may take a significant amount of time to achieve >the desired staffing profile, but our efforts to reassign and to recruit >must have a goal in mind as we proceed towards this new organizational >design. > >The plan will give specific consideration, weighing cost versus benefit, to >the use of services provided by: District Offices, other Divisions >(including some consideration of the use of the EROS Data Center and OPS), >non-Reston based support units (such as the CAPP, the AIS-Kansas group, and >others that could be created), and contractors. Consideration also will be >given to the idea of moving some current functions out of the offices of >the Assistant Chief Hydrologists for Technical Support and Water >Information and under other members of the Senior Staff, as well as moving >some functions currently under other Senior Staff members into the new >information office. > >4) Time frame for development and implementation. > >By September 2, Jack and Lew will brief me on their progress and present >some key high-level alternatives, such as placement of major functions >within the Senior Staff structure. Based on these preliminary decisions, >they will proceed to fill in the details of the plan for presentation to >the Senior Staff by September 15. After comments by the Senior Staff, the >overall plan should be available for wider release by September 22. > >At that time, we will begin to work with our Branch of Human Resources >Management Support to prepare new position descriptions and undertake a >phased implementation of the plan. Personnel actions currently underway, >such as restructuring of positions and transfers, will not be put on hold >while this plan is being developed, but Jack and Lew will be involved in >these decisions to determine that they are consistent with the general >direction the plan is taking. > >It is critical that this effort stay on a strict time-table in order that >we be positioned to make reasoned choices on the anticipated buy-out, make >any required adjustments to SES staffing levels, and achieve significant >cost savings in these areas in FY 1998. > >This effort is very important to the future strength of WRD and the USGS. >Recognizing that information (including the management of data) is our >primary product, the design of a better structured, efficient and effective >information support function is key to achievement of our mission. I thank >everyone who will be involved in advance for their efforts on this critical >task. > >Distribution: A, B, DC > All WRD Employees in: > Office of the Assistant Chief Hydrologist > for Water Information > Office of the Assistant Chief Hydrologist > for Technical Support > > >Copy to: USGS Policy Council > WRD Headquarters Review Teams >