National Science Foundation

Advisory Committee for Business and Operations

Minutes of the Meeting

July 10, 2003

Teleconference on the NSF Revised GPRA Strategic Plan

B&O AC Members Participating:

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Dr. Peter Blair

Mr. Tom Dausch

Dr. Sharon Dawes

Mr. G. Edward DeSeve

Ms. Edith Holmes

Ms. Catherine Lasser

Dr. Norine Noonan

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Committee Members Unable to Participate:

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Ms. June Gibbs Brown

Mr. Geoff Grant

Mr. F. John Case

Ms. Barbara Siegel

Dr. Carlos Vargas-Aburto

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NSF Staff Present:

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Dr. Morris Aizenman

Mr. Anthony Arnolie

Ms. Patricia Bryant

Mr. Joseph Burt

Dr. Maryellen Cameron

Mr. Mark Coles

Mr. Tom Cooley

Ms. Pamela Green

Mr. Paul Herer

Ms. Shannon Hughes

Mr. Bob O’ Bryan

Dr. Craig Robinson

Ms. Joanna Rom

Ms. Marty Rubenstein

Mr. Michael Sieverts

Ms. Kim Silverman

Dr. George Strawn

Mr. David Trinkle (on detail from OMB)

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Members of the Public Present:

Mr. Tim Koch (Booz Allen Hamilton)

Ms. Susan Clucas (Booz Allen Hamilton)

Mr. Robert Quackenbush, National Academy of Public Administration

Dr. Noonan called the meeting to order at 3:35 pm. After participants introduced themselves, Mr. Herer reviewed the comments received to date from the public. He noted several general themes for suggested improvements:

  • Strengthen discussion of NSF’s impact on societal welfare.
  • Convey more of the “excitement of discovery.”
  • Clarify the discussion of the plan’s role in setting a framework for performance assessment.
  • Clarify the meaning of the term “core,” as it is used in several contexts in the plan.

Mr. Herer also noted that people had commented positively on the inclusion of the organizational excellence goal.

Committee members then provided their own general comments on the plan and identified a number of areas where the plan could be strengthened, notably:

  • How NSF fits into the overall Science and Technology enterprise.
  • NSF’s role as the “hub” of an extended network.
  • The importance of rotators in NSF’s administrative processes.
  • Integration of crosscutting activities (priority areas) into the plan.

The committee then focused on the four discussion questions included on the agenda:

  • Does the plan capture NSF’s role in providing leadership for science and engineering?
  • Does the plan identify the key factors for NSF’s success?
  • Does the Organizational Excellence goal capture the administration and management activities NSF should be addressing?
  • Regarding the framework for integrating budget and performance (pp. 5-6 & 14-16), do you see any issues or challenges NSF may encounter when implementing this approach?

In concluding the meeting, the committee again agreed that following the meeting a formal letter would be sent to NSF with observations and suggestions. The meeting adjourned at 4:45 pm.

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