Tribal Consultation on Indian Affairs Workforce Efficiency and Productivity - EO 14210

Dear Tribal Leader:

As we navigate the complexities of our nation's fiscal realities, President Trump and his Administration are working to enhance government efficiency while upholding trust and treaty obligations across Indian Country. Our objective is to streamline operations while minimizing any potential impact on the quality of services provided to Tribes. To that end, Indian Affairs -which includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA), and the Office of the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs seeks to engage directly with federally recognized Tribes to receive formal input on critical needs as we develop plans to implement operational improvements. Indian Affairs and other agencies within the U.S. Department of the Interior (Department) remain committed to fulfilling our responsibilities efficiently and effectively.

On February 11, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) 14210 establishing the "Department of Government Efficiency" Workforce Optimization Initiative, which aims to reform the Federal workforce to maximize efficiency and productivity. Under this directive, each agency is required to develop an Agency Reorganization Plan. In support of this effort, the Department is committed to receiving formal consultation feedback from Tribes regarding the EO and related topics, including:

• Restructuring of Indian Affairs to support more efficient interactions with Tribes:
  • In 2013, after a third-party review and extensive consultation, Indian Affairs implemented significant changes to the structure of the agency and how the agency interacts with Tribes. Indian Affairs remains committed to those efforts as well as the efforts of EO 14210 to be more efficient without diminishing the current levels of operational support and services to Tribes.
  • What recommendations would you make to Indian Affairs to improve efficiency through staffing changes, resource sharing, process improvements, and potential consolidation of programs and offices?
• Addressing current funding structures, including identifying efficiency barriers to expedite funding to Tribes and Tribal programs:
  • Indian Affairs understands that the funding structures and mechanisms for Tribal programs are complicated and include a combination of Tribal Priority Allocations, one-time awards, grant funding, formula funding, and other Federal funding sources. What recommendations would you make to Indian Affairs to improve access to Federal programs, funding, and services?
  • Indian Affairs is seeking input on how to better support Tribes by reducing the administrative burden to access and administer funding, improving communications with Tribes on funding opportunities, and improving technical assistance and direct support to Tribes to obtain and administer funding.
• Increasing Indian Affairs support for Tribal self-governance and self-determination:
  • The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA; P.L. 93-638, 25
    U.S.C. §§ 5301 et seq.) outlined federal policy on Tribal self-determination. Since the ISDEAA enactment, Congress has authorized the expansion of Tribal self-determination and self-governance across the Federal Government.
  • How can Indian Affairs optimize its functionality and effectiveness to provide Tribes with improved flexibility to foster economic growth, address the specific local needs of their communities, and increase pathways to self-determination and self-governance?

The Department will conduct six (6) hybrid, one (1) in-person, and one (1) virtual Tribal consultation sessions to accept oral and written comments. Please note the Tribal consultation sessions will be closed to the press and the public to protect any confidential information that may be discussed during the formal consultation sessions.

The Department will also conduct one (1) virtual consultation session for interested parties of the BIE to provide oral and written comments. Parties include but are not limited to: students enrolled at BIE-funded schools, parents of such students, school administrators, school board members, and the Indian communities served by BIE-funded schools. Please note the BIB-specific consultation session will also be closed to the press to protect any confidential information that may be discussed during the formal consultation sessions.

We look forward to hearing from you at one or more of the following sessions:

CONSULTATION - ALASKA

• Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. -3:30 p.m. Alaska Daylight Savings Time
• Virtual: Zoom registration
• In-person: Alaska Pacific University Atwood Center
  • Rasmuson Hall on the 2nd floor
  • 4455 University Drive
  • Anchorage, AK 99508

CONSULTATION - CALIFORNIA

• Thursday, May 22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. -3:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Savings Time
• Virtual: Zoom registration
• In-person: John E. Moss Federal Building
  • Stanford Room
  • 650 Capital Mall
  • Sacramento, CA 95814
  • Federal Building will require REAL ID and security requirements for building entrance.

CONSULTATION - ALBUQUERQUE

• Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. -3:30 p.m. Mountain Daylight Savings Time
• Virtual: Zoom registration
• In-person: Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
  • Auditorium
  • 9169 Coors Blvd NE
  • Albuquerque, NM 87121

CONSULTATION - MINNESOTA

• Thursday, May 29, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. -3:30 p.m. Central Daylight Savings Time
• Virtual: Zoom registration
• In-person: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
  • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
  • Visitor Center Auditorium
  • 3815 American Blvd E
  • Bloomington, MN 55425

CONSULTATION - VIRTUAL - BIE INTERESTED PARTIES

• Friday, May 30, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time
• Virtual: Zoom registration

CONSULTATION - OKLAHOMA

• Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at 10:00 –3:30 p.m. Central Daylight Savings Time
• Virtual: Zoom registration
• In-person: Supreme Court of Oklahoma
  • Judicial Center Auditorium
  • 2100 North Lincoln
  • Oklahoma City, OK 73105
  • Federal Building will require REAL ID and security requirements for building entrance.

CONSULTATION - WASHINGTON, DC

• Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. -3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time
• Virtual: Zoom registration
• In-person: U.S. Department of the Interior
  • Yates Auditorium
  • 1849 C Street NW
  • Washington, DC 20240
  • Federal Building will require REAL ID and security requirements for building entrance.

CONSULTATION - VIRTUAL

• Date: Friday, June 6, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time
• Virtual: Zoom registration

CONSULTATION - NORTH DAKOTA

• Thursday, June 12, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. -3:30 p.m. Central Daylight Savings Time
• Registration - No virtual option
• In-person: United Tribes Technical College
  • Multi-Purpose Room
  • 3315 University Drive
  • Bismarck, ND 58504

The language of EO 14210 is located at https://tinyurl.com/3x5rzk6u. Indian Affairs recommends reviewing the language prior to attending a session or submitting written comments to provide meaningful feedback. Your feedback will help Indian Affairs define the next steps.

We welcome your written comments, which must be submitted either by email to consultation@bia.gov, or by mail to the Department of the Interior, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action, 1001 Indian School Road NW, Suite 229, Albuquerque, NM 87104, by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, July 7, 2025.

If you have any questions regarding the Tribal consultations, please contact Oliver Whaley, Director, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action, by phone at (202) 738-6065 or by email at oliver.whaley@bia.gov.

Dear Tribal Leader Letter from the United States Department of Interior
DO 14210