Inside this issue: 

 OST Attends Outreach Events 2 

MOU with NBC on 

Appraisals 

2 

Quality Service 

Surveys 

3 

Trust Officer 

Orientation 

3 

OST-BIA Issue 

eCommunicator 

3 

Trust Lockbox to be 

Implemented 

4 

RTA Assignments 4 

T he Office of External 

Affairs (OEA) coordinates OST’s P.L. 93-

638 self-determination 

and self-governance activities. Currently, 

tribes have the opportunity to enter into contracts or compacts for 

the OST real estate appraisal and financial 

trust services functions. 

During FY 2004, OEA 

staff worked in cooperation with tribes to initiate new contracts and 

compacts for these functions, to renegotiate current contracts and compacts, and to provide 

technical assistance and 

information to tribes in 

these areas. 

Currently, OST is in the 

final stages of developing 

a Memorandum of Understanding to present to 

those tribes that have 

chosen to contract or 

compact the real estate 

O n August 11, 2004, 

Secretary Norton 

approved the “ToBe” Trust Business 

Model, now called the 

Fiduciary Trust Model 

(FTM), with the exception to the processes 

relating to direct pay for 

individuals that continue 

to be studied. With the 

Secretary’s support for 

reengineered Indian trust 

business processes, 

nationwide implementation will begin. 

The FTM represents a 

comprehensive reengineering of trust business 

processes, consistent 

with the Department’s 

strategic plan for trust 

reform. The business 

processes described in 

the FTM identify how the 

future trust administration will operate. When 

implemented, the FTM 

will transform the current 

trust business processes 

into more efficient, consistent, integrated and 

fiscally responsible business processes that better meet the needs and 

priorities of the beneficiaries. 

For example, when the 

FTM is implemented: 

⇒ Beneficiaries will 

have access to information regarding their trust 

assets via a primary point 

of contact in field locations or a nationwide call 

center.

⇒ Accurate and timely 

land value and ownership 

information will be available.

⇒ A single Adjudication 

Office for Indian probate 

will consolidate and expedite the adjudication and 

hearing process.

⇒ The handling of trust 

funds will be more secure 

and efficient through lockbox operations.

⇒ A funds receivable system will be fully automated, 

notifying employees when 

lease payments are due.

⇒ Automated applications 

and contract forms will standardize and streamline leasing and conveyance procedures.

⇒ Cadastral Surveyors will 

be located in or near BIA 

Regional offices, and a program to develop Certified 

Federal Surveyors will reduce the time and expense 

to acquire federally approved surveys.

Trust Matters 

Secretary Approves Fiduciary Trust Model

A copy of the 

final Fiduciary 

Trust Model is 

available on the 

OST web site at 

www.ost.doi.gov

Department of the 

Interior—Office 

of the Special 

Trustee for 

American Indians 

October 2004 

Volume 4, Issue 1 

Self-Determination / Self-Governance Update 

appraisal function for FY 

2005. 

When the MOU is completed, OEA will contact 

each tribe with a current 

contract or compact to present and discuss the MOU. 

The MOU outlines the proposed roles and responsibilities that the tribe and OST 

will agree to in the performance of the function. OEA 

looks forward to working 

with the tribes on this matter. 
NBC will provide assistance for appraisal workload management, and 

will ensure consistent standards of 

performance. NBC will serve as a 

resource to address regional appraisal 

backlogs, and will promote continued 

training and certification among OST 

appraisal staff. 

Mr. Holly looks forward to meeting 

OAS staff and working closely with 

them and the tribes to support valuations of Indian trust assets. 

E ffective October 1, 2004, the OST 

Office of Appraisal Services 

(OAS) is now under the management 

of the National Business Center (NBC) 

Appraisal Services Directorate. A 

Memorandum of Understanding to 

this effect authorizes NBC to provide 

workload management services to 

OAS in support of Indian land appraisals. Mr. Brian Holly, Chief Appraiser for NBC, will oversee OAS. 

The MOU will support and enhance 

the independence of OST appraisers. 

This agreement is geared toward 

meeting the highest standards of professional appraisal practice while providing services to Indian trust beneficiaries in a cost-effective, timely manner. Under the MOU, OST appraisers 

remain OST staff and will stay in their 

current locations. 

Indian preference for hiring appraiser 

positions will continue. OST also retains control of the budget. Tribes 

will continue to have the ability to 

contract and compact with OST for the 

appraisal function through Public Law 

93-638. 

