2003 News

SEAC (and other Federal Archaeologists) SPARED

National Park Service Archeological Center Employees Determined to be More Cost Effective than Private Contractors (Washington, D.C.):

A recently completed cost comparison as part of a competitive sourcing study determined that federal workers at the National Park Service's Southeast Archeological Center in Tallahassee can perform the center's mission more economically than contracting with private firms.

The study by private consultants is part of a government-wide examination of selected federal jobs directed by the Office of Management and Budget. The Park Service is scheduled to study about 1,700 total jobs nationwide as part of what is called the A-76 process.

"This is good news for us," said National Park Service Director Fran Mainella. "This supports what I have been saying all along, that our employees are the most dedicated that I have ever worked with and I believe will continue to demonstrate their outstanding value to the American people."

According to Jerre Brumbelow, chief of contracting in the Park Service's southeast regional office, the study of the Tallahassee center staff, which consists of mostly archeologists and museum curators, compared costs for existing contracts for archeological work awarded to private companies with the costs of performing the same work in-house using government employees.

"The study showed that in this instance using private contractors would cost nearly twice as much as doing the work with our in-house staff, "Brumbelow said. "It proves that our employees who are dedicated to the mission of the service, can provide more resource protection for the parks than if we contracted it out. Our career professionals are able to provide archeological services to national park sites in the southeast region, provide skilled archeological expertise to other federal agencies and conserve thousands of artifacts now in storage at the center more efficiently than an outside source."

In the just completed study of the Southeast Archeological Center, the Park Service used already published contracting data in comparing the costs of federal vs. private sector competition. Results of the study can be found on the Fed Biz Opps website located at http://ideasec.nbc.gov. In the left-hand column select Synopsis/Announcement. Under Synopsis, type in National Park Service for agency and then under Action Type, select S: special notice. It should correspond with Special notice A76 Southeast Archeological Center, Tallahassee, Florida.

Jim Miller Retires as State Archaeologist

Jim Miller, State Archaeologist, has announced that he is stepping down from the position he has held for over 20 years.

Official press release from the state announcing his resignation

Letter from Jim Miller to us, his archaeological colleagues

The Proposed merger of the Florida Departments of State and Community Affairs

The Florida Archaeological Council has presented an official statement on the proposed 2003-2004 State Budget on Florida's Historic Preservation Program.

FAC members should e-mail the appropriate representatives in the Florida State Congress with similar concerns.

Special Session of the Florida Historical Commission

The Florida Archaeological Council, Inc. (FAC) has been informed by Dr. Judy Bense, Chair of the Florida Historical Commission, that a Special Session of the Commission is being convened. The reasons for this unprecedented meeting are:

  1. To determine exactly what is being proposed in the Governor's 2003-2004 budget and agency reorganization
  2. To determine the implications to the Division of Historical Resources if the proposals are implemented
  3. The Commission will then discuss this information and develop a White Paper for dissemination.

The meeting will be conducted in a "hearing" format where key representatives from the historic preservation community from both inside and outside state government will be asked to explain to the Commission what impact the proposals may have if they are implemented.

The exact date of the Special Session is being determined at this time; however it will be a two-day meeting in mid-February in Tallahassee. The Commission will then discuss the information. As always, this meeting will be open to the public.

The FHC was established in 2002 under the revised Chapter 267, F.S. and reports directly to the Governor. As such it is an appropriate vehicle for organizations and citizens to voice their concerns to this Commission regarding the current historic preservation crisis.

It would be very helpful to the FHC if a statement addressing the issues of concern could be facilitated, perhaps by the FAC in association with other archaeological, historical, museum, and library organizations such as the Florida Historical Society, Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, Florida Anthropological Society, Florida Genealogical Society, Florida Association of Museums, and Florida Library Association.

If you support the convening of the Special Session of the FHC, you can email Dr. Bense at jbense@uwf.edu . This will demonstrate that the concern and interest regarding this issue is broad-based and that a special session is warranted and appropriate. If you are interested in contributing to a joint statement of concerns to be presented to the Commission, please contact me (Bob Austin) at bob@searchinc.com.

Legislative Alert! DOS/DHR in Trouble

On January 21, the Governor recommended the merger of the Department of Community Affairs and the Department of State. The new agency will be called the Department of State and Community Partnerships and will be effective on July 1, 2003. The merger will result in many changes for the Division of Historical Resources, not all of which have been finalized. However, what is known is that the Department of State may lose 194 positions out of approximately 600 in an effort to reduce state costs. The state library will be physically moved to FSU. Collections, the museum, San Luis, and other properties managed by the Division are to be moved to the Department of Environmental Protection's Recreation and Parks. Division staff will likely be cut with some positions shifting to DEP. The future of Compliance Review at this point is uncertain. In addition, there are rumors that the Business Trust Fund which supplies monies for Historic Preservation Grants-in-Aid, is in danger of being raided or discontinued entirely.

This is incredibly bad news for cultural resources! With a Republican controlled legislature that is supportive of the Governor's quest to reduce the size of state government, these measures appear to be headed for quick legislative approval. However, there is still time to contact your legislators and register your protest to the dismantling of DHR and to urge them in strongest terms to retain the Division's Compliance Review program in its current form with appropriate staff and funding to carry out its federally and state mandated duties