FOREST SERVICE MANUAL
Taos, Mew Mexico
TITLE 1200 - ORGANIZATION
Carson NF Supplement No. 1200-94-1
Effective January 10, 1994
POSTING NOTICE: Supplements are numbered consecutively by title
and calendar year. Post by document name. Retain this
transmittal as the first page of this document. The last
supplement to this title was Carson Supplement 1200-92-1 to FSM
1230.
Document Name
1230
Superseded New
(Number of Pages)
10
10
Digest:
1236 - Outlines delegations of authority to field positions for
the Carson National Forest Supervisor's Office. Outlines signing
authorities for the Carson National Forest Supervisor's Office.
LEONARD L. LUCERO
Forest Supervisor
FSM 1200 - ORGANIZATION
CARSON NF SUPPLEMENT 1200-94-1
EFFECTIVE 1/10/94
CHAPTER 1230 - DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
1236 - DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY TO FIELD POSITIONS.
1236.4 - National Forests.
1236.42 - Forest Staff Officers. Forest Staff Officers are
directly
responsible to the Forest Supervisor for their assigned resource
program
areas and must keep the Forest Supervisor currently informed of
all
pertinent aspects regarding them. This responsibility includes
the
development of assigned resource programs, the preparation of
Forest-wide
plans (financial and resources), and their integration and
coordination
with the Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. In the
leadership
responsibility, Staff Officers must provide the necessary
technical
support, advice and counsel for those resource and administrative
program
areas assigned to District Rangers.
Staff Officers must advise and assist Line Officers, within their
assigned areas of responsibility, to include development and
recommendations for needed policies and procedures. Safety,
training,
public affairs, trespass and reviews are inherent in all staff
areas and
will be reflected as appropriate in all staff activities. When
unresolved situations occur between Staff Officers regarding
resource
programs, plans, and policies, they will be taken up with the
Forest
Supervisor for resolution.
Signing authority carries with it the responsibility for
determining that
correspondence is well prepared, accurate, and conforms to good
usage.
Specific responsibilities of those signing correspondence are to
determine that the correspondence is: easily understood,
courteous,
neat, to the point, and properly cleared with other concerned
Staff
Officers.
All Staff Officers must operate in accordance with Service-wide
and
Regional policies as provided in the FSM. Specific assigned
activities
are listed on the following pages to assure all Forest personnel
have
understanding of Staff Officer responsibilities.
Continuing approval and signing authorities are delegated to
Staff
Officers under 1236.43.
1.
Administrative Officer.
a.
Directives Management
(1100)
b.
Organization Management
(1200)
c.
Management
(1300)
d.
Controls
(1400)
e.
Civil Rights
(1700)
f.
Human Resource Programs
(1800)
g.
Business Management Service
(1)
Personnel
(6100)
(2)
Office Management
(6200)
(3)
Procurement
(4)
Property
(6400)
(5)
Finance & Accounting
(6500)
(6)
Systems Management
(6600)
(7)
Safety & Health Program
(6700)
(8)
PD&B (shared with )
Planning Staff)
(1930)
(6300)
h. Represents Forest Supervisor in cooperative relations
with:
2.
(1)
General Services Administration
(2)
Office of Personnel Management
Timber and Fire Management Officer.
a.
Pesticide Use, Management, and
Coordination
(2150)
b.
Timber Management
(2400)
c.
Rural Forestry Assistance
(3200)
d.
Forestry Incentives
(3300)
e.
Forest Pest Management
(3400)
f. Represents Forest Supervisor in cooperative relations
with:
(1)
Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Exp. Station
(a)
Timber Management Research
(4100)
(b)
Forest Insect and Disease
Research
(4500)
Forest Products and Harvesting
Research
(4700)
(c)
g.
Fire Management
(5100)
h.
Aviation Management
(5700)
i. Represents Forest Supervisor in cooperative relations
with:
3.
(1)
Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station
(a)
Forest Fire and Atmospheric Sciences
Research
(4400)
Range, Wildlife, Water, Soil, and Air Staff Officer.
a.
Ecocystem Class.
(2060)
b.
Range Management
c.
Watershed Management
(2500)
d.
