October 13, 2016
On Thursday, October 13, the National Academy of Public Administration and Grant Thornton hosted a Working Capital Fund Symposium on WCF implementation in the Department of the Interior (DOI).
The quarterly WCF Symposium aims to develop discussions to adopt a more streamlined WCF approach. Through this collaborative effort, government executives and managers can discuss WCF issues, share lessons learned, and gather best practices. Agency leaders share their insights to implement and sustain Working Capital Funds.
Dan Blair, President and CEO of the National Academy of Public Administration, welcomed the group and thanked the Working Capital Fund Symposium organizers and this quarter’s guest speakers from the Department of the Interior.
The DOI was represented by Thomas Wayson, Division Chief, Division of Budget Administration and Departmental Management, Office of Budget, as well as Chris Richey, Revolving Fund Manager, Division of Budget Administration and Departmental Management, Office of Budget, and James Beall, Associate Director (Acting), Enterprise Management, Interior Business Center.
The Department of the Interior’s presentation discussed the Department’s Working Capital and Franchise Funds, looking at the budget and legislative authorities, service providers, and governance structures involved in the management of each. The discussion centered on the unique position of each fund within the Department especially challenges working with both DOI and external customers to understand the varying regulations between the two funds.
Mr. Richey discussed the initial activities of the Rate Setting Strategic Interest Group (SIG). The group is involved in HHS, EPA, FDA, DHS, and GSA, and thus far volunteer members have met to discuss roles and responsibilities within the group and governance pain points. The next steps for the Governance SIG are the development and internal distribution of a survey to collect additional information on governance issues and best practices.
Jennifer Ayers, Chairperson, Working Capital Fund Symposium, discussed the ongoing formation of a WCF Readiness Assessment, which is being developed jointly between Grant Thornton and the National Academy of Public Administration. The purpose of the assessment will be to evaluate an agency’s WCF culture, performance, progress, and resources in order to identify major needs and gaps.