NASA Internal Memo: NASA Headquarters Institutional Requirements Review

September 2, 2005

TO: Officials-in-Charge of Headquarters Offices

FROM: Associate Administrator

SUBJECT: NASA Headquarters Institutional Requirements Review

NASA Headquarters is initiating an Institutional Requirements Review of the Headquarters workforce and overall budget for corporately funded activities. This review is being performed at the direction of the Administrator to assess consistency of Headquarters staffing and budgeted resources with the Agency’s revised strategic direction. The review will entail an evaluation of human resources (including contractors, detailees, Intergovernmental Personnel Act employees) and funds expenditures to determine whether activities that are performed here can be more effectively undertaken at NASA Field Centers, whether current work activities need to be realigned to conform to Headquarters’ corporate roles and responsibilities, and what activities should be revised or eliminated.

In preparation for this review, the Administrator has offered his perspective on what Headquarters’ principal roles and responsibilities should encompass, as listed below:

1. Establish Agency policy.
2. Define strategy and architectures.
3. Ensure statutory/regulatory compliance.
4. Define program objectives and top-level requirements.
5. Monitor program performance.
6. Manage intergovernmental relationships.
7. Allocate resources.
8. Headquarters essential services.

This model shifts the focus of Headquarters away from program implementation and toward strategic management; and it concentrates the Centers’ efforts on program and project execution. This review should be viewed as an opportunity to scope your organization to be aligned with the new direction, not as a requirement to continue to perform all your current activities with fewer resources.

Mr. Richard Keegan in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer will lead this review. Mr. Keegan will be assisted by personnel in the Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation and the Office of Infrastructure and Administration.

Officials-in-Charge of Headquarters Offices will brief the NASA Associate Administrator on results of their reviews. This exercise will proceed according to the following schedule:

• Issue call memorandum: September 2
• Responses due: September 14
• Briefings to NASA Associate Administrator: September 22, 23 and 26
• Workforce and budget decisions: September 30

As noted above, responses are due Wednesday, September 14. Responses should be submitted electronically to Mr. Brent Bennett, Office of Headquarters Operations, at brent.j.bennett@nasa.gov. Questions concerning the workforce portion of this call should be directed to Mr. Christopher Beidel, Human Resources Management Division, at 358-3831. Questions concerning the institutional budget portion of this call should be directed to Ms. Tracey Kickbusch, at 358-4573, or Ms. Lynn Irvine, at 358-2366, of the Chief Financial Office.

Detailed information and guidance for completing this exercise are provided in the enclosures. Electronic version of the instructions and formats can be found in the “X” drive hq_shared ‘HQDATA5,2000 DataServer(SVRinHQERD)(hqdata5) in a folder labeled “Institutional Req’ts Review.”

Rex Geveden

Enclosure

cc:
Office of the Chief Financial Officer/Mr. German
Office of the Chief Financial Officer/Mr. Keegan
Officials-in-Charge of Headquarters Offices
Deputy Administrator/Mr. Gregory

• Assistant Deputy Administrator, Internal Operations/Ms. Hilding
• Senior Advisor to the Deputy Administrator/Mr. Ralsky

Associate Administrator/Mr. Geveden
Senior Advisor/Mr. Morrell
Special Assistant/Mr. Shank
Senior Advisor for Aeronautics Technology/Dr. Porter
White House Liaison/Mr. Jezierski
Associate Administrator for Program Analysis and Evaluation/Dr. Pace
Chief Scientist/Dr. Garvin
Chief Safety and Mission Assurance Officer/Mr. O’Connor
Inspector General/Mr. Cobb
Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Mission Directorate/Mr. Cooke (Acting)
Associate Administrator for Space Operations Mission Directorate/Mr. Gerstenmaier
Associate Administrator for Science Mission Directorate/Dr. Cleave
Associate Administrator for Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate/Dr. Lebacqz
Chief Financial Officer/Ms. Sykes
Chief Information Officer/Ms. Dunnington
Chief Engineer/Mr. Robinson (Acting)

• Deputy Chief Engineer/Mr. Cantrell

Associate Administrator for Institutions and Management/Mr. Jennings

• Office of Human Capital Management/Ms. Novak
• Office of Infrastructure and Administration/Mr. Sutton
• Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity/Dr. Hayden-Watkins
• Office of Security and Program Protection/Mr. Saleeba
• Office of Procurement/Mr. Luedtke
• Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization/Mr. Thomas
• Chief Health and Medical Officer/Dr. Williams
• Executive Director, NSSC/Mr. Arbuthnot

General Counsel/Mr. Wholley
Chief of Strategic Communications/Mr. Davis

• Chief Education Officer/Dr. Loston
• Office of Public Affairs/Mr. Mould
• Office of Legislative Affairs/Mr. Chase
• Office of External Relations/Mr. O’Brien

cc:
Office of the Administrator/Ms. Mays
Office of the Administrator/Ms. Hutchinson
Office of the Administrator/Ms. Soper
Office of the Deputy Administrator/Ms. Fenn
Office of the Associate Administrator/Ms. Brookover
Executive Secretariat/Mr. Box