Continuity of Operations (COOP) Awareness Training

Objectives  Provide an understanding of COOP, COOP terms, and benefits of COOP planning  Explain elements of a viable COOP capability  Provide information about how a COOP event might affect you, your organization, and your family

Training Topics  COOP Definition and Scope  Authority for COOP  COOP Overview  Elements of a Viable COOP Capability  COOP Impacts

COOP: Definition & Scope COOP includes... The activities of individual departments to ensure that their essential functions are performed

COOP: Definition & Scope COOP activities include:  Plans and procedures to ensure that essential functions are performed.  Tests, training, and exercises essential for ensuring a viable COOP capability

COOP Overview: Benefits COOP is a good business practice. It enables agencies to continue their essential functions across a broad spectrum of hazards and emergencies:  Natural  Manmade  Technological  National security emergencies

COOP Overview: Planning Objectives  Ensure continued performance of essential functions  Reduce loss of life/minimize damage  Ensure succession to office of key leadership  Reduce/mitigate disruptions to operations  Protect essential assets  Achieve timely recovery

COOP Overview: Planning Considerations COOP plans must:  Be capable of implementation anytime, with and without warning.  Provide full operational capability for essential functions not later than 12 hours after activation.  Be capable of sustaining operations for up to 30 days.

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability  Plans and Procedures  Essential Functions  Delegations of Authority  Orders of Succession  Alternate Facilities  Interoperable Communications  Vital Records  Human Capital  Provide vital services.

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Essential functions:  Most important planning element  Basis for determining resource requirements:  Staff  Vital information/critical systems  Equipment  Supplies and services  Facilities

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Identifying/Prioritizing Essential Functions  Agencies must determine functions that must be continued in all circumstances.  Essential functions include those that:  Cannot be interrupted for 12 hours.  Must be resumed within 30 days.

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Staff required to support essential functions:  Number  Skills  Experience  Availability  Timing of requirement Staffing

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Delegations of Authority:  To ensure the continued operation of departments/agencies and their essential functions  To ensure rapid response to any emergency situation requiring COOP implementation

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Delegations of Authority specify... Who is authorized to make decisions or act on behalf of the department/agency head and other key personnel for specific purposes during COOP emergencies

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Delegations of Authority Purposes:  Approving emergency policy changes  Approving changes in SOPs  Making personnel management decisions  Approving commitment of resources  Signing contracts

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Alternate Facilities are: Locations, other than the normal facility, used to carry out essential functions in a COOP situation.

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Alternate Facilities Desirable characteristics:  Located at a safe distance from and secured against worst-case and most-likely scenarios  Can be operational in 12 hours or less  Provide sufficient space, equipment, supplies, and services to support COOP personnel in the performance of essential functions

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Alternate Facilities Desirable characteristics:  Supports required communications and IT infrastructures  Provides for food, lodging, health, sanitation, and security needs of COOP personnel on site or nearby

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Interoperable Communications are: Communications that provide the capability to perform essential functions, in conjunction with other agencies and organizations, until normal operations can be resumed.

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Interoperable Communications  Support performance of essential functions  Provide capability to communicate within the organization  Provide connectivity to outside agencies/ stakeholders/clients  Ensure access to data, systems, and services

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Vital Records are: Electronic and hardcopy documents, references, and records needed to support essential functions during a COOP situation. The two basic categories of vital records are:  Emergency operating records.  Legal and financial records.

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Emergency operating records:  Plans and directives  Orders of succession  Delegations of authority  References for performing essential functions Vital Records

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Legal and financial records:  Personnel records  Social Security records  Payroll records  Retirement records  Insurance records  Contract records Vital Records

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Human Capital Management is: The sum of the talent, energy, knowledge, and enthusiasm that people invest in their work.

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Human Capital Management  The right people in the right jobs to perform essential functions  Ensures that all employees have a clear understanding of what to do in an emergency  Includes protocols for identifying/assisting special-needs employees

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Human Capital Management  Invests in training and development to build skills and competencies to increase employee flexibility  Considers alternate assignments for nonemergency employees

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Human Capital Management: Non-essential Members  Tell non-essential members:  Where to go.  What to do.  Include employee accountability procedures  Include recall/activation procedures

Elements of a Viable COOP Capability Tests, training, and exercise program includes: Measures to ensure that an agency’s COOP program is capable of supporting the continued execution of its essential functions throughout the duration of the COOP situation.

COOP Impacts How will a COOP event affect your organization, you, and your family?

COOP Impacts Impact on the Organization:  Leadership  Operations  Security  Communications A viable COOP plan will minimize the adverse impacts of a COOP event!

COOP Impacts You and your family:  Uncertainty  Personal and family security  Job security  Economic well-being A viable COOP plan and a family support plan will minimize the adverse impacts of a COOP event!

COOP Impacts Employee and Family COOP and family support plans should:  Include personnel accountability procedures.  Provide a means for keeping employees informed.  Provide information to all employees so they can develop their family emergency plans.  Provide information about family support services near the alternate site.

COOP Impacts Employee and Family Family emergency plans should include:  Contact and communications information.  Immediate Emergency Checklist:  Medical  Financial  Automobile/Transportation  Legal/Administrative  Important documents

Wrapup Your support of your organization’s COOP program and a good family support plan can minimize adverse impacts and promptly restore normal operations and family life.