Responsibilities for Preparing and Approving Phase I and Phase II Site Selection and Evaluation Reports for IHS Facilities and Quarters

1. PURPOSE.  The purpose of this document is to assign responsibility for actions required to prepare and process all Indian Health Service (IHS) site selection and evaluation reports, i.e., Phase I and Phase II reports, prepared for IHS health care facilities and personnel quarters construction projects.

2. BACKGROUND:  A site must be selected for each project placed on the IHS facilities or quarters priority list for new construction prior to the time project cost estimates are developed, to ensure that all site-specific development costs are included.  The selection and evaluation of sites for IHS facilities and quarters occurs in two phases.  Phase I is undertaken in conjunction with Program Justification Document preparation.  Its completion ensures that the responsible IHS Area Office, in concert with the appropriate Office of Engineering Services (OES), service unit, and tribe, has evaluated at least three sites for each proposed facility or quarters project.  The Phase II (final) site analysis process begins concurrently with development of the project's Program of Requirements and includes documentation of detailed evaluations of all site-related concerns, e.g., suitability of the community infrastructure (roads, utilities, services, transportation), environmental impacts, economic impacts, etc.  The IHS Area and OES offices work together to survey proposed sites and prepare survey reports.  The basic process is the same for each phase; however, Phase II evaluations are more comprehensive.

3. PROCEDURES:  A Phase I report is not required if the proposed project is limited to modernization and/or expansion of an existing IHS facility or if it entails new construction of a replacement facility on an existing IHS site.  A Phase II report will be required for all projects.

   The responsible IHS Area Office initiates and coordinates preparation of both phases with assistance from the appropriate OES.  The site selection and evaluation report is reviewed by the IHS Area Office, OES, and the Division of Facilities Planning and Construction (DFPC) at IHS Headquarters.  When completed, the documents are forwarded for approval to the Associate Director, Office of Environmental Health and Engineering (OEHE), IHS, and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Operations (DASHO), and Director, Office of Management, Public Health Service, is asked to concur.  Approved copies will be provided by DFPC to the respective IHS Area and OES offices.  Appendix A contains sample signature sheets to be used for recording Phase I and Phase II site selection and evaluation report clearances.

4. RESPONSIBILITY:  The IHS Area Offices are responsible for initiating all site surveys and for ensuring that site selection and evaluation reports have been completed for all projects on the IHS new construction priority list.  Each IHS Area Office will maintain the site selection and evaluation reports for its facilities projects and will ensure that they are kept up to date.  The appropriate OES is responsible for completing Phase I and Phase II reports for each new facility to be constructed in the Areas it serves.  The IHS Area and OES offices share responsibility for obtaining and verifying data required to complete the reports.  As each phase of the site selection process is completed, the IHS Area and OES offices will review the reports and recommend their approval to the Associate Director, OEHE.  Once approved, the reports will be forwarded by OEHE to the DASHO for concurrence.  The DFPC will coordinate all approvals, and will be responsible for reviewing the draft site selection and evaluation reports prior to submission to the Associate Director, OEHE, and for preparing necessary memoranda to forward them to the DASHO.

APPENDIX A

PHASE I

SITE SELECTION AND EVALUATION REPORT

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE

[Name and Type of Facility]

[Location], [State]

[Month] [Year]

PHASE II

SITE SELECTION AND EVALUATION REPORT

INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE

[Name and Type of Facility]

[Location], [State]

[Month] [Year]