Natural Resources Budget Formulation

Developing Operational Budget Proposals

NPS regions and the Budget Division use the OFS database to formulate NPS budget proposals. This database contains unfunded operational budget requirements for all NPS organizational units. This means the needs covered relate to recurring activities. The recurring needs identified should include those identified through the planning process (general management plans, resources management plans, etc.). Guidance for resource planning is found in Resource Management Planning in this Reference Manual.

Operational needs developed by parks and offices, generally should cover about a five-year period. Priorities are set by parks and the regional director or by program director and associate director, as appropriate. It is not advisable to place artificial constraints on the identification of needs, even though all needs may not be prioritized in the formal budget formulation process.

The strategy for selecting specific increase requests to propose for funding in a given fiscal year draws in part on the total needs included in OFS, and on special program thrusts for the year in question. Guidance on these program thrusts and required formats and due dates for budget formulation activities are found in the NPS's annual budget formulation call. The call reflects Administration budget priorities and constraints relayed from the Office of Management and Budget through the Department of the Interior, and strategies for meeting those priorities.

Strategies for budget formulation for any given year may change, but the foundation is always well-articulated needs justifications. Therefore, it is important that OFS reflect all natural resource management operational needs and that those needs are well justified.

To successfully seek an increase to base through the budget formulation process, a program manager must develop a request that is well justified. A good justification should be very explicit about what will be accomplished with the increase. A good justification will also demonstrate that failure to obtain an increase to base will result in a significant loss of or impact to important park natural resources. A good justification must be convincing that the assessment of need is based on good information and that a solution is well developed and only lacking funding. Finally, the justification should demonstrate that the current base is fully utilized in supporting higher priority needs. In the case of the park, this means the entire park base.