# Notice of Deadline for Submitting Completed Requests To Begin Participation in the Tribal Self-Governance Program in Fiscal Year 2027 or Calendar Year 2027
**AGENCY:**
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
**ACTION:**
Notice of deadline for request to participate.
**SUMMARY:**
In this notice, the Office of Self-Governance (OSG) establishes deadlines for Indian Tribes/Consortia to submit completed requests to begin participation in the Tribal self-governance program in fiscal year 2027 or calendar year 2027.
**DATES:**
Completed fiscal year requests to participation must be received by April 4, 2026, and completed calendar year applications must be received by July 5, 2026. For a Tribe not presently participating in self-governance to be selected, the Tribe/Consortium may submit a request to the Director at any time, but no later than 180 days before the proposed effective date of the funding agreement ( *e.g.,* October 1, January 1, or such other date as the parties agree).
**ADDRESSES:**
Requests from a Tribe/Consortium for participation in self-governance should be sent to Jason Bruno, Director, Office of Self-Governance, Department of the Interior, Mail Stop 4146-MIB, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Vickie Hanvey, Office of Self Governance, *[email protected];* (918) 931-0745. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
Under the Tribal Self-Governance Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-413), as amended by the Practical Reforms and Other Goals to Reinforce the Effectiveness of Self-Governance and Self-Determination Act (PROGRESS Act) and 25 U.S.C. 5362(c) of the PROGRESS Act, the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office of Self-Governance, may select not more than 50 new Indian Tribes per year from those eligible tribes. The requests for participation deadline listed in the *DATES* section is predicated upon providing the parties enough time to complete funding agreement negotiations in advance of the FY or CY start date of the 2027 funding agreement. The PROGRESS Act mandates that copies of the funding agreements be sent at least 90 days before the proposed effective date to each Tribe that is served by the Bureau of Indian Affairs' agency that is serving the Tribe that is a party to the funding agreement. Initial negotiations with a Tribe/Consortium located in a region and/or agency which has not previously been involved with self-governance negotiations will take approximately 2 months from start to finish. Agreements for an October 1 to September 30 funding year need to be signed and submitted by July 3. Agreements for a January 1 to December 31 need to be signed and submitted by October 3.
**Purpose of Notice**
To be eligible to participate in self-governance under 25 U.S.C. 5362(c), an Indian Tribe shall:
(1) successfully complete the planning phase described in subsection (d);
(2) request participation in self-governance by resolution or other official action by the Tribal governing body; and
(3) demonstrate for the 3 fiscal years preceding the date on which the Tribe requests participation, fiscal stability and financial management capability as evidenced by the Indian Tribe having no uncorrected significant and internal audit exceptions in the required annual audit of its self-determination or self-governance agreements with any Federal agency.
An Indian Tribe seeking to begin participation in self-governance shall complete the planning phase. The planning phase shall:
(A) be conducted to the satisfaction of the Indian Tribe; and
(B) include:
(i) legal and budgetary research; and
(ii) internal Tribal governing planning, training, and organizational preparation.
The regulations at 25 CFR 1000.115 to 1000.200 will be used to govern the request and selection process for Tribes/Consortia to begin their participation in the Tribal self-governance program in fiscal year 2027 and calendar year 2027. Tribes/Consortia submitting requests to participate should be guided by the referenced requirements when preparing their requests to begin participation in the Tribal self-governance program. Copies of these requirements may be obtained from the information contact person identified in this notice.
Tribes/Consortia wishing to be considered for participation in the Tribal self-governance program in fiscal year 2027 or calendar year 2027 must respond to this notice, except for those tribes/consortia which are: (1) currently involved in negotiations with the Department; or (2) one of the 145 Tribal entities with signed self-governance agreements.
**Information Collection**
This information collection is authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0143, Tribal Self-Governance Program, which expires December 31, 2028.
William Henry Kirkland III,
Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs.