The USFWS Southeast Region’s joint Science Applications and Migratory bird program (SAMB) recently launched an effort to optimize operations to best achieve the objectives of the program. This effort developed a decision statement, established an objectives hierarchy, and identify possible measurable attributes to assess progress. The effort has been quite successful and well received, however there remain several task and analyses that will help solidify and complete the decision analysis effort. Here we will test the operability, (i.e., the practical capacity to collect these metrics on a regular basis to assess the state of the program and check progress towards goals). Additionally, SAMB needs the ability to predict the consequences of agency activities with respect to the objectives. This is akin to a system model in an ecological/natural resource management problem solving setting. In an administrative agency setting these tools are subject to less stochastic uncertainty than an ecological model, but still entail significant complexity and administrative constraints. Thus, a system model to transparently show how agency activities affect the metrics of the stated objectives would greatly improve managers’ ability to allocate time, talent, and treasure among the offices and divisions within the SAMB program. Lastly an imperative step in building trust in a decision analysis process and the modeling therein is testing the sensitivity of decisions to uncertainties in the models. This project will address the above referenced tasks associated with further development a structured decision-making framework to facilitate alignment and investments within the southeast SAMB Program.
