NOAA Observing Systems Council (NOSC)

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. Purpose
1. The NOAA Observing Systems Council is the principal advisory body to the Under Secretary for NOAA's Integrated Earth Observation and Environmental Data Management System Architecture activities (end-to-end collection, processing, storage, archiving, accessing, and disseminating of environmental data, information and products). It also serves as NOAA's principal coordinating body to the White House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) Subcommittee on Earth observations (US Group on Earth Observations (USGEO)). NOSC activities are aligned to support the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution System (PPBES) within NOAA. Specific tasks include:
1. Coordinating Earth observing and environmental data management activities across NOAA, including with other NOAA Councils
2. Providing guidance in the development of the NOAA Integrated Earth Observation and Environmental Data Management System Architecture
3. Providing recommendations to the NOAA Executive Council (NEC) on Earth observation and environmental data management system requirements, architectures, and investments
4. Coordinating NOAA's participation in the development of global-to-local Earth observation and environmental data management systems for comprehensive, continuous monitoring of coupled ocean/ atmosphere/land domains


2. Membership
1. Co-Chairs:
   1. NOAA Satellite and Information Services Assistant Administrator
   2. NOAA Weather Services Assistant Administrator
2. Executive Secretariat and Contact Person: Technology, Planning and Integration Office (TPIO) Staff/Web Tileston (301-713-2999 X 138/web.tileston@noaa.gov)
3. Principals:
   1. Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
   2. Chief Information Officer (CIO)
   3. National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS)
   4. Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO)
   5. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
   6. National Ocean Service (NOS)
   7. National Weather Service (NWS)
   8. Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)
   9. Program Analysis and Evaluation (PA&E)
   10. Program Planning and Integration (PPI)
4. Non-Voting Members:
   1. NOAA GEOSS Integration Manager
   2. NOAA Mission Goal Leads:
      1. Climate
      2. Commerce and Transportation
      3. Ecosystems
      4. Water and Weather
   3. NOAA Mission Sub-Goal Leads:
      1. Fleet Services
      2. Leadership and Corporate Services
      3. Homeland Security
      4. Modeling and Observing Infrastructure
      5. Satellite
5. Advisor. Director, TPIO


3. Committees/Teams/Working Groups
   1. 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 Environmental Data Management Committee (EDMC).
   2. Committees will use the same decision making process followed by the Council. The Council may terminate committees/teams/WG at its discretion.


4. Roles and Responsibilities
   1. Council
   1. Maintain cognizance over NOAA Earth observation and environmental data management systems activities while coordinating NOAA participation in national and international Earth observation efforts (e.g., US Group on Earth Observations (USGEO))
   2. Participate in the planning and programming phases of the annual PPBES cycle to facilitate development of a NOAA investment strategy that advances NOAA's efforts in efficiently and effectively developing an integrated global Earth observation and environmental data management system architecture
   1. Establish guidelines to assist NOAA programs in planning and programming Earth observation and environmental data management systems investments
   2. Review Earth observation and environmental data management systems requirements and endorse processes used by the programs to validate those requirements
   3. Assess Earth observation and environmental data management system architecture alternatives based on analyses and recommendations provided by TPIO and other committees, teams, and/or work groups. Working with NOAA Line Offices, Mission Goals, and Programs, TPIO identifies:
      1. NOAA requirements
      2. NOAA capabilities
      3. Gaps between requirements and capabilities
   4. Develop recommended prioritization of Earth observation and environmental data management systems investments
   5. Recommend acquisition of appropriate Earth observation and environmental data management systems to meet NOAA requirements
   2. Members
      1. Attend council meetings
      2. Identify line office points of contact for interaction with the NOSC Secretariat
      3. Accomplish taskings as directed by NOSC Co-Chairs
   3. Meeting Frequency: Meetings are held monthly and more often as necessary.


5. Decision Making Process

   Decisions will be reached by informed 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.