TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Topics | Sections |
| OVERVIEW | 1.1 What is the purpose of this chapter? 1.2 What is the scope of this chapter? 1.3 What is the policy? 1.4 What are the authorities for this chapter and the other chapters in Part 011? |
| RESPONSIBILITIES | 1.5 Who is responsible for the Service Manual? |
| SERVICE MANUAL STRUCTURE | 1.6 How does the Service use the Manual? 1.7 What is the structure structure |
OVERVIEW
1.1 What is the purpose of this chapter? This chapter describes:
A. Who develops the chapters in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) Manual,
B. Who has authority to approve chapters,
C. How we use the Service Manual, and
D. The structure of the Service Manual.
1.2 What is the scope of this chapter? This chapter is applicable to all employees.
1.3 What is the policy? Employees must comply with the requirements in the Service Manual.
1.4 What are the authorities for this chapter and the other chapters in Part 011?
A. Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 552).
B. 381 Departmental Manual (DM) 1, Directives Management.
RESPONSIBILITIES
1.5 Who is responsible for the Service Manual? See Table 1-1.
Table 1-1: Responsibilities for the Service Manual
| These employees... | Are responsible for... |
| A. The Director | (1) Ensuring that policy necessary to achieve the Service mission is in place, (2) Approving new and revised policy, and (3) Delegating approval authority to the Deputy Director or Acting Director, as necessary. |
| B. The Assistant Director – Management and Administration | Overseeing management of the Service Manual. |
| C. Directorate members | (1) Ensuring employees follow the requirements in the Service Manual, and (2) Reviewing and making any necessary comments on revised and new Service Manual chapters (see 011 FW 3, Preparation, Clearance, and Publication of Service Manual Chapters). |
D. The Chief, Policy and Regulations Branch (PRB), in the Division of Policy, Economics, Risk Management, and Analytics | (1) Managing the Service Manual; (2) Assigning Series, Part, and chapter numbers; (3) Working with the responsible divisions and offices to keep chapters up to date; (4) Reviewing chapters to ensure they follow the standards in 011 FW 2, Standards for Format and Text for Service Manual Chapters; (5) Ensuring chapters receive adequate review within the Service and the Department, as appropriate; and (6) Publishing approved Service Manual chapters. |
D. The Chief, Originating Division or Office responsible for the subject matter of the policy (typically in Headquarters) | (1) Identifying the need for and writing and revising chapters; and (2) Making sure that the chapters for which they are responsible: (a) Are consistent with existing Departmental and Service policy, regulations, and law; (b) Conform to the standards described in this chapter and 011 FW 2; (c) Contain correct and relevant information; and (d) Receive adequate review by officials in the Service and the Department, and as appropriate, the public (also see 011 FW 3). |
SERVICE MANUAL STRUCTURE
1.6 How does the Service use the Manual? The Service Manual is a public document that we post on the internet. We use the Service Manual to:
A. Communicate requirements and provide guidance to employees for Service operations; and
B. Explain our organizational structure, authority to perform specific functions, policy, and general procedures.
1.7 What is the structure of the Service Manual? We organize the Service Manual into related subject matter groupings (also see Figure 1-1):
A. Series. A Series is a broad category. We assign each Series a three digit number (for example, the 100 Series is External Relations and Outreach). We subdivide Series into “Parts.”
B. Parts. A Part is a more distinct category of similar chapters, for example, “Public Information” (Part 115) is a Part within the “External Relations and Outreach” Series.
C. Chapters. Each chapter is an internal policy. For example, “Approval for Communications and Outreach Positions” is Chapter 3 in Part 115. The citation for the chapter is 115 FW 3.
