National Wildfire Coordinating Group

Wildland Fire Education Working Team (WFEWT)
 

NWCG Working Team Budget and Financial Management Information

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This information was provided to NWCG-WFEWT by Tory Majors, USDA-FS July 2003

The NWCG working teams are required to submit budget requests for a three-year period by September of every year. The NWCG board reviews the requests and agrees on projects and funding levels. This information is submitted to the Washington Office, Forest Service, Fire and Aviation Staff to develop the allocation by agency. This information is then shared with NIFC Forest Service and distributed to the Department of Interior. The approved budget requests are also sent back to the working team chairs.

The approval of projects also displays the funding source and who from the working team was designated the lead for that project (See Spreadsheet for FY 2003). The critical item is to ensure the project coordinator identifies the funding source if the funds are from an agency other than who they work for.

Each working team facilitates project accomplishment differently, however the following are the basic steps one must utilize to expend the funds:

  • Identify the Agency that has the funding
    • BIA
    • BLM
    • FS
    • FWS
    • NPF
  • Identify the type of project and how to accomplish it
    • Contract
    • Purchase Order
    • State resources
    • Federal resources
  • Identify an agency point of contact – determine type from how project will be accomplished
    • Contracting Officer from your agency (home unit)
    • Purchasing Agency from your agency (home unit)
    • State representative to State who will perform work
    • Federal representative to agency who will perform work
  • Identify if the fund type is appropriate (funds are from the agency to perform or do procurement)
  • If funds are from another agency, work with FS NIFC contact to determine how to transfer the funds (regardless of fund type)
  • NIFC agency administrative contacts can facilitate methods for transferring funds if required
  • Identify if the project will not be committed for accomplishment prior to the fiscal year end and notify the appropriate NIFC Administrative person (can work with working team to obligate the funds possibly)
  • Report to FS NIFC Administrative representative on project accomplishment and expenditures for upward reporting and budget tracking

All projects that are to be initiated at a minimum in a fiscal year should be identified as early as possible once the budget is approved and allocated. Often times this is in the spring. Work immediately with procurement folks to facilitate the purchase process if to be done commercially. The federal agencies are required to develop and submit service and supply plans annually (usually August/September) and working teams should submit potential projects if the funding and purchase will be done through a federal agency. These are adjustable throughout the year, so if projects are not approved or the funding is cut, the service and supply plan can be changed. This ensures support from procurement with that agency when the time comes, versus requesting assistance after their work has already been programmed.

 

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