16. STANDARD AND DISCRETIONARY CLAUSES.doc

Published in 2003PREFACE The Forest Service has a tradition of partnership as old as the Service itself. In the broad sense, partnership denotes sharing a common interest with the Forest Service in National Forest values and a relationship in pursuit of those common interests. The partnership arena is dynamic. This Desk Guide has been developed as an easy reference tool to help you get started in the right direction as you contemplate on whether or not to partner with another party. Please keep in mind that this is just a guide. It is not meant to replace, supersede or compete with FSM 1580 or FSH 1509.11. The guide provides direction to reference sources. It also may alleviate research, but not eliminate it. Its biggest value may be in helping develop creative thinking about partnerships and what is possible within the authorities now in place. The information provided in this Desk Guide is current up to its 2003 date of publication, but keep in mind that like everything else things change, so always refer back to the appropriate FSM or FSH for any updates to agreement provisions and direction. Quote from Chief Bosworth: “We cannot act alone. The days are gone when we could narrowly focus on national forest land. Today, we need to think strategically on a landscape scale. That means connecting our fuels and forest health treatments to our efforts to help homeowners make their properties firesafe. It means engaging our State and local partners, including our local communities, in deciding what our priorities should be.” OBJECTIVES The objectives of the National Agreements Guide and the associated training program are: Enable field personnel to successfully select the appropriate instrument to accomplish desired work Ensure consistent and accurate implementation of agreements by field units at all levels of the agency Provide convenient, low cost agreements training throughout the Nation ABOUT THIS GUIDE Instructors: Emphasis items, templates and sampl