Agricultural Research Service

1. AgriculturalResearch Service Financial Management Division Annual Resource Management Plan (ARMP) Process and System

2. ARMP • What is ARMP? • Why do we prepare the ARMP? • How are funds distributed? • What is the anatomy of an ARMP? • How do we use the ARMP system? • How do we evaluate the ARMP data? • When do we prepare the ARMP?

3. ACRONYMS • ARMS - ARS Resource Management System (Process) • ARMP - Annual Resource Management Plan (main component) • ARMPS - Annual Resource Management Plan System (software)

4. ARMP: WHAT IS IT? A comprehensive annual resource planning process to plan the budget year expenditures by cost category, at all levels of ARS management.

5. WHY DO ARMPS? • Equitable distribution of resources • Early Identification of Unfunded Needs • Meet Agency Priorities and Mission

6. How are funds distributed? • ARS Appropriation/Allocation Process

7. Fund Responsibility / Funds Control Agency "Pyramid" Funding Structure Passed to Agency (thru the Department) Administrator held accountable for total value of Annual Appropriation/Quarterly Apportionments Congress Appropriates Funds Administrator OMB Apportions the Funds Passed to Area Director by BPMS Administrator Allocates Funds to Area Area Director held accountable for Area Directors Director Area Allocation Passed to Fund Holder by Area Director's Office -- Fund Holder AreaDirectors Issue Fund Holders held accountable for total or Annual Operating Plans to their portion of Annual (Center/Laboratory Directors Fund Holders Operating Plan & Research Leaders)

8. IRC/SRC: What are they? Indirect Research Cost (IRC): • Costs associated with the basic operations of the location • Costs needed to “open the doors” of the location - utilities, facility operations, janitorial, communications, administrative support, EAP, OHMP, copiers, facility R&M, etc. • Assigned to an IRC account with costs spread to CRIS’s on a formula, weighted factor or actual cost basis. Shared Research Cost (SRC): • Costs associated with direct research activities, but may be shared by more than one MU/CRIS • May be jointly controlled or funded • Characterized as direct research support distinguishing them from IRC costs • Excluded from the IRC development

9. What is the anatomy of an ARMP?

10. Detailed ARMP • Agency Standard Reports • Executive Data Report (Geographic and • SY/CRIS) Agency ARMPS • Area Standard Reports • -Location Summary • Non SY/SY Vacancy Listing • Position Listing by FTE Summary • CRIS Summary • Other analytical usage reports • Executive Summary Reports • State of the Area • Describes the actions taken or • planned to adhere to the ARS • Program Plan • Identifies problems, issues, concerns • and opportunities confronting the • Area • Area HPRL • Consolidates MU HPRL’s into • an Area-wide priority list. • Three types: R&M, HWC, and • Non-R&M/HWC Area ARMPS Location ARMPS • Annual Operating Plan (AOP) • Details the distribution of resources • by Object Class (Salaries, Travel, etc.); • current and prior years. • Provides source data for the • submission of the financial plan to • the accounting system • Position Staffing Plan (PSP) • -Existing filled and vacant positions • in an MU continuing in upcoming • fiscal year • New positions • -FTE’s received via RSA’s or other • non-Federal sources • Procurement Plan (550 C) • - Identifies funded supplies, services, and equipment (including IT) over $25,000 • Covers unfunded procurement items • State of the MU/Location • Addresses pertinent issues, problems, • concerns and opportunities not readily • documented in the ARMP components • -Summarizes pertinent items that may • or may not be documented in the • individual RMU or IRC ARMPs at the • Location Extramural Agreement Plan (550 A)- Reflects planned new, continued, or amended Extramural Agreements, Grants, Research Contracts Miscellaneous Requirements Plan (550 D) -Identifies any funded and unfunded requirements that could not be expressed in the 550 A, 550 B, or 550 C because of dollar or object class limitations • CRIS Resource Allocation Schedule • Identifies the resources assigned to each CRIS • - Provides each CRIS’ dollar contribution • to indirect research cost • Covers net base dollars available for each CRIS in the MU and temporary releases • Facilities Plan (550 B) • Covers (base) funded and unfunded facility • requirements, including A-E services, in • accordance with applicable agency guidelines • Reflects 4% base funded R&M budget • MU High Priority Requirements • List (HPRL) • - Consolidates and prioritizes the list of • unfunded non-recurring items with a value • of at least $5,000 or more by MU 10

11. Multi-tiered "ARMP" Components ARS ARMP "Pyramid" Structure Agency Agency Summaries Executive Summaries Key Area Reports Area HPRLs State of the Area Multi Year Analysis Area Consolidated Reports Location (MU) RL Annual Operating Plan Detailed ARMPS State of the MU Position Staffing Plan (MU) Structure CRIS Resource Allocation Schedule Research Agreements Plan Procurement Plan Facilities Plan Miscellaneous Requirements Plan MU High Priority Requirements List (HPRL)