O ST Field Operations staff were 

busy this summer attending 

meetings and pow-wows, and using 

these tribal gatherings as opportunities to provide information to 

Indian trust beneficiaries about 

OST. Among other outreach 

activities conducted, OST Trust 

Officers and staff provided an 

informative presence at the 

Anadarko Indian Exposition, 

Tulsa and Pawnee pow-wows 

and the Navajo Nation Fair. 

Representatives from the 

Southern Plains and Eastern 

Oklahoma Regional Offices, 

Pawnee and Osage Agencies, 

Shawnee office, and the Trust 

Officers from the Osage Agency 

and Tulsa Office attended and 

provided staffing for an outreach booth at the Tulsa Intertribal Club Pow-wow held 

August 13-15. The long hours 

OST staff worked at this event 

paid off with a significant number of 

beneficiary updates made to OST information. OST staff collected between 50-75 updates to address information and even made contact with 

five accountholders that previously 

had been presumed to have been deceased. Beneficiaries updated their 

own information, and used their cell 

Page 2 Trust Matters 

OST Attends Outreach Events

phones to call additional individuals 

who needed to update their account 

information as well. 

OST employees distributed office 

business cards, pens, OST newsletters 

and surveys, so visitors could continue 

to learn from our materials after they 

left the booth. Through these efforts, 

people across the state of Oklahoma 

became aware of the services and 

responsibilities of OST. The assistance received from both the Southern 

Plains and Eastern Oklahoma offices 

was valuable in answering the variety 

 MOU Signed with NBC for OST Appraisal Management 

of questions presented. 

OST also had a strong and valuable 

presence at the Navajo Nation Fair, 

held this year from September 8-12. 

Many people visited the OST 

booth, and some 1,800 visitors requested that OST check 

their account status, update 

their address, or see if they 

had an account. Twentythree beneficiaries whose 

whereabouts had been 

unknown were identified. 

And, through the efforts of 

OST staff, one person 

became aware of a significant 

inheritance that was previously unknown to her. 

Employees and contractors 

assisted in staffing the booth, 

distributing OST cups, pens, 

newsletters and contact information. 

The efforts of OST and contractor staff in attending these events 

represent our commitment to working 

with beneficiaries to provide important information and services to 

them. 

Thanks to all who participated in 

these successful events. 

OST Employees pose for a photo with the winner of the Pendleton “Circle of Life” 

blanket raffle. Left to right: Judi Hill, Stephanie Hinman, Steve Milligan, Fidelas 

Davis (Blanket Winner), Samantha Peters, and Dresdyn Hinman (OST helpers), and 

Nancy Peters. 
I n July and August, a comprehensive, three week orientation program for newly-hired Fiduciary Trust 

Officers, Regional Trust Administrators and Deputy Superintendents for Trust was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. OST and 

the Bureau of Indian Affairs 

(BIA) sponsored this orientation 

session for individuals who have 

filled key positions within our 

organizations to guide the implementation and success of the 

Department’s Trust Initiatives for 

the 21st Century. 

Participants included 6 Regional 

Fiduciary Trust Administrators, 

18 Fiduciary Trust Officers and 6 

Deputy Superintendents for 

Trust, which represents about 

one-fourth of the total new trust 

positions within OST and BIA that will be 

filled over the next fiscal year. These 

employees share the responsibility for 

I n conjunction with the placement of 

new Fiduciary Trust Officers (FTOs) 

in agency and regional office locations, 

OST is sending Quality Service Survey 

Questionnaires to Individual Indian 

Money (IIM) account holders serviced 

by the respective 

agency or region. 

The purpose of the 

survey is to establish a baseline, or 

current, measurement of the level of 

beneficiary satisfaction with OST when 

an FTO is placed in 

a field location. 

Additional surveys 

will be sent in the 

future to gather 

results that will be 

compared against 

this baseline data, 

so that improvements in services by 

OST can be measured and evaluated. 

The questionnaire focuses on the frequency of beneficiary visits and contacts with OST, and inquires about the 

primary purpose of the visit or contact. 

The beneficiary is asked to rank their 

level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction 

with the service OST provided. In ad-

 Orientation for Trust Officers 

Quality Surveys Gauge OST Services 

Volume 4, Issue 1 Page 3 

OST-BIA Quarterly 

e-Communicator 

O ST and BIA employees now 

have another way to access 

current information on projects 

and events of mutual interest to 

our organizations. The MIT Communications Group, co-chaired by 

Doug Lords, OST Deputy Special 

Trustee—Field Operations and Ed 

Parisian, BIA Director of the Office 

of Indian Education Programs, has 

created an electronic newsletter 

accessible to employees from their 

computers. 

