Washington State Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Biennium 2005 - 2007 General Information and Financial Projections

BUSINESS SERVICES PROGRAM

Program Purpose and Description
This program includes the Commission, Director's Office and Business Services. The Program is responsible for providing policy and operational leadership and support to Department-wide activities. The nine member Fish and Wildlife Commission provides policy guidance and establishes rules resulting in sound stewardship for fish and wildlife in the state of Washington.

The Director's Office assists the Commission with fish and wildlife policy development and the establishment of regulations governing fish and wildlife resource management activities. The Director's Office also provides leadership, vision, and operational direction to the Department's approximately 1,800 plus employees. The Director's Office includes the Director, Deputy Director, Legislative Office, Intergovernmental Resource Management, Personnel, Public Affairs, and Regional Office Operations. Along with the Director's Office, Regional Directors and Special Assistants work with our external customers to provide understanding of the Department's policies and role in fish and wildlife resource management. Direction and support for educational and volunteer efforts are also provided by the Director's Office.

Business Services provides administrative and operational support to the three resource programs and the Enforcement Program. Included in Business Services are Business Services Administration, Licensing, Information Technology Services, Financial Services, and Capital Programs and Engineering. Business Services provides operational policies and guidelines that support Department operations. The Financial Services Division provides direction and guidance for Department employees to follow that facilitate compliance with state and federal financial reporting standards. Operational excellence and financial accountability are priorities of the Director and an expectation of the taxpaying citizens of the state.

Strategic Plan
The Business Services Program contributes to the Department's mission by providing leadership, direction and oversight to the operating and capital programs. The Director's Office has direct responsibility for ensuring that the Department's Strategic Plan is met. The Department's strategic plan includes the following three goals: healthy and diverse fish and wildlife populations and habitats; sustainable fish and wildlife-related opportunities; and operational excellence and professional service. The Director is also responsible for certain components of the Governor's Salmon Recovery Scorecard and the applicable components of the State Agencies' Salmon Action Plan. Additionally, there is new thinking and direction that is to be integrated with the Department's Strategic Plan. That is the work of the Governor's Guidance Team and priority results teams that were created to establish the "Priorities of Government." The focus of the Director and the Business Services Program is on the following objectives of the WDFW Strategic Plan.

WDFW Strategic Plan Objectives

• Develop, integrate and disseminate sound fish, wildlife and habitat science.
• Protect, restore and enhance fish and wildlife populations and their habitats.
• Ensure WDFW activities, programs, facilities and lands are consistent with local, state and federal regulations that protect and recover fish, wildlife and their habitats.
• Influence the decisions of others that affect fish, wildlife and their habitats.
• Minimize adverse interactions between humans and wildlife.
• Provide sustainable high quality fish and wildlife-related recreational and commercial opportunities while improving the economic well-being of Washington, compatible with maintaining healthy fish and wildlife populations and habitats.
• Work with Tribal governments to ensure fish and wildlife management objectives are achieved.
• Provide excellent professional service.
• Develop Information Systems infrastructure and coordinate data systems to provide access to services and information.
• Connect with those interested in Washington's fish and wildlife.
• Provide sound sustainable operational management of WDFW lands, facilities and access sites.
• Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of WDFW through sustainable operational and support activities.

The next level of the Department's strategic plan provides the strategies to carry out the objectives.

