Contract Support

The Indian Self-Determination Act represents the cornerstone of this nation’s federal policy toward tribes for more than one quarter of a century. Under the Indian Self-Determination Act the United States enters into inter-governmental contracts with Tribes under which Tribes administer federal trust programs, either through contracts or self-governance compacts, for the benefit of tribal members. In amending the 1975 Act Congress in 1988 observed that the single greatest impediment to successful implementation of the Indian Self-Determination Policy was the consistent failure of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and of the Indian Health Service to pay full fixed contract support costs associated with the administration of transferred programs. Congress recognized that the failure of the BIA and IHS to pay full fixed contract support costs has often led to reductions in programs, amounting to partial termination of the federal government’s trust responsibility. Historically contract support cost shortfalls have penalized Tribes in the exercise of their self-determination rights under the law. Contract support costs are the key to self-determination for tribes—these funds ensure that tribes have the resources that any contractor would require to successfully manage decentralized programs. Tribal leaders across Indian Country have repeatedly emphasized the importance of fully funding contract support costs.

NCAI Activities and News Items

• NCAI FY 2009 Budget Request for Indian Country (calls for full funding of CSC for tribes)
• NCAI Testimony to the Senate Committe on Indian Affairs on the President's Budget for FY 2009
• Contract Support Fund Distribution, Office of Indian Services presentation to the BIA/Tribal Budget Advisory Council, December 3, 2007
• NCAI Broadcast, March 7, 2005, "U.S. Supreme Court Issues Opinion on Contract Support Case"
• NCAI Testimony to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on S. 2172, The Tribal Contract Support Cost Technical Amendments of 2004
• NCAI Letter to Senators and House Members Encouraging Introduction of Contract Support Legislation (11/07/03)
• NCAI Final Report on Contract Support Costs, July 1999

Links

• Draft BIA Fiscal Year 2007 CSC Shortfall Report
• BIA Contract Support Costs Policy, May 8, 2006
• DOI Assoc. Dep. Sec'y Cason's 08-25-06 transmittal letter with interim rule
• BIA Office of Self-Governance, Contract Support Costs Information 
• Federal Circuit Court of Appeals Holds U.S. Liable to Cherokee Nation
• GAO Report, "Shortfalls in Indian Contract Support Costs Need to Be Addressed" GAO/RCED-99-150 Indian Contract Support Costs

 Documents

• Third Partial Settlement Agreement Settling All Claims for Equitable Relief- http://www.rncsettlement.com/ramah_iii.html
• Draft Bill Pertaining to Determination and Payment of 'Contract Support Costs' (12/09/03)
• Ramah, et al. v. Norton, et al., second part settlement agreement (9/3/02)
• IHS Contract Support Cost Fact Sheet (11/2/03)
• IHS Overview of Contract Support Costs (2008 Narrative)
• IHS – 1997 CSC Report to Congress – Cost Escalation
• IHS - Tribal Shares Transfer Policy – June 16 1997 DTL Letter
• GAO Report - Shortfalls in Indian CSCs Need to be Addressed (1999)
• IHS Letter to Congressman Regula Regarding IHS CSC Allocation Methodologies (March 8, 2000)
• IHS - CSC LNF Workgroup Report (January 24, 2001)
• IHS - CSC Pilot Project Final Recommendations (May 2001)
• IHS - CSC Pilot Instructions to Area Offices (August 2001)
• IHS - CSC CDA CLAIMS Process - (Signed 9-8-05)
• IHS - CSC  In  Budget  Formulation (2008 SG Conference) (.xls)
  
• IHS - ISD Request Form - ODSCT-ISD-09-XX-FORM  (Updated 10-20-2009)
• IHS - IDC Type Cost Negotiation Form - BLANK
• IHS - CSC Common Language proposed for FY 2005 Contracts and Compacts
• IHS - CSC Common Language proposed for FY 2010 Contracts and Compacts
• BIA - Choctaw Schools Decision Criteria per C Bryant Rogers (10-25-10)
• Congressional Letter to President Obama - Requesting budget increase for FY 2011 (September 29 2009)
• Congressional Letter to President Obama - Requesting budget increase for FY 2013 (September 28 2011)

