As we navigate the complexities of our nation's fiscal realities, President Trump and his Administration are working to enhance government efficiency while upholding trust and treaty obligations across Indian Country. Our objective is to streamline operations while minimizing any potential impact on the quality of services provided to Tribes. To that end, Indian Affairs -which includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA), and the Office of the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs seeks to engage directly with federally recognized Tribes to receive formal input on critical needs as we develop plans to implement operational improvements. Indian Affairs and other agencies within the U.S. Department of the Interior (Department) remain committed to fulfilling our responsibilities efficiently and effectively.

On February 11, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) 14210 establishing the "Department of Government Efficiency" Workforce Optimization Initiative, which aims to reform the Federal workforce to maximize efficiency and productivity. Under this directive, each agency is required to develop an Agency Reorganization Plan. In support of this effort, the Department is committed to receiving formal consultation feedback from Tribes regarding the EO and related topics.

  • Restructuring of Indian Affairs to support more efficient interactions with Tribes:
    • In 2013, after a third-party review and extensive consultation, Indian Affairs implemented significant changes to the structure of the agency and how the agency interacts with Tribes. Indian Affairs remains committed to those efforts as well as the efforts of EO 14210 to be more efficient without diminishing the current levels of operational support and services to Tribes.
    • What recommendations would you make to Indian Affairs to improve efficiency through staffing changes, resource sharing, process improvements, and potential consolidation of programs and offices?
  • Addressing current funding structures, including identifying efficiency barriers to expedite funding to Tribes and Tribal programs:
    • Indian Affairs understands that the funding structures and mechanisms for Tribal programs are complicated and include a combination of Tribal Priority Allocations, one-time awards, grant funding, formula funding, and other Federal funding sources. What recommendations would you make to Indian Affairs to improve access to Federal programs, funding, and services?
    • Indian Affairs is seeking input on how to better support Tribes by reducing the administrative burden to access and administer funding, improving communications with Tribes on funding opportunities, and improving technical assistance and direct support to Tribes to obtain and administer funding.
  • Increasing Indian Affairs support for Tribal self-governance and self-determination:
    • The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA; P.L. 93-638, 25
      U.S.C. §§ 5301 et seq.) outlined federal policy on Tribal self-determination. Since the ISDEAA enactment, Congress has authorized the expansion of Tribal self-determination and self-governance across the Federal Government.
    • How can Indian Affairs optimize its functionality and effectiveness to provide Tribes with improved flexibility to foster economic growth, address the specific local needs of their communities, and increase pathways to self-determination and self-governance?

The Department will conduct six (6) in-person/hybrid and one (1) virtual Tribal consultation sessions to accept oral and written comments. Please note the Tribal consultation sessions will be closed to the press and the public to protect any confidential information that may be discussed during the formal consultation sessions.

The Department will also conduct one (1) virtual consultation session for interested parties of the BIE to provide oral and written comments. Parties include but are not limited to: students enrolled at BIE-funded schools, parents of such students, school administrators, school board members, and the Indian communities served by BIE-funded schools. Please note the BIB-specific consultation session will also be closed to the press to protect any confidential information that may be discussed during the formal consultation sessions.

Read the language of EO 14210 on the National Archives Federal Register website. Indian Affairs recommends reviewing the language prior to attending a session or submitting written comments to provide meaningful feedback. Your feedback will help Indian Affairs define the next steps.

We welcome your written comments, which must be submitted either by email to consultation@bia.gov, or by mail to the Department of the Interior, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action, 1001 Indian School Road NW, Suite 229, Albuquerque, NM 87104, by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, July 7, 2025.

If you have any questions regarding the Tribal consultations, please contact Oliver Whaley, Director, Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative Action, by phone at (202) 738-6065 or by email at oliver.whaley@bia.gov.

Resources

Session

  • Session 1

    Virtual and In-Person

    Alaska
    Categorization
    Consultation
    Date
    Tuesday, May 20, 2025
    Time
    10:00am - 3:30pm Alaska
    Location
    Alaska Pacific University Atwood Center, Rasmuson Hall, 2nd floor (Elevators are available.), 4455 University Drive, Anchorage, AK, 99508
  • Session 2

    Virtual and In-Person

    California
    Categorization
    Consultation
    Date
    Thursday, May 22, 2025
    Time
    10:00am - 3:30pm Pacific
    Location
    John E. Moss Federal Building
    Stanford Room
    650 Capital Mall
    Sacramento, CA 95814
    REAL ID required for entry through security.
  • Session 3

    Virtual and In-Person

    New Mexico
    Categorization
    Consultation
    Date
    Tuesday, May 27, 2025
    Time
    10:00am - 3:30pm Mountain Daylight Time
    Location
    Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
    Auditorium
    9169 Coors Blvd NE
    Albuquerque, NM 87121
  • Session 4

    Virtual and In-Person

    Minnesota
    Categorization
    Consultation
    Date
    Thursday, May 29, 2025
    Time
    10:00am - 3:30pm Central
    Location
    Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
    Visitor Center Auditorium
    3815 American Blvd E
    Bloomington, MN 55425
  • Session 5

    Virtual

    BIE Interested Parties - Virtual
    Categorization
    Consultation
    Date
    Friday, May 30, 2025
    Time
    10:00am - 3:30pm Eastern
  • Session 6

    Virtual and In-Person

    Oklahoma
    Categorization
    Consultation
    Date
    Tuesday, June 3, 2025
    Time
    10:00am - 3:30pm Central
    Location
    Supreme Court of Oklahoma
    Judicial Center Auditorium
    2100 North Lincoln
    Oklahoma City, OK 73105
    REAL ID required for entry through security.
  • Session 7

    Virtual and In-Person

    Washington DC
    Categorization
    Consultation
    Date
    Thursday, June 5, 2025
    Time
    10:00am - 3:30pm Eastern
    Location
    U.S. Department of the Interior
    Yates Auditorium
    1849 C Street NW
    Washington, DC 20240
    REAL ID required for entry through security.
  • Session 8

    Virtual

    Virtual Session
    Categorization
    Consultation
    Date
    Friday, June 6, 2025
    Time
    10:00am - 3:30pm Eastern
  • Session 9

    In-Person

    North Dakota
    Categorization
    Consultation
    Date
    Thursday, June 12, 2025
    Time
    10:00am - 3:30pm Central
    Location
    Radisson Hotel Bismarck
    Galleria Ballroom
    605 E Broadway Ave
    Bismarck, ND 58501
    Documents