NOAA Transition: Staff Offices
Introduction
NOAA’s Corporate Functions, also commonly known as Staff Offices (SOs), develop the strategic direction for the agency and lead the management of resources and delivery of services. The major elements of the corporate structure include the offices of the Administrator, the Deputy and Assistant Administrators, and offices charged with corporate management functions, such as the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Administrative Officer.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the principal financial manager for NOAA. NOAA has appropriated resources of over $4 billion, with a recorded capital asset value that exceeds $5 billion. The CFO's Office has the responsibility under the CFO Act of 1990 to provide the leadership necessary for NOAA to obtain a yearly unqualified opinion in the audit of its consolidated financial statements. The areas under the direction of the CFO are the Budget and
Finance Offices. www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/public/cfopublic.html
Office of the Chief Information Officer and High Performance Computing and
Communications (OCIO/HPCC) is responsible to ensure NOAA's programs make full and appropriate use of information technology. The NOAA OCIO oversees the expenditure of approximately $600 million each year in information technology (IT) spending alone – computer hardware, software, services, networking, and telecommunications. The OCIO is focused on IT security, critical infrastructure protection and Homeland Security, in order to ensure the integrity and continuity of operations of NOAA systems, data, products, and services. The NOAA OCIO manages and integrates NOAA's HPCC infrastructure, including advanced networking and applications, and serves as the project management office for NOAA's R&D High Performance Computing Systems. It seeks to modernize NOAA's computationally intensive services through the use of evolving HPCC technologies. Short-term weather warnings, seasonal forecasts, and regional and global climate predictions are heavily dependent on major advances in high-end computing power, advanced information technology, and the widespread availability of environmental data and information. www.cio.noaa.gov
Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) provides comprehensive, NOAA-wide technical, programmatic guidance and staff support to the Office of the Under Secretary in the areas of Facilities Management, including real estate (lease management, real property acquisitions), and construction project planning, design and engineering; Logistics Management, including personal property, transportation, supply chain and building management; Freedom of
Information Act, competitive sourcing guidance, OIG/GAO liaison; Safety and Environmental
Compliance programs; Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity programs; NOAA
Deemed Export program; Business Process Re-engineering Transition Management Team initiatives; and Directives and Records Management www.corporateservices.noaa.gov
Office of International Affairs (OIA) supports and promotes national policies and interests in ecosystem-based management, climate change, Earth observation, and weather forecasting.
OAI endeavors to maximize the mutual benefits of international exchange with its global partners. www.international.noaa.gov
Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation (PA&E) conducts independent and objective analysis. The Office provides evaluations and assessments of plans, programs, and requirements. PA&E reviews all significant program initiatives and major requirements, and provides analytical support to all parts of NOAA. PA&E is responsible for the Programming phase of PPBES. www.ppbs.noaa.gov
Acquisition and Grants Office (AGO) reviews solicitations for grant applications, processes applications, negotiates awards, manages administrative and financial aspects of awards, monitors progress against expenditures, resolves audit problems, and closes out awards as projects are completed. www.ago.noaa.gov
Workforce Management Office (WFMO) provides policies, programs, and processes that facilitate the recruitment, hiring, development, and retention of a diverse, highly skilled, motivated, and effective workforce capable of accomplishing the Agency’s mission. The WFMO provides NOAA-wide leadership to workforce management functions including strategic human capital planning, labor-management and employee relations, performance management and incentive awards, executive resources, distance learning, leadership development, training and career development, and human resources data management and automation initiatives. www.wfm.noaa.gov
Office of Education (OEd) provides advice and counsel to the Under Secretary on matters pertaining to education. In conjunction with the NOAA Education Council, OEd coordinates education activities across NOAA and oversees the implementation of the NOAA's Education Plan and Policy. These efforts help ensure that NOAA’s education programs and activities are based on NOAA science and support the agency's cross-cutting priority of promoting environmental literacy. www.oesd.noaa.gov
Office of General Counsel (OGC) serves as NOAA’s chief legal officer. OGC provides legal services and guidance for all matters that may arise in the conduct of NOAA's mission. www.gc.noaa.gov
Office of Legislative Affairs (OLA) coordinates all NOAA contacts with Congress (except those relating to appropriations) and is responsible for the planning, direction, and coordination of legislative programs that are of immediate concern to the Under Secretary. OLA also maintains a summary of all of the NOAA programs or activities based in, or focused on, states or territories at www.legislative.noaa.gov/NIYS0107/noaainyourstate.html and a brief overview of major NOAA facilities around the country for each of our Line Offices with a color map and short summaries of what each facility does at www.legislative.noaa.gov/policybriefs.html. The general web site is www.legislative.noaa.gov
Office of Communications (OC) coordinates all NOAA interviews with NOAA leadership and coordinates External Affairs including questions on policy issues, budget and legislation, constituent affairs, stakeholder relationships, intergovernmental affairs, business/industry liaison, and exhibits. www.noaa.gov/media
Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology (OFCM) ensures the effective use of
Federal meteorological resources by coordinating weather requirements and services and supporting research among the Federal agencies. www.ofcm.gov
Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) operates a wide variety of specialized aircraft and ships to complete NOAA’s environmental and scientific missions. OMAO is also responsible for the administration and implementation of the NOAA Diving Program to ensure a level of diving skill conducive to safe and efficient operations in NOAA-sponsored underwater activities. www.omao.noaa.gov
Decision Coordination Office (DCO) serves as the Executive Secretary to the NOAA Executive Council and Panel (NEC and NEP). DCO is responsible for establishing meeting agendas, procedures, and attendance; distributing scheduling information; preparing, distributing, and maintaining NEC/NEP proceedings (minutes and decision memoranda); maintaining and archiving a list of outstanding action items; and tracking completion of actions. Anyone assigned an action in a NEC or NEP meeting is responsible for providing progress updates to DCO. www.dco.noaa.gov
Program Coordination Office (PCO) provides staff support to NOAA Leadership and represents NOAA leadership in their liaison with NOAA Assistant Administrators and their staffs. www.pco.noaa.gov
Additional information is available at www.noaa.gov/organizations.html