Strategies

• WDFW will provide leadership in developing, integrating and disseminating the best applied science for use in policy and management decisions affecting fish and wildlife and their habitats.
• WDFW will continue to improve access to priority scientific data and information for key partners and the public.
• WDFW will utilize multi-species, habitat-based approaches to resource management and conservation to improve the effectiveness in maintaining healthy populations and recovering those that are not.
• WDFW will manage its wildlife areas to protect and provide habitat to achieve healthy and diverse fish and wildlife populations, and provide for compatible fish and wildlife recreational opportunities.
• WDFW will protect fish, wildlife and their habitats by both increasing voluntary compliance and enforcement of state statutes.
• WDFW management and enforcement programs will review and improve regulations to ensure they are understandable to the public and are accomplishing the desired objectives.
• WDFW resource management activities will ensure the long-term health and recovery of Washington fish and wildlife populations while providing compatible recreation and commercial opportunities.
• WDFW will ensure that Department actions, lands and facilities meet local, state and federal regulations that protect and recover fish, wildlife and their habitats. Impairments to fish and wildlife recovery on WDFW lands and facilities will be identified and addressed.
• WDFW will collaborate with landowners, local governments, land management agencies and tribal, state and federal governments that influence decisions important to fish, wildlife and habitat.
• WDFW will work with other land management entities to identify where habitat protection can occur most effectively and efficiently. WDFW will work with these entities to protect priority habitats through numerous strategies including incentives, easements, agreements, and acquisitions.
• WDFW will provide technical review and technical assistance as well as provide access to information and management recommendations to assist others in protecting and restoring fish, wildlife and their habitats. WDFW will actively seek feedback on the value of the information and technical assistance it provides in order to improve service.
• WDFW will develop strategies to maintain healthy, self-sustaining fish and wildlife populations while promoting public safety and minimizing adverse impacts of wildlife to agricultural, horticultural and rangeland crops.
• WDFW will develop education and outreach strategies to improve public understanding of actions that can reduce negative human interactions with wildlife.
• WDFW will develop strategies to enforce and coordinate efforts to ensure public safety through monitoring shellfish, enforcing certified shellfish regulations and developing fish-health advisories.
• WDFW will learn more about what fish and wildlife opportunities the public is interested in to develop ways to meet this interest while maintaining healthy fish and wildlife populations.
• WDFW will manage and enhance both native and desirable non-native species to provide sustainable opportunities compatible with healthy fish and wildlife populations and habitats, and existing and emerging public values.
• WDFW will provide sustainable fish and wildlife opportunities through management decisions that consider economic values.
• WDFW will increase the watchable fish and wildlife opportunities and information it provides to the public.
• WDFW will provide access to areas where fish and wildlife can be enjoyed as a vital component in providing opportunities. WDFW will develop strategies to maintain and improve access for the public to take part in fish and wildlife opportunities.
• WDFW will work to maximize the effectiveness of State and Tribal strategies and processes to ensure there are healthy and harvestable fish and wildlife populations.
• WDFW and Tribal managers will identify State-Tribal agreements and plans to address, implement and evaluate each year.
• Every WDFW employee will provide excellent service to the public as well as internally to WDFW employees. Excellent service includes respectful, professional and timely responses to those requesting service or information from the Department.
• WDFW will provide employees with the training and tools for them to be effective and efficient in their jobs.
• Each program will identify key services and implement strategies to obtain feedback as to the quality and usefulness of the services provided. This information will be used to improve service and identify the most useful services provided.
• WDFW will implement an Information Systems strategic plan.
• WDFW will learn more about the public, their interests and their priorities regarding fish, wildlife and habitats as well as the methods best used to share information and opportunities. WDFW will use this information to prioritize and develop programs and to provide to the public.
• WDFW will develop volunteer activities and partnerships that assist in achieving mutual goals of protecting and enhancing fish and wildlife and their habitats.
• WDFW will develop effective communication strategies to increase the public understanding of the health of Washington fish, wildlife and habitats, and the opportunities to enjoy, protect and recover them.
• WDFW recognizes the value of managing its lands and facilities in a manner that allows us to be good neighbors in the community. WDFW facilities, lands and access sites will meet basic operational standards which include maintenance, access, signs, fences, toilets, weed control and condition of facilities.
• WDFW will complete a pilot study for self generation of power at WDFW facilities.
• Strategies will be developed to ensure sound sustainable operational management is based on solid, reliable, easily accessible information and scientific data.
• WDFW will pursue "good neighbor" approval to manage its lands.
• WDFW will develop and implement Department-wide business practices that improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability of both operational and support activities.
• Contracts management, licensing, cost code accounting system, and budget tracking system practices will be continually improved.
• WDFW will develop a workforce plan to ensure that the right number of people with the right set of competencies are in the right jobs at the right time to carry out our future functional requirements and mission.
• Every employee shall work with their supervisor to understand how they fit into the Department's strategic plan. Individual performance measures will be established so that each employee will know how their success will be measured, and individual competencies will be set to guide their training plan for the next year.
• WDFW will continue to implement a statewide safety program. WDFW will identify the frequency and severity of workplace injuries, and develop an indicator of Department safety performance called the recordable incident rate. WDFW will continue to work towards its goal of zero employee injuries.

Appraisal of External Environment
Unlike the first six years after the merger of the Departments of Fisheries and Wildlife where five separate reorganizations took place, the past four years have brought very little organizational change. The last significant reorganization resulted in response to a revenue shortfall in the Wildlife Fund in Fiscal Year 1999. The relative stability has allowed Department management to concentrate on longer range business infrastructure projects while improving business practices in general.

After thorough reviews by outside consultants in 1998 and 1999, the Department began a process to implement the recommendations contained in the 1998 Business Practices Assessment done by Talbot, Korvola, & Warwick (TKW) and the 1999 Information Systems Strategic Plan facilitated by the Dye Management Group. Given the staffing and funding limitations experienced over the last three years, progress has been slow but steady. Considerable progress has been made in the improvement of business practices, especially the strengthening of internal controls critical to successful financial management. Upgrading the Department's computing network infrastructure and financial and resource management information systems is in progress.

At the time the results of the two studies were made available, it was clear that to modernize and automate the Department's business functions and technological infrastructure it would take six to eight years and increased funding. The Department has made progress on several fronts; however, much work is still needed on existing projects, projects identified in the two studies but not started, and emerging projects. Using the Internet to communicate with our own staff, partners, and the public has brought new technological approaches to providing information electronically.

The Department maintains and operates offices across the state that depend heavily upon the ability of employees to communicate efficiently and effectively. While recognizing regional differences, there are circumstances requiring a common understanding of a process, procedure or policy direction. Because of the geography of the state and the Department's regional structure, there is a need to link six regional offices, three field offices, and over 200 home offices to the Natural Resources Building in Olympia. Linking Geographic Information Systems maps and data with the Internet to make the information available to staff, our partners, and the public has only increased the demand for more. Simply maintaining the network infrastructure is a challenge, let alone staying current with the changing communication needs of the Department as well as the evolving changes in technology.

