The Policy, Planning and Analysis Office provides policy guidance for planning, developing, and implementing NOAA Information Technology (IT) resources. The Office oversees IT strategic and operational planning. The Office coordinates the development of IT architectures and the development and use of IT standards, including those relating to telecommunications and office automation. The Office provides assistance to NOAA Line and Staff Offices in business process re-engineering and in conducting cost benefit analyses associated with IT initiatives, and is responsible for NOAA IT accessibility and IT training support and for the development of NOAA-wide contractual arrangements that support acquisition of widely used computer and networking hardware, software, and services.

Business Process Analysis - Business Process Analysis (BPA) is generally defined as the analysis and design of workflows and processes within and between organizations. BPA involves the thorough participation and support of the process owners and users. The five generic life-cycle stages of creating a new process are analyzed in relation to specific customer needs and requirements. These stages are concept definition, design or plan, test or install, produce or implement and, retire. BPA within the OCIO is strongly linked to the enterprise architecture assisting in identifying candidate processes and moving selected organizational processes from the existing or baseline architecture to the agreed upon target architecture. The BPA process can be viewed as a series of quick hits, a continuous cycle of improvement, with successive iterations building on the successes and lessons learned from the last iteration.

The analysis of NOAA's business processes is an integral part of the Enterprise Architecture process. The development of a Target Architecture must take into account and enable future business processes. The link currently provided is to the NOAA Architecture site, which is password restricted. For access contact Ira Grossman (301-713-3525, ext. 140 or Ira.M.Grossman@noaa.gov). General access is available to the Department of Commerce architecture site, which describes the architectural framework used.

Calendar - The linked page is a calendar of upcoming events related to the subject areas on this page.

Electronic Commerce/IT Acquisitions - NOAA is committed to promoting electronic business practices. This site provides links to electronic acquisition programs like NITES (NOAA IT Electronic Store), to electronic forms that assist in improving the administrative work flow, and to government-wide efforts to provide better services to the public electronically.

GPEA - The Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) requires when agencies require persons to submit information to the government, or maintain information, they must give those persons the option to submit or maintain that information electronically when practicable. It also seeks to make transactions within the government electronic. The linked page provides complete guidance on the Act, copies of plans submitted, and other related information.

Information Quality - In response to Section 515 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (Public Law 106-554), and to guidelines issued by the Office of Management and Budget, NOAA has issued Information Quality Guidelines for ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information which it disseminates. The NOAA guidelines also establish an administrative mechanism allowing affected persons to seek and obtain correction of information that does not comply with applicable guidelines.

IT Accessibility - Agencies are required to provide access to and use of their electronic and information technology (EIT) by individuals with disabilities. The linked site provides guidance on these requirements. For information to assist you when you are ready to make a procurement of Electronic Information Technology (EIT) products and services, visit the NOAA Acquisition Management Division Section 508 accessibility web site.

IT Architecture and Standards- Agencies are required to have an enterprise IT Architecture. The linked site provides information on NOAA's architecture activities and products, but the site is password-protected at this time. Contact Ira Grossman (301-713-3525, ext. 140 or Ira.M.Grossman@noaa.gov) for the password. You can look at the Department of Commerce Architecture Web site.

IT Planning and Budget - NOAA has various mechanisms for planning for IT investments and makes a number of submissions of IT-related documents. The former includes the CIO Council, the IT Architecture process, and telecommunications policies; and the latter includes Strategic and Operational IT Plans, and OMB Exhibits 53 and 300. The linked page deals with or links to these subject areas and an IT planning library.

IT Training - The Office of the CIO has jointly undertaken a project with the Office of Human Resources management to implement a NOAA-wide system providing online training on a variety of IT and non-IT subjects. This system is called "E-Learning@NOAA".

Laws, Regulations, Policy, and Guidance - Self-explanatory.

PRA - The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 requires that agencies obtain Office of Management and Budget approval before requesting most types of information from the public. The linked page provides complete guidance on the Act, procedures and forms for requesting PRA clearance, status reports, and a range of other related information.

Web Services Management - No content at this time.