The Obama administration has scheduled another tribal consultation session to talk about contract support costs and has extended a deadline for comments on the matter.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service have agreed to fully fund support costs for self-determination contracts in fiscal year 2014. But Congress has directed the agencies to submit a work plan by May 17 in response to tribal concerns.

The first consultation was held in Washington, D.C., on March 11. The next one will take place on May 6 in Arlington, Virginia, in conjunction with the 2014 Tribal Self Governance Annual Consultation Conference, according to a notice published in today's issue of the Federal Register.

The BIA and IHS are also accepting comments until July 31.

Federal Register Notices:
Contract Support Costs (April 8, 2014)
Contract Support Costs (February 21, 2014)

Relevant Documents:
FY14 Omnibus Text & Joint Explanatory Statement | Detailed Omnibus Summary | Subcommittee Allocations

Supreme Court Decisions:
Salazar v. Ramah Navajo Chapter (June 18, 2012)
Cherokee Nation v. Leavitt:
Cherokee Nation v. Leavitt (March 1, 2005)

Related Stories:
Mark Begich: Pay back tribes for overdue contract support costs (03/03)
BIA and IHS schedule consultation about contract support costs (02/21)
BIA and IHS agree to fully fund contract support costs for 2014 (2/18)
Budget bill urges solution to contract support cost battle (01/15)