Service First - FAQ's

Q: What is Service First?
A: Service First is a way of partnering across agency boundaries to manage the land in an integrated way and provide quality service to the public.

Q: Who are the Service First Agencies?
A: Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and U.S. Forest Service.

Q: What are the goals of Service First?
A:

1. Improved customer service
2. Increased operational efficiency
3. Improved stewardship of the land

Q: Is Service First just a pilot?
A: No. The Consolidated Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2012 made the Service First authority permanent (Public Law 112-74). The National Service First Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been extended and new agreements may go forward.

Q: Why is Service First relevant to me?
A: Service First grants the four agencies the authority to work together and provide service to the public on a nearly every issue. Service First eliminated the overhead cost of doing business with the other agencies. People across the country have found creative solutions to problems and ways to work together that can be expanded to other locations.

Q: What are the benefits of Service First?
A: The public does not differentiate between federally managed lands. They believe public lands should be managed with their needs in mind, irrespective of administrative boundaries.
Service First activities help you make better informed decisions. For example, working with specialists from other agencies creates additional perspectives. Service First often improves communication, especially when both agencies are collocated under the same roof.

Q: How can I learn about the successes of Service First?
A: Read these success stories to learn more about where and how Service First is being practiced.