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NOAA Executive Council

The NOAA Executive Council, hereafter referred to as the NEC, is the highest level executive management body within NOAA. The purpose of the NEC is to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere/NOAA Administrator before final decisions on NOAA wide policy (i.e., but not limited to budget, policy, procedure, organizational direction, organizational assessments and resolving conflicts) are made. It is the forum through which NOAA senior management provide advice and counsel on high level operation and management issues. The Chair of the NEC will be the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere/NOAA Administrator. When absent, it will be the most senior member of the NOAA management team.

Membership

The membership is made up of principal and supporting members. Principals are permanent members of the NEC who will participate fully in all matters under consideration by the NEC. Supporting members will be invited to participate as the subject matter dictates. Membership is:

Principals

• Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere/NOAA Administrato (Chair)
• Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere
• Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere
• Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere
• Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs
• Assistant Administrators of
  • National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
  • National Marine Fisheries Service
  • National Ocean Service
  • National Weather Service
  • Oceanic and Atmospheric Research
  • Program Planning and Integration, pending approval
• Director, Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
• Chief Financial/Administrative Officer

Supporting Members

• General Counsel
• Director, Public and Constituent Affairs
• Director, Legislative Affairs
• Chief of Staff
• Executive Director to the Deputy Under Secretary
• Executive Assistant to the Under Secretary
• Decision Coordination Office

Roles and Responsibilities

Principals are expected to attend NEC meetings in person and be prepared to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of proposals brought before the NEC. Supporting members are expected to be prepared to contribute to the discussions, however, in most cases they are to serve as observers. There may be occasions where the Chair may call a NEC meeting of ‘principals only.’ If a member is not available to attend a NEC meeting, the member may designate a representative for the meeting and will provide the name of the alternate to the Executive Assistant to the Under Secretary and the Decision Coordination Office (DCO).

Decision Making Process

Decisions in the NEC will be accomplished by informed consensus. The Chair will strive for consensus on every issue, but because the chair maintains 51% of the vote, the final decision is made by the Chair when consensus is not achieved.

Charter

• The NEC shall meet bi-weekly or at the call of the Chair. Meetings will be arranged by the Office of the Under Secretary. Timely notifications will be sent to NEC membership by e-mail, specifying meeting date, time and location.
  
• Issues that principals believe are in need of resolution by the NEC should be directed to the Chair, Chief of Staff or DCO.
  
• The DCO will be responsible for developing formal agendas, briefing documents and conducting the necessary research to support decision-making issues raised at the meetings.
• Meeting minutes will be the responsibility of the DCO. The minutes are to be compiled within 48 hours of the NEC meeting. Minutes will be reviewed by the presenter, Chief of Staff and the Executive Director to the DUS for accuracy.
• The minutes will be used by the DCO to formulate a NOAA Action Memorandum (NAM) which will be distributed to NEC members for comments within 72 hours. After 72 hours, the DCO will assume that all comments are received and can proceed with a final version for the US’s signature. The Executive Secretariat will distribute the NAM to all NEC Members and will assign and track deadlines. The DCO is responsible for following up on actions and deadlines to ensure that decisions made by the NEC and codified in the NAM are implemented. The NEC can amend a NAM if it is so needed.