I. FOREWORD

For two years, planning and development of programs at NBS have followed precepts established by the Ad Hoc Committee on Organization of Program and Budget Management, chaired by Dr. Ambler in 1974.

The procedures given here for FY 1979, as developed and adopted by the Executive Board, are aimed at improving program communications between Bureau managers and between the Bureau and higher levels of Government. Streamlining is also an important objective of these refinements. example, program reviews have been reduced in overall time by about 40 percent. Other procedural changes are noted below.

For

The procedures are intended to help NBS management address its responsibilities assigned in the Bureau's Organic Act and subsequently by Congress or the President. They provide for a coordinated management effort ensuring the most effective applications of resources to national needs. They lead to a unified approach to external presentations such as the budget document and to internal management reviews required by the DOC and the OMB.

II. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. New Features:

a.

b.

C.

d.

e.

Summary of Changes in the Specific Procedures

Executive Board Long-Range Planning Conference--no change.
Executive Board Strategy Conference--The Executive Board will
reach final decisions on Bureau strategies for FY 1979 and
beyond.

Strategy Feedback Conference--For program managers; will
include identification of PPOs thereby making them avail-
able before program formulation begins. This will provide
a framework for developing coordinated packages of Bureau
programs.

Project Reports (NBS 228s)--Will replace the form NBS 228
Project Resume date May 1971. The format is revised and a
new form 228A is required for Other Agency projects.

Subcategory Documents--Are to be forwarded to the Program
Office prior to the Program Reviews. This will permit time
for consultation between managers and program analysts and
the development by program managers of specific issues for
presentation at the Reviews. The SD will not contain a
separate Other Agency Program Description. It will contain
a statement of net changes in requirements for physical space
and supporting services.

f. Program Review--Procedures have been modified to concentrate
on relevance and potential impact as well as on the technical
aspects, to direct attention to a few well-defined issues
specific to the program under review, and to reduce total
reviewing time. Reviews of base programs will take place in
a three-day session, followed a week later by a two-day session
for review of initiatives/expansions.

g.

h.

Program Evaluation--A program description checklist has been developed to help in applying the same criteria uniformly to program development and evaluations. The criteria will form a basis for program rating and will give useful feedback to the program manager by identifying explicit program strengths and weaknesses.

Priorities Feedback Conference--no change.