Full document / COSOC-W-86-002 - the National Sea Grant Library

manager can look for a reason for the problem. It might be a lack educa
tion In that area, the cost share rate may be too low (not likely), or It
the specific BHP may not work with the soil type or farming rotation used
or the technical assistance being provided may not understand how to
design the BMP for the area. All of these are questions that could not
have been asked early In a program without a good tracking system, and as
you can see the system only pointed out the potential for a problem and
allowed the manager to make the proper evaluation of the situation.
Summary
In summary, It 1s easy to understand the need for a system that allows
for the accounting of funds being used for NPS program grants. That Is
the normal accounting type of bookkeeping that every agency requires.
However, the need to keep track of the actual location of the BHPs that
are being bought and paid for 1s a little different from our past exper
ience in fundings of sewage treatment plants. The data that can be
collected regarding the contracts and the BHPs in the contracts is very
useful for a manager and may be used to evaluate the many aspects of the
total Implementation program. Not only can the location and effective
ness of the BHPs be tracked, other Items can be investigated such as the
reasons for BHPs being used too an excess or not used at all. It must be
understood that while a tracking system may not be able to answer all our
questions, it can and should cause us to ask questions that we would
otherwise not have reason to ask. A tracking system used In conjunction
with a good, detailed GIS should be able to provide the basic Input data
for evaluation models that are not now being used because of lack of a
good data base. The need for and the uses of a good tracking system make
the time and effort necessary to start and to keep one up to date, small
compared to what can be accomplished with such a system.
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