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NOAA Executive Panel

The NOAA Executive Panel, hereafter referred to as the NEP, is a senior level body within NOAA that works with the Deputy Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere (DUS) to make decisions on NOAA-wide operating issues and policies. It is the forum through which NOAA senior management will have input into the day to day NOAA-wide management issues that do not require the attention of the NOAA Executive Council (NEC).

Membership

The Chair of the NEP will be the DUS. When absent, the DUS will appoint an acting chair from the voting members of the NEP. The membership is made up of principal members and advisors. Principal members are the voting members of the NEP, advisors are not. Membership is:

Principals

• Deputy Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere (Chair)
• Deputy 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
• Deputy Director, Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Administrative Officer
• Chief Information Officer
• Director of Workforce Management Office
• Director of Program Analysis & Evaluation
• Director of Aquisition & Grants Office

Advisors

• Executive Director to the Deputy Under Secretary
• Deputy Directors of
  • Education & Sustainable Development
  • General Council
  • International Affairs
  • Legislative Affairs
  • Public, Constituent & Intergovernmental Affairs
• Military Affairs Advisor

Principals are expected to come to meetings prepared to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of issues brought before the NEP. Advisors are expected to be prepared to contribute to the discussions; however, in most cases they are to serve as observers. There may be occasions when the Chair may call a NEP meeting of ‘principals only’ in which case supporting members are asked not to attend.

Decision Making Process

Decisions in the NEP 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 NEP shall meet bi-weekly or at the call of the Chair. Meetings will be arranged by the Office of the DUS in conjunction with DCO. Timely notifications will be sent to NEP membership, by e-mail, specifying meeting date, time, and location. If a principal is not available to attend when an NEP meeting occurs, the principal may designate a voting representative for the meeting. The principal will notify the Chair, the Executive Director to the DUS, and the DCO by e-mail of who that representative will be.

Issues may be put on the agenda by NEP Members or the DCO. Briefing materials for each topic will be distributed at least 2 working days prior to the meeting. If materials are not ready, the issue will be delayed to a future meeting. The agenda will also include time for open discussion on topics that Members may want to raise to the group.

A series of NOAA councils, such as the Education Council, support the NEP by providing their expertise on specific activities across NOAA. Topics will be discussed by the NEP will be reviewed by the appropriate council before coming to the NEP.

The DCO will prepare meeting minutes within 2 working days of a meeting and provide them to NEP members for comment within an additional 2 working days. The minutes will be archived so that there is a record of NEP meetings.

After the meeting minutes are completed, a memorandum from the DUS to the Under Secretary (US), with copies to NEC Members, will document decisions made by the NEP, as well as items referred to the NEC. The US will have one week to provide comments. If no comments are received from the US, a NOAA Action Memorandum (NAM) from the DUS to NEP members will assign duties and deadlines to implement the decisions made by the NEP. Deadlines will be tracked by the DCO. The DCO will also assure that appropriate items are placed on the NEC calendar.