The e-Communicator is published 

quarterly and includes short articles and bulletins on the progress 

and status of trust reform projects 

and other mutual items of interest. 

The e-Communicator also includes 

a three-month e-Calendar of events 

that employees can review for planning and participation purposes. 

Check out the second issue of the eCommunicator, published October 

4, 2004, and let us know what you 

think. Any ideas for items to include in the future, or events to list 

on the calendar are welcome. 

Please email or call them in to Carrie Moore (202) 208-4866 or Pat 

Gerard (505) 816-1313, with the 

OST Office of External Affairs. 

protecting and administering the assets 

that are held in trust by the US government for Indian tribes and individuals. 

They are responsible for working 

cooperatively to ensure that trust 

beneficiaries are receiving accurate and timely delivery of products and services. 

The orientation included guest 

presentations, panel discussions 

and activities. Some of the subjects covered included federal 

Indian law and policy, federal 

legislation, Trust Initiatives for the 

21st Century, cultural diversity, 

beneficiary expectations and 

team building, as well as day-today activities in BIA and OST 

such as personnel, budget, trust 

accounting, trust systems, records and reporting. 

Participants at the Trust Officers and Deputy Superintendent for Trust Orientation 

Training included (left to right):Front row: Roy Smith, Bob Upton, Leroy Chase, Jim 

James, Second row: Gloria Spybuck, Vicki McCoy, Florence WhiteEagle, Bonnie 

Paquin, Cathy Rugen, Stephen Milligan, Elizabeth Sparks, Virginia Moore, Robin 

Phillips, Melissa Currey. Third row: Lynn Engdahl, Cliff Hall, Tom Reynolds, Mel 

Burch, Grant Stafne, Robert Craff, Henry Ware, Herb Sakalauks, John Roach, Neil 

Eldridge, Lynnette Verlanic, Ed Lone Fight, Curtis Towery. 

dition, the questionnaires include 

blank space for the beneficiaries to 

provide written comments. 

Information reported by beneficiaries 

will be a valuable tool to help improve 

the delivery of trust services at the local 

level. Responses 

received are 

scanned and tallied for OST use. 

Written comments 

are also reviewed 

so that the FTOs 

can personally 

address matters 

that need additional attention. 

The response rate 

to the survey has 

been impressive. 

As of July, individual mailings had 

been sent to 26,694 account holders in 

five locations (Anadarko, Concho, 

Pima, Puget Sound, and Eastern Oklahoma). Some 2,331 responses have 

been received—almost a 9% response 

rate. 

In August, OST mailed 6,165 additional 

questionnaires to the Taholah, Great 

Lakes, Makah, and Olympic Agencies. 

This graph displays the levels of satisfaction with services for 

the 217 Concho Agency accountholders who responded to 

the Quality Service Survey. The majority of respondents 

were “very satisfied” with OST services. 
3. Tom Reynolds: Northwest and 

Alaska Regions 

4. Cathy Rugen: Navajo and 

Western Regions 

5. Vicki McCoy: Eastern Oklahoma and Pacific Regions 

6. Robert Upton: Rocky Mountain and Midwest Regions 

O 

ST has six Regional Trust Administrators (RTAs) on 

Board. The RTAs oversee and coordinate fiduciary trust activities 

nationwide. They are: 

1. Melvin Burch: Southern Plains 

and Southwest Regions 

2. Jim James: Great Plans and 

Eastern Regions 

Department of the Interior 

1849 C Street, NW, Suite 5140 

Washington, DC 20240 

Phone: 202-208-4866 

Fax: 202-208-7545 

Department of the Interior—Office 

of the Special Trustee for 

American Indians 

OST Regional Trust Administrators 

Trust Payment Lockbox to be Implemented 

T he Department is taking action to implement a “lockbox” for receiving and processing trust asset payments using a state of the art approach that 1) speeds deposits, 2) provides timely receipt of funds information, and 3) reduces risk of theft or loss. 

The Department will use a commercial lockbox service to receive, process, 

and deposit all surface lease remittances by the end of 2005. The expected roll out schedule will be: 

 01/15/05 First Pilots - Anadarko and Concho Agencies 

09/15/05 50 agencies will be using the lockbox 

12/21/05 All agencies will be using the lockbox 

The benefits of the lockbox for Indian beneficiaries will be to streamline 

collections from receipt of funds through the disbursement of funds, 

thereby reducing the processing cycle time. This efficiency will meet the 

24 hour deposit requirement, resulting in increased interest earnings. 

Disbursements will be more timely and accurate and will be based on 

certified ownership.