This summer, in conjunction with Sierra Systems, the Department will be reviewing its computing architecture. This review will identify what changes have occurred in the Department's business requirements, how well the current architecture supports those business needs, and what new technology exists that would better support the Department over the next three to five years. This effort is an update to part of the Information Systems Strategic Plan done by Dye Management in 1999.

Currently, the Department has several projects underway. Most have Department-wide significance and involve representatives from all programs, Information Technology Services Division staff support, and outside consultants to provide specific expertise. Projects in progress include: Contracts and Project System (CAPS), Hydraulic Permit Management System (HPMS), Activity-Based Cost Accounting, Washington Interactive Licensing Database (WILD) system review, Performance Measurement System, Inventory System review, Scientific Collection Permit System (SCPS), SalmonScape, Videoconferencing Network, and many other smaller projects. Also, providing a challenge is the design, development, and implementation of the state-level Human Resources Management System and its impact on Department systems and staff.

Another complexity is the Priorities of Government (POG) process that is integral to the development of the 2005-07 Operating Budget. The Director's Office has participated in the work by the Natural Resources Results Team and a WDFW representative has also participated in the Culture and Recreational Opportunities Results Team. Executive Management has integrated the principles and structure into its strategic plan and budget discussions, and this budget submittal reflects that integration.

Continued staff work, assistance from third-party experts on technological applications for the Department, and funding is necessary to continue moving toward an efficient and effective state agency. It seems clear that government is being slowly redefined and moving away from large increases in staff as a way of addressing workload. The pressure on the Department to make more information available for more people is increasing. The public is demanding more for less and expects to know what it is buying and that the money is well spent and accounted for. A strong business and financial infrastructure, accountability and efficiency depends heavily on technology and automated information systems.

The Department, when it started down this corrective path in 1999, started from a deficit position due to poor business practices, a lack of focus on financial internal controls and systems, and a very outdated network and computing infrastructure. The Department has been catching up, but there is still considerable work to be accomplished. In parallel is the increasing complexity of operations, meeting applicable governmental laws and standards, as well as the increasing demands of our elected officials and the public to be efficient and accountable for the expenditure of public funds. Technology continues to evolve and knowing what technology is best for meeting the Department's business requirements now and over the next five years is also no small challenge.

The Business Services Administration, Financial Services, Licensing, Information Technology Services, and the Capital Programs and Engineering Divisions are all working diligently to provide the level of service needed by the Enforcement, Habitat, Wildlife, and Fish Programs and expected by Department management. Their commitment is to make the Department successful and at the same time meet the service and accountability demands of the public.

Regarding the Department's resource management responsibilities, fish, wildlife, and habitat management in Washington State has become increasingly complex. This places significant pressure on the Department to carry out its mission.

Working with Washington Tribes to manage our fish, wildlife, and habitat continues to present many challenges. The legal complexities inherent in Treaty Tribal hunting and fishing rights have been further complicated by the overlay of the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Since 1997, 12 populations of salmonids have been listed as threatened or endangered. These listings have resulted in large workload increases. For example, regulations require the Department to secure federal "take" permits or exemptions in order to have incidental harvest impacts on listed steelhead, coho, chinook, chum, and sockeye while targeting fisheries on healthy populations. The development of fishing plans to receive these "take" authorizations is extremely complex and time-consuming, often requiring negotiations with tribal and federal managers, as well as extensive public involvement with stakeholders.

Since 1998, increased federal and state funding for salmon recovery has been available to the Department and other state and local governments and organizations. The Department, through the Director's Office, provides leadership in salmon recovery and has increased its support for organized volunteer activities. The approach to establishing effective salmon recovery is still evolving, as are the roles of all involved parties. The Department through its leadership, science, technical assistance, and partnerships is actively involved in most facets of the recovery efforts. This involvement includes the effective management of scarce resources for current activities and with helping clarify the continually changing rules and the future direction of ESA driven activities. Considerable emphasis is currently placed on providing technical assistance to local entities involved in salmon recovery activities at the local watershed level.

The Department also has important roles in other complex areas involving land use. It is statutorily required to process Hydraulic Project Approvals where these reviews are to ensure the proper protection of fish life. In addition, there are approximately 150 hydroelectric facilities in the state that are subject to licensing and re-licensing by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Through its biologists, the Department reviews, critiques, and supports or opposes the licensing of these facilities based on their impacts to fish and wildlife. This requires the Department to balance the burden of recovering salmon between hydropower, habitat, hatcheries, and harvest.

In addition to these areas of high exposure, the Department is responsible for an extremely broad range and magnitude of other resource management activities. These include setting hunting and fishing seasons, providing non-consumptive fish and wildlife viewing activities, working with sister state agencies, federal and local governments regarding shorelines issues, Growth Management Act, et al.

The expectation of the public is for the Department to preserve, protect and perpetuate fish and wildlife resources for ourselves and future generations. The challenge is to continue to have fish and wildlife to enjoy as Washington State continues to grow and change.