Using the National Science and Technology Council

Duane BlackburnNovember 2008

Quick-Hit Overview

• Established by Executive Order;• Highest level S&T coordination body in government

(“cabinet level”)• Full-scale (ideal) coordination envisioned in EO is difficult;• Primary benefits are exchange of knowledge, building

camaraderie, and raising awareness – whose benefits can exceed the ideal coordination in the EO

• OSTP staff approach and management of NSTC bodies often dictates success or failure– Key is to set realistic yet difficult to achieve goals, apply constant

pressure and nurturing, and refuse to accept failure

EO12881• Issued by President Clinton in 1993• The principal functions of the Council are, to the extent

permitted by law:– to coordinate the science and technology policy-making

process; – to ensure science and technology policy decisions and

programs are consistent with the President’s stated goals; – to help integrate the President’s science and technology policy

agenda across the Federal Government; – to ensure science and technology are considered in

development and implementation of Federal policies and programs; and

– to further international cooperation in science and technology.• All executive department and agencies, whether or not

represented on the Council, shall coordinate science and technology policy through the council and shall share information on research and development budget requests with the council.

NSTC Organizational Framework

PresidentVice President

Director, OSTP

NSTCCabinet Secretaries, Agency Heads

PCAST (private sector advice)

Executive SecretaryAgency POCs

CommitteeCo-Chairs, Agency Members

Exec. Sec.Agency RepsOSTP, OMB

Subcommittee

Working Group

Task Force

Working Group

Task Force

Task Force

The Good• S&T advancements faster and/or

cheaper• Interagency S&T relationships can

translate to operational cohesiveness• Good perception

– Helps in budget battles– Raises stature of personnel– Private sector more willing to invest

and/or participate

The Bad• Organization Issues

– Departmental structure– OMB organization– Congress organization

• Personnel– Experience and Willingness (SMEs, mgmt)– Personality Conflicts

• Time Conflicts– You have a year; they have day jobs (career)

The Ugly• Major Roadblocks

– Competing Priorities– Department budget process/timelines– OMB Support– Agency-Agency conflict

• When you succeed, issues become more operationally based– Transition to other coordination bodies can be

rocky– So can simply disbanding the group

(perception issue)

How to not succeed

I’m from the White House & think this is important -- The EO says you must -- What’s your problem?

How to succeed - theory• Determine what defines success

– It is usually NOT a paper • Papers can be a means, but usually not an end

– It is usually a collective agreement (agencies and WH) on priorities and approaches, and a willingness to work together on them

– If you destroy the relationships developing the former, the latter never happens

• Understand the realities– Successful groups usually think big, start small– Everyone wants their time in the spotlight,

especially at first– Agency activities/plans in the subject area

probably aren’t well set (or even known)

How to Succeed - practiceForce discussion to center on what we should be

doing, not what is most interesting

Current Understanding/

Capabilities

Desired Future Understanding/

Capabilities

Challenge Doc

Future NSTC Work

Analysis

Current/Planned Activities

Current/Planned Activities• Data call (doesn’t work)• Presentations (chest-beating, lack of

detail)– Quad charts

• Develop & let them fix it

Desired Future• Known operational requirements• Policies• Theoretical question to be answered• All/none of the above

• Key is to disconnect current agency plans/interests, and to look anew

Analysis• Prioritize needs

– List, discuss, bin• Critical• High• Recommended• Trash

– Make it an iterative process• Map capabilities and plans to needs• Gap Analysis

– Focus on Critical, then High, then Recommended• Put it in writing

– Describe need, current capabilities, planned activities, and gaps/overlaps

– Doing so • Develops a greater depth of understanding• Promotes collaboration/teambuilding• Makes a useful reference• Text for Challenge doc

“Challenge” Benefits• Internal Policy• External Outreach

Non-obvious NSTC functions• Terminology• Outreach

– Conferences– Training– General messaging

• Standards– Development– Adoption– Conformity Assessment

• Vision Development