Organizational Chart Description
Special Trustee for American Indians/Principal Deputy Special Trustee OST oversees reforms necessary to ensure the fulfillment of DOI’s trust responsibilities to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The Special Trustee manages and directs the staff within OST with the assistance of a Principal Deputy Special Trustee. The Principal Deputy Special Trustee acts in the absence of the Special Trustee and discharges the responsibilities of the Office including strategic planning, Activity Based Costing (ABC) and the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). All offices and organizations in OST report through the Principal Deputy Special Trustee to the Special Trustee with the exception of the Office of Trust Review and Audit. Office of Trust Review and Audit (OTRA) OTRA reports directly to the Special Trustee. It administers the Indian trust compliance rating system and records management assessment program to ensure that the Secretary’s fiduciary trust responsibilities to Indian tribes and individual Indian beneficiaries are fulfilled. The office:
Office of Appraisal Services (OAS) OAS provides impartial estimates of value for a variety of specific real property interests on land owned in trust or restricted status. Estimates are provided through regional appraisal staff. Office of Historical Trust Accounting (OHTA) OHTA was created in July 2001 to provide historical accountings of IIM accounts for the Elouise Cobell, et al., vs. Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior, et al., class action lawsuit. In July 2002, OHTA’s mission was expanded to include historical accounting work and litigation support for trust fund related litigation filed by Indian tribes against the United States. OHTA’s principal objectives are:
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) The CIO is responsible for Information Technology (IT) for OST nationwide and oversees and directs IT support services including technical support, capital planning and acquisition of IT equipment, IT security, and electronic and hard copy records management activities. The CIO ensures interface with other systems and develops a strategic plan to support the OST business processes and manages IT services in accordance with Departmental IT directives. The CIO reviews all IT expenditures for OST to ensure that adequate resources are available to support trust activities. The CIO also coordinates acquisition requests for procurement/expenditures in accordance with Departmental guidelines, enterprise architecture and capital planning. The Office of Information Technology Services reports to the CIO and develops policies, procedures, and guidelines for the management and deployment of IT assets and management of electronic records. The policies support Departmental initiatives for a comprehensive IT investment framework for expenditures, technology management, information and telecommunications management, inventory, asset management and security. IT reviews are conducted to ensure compliance with all directives and with security management initiatives. The office provides daily data systems support to ensure proper maintenance of existing systems. Support includes testing and implementing automated trust funds financial systems and providing technical support for trust fund aspects of automated data processing. The office also ensures necessary interface with other offices in the Department and tribal operations. The Office of Trust Records (OTR) reports to the CIO and is responsible for the management of BIA and OST records programs, consistent with requirements set forth in 44 U.S.C. Chapter 31. The records management program is implemented in concert with other Departmental offices and other agencies. The Division of Records Management Policies, Procedures and Training reports to the Director of OTR. It is responsible for managing a nationwide records program that conforms with the legal obligations of the trust relationship between the federal government and American Indians and for development, issuance, and implementation of Department-wide records, regulations, and policies based on life cycle management concepts and standards for textual and electronic records. Program responsibilities address the creation, maintenance, receipt, delivery, custody and control, processing, inventory, database management and maintenance of Indian records and their accession and disposition, transfer, storage, security and safety to ensure document preservation in accordance with the Federal Records Act, NARA regulations and other applicable laws and regulations. The Division of Records Management Operations reports to the Director of OTR. This division is responsible for design, installation, training, implementation and maintenance of automated systems that support the overall records management and litigation support program requirements. Office of Budget, Finance and Administration (BF&A) BF&A is responsible for all aspects of the OST budget, strategic planning, activity based costing/management and Government Performance and Results Act measurement. It coordinates finance, procurement and personnel activities. The office performs all administrative functions within OST including maintaining administrative procedures, property, space, facilities support, safety, health, worker compensation, vehicles, charge card program, supplies and mailing trust fund disbursements and statements. Office of External Affairs (OEA) OEA administers self-governance and self-determination activities, develops and maintains internal and external communication resources, provides technical assistance to tribes for withdrawal of funds and is responsible for legislative contacts by the Congressional liaison. The Deputy Special Trustee - Trust Accountability manages and supervises the Office of Trust Training; the Office of Trust Regulations, Policies and Procedures; and the Trust Program Management Center. The Office of Trust Training is responsible for developing and coordinating employee training in support of fiduciary trust funds activities. The office ensures proper accreditation of staff in all professional series and/or accreditation required for the performance of specific duties and responsibilities. The Trust Program Management Center manages trust reform projects ensuring integration into daily operations and business process modeling including compliance with the Federal Managers Financial Integrity Act. The center ensures coordination of process realignment, design, and implementation with state-of-the art technology and data management and coordinates universal support functions for trust processes and develops the Trust Business line strategy. Responsibilities also include sponsoring newly developed processes and management tools, monitoring risk management and preparing and following up on findings and reports. This Office of Trust Regulations, Policies and Procedures is responsible for ensuring organizational knowledge, access and compliance with applicable trust-related regulations, policies and procedures. The office promulgates and integrates trust policy into all business processes and coordinates trust procedures with internal and external organizations involved with trust activities. The Deputy Special Trustee - Field Operations manages and supervises the Trust Beneficiary Call Center (TBCC) and Trust Administrators. Field Operations staff, including TBCC, is the primary point of contact for tribal, individual Indian and Alaskan Native beneficiaries seeking information and services regarding their trust assets. FO personnel assist beneficiaries daily at regional, agency and urban locations regarding account statements, account balances, other account attributes, receipts, disbursements, probate processing, leases and leasing. Regional Trust Administrators and Fiduciary Trust Officers provide the managerial presence for responsive and proactive beneficiary services at the local level in cooperation and collaboration with BIA and other DOI bureaus and offices engaged in Indian trust matters. The Deputy Special Trustee - Trust Services manages and supervises the Office of Trust Funds Management, the Division of Trust Funds Investments and the Office of Trust Reporting and Reconciliation. The Office of Trust Funds Management (OTFM) is responsible for policies, standards and procedures governing trust funds, including receipting, accounting, investing and disbursing individual and tribal trust funds. The office operates and controls accounting activities that properly record all funds received, disbursed, invested and held in trust for individual Indians and Indian tribes, providing centralized accounting services for all trust funds management activities. As necessary, OTFM works directly with field offices to ensure cash management supporting documentation is in compliance with policies and procedures. The Office of Trust Funds Investments plans, develops, operates and controls the buying, selling and trading of investment instruments in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and policies. The division provides technical advice and assistance to regional offices, agencies, and Indian tribes in developing financial plans and investment strategies for tribal trust funds. The Office of Trust Reporting and Reconciliation reconciles subsidiary and controlled accounts and monitors trust funds activities at the OTFM and field levels. The office prepares internal and external financial accounting reports. It is also responsible for the accurate and timely preparation and submission of appropriate external reports and required tax forms. Reconciliation of trust funds activities include custodial management of proprietary data, compliance and interface with Treasury cash flow reports and Minerals Management Service and BIA receipt of funds and source documents. The office prepares and issues beneficiary statements of performance. |
U.S. Department of the Interior
Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians
1849 C Street, NW, Suite 5140 •
Washington, D.C. 20240
(202) 208-4866 • (888) 678-6836 (Toll Free Trust Beneficiary Call Center)
Last Updated on 6/2/11