VIII. Common Challenges for Partnerships

Obligating Money for Multiple-Year Partnerships

Many effective partnership projects operate for more than one year. Partners can agree to work together for a long period of time in many ways, but multiple-year funding commitments must follow specific procedures.

Multiple-Year Grants and Agreements

The Forest Service can enter into any agreement or grant for up to five years, according to agency policy. At the end of five years, options exist to extend for an additional five years. Open-ended grants and agreements, described below, are also subject to the five-year limit. These agreements and grants are typically used for projects where the work is ongoing but funding is only authorized one year at a time.

For multiple-year partnership projects where the Forest Service receives funds from another federal agency, there are annual requirements from the Office of Management and Budget regarding the apportionment of reimbursable authority. Check with the Forest Service unit's Grants and Agreements Specialist for more information.

Open-ended Agreements

The Forest Service typically uses open-ended agreements in situations where it needs to authorize funding for a project one year at a time as it becomes available. Work must start within the fiscal year that the funds are obligated, but the work does not have to be completed in that year. The funding can carry over into subsequent years and be available for the life of the agreement or grant. An exception is when Congress appropriates funds only for a specific time period.

An open-ended agreement or grant spells out a general understanding between the parties and requires an annual operating plan for each of the years that funding is available. This plan is incorporated as a modification to the grant or agreement each year. It obligates the funds, details responsibilities specific to the project, and includes a financial plan.

Shared Facilities (Co-Location)

Co-location is a Forest Service term that refers to the sharing of buildings and facilities with other federal agencies and non-federal partners. It can be a useful tool for reducing overhead costs and increasing efficiencies. The Service First initiative allows the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to share facilities. Other shared facilities such as the Interagency Fire Dispatch Centers and Multi-agency Visitor Centers are authorized by law under Title 7, USC, Section 2204a (refer to FSM 1585.11). Co-location arrangements are also made with entities such as universities, interpretive associations, and other nonprofit organizations.

As partners explore opportunities to cut costs by sharing services and facilities, it is important to consider the need for all parties to benefit. While there are many opportunities for Forest Service facilities to provide mutual benefit, current policies and regulations must be followed.

Co-location Benefits the Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay is the nation's largest estuary and one of the most productive ecosystems in the world. The Bay's watershed covers 41-million acres and spans portions of five states and the District of Columbia.

Several agencies share a mutual interest in encouraging responsible and efficient management and protection of aquatic resources in Chesapeake Bay . The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) interest is reflected in an aggressive initiative to reduce non-point source pollution degrading the Bay's water quality. Its Chesapeake Bay office is located at the city marina in Annapolis , Maryland . The State and Private Forestry branch of the Forest Service is responsible for providing technical and financial assistance to the partnering governments, landowners, and nonprofit organizations in and around the Chesapeake Bay.

An Interagency Agreement was signed between the Forest Service and the EPA in 1988. It provides Forest Service liaison work to the EPA and offers technical assistance in areas related to forestry, best management practices, soil erosion, and timber harvesting. Liaison efforts promote sound forest policy regarding riparian forest buffers, land use, training, education, and facilitation.

In return, the EPA provides office space for Forest Service liaisons free of charge (three employees at this time). The EPA also encourages its employees to coordinate and collaborate with the Forest Service on work that restores the Bay's ecosystem and improves its water quality.

Several other agencies are also located in the Annapolis facility. These include the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. This co-location arrangement allows all agencies to work for the benefit of the Bay. The agencies serve on the Federal Agencies Committee, Nutrient Subcommittee, Living Resources Subcommittee, and the Chesapeake Bay Forestry Workgroup.

The accompanying flowchart was developed as a guide to assist the Forest Service and its partners in the evaluation of potential co-location arrangements. It includes definitions and references to the Forest Service Handbook (FSH) and Forest Service Manual (FSM), both available at http://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/. The goal of the flowchart is to direct the user to a Forest Service specialist in one of three areas:

These specialists can assist in determining: