News Release Archive

Centennial Job Corps to Remain as Government-Operated Center

Media Contact: Diana Cross , (208) 378-5020
Paul Rachetto

For Release: February 10, 2004

The final decision to retain Centennial Job Corps as a government-operated Center was recently announced by the Bureau of Reclamation. Centennial Job Corps Center, located in Nampa, provides education and training for at-risk students and is administered by Reclamation's Pacific Northwest Regional Office in Boise.

The announcement was made by Reclamation's contracting office after a review using the requirements of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), an agency that assists the President with the federal budget and coordinates the Administration's procurement, financial management, information, and regulatory policies. The study followed requirements in OMB's Circular A-76, which mandates evaluation and comparison of the costs of government-operated activities with the costs of obtaining those same activities from private enterprise.

"I am pleased to announce that the results of this rigorous analysis indicated Reclamation should retain management and operation of Centennial," said Reclamation's Pacific Northwest Regional Director, Bill McDonald. "We are very proud of the good work Centennial has done in the past and look forward to continuing our participation in Job Corps," he continued.

Following the Circular A-76 requirements, the operation of Centennial was offered in a request for proposals published in Federal Business Opportunities (www.fedbizopps.gov). Reclamation staff conducted a review of current operations and developed a cost analysis and proposed a revised management structure. Based on the results of the cost analysis, contracting staff determined that Reclamation could operate Centennial more efficiently than the private sector.

"Although the proposed organizational structure is not much different from the current organization, there will be some changes implemented over the next several months," McDonald noted. "These changes will provide a more efficient and streamlined operation of Centennial," McDonald concluded.

The Centennial Job Corps Center officially opened its doors in October, 1997, replacing the older Marsing Civilian Conservation Corps. Centennial provides education, social skills, and vocational training for up to 300 at-risk students at a time.

Job Corps Centers offer the nation's largest and most comprehensive residential education and job training program. They are funded by the Department of Labor and managed by private contractors and various government agencies. The Centennial Job Corps Center is one of three Civilian Conservation Centers managed by Reclamation's Pacific Northwest Region.

Over the past year, Centennial Job Corps students completed more than $250,000 worth of community projects, such as installing boardwalk and foot bridges at Caldwell's Curtis Park, plastering the exterior of the Head Start building in Garden City, and building the announcing booth at Kuna Athletic Field. In addition, a fire crew provided wildland fire suppression support to the Forest Service and BLM in Idaho, Montana, and Utah. A popular training program, culinary arts, graduated 43 students in the last year.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.