Cooperative Watershed
(3500)
(2200)
e. Represents Forest Supervisor in cooperative relations
with:
(1)
Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station
(a)
Range Research
(b)
Watershed Management and
Rehabilitation Research
(2)
(4200)
(4300)
Bureau of Land Management
f.
Wildlife, Fish, and Sensitive Plant
Habitat Management
(2600)
g.
Represents Forest Supervisor in
cooperative relations with:
(1)
Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station
4.
(a)
Wildlife and Fish Habitat
Research
(4200)
(2)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service T&E
Consultation
(3)
NM Department of Game and Fish
Recreation, Lands, and Minerals Staff Officer.
a.
External Relations
(1500)
b.
Appeals & Litigation
(1570)
c.
Grants and Agreements
(1580)
d.
Recreation, Wilderness,
Cultural Resources, and
Related Resource Management
(2300)
e.
Special Uses Management
(2700)
f.
Minerals and Geology
(2800)
g.
Research
(4000)
h.
Landownership
(5400)
i.
Landownership Title Management
(5500)
j. Represents Forest Supervisor in cooperative relations
with:
5.
(1)
County Parks and Recreation Departments
(2)
BLM Land and Minerals Issues
(3)
Federal Highway Administrative (Easements)
(4)
Counties (Easements and Lands)
(5)
Ghost Ranch Museum Foundation
Forest Engineer.
a.
Engineering Operations
(7100)
b.
Buildings and Other
Structures
(7300)
c.
Public Health and Pollution Control
Facilities
(7400)
d.
e.
Water Storage and
Transmission
(7500)
Transportation System
(7700)
f. Represents Forest Supervisor in cooperative relations
with:
6.
7.
(1)
Federal Highway Administration
(2)
NM Highway Department
(3)
County Engineers for transportation and
maintenance agreements
Forest Planning Staff Officer.
a.
Planning
(1900)
b.
PD&B (shared with Administrative
Officer)
(1930)
c.
NF Resource Management
(except 2060)
(2000)
Community Affairs Staff Officer.
a.
Information Services
(1600)
b.
Rural Resource Conservation
and Dev.
(3600)
c. Represents Forest Supervisor in cooperative relations
with:
8.
(1)
Ghost Ranch Museum Foundation
(2)
Bureau of Land Management
(3)
Town of Taos, Village, and County Governments
Law Enforcement.
(5300)
1236.43 - National Forest Signing Authorities
1. Forest Supervisor. The Forest Supervisor shall sign
letters and documents involving:
a. Correspondence relating to major issues, program
direction, controversial matters, long-term commitments,
budget actions and important policy decisions.
b. Decisions on administrative reviews and all
correspondence concerning review cases with the exception
of procurement contracts. The exception does not apply
to letters of transmittal for contract appeals from the
Forest Supervisor to the Regional Forester.
c. Correspondence with people outside the Forest Service
concerning important new policy, complex or sensitive
decisions that have probable strong external
repercussions, and key relationships.
d. Actions where authority is specifically limited to
Forest Supervisor.
e.
Routine correspondence in the following areas:
(1) Transmittal letters and follow-up correspondence for
activity and program reviews.
(2) Letters to members of Congress and important city,
county, and state officials.
(3) Letters requiring special emphasis such as awards,
expressions of appreciation or condolence, or employee
activities, safety programs, etc.
(4)
Disciplinary actions, grievances, and complaints.
(5) Replies to personalized correspondence and selected
external contacts where the Forest Supervisor's signature
is desirable.
2. Designated Acting Forest Supervisor. A member of the
Forest staff shall be designated as Acting Forest Supervisor.
During the absence of the Forest Supervisor, the designated
Acting Forest Supervisor will sign all routine correspondence
ordinarily signed by the Forest Supervisor.
Where a delay in signing "important correspondence" would
adversely affect the Forest program, and where it is determined
that the Forest Supervisor will be absent from the office for a
period of five days or more, the Acting Forest Supervisor shall
sign. All correspondence will be signed "for" over the name and
title of the Forest Supervisor.
The Acting Forest Supervisor is designated and delegated
authority to sign as employee supervisor on time and attendance
reports and travel vouchers for primary Staff Officers and in
their infrequent absence, for sub-Staff that report to them.