Ramah Indirect Costs Class Settlement Training Information

• 2009 Ramah Indirect Costs Class Settlement Training Session Information

Litigation Developments

• Decision in Cherokee Nation v. Leavitt, et al., dated March 1, 2005
• NCAI Press Release regarding the Decision issued in Cherokee
• Opinion and Order in Shoshone-Bannock v. Leavitt, dated December 13, 2005
• Memorandum Opinion and Order in Ramah Navajo Chapter v. Norton, dated August 31, 2006
• Order in Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation v. DHHS, dated December 6, 2007
• Memorandum Opinion and Order in Pueblo of Zuni v. United States, et al., dated May 22, 2007
• Memorandum Opinion and Order in Southern Ute Indian Tribe v. Leavitt, dated June at, 2007
• Memorandum Opinion and Order in Southern Ute Indian Tribe v. Leavitt, dated October 18, 2007
• Memorandum Opinion and Order in Ramah Navajo School Board, Inc. v. Leavitt, dated February 6, 2008

Regulatory Activities

• BIA CSC Policy (NPM-SELD-1) Transmittal Letter - August 25, 2006
• BIA National Policy Memorandum on Contract Support Costs (NPM-SELD-1)
• BIA FY 2007 CSC Process (Letter from Pat Ragsdale)
• DOI Overview of FY 2007 CSC appropriation
• IHS FY 2007 CSC Shortfall Report to Congress - Narrative and Data
• IHS CSC Policy - Indian Health Manual - Part 6, Chapter 3 (Excerpt covering CSC)
• Indian Self-Determination Memo No. 92-2
• IHS Circular No. 1996-04
• IHS Circular No. 2000-01
• IHS Circular No. 2001-05
• IHS Circular No. 2004-03

Contract Support Costs Data

• BIA FY2007 Contract Support Shortfall Report DRAFT
• BIA FY2007 Actual CSF Distribution
• BIA FY 2009 CSC Shortfall Report to Congress - 2009 data (11-18-2010)
• BIA FY 2010 CSC Shortfall Report to Congress - 2010 data only
• IHS – CSC History 1993 – 2012 data (March 30 2010)
• IHS - CSC Projections FY 1999 - FY 2015 (1999 - 2010)
• IHS FY 1995 CSC Shortfall Report – FY 1994 data
• IHS FY 1996 CSC Shortfall Report – FY 1995 data
• IHS FY 1997 CSC Shortfall Report – FY 1996 data
• IHS FY 1998 CSC Shortfall Report – NO 1997 data
• IHS FY 1999 CSC Shortfall Report – FINAL 1998 data
• IHS FY 2000 CSC Shortfall Report – FINAL 1999 data
• IHS FY 2001 CSC Shortfall Report – FINAL 2000 data
• IHS FY 2002 CSC Shortfall Report – FINAL 2001 data
• IHS FY 2003 CSC Shortfall Report – Preliminary 2002 data
• IHS FY 2004 CSC Shortfall Report – Preliminary 2003 data
• IHS FY 2005 CSC Shortfall Report – Preliminary 2004 data
• IHS FY 2006 CSC Shortfall Report – FINAL 2005 data
• IHS FY 2007 CSC Shortfall Report - FINAL 2006 data
• IHS FY 2008 CSC Shortfall Report - FINAL 2007 data
• IHS FY 2009 CSC Shortfall Report - FINAL 2008 data
• IHS FY 2010 CSC Shortfall Report – FINAL 2009 data
• IHS FY 2011 CSC Shortfall Reports from IHS Areas – Area FY 2010 data
• IHS – Data Comparison 1993 – 2009 – Historical View of IHS Program and CSC funding in Tribal Contracts (Charts)
• IHS – IDC Rate Comparison 1998 – 2008 – Large Programs vs Small Programs
• IHS – IDC Rate Comparison 1998 – 2008 – Title I vs Title III & V Programs
• IHS 02-29-08 Contract Support Cost History - Spreadsheet depicting history of CSC funding and shortfall data 1999 - 2009, and graphs of that data
• IHS FY 1998 CSC Data - FY 1999 Proposed CSC Distribution (September 17, 1999)

General Links to CSC Websites

• Pueblo of Zuni CSC Class Website
• Ramah class Website

Congressional Activities

• Letters of support sent to congressional leaders by Tribes and Tribal Organizations
• Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee
• Three Affiliated Tribes
• Alaska
• Cherokee
• Choctaw

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