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05/10/2005: "SJC Fed Parks To Be Run By Contract Workers? Yeah, Maybe, But Not Here -Yet…?"

NPS photo: Director Fran Mainella

A press release issued on Tuesday from PEER ( Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility) stated the National Park Service may outsource the operations of the San Juan Island National Historic Site, but according to Elaine Sevy, Deputy Chief, National Park Service Public Affairs, the PEER press release got it wrong.

The internal memo at the NPS stated the park was San Juan Puerto Rico, and NOT " San Juan Island National Historic Site (in Washington state)" as the PEER press release (and their web page) states.

Deputy Chief of National Park Service Responds To PEER Press Release:
PEER's statement that "whole parks" may be outsourced is misleading and
inaccurate! Each park has federal employees such as the superintendent,
law enforcement rangers, etc., who are considered inherently governmental.
These positions will not be reviewed under competitive sourcing. Positions
within these parks that are considered "commercial in nature" such as the
maintenance and administrative positions can be reviewed.

To "work smarter" and provide for the best use of taxpayer dollars, we
periodically examine whether we can do a better job for the American
public.

NPS has selected 3 parks -- Boston National Historical Park in Mass.; San
Juan National Historical Park in Puerto Rico (not Washington State....wrong
park) and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in Indiana -- to undergo this
type of review – called, "preliminary planning efforts" for FY 2005.

Preliminary planning -- the first stage of the Competitive Review process
-- involves taking a detailed look at functional areas "those commercial
positions" BEFORE making a determination whether or not to proceed further
with the formal process of Competitive Review/Sourcing.

This process affords NPS flexibility to conduct preliminary planning with
the assistance of outside industry expertise to ensure that we have the
best, most efficient organization (MEO) in place (as allowed for under the
revised May 2003 OMB Circular A-76).

This process provides NPS an opportunity to examine commercial functions to
determine how best to accomplish workload and provide excellent public
service, conducts a market analysis to determine what the cost is within
private industry to do that work, develops a performance work statement of
what needs to be accomplished, and makes a recommendation for implementing
a "most efficient...more efficient organization."

The Director of the National Park Service reviews and determines whether to
implement the MEO or proceed with a formal competitive review process. Of
the two preliminary planning efforts completed to date, NPS employees have
risen to the occasion and have put together the most cost effective,
efficient organization possible. The Director decided to implement their
recommendations and not go forward with a competitive bid.

Please call me if you have other questions. Thanks so much.

Elaine Sevy
Deputy Chief, NPS Communications