Tasking Memorandum/Charter

November 4, 2005

The Incident Business Practices Working team has established a Task Group to revise the Incident Business Course material and develop tool kit resources.

You have been previously contacted to participate on this Task Group, pending approval from your immediate supervisor. Enclosed, for your information as well as your supervisor, is a charter that provides the IBPWT’s expectations of this working team. Carol Salo, Task Group Leader will determine how the task group will conduct business, is responsible to establish meetings, conference calls, and/or email correspondence, ensure discussions and decisions at meetings and conference calls are documented, provide written progress reports and brief the IBPWT Liaison on Task Group progress.

Upon review of the charter by you and your supervisor, please contact Carol Salo at 208-373-3852 or by email at carol_salo@blm.gov, by November 10, 2005, to confirm your availability for participation. Veronica will also be available to provide additional information, address questions and concerns and modify the charter (if necessary).

I look forward to working with all of you and thank you for your interest and continued support in interagency incident business management.

/s/ Hallie Locklear
Hallie Locklear, Chair IBPWT

Enclosure

BACKGROUND
The Incident Operations Working Team approved the establishment of the Incident Business Advisor (IBA) position in 1999. In 2000, an IBA curriculum was developed and tested in accordance with NWCG standards. The course has been submitted to NWCG and requested to be adopted into the NWCG curriculum. In 2004, the IBPWT chartered a group to develop an IBA Position Task Book, Position Qualification Language and a related presentation for Agency Administrators. Development of these items rendered the IBA Guide and IBA certification process obsolete. This Task Group identified the need to review and revise the current IBA course curriculum prior to final presentation to the NWCG Training Working Team.

PURPOSE
Update the current IBA course curriculum to incorporate use of the Position Task Book and current interagency policy.

OBJECTIVES:

This Task Group will accomplish two related tasks:

1. Incorporate the new IBA Position Task Book and current interagency policy into course curriculum. Follow NWCG course development format and protocol, including alpha and beta testing, review by Standards, and preparation of course package for submission to TWT.
   
   
2. Evaluate need for a supplement to the Incident Business Management Handbook (IIBMH) for agency administrators and IBAs (IBA Evaluation Form, Roles/Responsibility checklist, AA Guidelines, etc.)
   
   
3. If the Task Group determines a need exists, develop supplement.

DELIVERABLES TO THE IBPWT:

1. Course Curriculum Review/Development
   • Draft by February 1, 2006
   • Test Course by May 1, 2006
   • Final course curriculum package by October 15, 2006
   
   
2. IBA Supplement to IIBMH
   • Draft by March 1, 2006
   • Final product by October 15, 2006
   
   
3. Written progress report to IBPWT Liaison
   • January 15, 2006
   • April 15, 2006
   
   
4. Final report and historical documentation to IBPWT Liaison
   October 15, 2006 (with other deliverables)
   

BUDGET
Due to current budget constraints, funds are not available to cover salary, travel, and meeting room rental. It is expected that the task group will utilize conference calls and other technology to accomplish tasks. If it becomes necessary for the group to travel to meet, each agency is responsible to cover the costs of its participants.

MEMBERSHIP

Task Group Leader - - - - - Carol Salo
USFS Representative - - - - Ron Knowles
USFS Representative - - - - Sarah Fisher
BLM Representative- - - - - Brenda Johnson
State Representative- - - - - Paul Palmiotto
IBPWT Liaison- - - - - - - - Veronica Belton

TIME ESTIMATE: Beginning date, November 4, 2005, and ending date October 15, 2006.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Task Group:
• Perform evaluation from an interagency (vs. agency-specific) viewpoint
• Work as a team
• Keep IBPWT Chair apprised of issues, concerns, and progress
• Request additional time if needed
• Identify and utilize other sources of information as necessary
• Complete tasks
• Communicate with other working teams for advice and guidelines

IBPWT:
• Ensure that the interagency community’s needs are represented
• Provide documentation gathered to date
• Provide oversight, and support
• Keep agencies apprised of issues, concerns, and progress
• Request additional time, if needed, from NWCG
• Identify technical specialists for task group use
• Submit deliverables to appropriate Working Teams
• Work as a team