About the NOAA Observing Systems Council

Purpose

The Observing System Council is the principal advisory body to the Under Secretary for NOAA's Earth observation and integrated data environment (end-to-end collection, processing, storage, archiving, accessing, and disseminating) activities. It also serves as NOAA's principal coordinating body to the White House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) Subcommittee on Earth Observations (USGEO). Specific tasks include:

• Provide recommendations to the NOAA Executive Council (NEC) on observation and data management requirements, architectures, and investments to meet NOAA, national, and international observing needs.
• Oversee the work of the NOSC Staff, providing guidance in the development of the NOAA Integrated Global Earth Observation and Data Management System.
• Work with local, state, regional, national, and international partners to develop global-to-local environmental and ecological observation and data management systems for comprehensive, continuous monitoring of coupled ocean/earth/ atmosphere/land domains.

Membership

• NOAA Satellite and Information Services Assistant Administrator
• NOAA Weather Services Assistant Administrator

Executive Secretariat and Contact Person: NOSC Staff

Principals

Senior representatives from NOAA:

• Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
• Chief Information Officer (CIO)
• National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS)
• NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (NMAO)
• National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
• National Ocean Service (NOS)
• National Weather Service (NWS)
• Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)
• Program Analysis and Evaluation (PA&E)
• Program Planning and Integration (PPI)
• NOAA GEOSS Integration Manager

Non-Voting Members

NOAA Mission Goal Leads:

• Climate
• Commerce and Transportation
• Ecosystems
• Water and Weather

NOAA Mission Sub-Goal Leads:

• Fleet Services
• Leadership and Corporate Services
• Homeland Security
• Modeling and Observing Infrastructure
• Satellite

Advisor

Committees/Teams/Working Groups

The Council may form committees, teams or working groups (WG) to achieve specific tasks. Such committees/teams/WG may include persons who are not Members of the Council, but the Council will seek to include a Council Member on all committees. The NOSC may designate either standing or ad hoc committees/teams/WG. Committees in turn may establish teams or WGs. An example of a standing committee is the Data Management Committee (DMC).

Committees will use the same decision making process followed by the Council. The Council may terminate committees/teams/WG at it discretion.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Participate in the planning and programming phases of the annual PPBES cycle to foster a NOAA Program that advances NOAA's efforts in efficiently and effectively developing an integrated global earth observation and data management system
• Provide corporate oversight of the NOSC Staff
• Establish observation and data management system investment policy
• Review observation and data management systems requirements
• Identify gaps between NOAA observation and data management requirements and capabilities
• Review architecture alternatives
• Analyze architecture alternatives and risks
• Recommend acquisition of appropriate observation and data management systems to meet NOAA, national, and international observing architecture requirements
• Maintain cognizance over NOAA observation and data management systems activities while coordinating NOAA participation in national and international Earth observation efforts (e.g., US Group on Earth Observations (USGEO))

Members

• Attend council meetings
• Identify line office points of contact for interaction with the NOSC Staff

Meeting Frequency: Meetings are held at least monthly

Decision Making Process

Decisions will normally be reached by consensus. The Co-Chairs will strive for consensus on every issue, but maintain 51% of the vote. Therefore, the Co-Chairs make the final decision when consensus is not achieved.