12. Benefit of ARMP on ARIS Platform Migrated several years ago. Now… • Software updates handled centrally • Areas can “see” all of their MU’s data. Can help with problems or make corrections • Easy to assign rights to others during vacancies • Data is backed-up nightly • Transmit disks not needed • Data exchange between ARIS/SAMS/ARMPS simplified

13. Using the ARMP System • MAJOR RESOURCE: ARMPS User Manual (January 2006) • Chapter 1 - Accessing ARMPS • Chapter 2 - Organization and Navigation • Chapter 3 - Entering Information in ARMPS • Chapter 4 – Other ARMP Systems • Chapter 5 - Generating Reports • Reference Options (ARMPS User Manual http://www.afm.ars.usda.gov/finance/resources.htm)

14. Also in Manual… • Under Introduction – Detailed section on Account Terms and Definitions, including: • Accounting Code • CRIS • Mode or Org Code

15. Entering Information in ARMPS Before you Begin – Appendix 7 • Ensure salary information in SAMS is complete and up-to-date. Ensure that the appropriate pay cost percentage is reflected. (NOTE: users have to identify this percentage for each Location they service. Updating the percentage for 1 Location will not update it for others.) Please refer to the SAMS Manual for instructions for the above. In short, ensure the information in SAMS is as perfect as possible before importing to ARMPS.

16. Before you Begin • Identify the CRIS number information for the location IRC and SRC accounts. There is a CRIS number for these accounts and it usually looks like: XXXX-88888-999-OOD. Do not use program CRIS numbers in IRC and SRC accounts. • Make sure the Mode Code information is correct. If the same mode code is used for more than 1 account, then the information is combined on the executive summary reports. IRC accounts usually have the 5th level Mode Code of 01 or 00. If personnel are assigned to the wrong Mode Code in SAMS, do not import into ARMPS.

17. Before You Begin • Do not categorize soft funds as IRC. Although they may relate to an IRC function or account, they have to be categorized as “Direct” on the MU/CRIS Information screen and they should have a CRIS number. This CRIS number is the number assigned in ARIS for those with a budget greater than $25,000 or “made up” using the ARIS log number (if possible) for those agreements less than $25,000. • Soft fund accounts may be “lumped” together under one ARMP as long as the fund type (i.e., X08, X91, X93) is the same. Each account lumped into one ARMP must have a separate CRIS number as stated above.

18. Before You Begin • When developing soft fund ARMPS, list the funding as “temporary” on the MU Allocation by CRIS screen. Do not label these funds as permanent. • For the leader of the MU, enter the Supervisor’s Position Number on the Personnel Information screen as “0000000”. This tells the system that this position is first on the Position Staffing Plan. Without this, the PSP will not generate.

19. Installing and Accessing ARMPS • Refer to ARMPS Manual – Chapter 1 • Will Not Cover in Training • Most everyone will already have this loaded. • Manual is very explicit.

20. Organization and Navigation • Chapter 2 • Main Screen – Official/Dynamic/Working • Main Menu – note name and year • Screen Heading, Menu Bar, Tool Bar • Highlight menu choice to access

21. MU/CRIS Information Screen • List Screens/Data Entry Screens/Tabs • List Screen displays all accounts you have authority to access • You can Add MU’s. Only ABFO’s may delete MU’s • Tabs at the top show screen choices • Grey tab information is currently displayed; blue tab information is available

22. Print (screen only), Exit Cut, Copy, Paste 1st Record, Previous Record, Next Record, Last Record, Save, Cancel Query Query File Edit Record Action Reference Help Tools Available for Navigating

23. More Edits • Identify ? For a List of Values. You can scroll down or use the % function to search for a piece of data • Identify down arrow for available choices. Done to try and minimize data entry errors

24. Sorting • Information sorts can be changed. Ascending or Descending • Only reflects on screen. Will not be saved in database • White fields require data entry. Shaded fields are generated by the system

25. Can Not Change • Only 2 fields can not be changed on a single record once entered and saved: • Accounting Code • Mode Code • However, you CAN change either one or both of these for a whole account

26. Entering Information in ARMPS • Chapter 3 • All the screens for data entry can be found under Action • To build an ARMP, follow the steps under Action in order • There are 2 choices to begin the process

27. Option 1 • Enter MU/CRIS Information Add CRIS Information • Enter Personnel Information enter the A/C and Mode Code Info. Add other personnel information Supv: Must select an established person. Head of MU must have 7 0’s as Supv. Code If you delete a supervisor, subordinates remain but may not get displayed on reports correctly Add Footnotes (limit 5 per person)

