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Charter

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) was formed in January 1976 to expand operational cooperation and coordination of wildland fire agencies within the Departments of Interior and Agriculture and the National Association of State Foresters. The mission of the NWCG is to provide leadership in establishing and maintaining consistent nationwide policies, standards, and procedures for wildland fire management.

The NWCG established an Information Resources Management Working Team (IRMWT) to identify policy level information resource management issues that affect, or are likely to affect, interagency fire management activities and to provide advice to NWCG members on how to address those issues through information and communication systems.

The Wildland Fire Leadership Council (WFLC) established the Wildland Fire Enterprise Architecture Steering Group to develop the Wildland Fire Enterprise Architecture program to provide the framework for managing the various business, data, application, and technology components of the interagency wildland fire community.

The IRMWT identified the need to establish an interagency advisory group to provide quality information and recommendations concerning coordinated information technology (IT) systems management in support of interagency wildland fire management and to assist in the establishment and maintenance of the technology components of the National Wildland Fire Enterprise Architecture.

II. NAME

The name of this group is the National Wildland Fire and Aviation System Coordination Group of the NWCG IRMWT: hereinafter referred to as the SCG.

III. AUTHORITY

The SCG is established pursuant to:

• The Memorandum of Understanding establishing the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, dated March 16, 1976, signed by the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Interior.
• The Charter of the Information Resource Management Working Team of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG), signed by the Chair of NWCG.

The SCG is authorized to function specifically for the purposes outlined in this charter.

IV. SCOPE

The SCG scope encompasses any national IT systems management topics that may have potential impact on the business processes of the interagency wildland fire and aviation enterprise, herein referred to as the enterprise.

The focus of the SCG shall be the following:

• Documenting and presenting national IT systems management issues and opportunities that potentially impact program efficiencies and effectiveness.
• Providing assistance to interagency IT projects to reduce/eliminate duplication of support services.
• Exploring and recommending opportunities for increased efficiency within the enterprise system architecture.
• Identifying and recommending standards for management and support of enterprise system architecture components.
• Assisting in the establishment and maintenance of the technology components of the enterprise architecture.

V. MISSION

Provide a collaborative forum to share information, coordinate issue resolution, improve efficiency, develop and recommend standards for IT systems management throughout all phases of the life-cycle within the enterprise.

VI. OBJECTIVES AND GOALS

The SCG will leverage member and advisor knowledge and experience of IT systems management best practices, methods, and techniques to:

• Address both immediate (tactical) and long-term (strategic) topics
• Provide a forum for
  • Surfacing interagency IT systems issues
  • Sharing of information
  • Problem solving
  • Developing and proposing standards
• Provide an “enterprise-wide” perspective for IT systems management issues
• Help develop, recommend, identify, or document standards, guidelines, and best-practices; such as:
  • Approval protocols
  • Performance measurements
  • Accountability to the enterprise
  • Change Management processes
  • IT systems management roles and responsibilities
• Provide guidance, facilitation, lessons-learned, or advice for:
  • Complying with appropriate Capital Planning and Investment Control processes
  • Developing and maintaining OMB-required documentation
• Actively participate in all phases of the system life cycle
• Provide information as requested for the development, maintenance and enhancement of the Enterprise Architecture
• Recommend efficient, standardized, and repeatable processes to the IRMWT for consideration

So that:

• Agencies ensure efficiency through coordinated use of IT-resources
• IT systems management efforts are aligned with each other and with existing enterprise architecture, standards, and guidelines.
• Minimize disruption in the transition from project to operations & maintenance.

VII. ORGANIZATION

The SCG is chartered under the Information Resources Management Working Team (IRMWT) of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG). The SCG consists of voting membership from the following organizations:

• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
• United States Forest Service (USFS)
• National Park Service (NPS)
• Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
• Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
• NWCG IRM Program Management Office (IRM-PMO)
• Fire Research
• National Association of State Foresters (NASF)

Each of the above listed organizations will designate one senior-level systems management expert to be a member of the SCG. The IRM-PMO will provide an NWCG enterprise architect as a member. Each organization may additionally designate one system expert for each nationally-scoped interagency wildland fire or aviation system deployed by their organization.

