5. Reviews and Technical Assistance Trips

Reviews will be conducted in accordance with Forest Service Manual (FSM) 1460.

Cooperative Management Reviews (CMR): These reviews cover the States' overall cooperative forestry assistance programs. A review will address such areas as forest resource management; forest health protection; fire protection; overall organizational and administrative issues, concerns, and opportunities; grants financial management; and compliance with Title VI civil rights legislation. The functional areas, such as fire protection, usually address program concerns of a general nature. Top line officers of the State forester's organization and the Forest Service Regional and Area organizations normally conduct these reviews with assistance from their selected staff officers, as needed. The reviews are normally conducted at 5 yearintervals.

Cooperative Program Reviews (CPR): The Forest Service will work with the States to review their overall CFP programs. These reviews are usually much more detailed with respect to specific programs than CMR's. CFP Program Reviews should focus on administration, concerns and effectiveness of the VFA, RFPC, Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention (CFFP), and FEPP programs. The reviews are conducted as a team effort and usually involve the State fire supervisor, the responsible Forest Service cooperative fire protection administrator and other selected State and Federal staff members.

Technical Assistance and Service Trips

The Forest Service provides technical assistance to State foresters as needed to improve particular aspects of fire protection programs. These areas of concern have often been previously identified during cooperative management or program reviews; or States may need help in addressing new issues. These assistance trips are usually requested by the States and involve the State and Forest Service managers responsible for the area of concern (VFA Coordinator, FEPP Manager, etc.).

6. Records Retention and Access

Records retention and access requirements for State and local governments (State forester's office, municipal fire departments and fire districts) is covered in 7 CFR 3016.42 (see Appendix F). For nonprofit RFD's this material is contained in 7 CFR 3019 (see Appendix G). The contents of these paragraphs are similar. The regulations apply to all financial and programmatic records, supporting documents, statistical records, equipment records, and other records of grantees and subgrantees.

The length of the retention period for records is generally 3 years. However, if any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit, or other action involving the records has been initiated prior to the end of the 3-year period, the records shall be kept until all issues are resolved or until the end of the 3-year period, whichever is later.

When USDA grant support is continued or renewed at annual or other intervals, the 3 year-retention period of each funding period starts on the day the recipient submits to USDA its annual or final expenditure report for that period. This section applies to the records retention starting date for most VFA records.

For "equipment" (and real property) the three-year retention period starts from the date of the equipment's disposition, replacement, or transfer at the direction of the awarding agency.

Fire departments may retain custody of the records for their equipment and supply purchases but they must make the records available for audits and for other management purposes.