; (5) procedures for such consultation should be designed and structured to give Indian Tribes opportunities to provide meaningful, informed input throughout the development and decision-making processes; (6) increasing Federal and Tribal capacities for effective consultation while building institutional knowledge fosters greater efficiency and benefits for future projects; (7) the consultation process should be institutionalized according to best practices that are designed and administered by the agency and that fulfill the legal requirements mandated by this Act; (8) consulting with Indian Tribes during the formulation of long-term management plans reduces the likelihood of project delays and increases the efficiency of project implementations; and (9) effective consultation demands ongoing, respectful communication between agencies and Indian Tribes. (b) Purposes The purposes of this Act are— (1) to establish and support a process of regular, meaningful consultation and collaboration with Indian Tribes in the development of Federal policies and the initiation of Federal activities that impact Tribal lands and interests; (2) to strengthen the United States government-to-government relationships with Indian Tribes; (3) to establish minimum standard procedures to ensure the above goals are achieved; and (4) to recognize Tribal regulatory authority and jurisdiction generally, and specifically through the waiver process. 3. Sense of Congress It is the sense of the Congress that— (1) consultation constitutes more than simply notifying an Indian Tribe about a planned undertaking; (2) effective, meaningful consultation requires a two-way exchange of information, a willingness to listen, an attempt to understand and genuinely consider each other’s opinions, beliefs, and desired outcomes, and a seeking of agreement on how to proceed concerning the issues at hand