320.1 - Cost Centers

7/24/02

OPR: Office of Administrative Policy and Services

1. Purpose. This chapter designates cost centers, the key USGS organizations for financial purposes, and links these organizations to the USGS organizational structure.

2. Definitions.

A. Cost Centers are the organizations at which indirect costs are collected and managed. Within the USGS, field centers and national centers function as cost centers (see Survey Manual 320.2, Cost Distribution, Section 3.B., Cost Center).

(1) Field Centers (see Appendix A) are the teams, districts, centers, and regional headquarters organizations that carry out USGS programs. Field centers can consist of several organizational units. The heads of teams, districts, and centers report to Regional Executives, who represent the Regional Directors Field center managers are delegated the authority necessary to carry out their responsibilities (see the Delegation series in the Survey Manual, Part 205).

(2) National Centers (see Appendix B) are organizations that support USGS programs on a national scale, enhancing scientific excellence at all levels of the Bureau. National centers can consist of several organizational units. National center managers report to the Associate Directors. National center managers are delegated the authority necessary to carry out their responsibilities (see the Delegation series in the Survey Manual, Part 205).

B. Bureau Centers (see Appendix C) provide broad management, oversight, program direction, and administrative support for the USGS. Bureau centers can consist of several organizational units. Bureau centers are not cost centers and do not collect or manage indirect costs. Bureau center managers are delegated the authority necessary to carry out their responsibilities (see the Delegation series in the Survey Manual, Part 205).

3. Responsibilities.

A. The financial responsibilities of Cost Center Managers include:

(1) Developing an annual budget for both facilities and common services indirect costs.

(2) Establishing, each year, a facilities rate to distribute the cost center's facilities costs to its projects, based on labor costs.

(3) Establishing, each year, a common services rate to distribute the cost center's common services costs to its projects.

(4) Managing facilities and common services costs.

(5) Managing the funds allocated to their organization.

(6) Ensuring that obligations, costs, and expenditures do not exceed the applicable limits.

B. The administrative responsibilities of Bureau Center Managers include:

(1) Managing the funds allocated to their bureau center.

(2) Ensuring that obligations, costs, and expenditures do not exceed the applicable limits.

C. The responsibilities of the Chief Financial Officer include:

(1) Maintaining the list of USGS cost centers and organizations.

(2) With the Office of Personnel, coordinating the list of cost centers with the USGS organizational structure.

4. Process to Add or Delete Cost Centers.

A. An Associate Director or a Regional Director shall submit a change in cost center designation to the Chief Financial Officer.

B. The Chief Financial Officer shall update the list of cost centers each year.

5. Effective Date.

This list of cost centers is effective on October 1, 2002.

Field Centers

Eastern Region:
Florida Integrated Science Center-Gainesville

Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center
Leetown Science Center
National Wildlife Health Center
Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Great Lakes Science Center

Eastern Mineral Resources Team
Eastern Earth Surface Processes Team
Eastern Energy Resources Team
Coastal and Marine Geology Team-Woods Hole
Minerals Information Team
Eastern Publications Support Group

Information Services Team
Regional Investigations Team
Mapping Operations Team
Real-time Land Change Team

Northeast Region:
Connecticut District Office
Illinois District Office
Indiana District Office
Kentucky District Office
Maine District Office
Maryland/Delaware/District of Columbia District Office
Massachusetts/Rhode Island District Office
Michigan District Office
New Hampshire/Vermont District Office
New Jersey District Office
New York District Office
Ohio District Office
Pennsylvania District Office
Virginia District Office
West Virginia District Office
Wisconsin District Office

Southeast Region:
Alabama District Office
Caribbean District Office
Georgia District Office
Mississippi District Office
North Carolina District Office
South Carolina District Office
Tennessee District Office

Central Region:
Fort Collins Science Center
Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Columbia Environmental Research Center
National Wetlands Research Center

Central Mineral Resources Team
Central Energy Resources Team
Central Geologic Hazards Team
Central Earth Surface Processes Team
Crustal Imaging and Characterization Team
Core Research Center
Nuclear Reactor
National Ice Core Laboratory
Publications Support Services Group

Midcontinent Mapping Center
Earth Resource Observation Systems Data Center
Rocky Mountain Mapping Center

Arkansas District Office
Colorado District Office
Iowa District Office
Kansas District Office
Louisiana District Office
Minnesota District Office
Missouri District Office
Montana District Office
Nebraska District Office
New Mexico District Office
North Dakota District Office
Oklahoma District Office
South Dakota District Office
Texas District Office
Wyoming District Office
*Central Region Drilling Unit (WCF)
*Western Region Drilling Unit (WCF)

Western Region:
Alaska Science Center
Western Fisheries Research Center
Pacific Island Ecosystem Research Center
Western Ecological Research Center
Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center

Western Mineral Resources Team
Western Earth Surface Processes Team
Western Coastal and Marine Geology Team
Earthquake Hazards Team
Volcano Hazards Team
Astrogeology Team
Publications Support Services Group

Western Geographic Science Center
Data and Applications Branch
Research and Technology Branch

Arizona District Office
California District Office
Hawaii District Office
Idaho District Office
Nevada District Office
Oregon District Office
Utah District Office
Washington District Office
Cascades Volcano Observatory

Regional Headquarters:
Office of the Regional Biologist-Eastern
Office of the Regional Biologist-Central
Office of the Regional Biologist-Western
Office of the Regional Hydrologist-Northeastern
Office of the Regional Hydrologist-Southeastern
Office of the Regional Hydrologist-Central
Office of the Regional Hydrologist-Western
Office of the Regional Geographer-Eastern
Office of the Regional Geographer-Central
Office of the Regional Geographer-Western
Office of the Regional Geologist-Eastern
Office of the Regional Geologist-Central
Office of the Regional Geologist-Western

* Indicates fee-for-service center

National Centers

Biological Resources
Office of the Associate Director for Biology
Office of the Chief Scientist
Biological Informatics Program
Cooperative Research Program

Water Resources
Office of the Chief Scientist for Hydrology
Office of the Delaware River Master
Office of Information
Office of Ground Water
Office of Surface Water
Office of Water Quality
National Water Quality Assessment Program
National Hydrologic Research Program-Western Region Branch
National Hydrologic Research Program-Central Region Branch
National Hydrologic Research Program-Eastern Region Branch
Branch of Quality Systems
Branch of Geophysical Applications and Support
Yucca Mountain Project Office
*Eastern Region Research Laboratory (WCF)
*Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility (WCF)
*National Water Quality Laboratory (WCF)
*Cartography and Publishing Program (WCF)
*Western Region Research Illustrative Services (WCF)

Geology
Office of the Chief Scientist for Geology
Information Resources Group
International Programs
Mineral Resources Program Office
Saudi Arabia Mission
National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program Office
Energy Resources Program Office
Coastal and Marine Program Office
Earth Surface Dynamics Program Office
Earthquake Hazards Program Office
Volcano Hazards Program Office

National Mapping
Office of the Associate Director for Geography
Office of Partnerships and Business Policy
Systems and Technology Section
Geographic Data Coordination Section
Office of Cooperative Topographic Mapping
Office of Land Remote Sensing
Office of Geographic Analysis and Monitoring

*Indicates fee-for-service center

Bureau Centers

Office of the Director
Office of Budget
Office of Communications
Associate Director-Geography
Associate Director-Geology
Associate Director-Water Resources
Associate Director-Biological Resources
International Program Support
*National Training Center (WCF)
Office of Administrative Policy and Services
Geographic Information Office
Office of Technology Transfer
Office of Human Resources
Library Services
Office of the Regional Director-Eastern
Office of the Regional Director-Central
Office of the Regional Director-Western
Office of Regional Services-Eastern
Office of Regional Services-Central
Office of Regional Services-Western

* Indicates fee-for-service center