28. Option 2 • Update ARMPS with SAMS This will bring most of the personnel and account information in from SAMS (saves duplication of effort) Review MU/CRIS Information to make sure it is correct and complete Review Personnel Information, add EOD’s, Separation Dates, FPL’s, and Footnotes, as necessary

29. CRAS – All the funding Information • MU Allocation by CRIS • Assign Positions to CRIS • Assign Salary Related to CRIS • Assign All Other to CRIS Balance to Budget must come to $0

30. Assistance and Acquisition • Extramural Agreements • Facilities • Procurement • Miscellaneous Only certain “high-level” BOCC’s are available to select from

31. HPRL’s (all unfunded items) • Prioritize for MU • Prioritize for Location • Area will prioritize at Area Level

32. State of MU • Different Subjects to write narrative about. • 1-1/2 pages per topic

33. State of Location • Same principal as State of MU • Has additional topic – Safety and Health • Compilation of MU/Location information

34. Update CRIS Allocation File • Allows user to modify CRIS titles and allocation amounts. Base fund CRIS information imports in from ARIS. Soft Fund titles must be added. Information is reflected on the MU Summary and the Executive Data by Location reports.

35. Load CRIS Project Titles • May be done at any time. May be done by the Area or the location.

36. Update Account/Mode Code • Allows the change of an accounting code, a mode code, or both for an entire account’s records. • The “old” account will remain and will need to be deleted if no longer required.

37. Generating Reports • Chapter 5 • MU Reports • Area Reports • Agency Executive Summaries • ARMPS Data Dump • User Account Report by User Name • User Account Report by Mode code

38. MU Reports (Displayed in Alphabetical Order) • Annual Operating Plan • CRIS Resource Allocation Schedule • Extramural Plan • Facilities Plan • High Priorities Requirement Listing (HPRL) • Miscellaneous Plan • Procurement Plan • Position Staffing Plan (Individual or Range) • State of the Location (Individual or Range) • State of the MU (Individual or Range) • ARMP Package Working on allowing the printing of a range of the whole ARMP package

39. Once Generated, You Can • Print • Save to a File • Email it

40. Area Reports • HPRL • CRIS Summary by Location • MU Summary by CRIS • SY Vacancy Listing • NSY Vacancy Listing • RL/LD Listing Not All Reports Available Yet

41. Agency Executive Summaries • These are the Reports most reviewed by Agency Senior Management • Area Agency Summary • Area Summary by MU • Location Summary • MU Summary • All of the Above Generated when ARMP Briefing Book is Selected

42. Other Agency Summaries • Executive Data Summary Some Areas and NPS use this report.

43. Other Reports • User Account Report by User Name – Listing of all ARMP Users for a range in alphabetical order. • User Account Report by Mode Code – Listing of ARMP Users for a Mode Code

44. Reference Options Chapter 6 • Listing of Modecodes • Change Modecode – allows user to jump to another location they service • Frozen ARMPS – ABFO’s only can freeze data so it can not be changed • Facility Deficiency Codes – Listing • Footnote Codes – Listing • Real Property Codes - Listing

45. Completing and Reviewing ARMPS • Has the ARMP been finalized (all components printed and information verified)? • Run the MU Summary. Verify information. • Run the Location Summary. Verify information.

46. How do we evaluate ARMP data? • Management Criteria • Financial Indicators

47. ARMP Management Criteria/Indicators • “Total Dollars Per SY” • “Bench Dollars per SY” • “Discretionary $’s Per SY” • “Percent in Soft Funds” • “Percent in Outgoing Funds”

48. ARMP Management Criteria/Indicators • 1. “Total Dollars Per SY = Net to Location Dollars Number of SY’s in MU (Cat. 1 & 4) • Rule of Thumb: $250-300,000 per SY for a viable research program • Varies by research program (animal/insect/modeling) • Net to Location Dollars = Permanent and temporary funds available to the MU or CRIS prior to the IRC assessment.

49. ARMP Management Criteria/Indicators • 2. “Bench Dollars per SY” = Total Dollars Net to Location less IRC cost Number of SY’s in MU • Addresses disparity of IRC levels. • Levels the playing field in comparing across research programs • Reflects what level of funding is actually at the bench

50. ARMP Management Criteria/Indicators • 3. “Discretionary $’s Per SY” = Discretionary Costs Number of SY’s in MU (Cat. 1 & 4) • Rule of Thumb: $25,000 Discretionary Dollars per SY • Ensures sufficient operating funds for travel, supplies, etc. to run the research program. • Discretionary Costs = Overtime/premium pay, travel of persons, transportation, printing, other services, RSA non-salary/utilities costs, supplies, miscellaneous services, equipment, non-mandatory extramural agreements, and land & structures. • Fixed Costs = Federal salaries, lump sum leave, promotions, RSA salaries, RSA utilities, support service contracts w/ FTE identified, rent and utilities, repair and maintenance, congressionally-mandated extramurals, IRC, and SRC.