USDA Forest Service Centralizes Business Operations

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced that the Forest Service is undertaking the most significant change to its business practices since its founding in 1905 by centralizing many of its business operations, including human capital management, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"Centralizing the Forest Service's administrative services makes good common sense and aligns with the President's goal of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of government programs, " said Johanns. "This change enables the Forest Service to redirect crucial funds from administrative functions back to mission-critical programs."

Agriculture Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Mark Rey, U.S. Senator Pete Domenici and Congresswoman Heather Wilson today joined Johanns at the Forest Service's Albuquerque Service Center (ASC) to tour the facility.

The facility occupies 92,455 square feet in a 3-story building located near Interstate 25, north of downtown Albuquerque. The Service Center currently has 109 employees providing human resource services to 4,530 Forest Service employees. By September 2007, the center will have 360 employees located in Albuquerque serving approximately 39,000 Forest Service employees.

The Forest Service is expecting approximately 100 positions at the Albuquerque center to be made available for employment opportunities in the near future. Additional information about the positions, qualifications and on-line applications may be found at the Office of Personnel Management website at: https://www.usajobs.gov/