3. Primary Staff Officers. Primary Staff Officers are
assigned the role of "Acting" as indicated in the following
table:
Pay Period
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Acting Assignment
Planning Officer
Timber/Fire Officer
Rge/WL/SAW Officer
Recreation/Lands Officer
Forest Engineer
Administrative Officer
Community Affairs Officer
Planning Officer
Timber/Fire Officer
Rge/WL/SAW Officer
Recreation/Lands Officer
Forest Engineer
Administrative Officer
Community Affairs Officer
Planning Officer
Timber/Fire Officer
Rge/WL/SAW Officer
Recreation/Lands Officer
Forest Engineer
Administrative Officer
Community Affairs Officer
Planning Officer
Timber/Fire Officer
Rge/WL/SAW Officer
Recreation/Lands Officer
Forest Engineer
4. Forest Staff Officers. The Primary Staff Officers will
sign routine reports and permits over title of Acting Forest
Supervisor. Correspondence will be signed within assigned
programs over their nameand program title.
5. Ranger Districts. Signing for Ranger Districts must
follow the same procedure. A member of the Ranger's Staff will
be formally designated as Acting District Rangers. During the
absence of theDistrict Ranger, the designated Acting District
Ranger will sign all correspondence "for" over the name and title
of the District Ranger.
6. Budget and Finance Section Head. The incumbent may sign
as Budget Officer, Unit Collection Officer, and Fiscal Officer as
appropriate to the subject matter. Incumbent will sign
correspondence and documents which are related to routine
information and actions concerning budget and finance activities.
Such documents will be signed as Budget Officer. Collection
activities will be covered under Unit Collection Officer. Travel
activities, including travel authorizations and travel vouchers,
will be signed as Fiscal Officer.
7. Certifying Officer. The individual or individuals
appropriately designated by Department of Treasury as Unit
Certifying Officer will sign the Forest accounts payable,
including FFF payrolls, that they personally certify as Unit
Certifying Officer. Correspondence related to payment documents
will be signed by the individual Certifying Officer as Unit
Certifying Officer.
8. Assistant Disbursing Officer. The individual or
individuals appropriately designated by the Department of
Treasury as Assistant Disbursing Officer (ADO) will sign all
payment documents and related correspondence that they personally
executed as Assistant Disbursing Officer.
9. Administrative Officer. The encumbent may sign as
UnitCollection Officer, Fiscal Officer, and Claims Officer as
appropriate to the subject matter. Documents relating to
processing claims, for or against the Government, will be signed
as Forest Claims Officer. Matters relating to ADO payoffs of
casual firefighters will be handled by Administrative Officer
over title of Fiscal Officer. Collection activities must be
covered under Unit Collection Officer. Travel activities,
including Travel Authorizations and Travel Vouchers, will be
signed as Fiscal Officer. Budget allocation execution documents
will be signed as Administrative Officer.
10. Personnel Management Officer (Section Head). Within
limits ofspecific delegated authority, the incumbent will sign
corespondence and documents which are directly related to routine
information and action concerning Forest personnel matters and
activities. Such documents will be signed as Forest Personnel
Officer.
11. Employment Officer. An individual or individuals
appropriately designated as Employment Officer may sign documents
and related correspondence within the scope of their specific
authority as Employment Officer.
12. Contracting, Procurement, and Property Management
Officer(Section Head). The incumbent may sign contacts,
procurement, and property documents and related correspondence
with their authority over the title of Contracting Officer,
Contract Specialist or Property Management Officer.
13. Computer Specialist. The incumbent may sign such
documents and correspondence that relates to Records Management
and Mail Service.
14. Other Employees. Those employees to whom limited
purchasing authority has been delegated may sign purchase orders
and related correspondence.
All supervisory employees are authorized to sign time and
attendance
reports, requests for travel authorizations, and travel vouchers
for
subordinate employees.
Employees who have been designated as Contracting Officer's
Representative (COR) will sign over that title, all
correspondence and
documents which pertain to the administration of specific
numbered or
negotiated contracts.
All employees, using their respective titles, may sign letters to
the
Forest Supervisor and letters to their immediate supervisor.
All employees may sign letters in their subject specialties
relative to
routine questions for information.