The SCG shall meet monthly, or more often if deemed necessary, to conduct its business. If an SCG member is unable to attend a scheduled meeting, he/she shall provide a representative with delegated authority to speak for the member. All SCG meetings will be open to any interested parties. SCG members may invite additional advisors to attend as needed to adequately address concerns coming before the group.

The SCG shall be structured to have a Chair and a Vice-Chair. The Chair and Vice-Chair will be selected by consensus of the group. The Chair and Vice-Chair shall serve for a term of one year, renewable by consensus of the group. Decision-making for the SCG shall be by consensus, and a quorum of five of the listed organizations must be represented. Each of the organizations listed shall have one vote. Procedurally, a formal motion followed by a unanimous vote documents the concurrence. Each member of the SCG takes responsibility to air dissenting opinions for group consideration and deliberation, and most importantly to provide an alternative solution where there is disagreement. When no consensus can be reached within the meeting timeframe, a small group will be formed and tasked to develop a recommendation for the full group’s consideration. Once consensus has been reached, all members agree to actively support the group’s decision. If consensus cannot be achieved, an issue paper will be created and escalated to NWCG’s IRMWT for advice or resolution.

A representative of the NWCG IRMWT shall serve as the liaison to the SCG. The IRMWT shall serve as the conduit for issues to be addressed by the NWCG parent group.

Salary, travel, and incidental costs of the SCG members shall normally be borne by their respective organizations. Any extraordinary costs shall be covered by a written agreement among the participating organizations.

The SCG Chair shall ensure that necessary reports and minutes are prepared for each meeting and distributed to the SCG members and IRMWT liaison.

The need for additional voting SCG members shall be forwarded to the IRMWT for their consideration and appointment. The replacement of voting SCG members shall be at their organization's discretion and concurrence will be sought from the IRMWT Chairperson.

VIII. AUTHORITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The NWCG IRMWT has the authority and responsibility to:

• Recommend NWCG IRM standards for coordinating IT-systems management.
• Recommend and maintain an overarching IT systems management strategy.
• Charter the SCG.
• Coordinate the activities of the SCG.
• Issue decisions governing the development, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the SCG.
• Provide timely response to recommendations from the SCG.
• Ensure wildland fire community support for SCG efforts.
• Provide a liaison to the SCG.

The SCG and its members have the authority and responsibility to:

• Convene and attend meetings.
• Recommend and/or request resources from the IRMWT to accomplish tasks and/or stated objectives.
• Establish temporary, non-chartered task groups from SCG-member organizations to accomplish related work.
• Submit recommendations to the IRMWT for NWCG action.
• Recommend resource allocation related to IT systems management of national interagency wildland fire and aviation automated systems.
• Recommend overarching national interagency wildland fire and aviation IT systems management strategies.
• Work with the IRMWT to sustain corporate support for all SCG efforts.
• Recommend changes to the policies, agreements, standards, and guidelines established by the SCG.
• Facilitate the integration of NWCG IRM standards into Department and Agency IRM organizations.
• Establish operating procedures.
• Ensure that IT systems management quality assurance is implemented and effective.
• Provide recommendations for IT-components of the NFWEA and related strategic plans.

IX. REPORTS AND EVALUATION

The SCG shall:

• Provide periodic status and activity reports to the IRMWT.
• Publish and distribute meeting minutes.
• Provide presentations to the IRMWT and other designated groups as requested.
• Review this charter annually, and recommend amendments to the IRMWT as appropriate.
• Provide an annual work plan with goals to the IRMWT for approval.
• Provide an annual and periodic accomplishment reports as requested by the IRMWT.

X. APPROVAL

This Charter is effective as of the date of approval by:

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