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Program Reinvention and Business
Process Improvements for the DEA
ICF International is currently supporting a major
reinvention effort by DEA and is engaged in several
concurrent efforts. First, we are providing drafting
and analytical support to reduce the backlog of
rulemakings in DEA's Office of Diversion Control.
Second, we are conducting a line-by-line analysis
of DEA's regulations to identify areas in need
of reorganization or clarification. ICF International
eventually will help re-draft all of the regulations
in Plain English. Third, we are evaluating the
processes, procedures, and staffing structure
within the Office of Diversion Control, Liaison
and Policy Section, and will provide recommendations
for improvement. Fourth, we are helping to develop
an information management system to catalog and
store pertinent regulatory and program information.
And fifth, we are developing training tools and
methods to educate employees on the regulatory
development process and program policies.
Regulatory Reinvention and
Program Guidance for the RHS
From 1996 through 1999, ICF International assisted
the RHS with streamlining the regulations of its
housing guarantee and direct loan programs. ICF International facilitated 10 meetings between RHS
staff and industry representatives to develop
recommendations and support for change. ICF International
analyzed existing regulations to distinguish between
policies and procedures and streamlined and clarified
the existing regulations based on best industry
practices. We developed nine handbooks describing
the procedures needed for successful program implementation.
Each handbook was developed for a particular user
group, and features user-friendly format and content,
including examples, sample calculations, and tools
such as checklists. As a result of this support,
RHS reduced the overall page count of each re-drafted
regulation by over 80 percent. The dramatically
restructured regulations will greatly increase
the regulated community's understanding of program
requirements. The new handbooks will enable RHS
staff to more effectively and efficiently implement
their program.
Reinvention Program Support
for the U.S. EPA
Since the late 1980s, ICF International has supported
EPA's reinvention programs through strategic planning,
facilitation, logistical support, technical analyses,
and communications and outreach tasks. Representative
projects include the following:
- Helped the Office of Underground Storage Tanks
employ the innovative approach of franchising
federal regulatory responsibilities to the states
- Played a major role on the acid rain emissions
trading program, an innovative market-based
approach to achieve important pollution reduction
goals
- Developed a Lotus Notes system to help EPA's
Regulatory Reinvention Team track progress on
reinvention activities throughout EPA
- Supported EPA's voluntary partnership programs
such as ENERGY STAR®, Natural
Gas STAR, and Green Lights since their inception
- Provided facilitation and
analytical support for some of EPA's pioneering
reinvention efforts, such as Project XL and
the Common Sense Initiative
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Revision of Radioactive Waste
Management Order for the U.S. DOE
ICF International provided the technical analysis
necessary to revise and issue DOE's Radioactive
Waste Management Order. We played a lead role
in organizing and coordinating the DOE staff and
contractor organizations during each phase of
the process. ICF International also developed the
communications and public involvement strategy
for making the draft Order and Manual available
for public review, marking the first time the
DOE asked for external review on a directive.
Regulatory Reinvention and
Process Improvement for the FSA
FSA hired ICF International to help reorganize, update,
revise, and streamline its roughly 1,300 pages
of regulations. Since starting this project, ICF International has prepared a detailed draft of the
new FSA regulations for direct loans. By clarifying
policies, deleting procedures, and using plain
language, the new regulations have been reduced
to approximately 200 pages. We are also assisting
FSA in re-engineering its implementation procedures.
Parallel teams, each comprised of headquarters
staff, field staff, and ICF International staff,
have jointly analyzed and streamlined procedures
for the major components of the direct loan program.
Development of a Continuous
Improvement Plan for the U.S. DOE
ICF International conducted an organizational assessment
for improving the long-term sustainability of
a DOE office during a period of downsizing and
restructuring. ICF International worked with the
DOE assessment team to develop goals and objectives.
We surveyed information from external and internal
sources to construct a scorecard. Using the scorecard,
ICF International interviewed office staff and stakeholders
and reviewed office policies, procedures, and
other documentation. ICF International identified
the key challenges facing the office over the
next two to five years and developed a structured
plan for responding to those challenges. The resulting
recommendations focused on open communications
with stakeholders, continuous learning activities,
performance management, knowledge management,
and group productivity enhancement.
Reinvention of Regulations
for the FAA
In 1998, in response to a recommendation from
the White House Commission on Aviation Safety
and Security, ICF International, as a subcontractor,
performed a bottom-up review of existing FAA regulations
to identify those in need of rewriting as performance-based,
plain English regulations. ICF International reviewed
major parts of the FAA regulations in Title 14
of the CFR, including the regulations covering
certification of airmen, air traffic rules, operating
standards for general aviation and commercial
aviation, and airport standards.
Improvement of Rulemaking
Process for the FHWA
ICF International participated as a subcontractor
on a project supporting FHWA in improving its
rulemaking process. ICF International helped interview
staff in each of FHWA's Core Business Units and
other offices to identify perceived problems and
to discuss possible organizational, management,
and process solutions. Following the interviews
and subsequent analysis, ICF International assisted
in preparing a report of findings as well as a
rulemaking guidance manual. Through these efforts,
ICF International helped FHWA identify inefficiencies
in its current rulemaking process, address accountability
and staffing issues, and focus on implementing
procedures that have a chance for success.
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