U.S. Department of Commerce

Strategic Plan | 2022 – 2026

Innovation, Equity, and Resilience

Strengthening American Competitiveness in the 21st Century
Thank you to all the talented Department of Commerce employees who devoted their energy and 

expertise to develop this strategic plan. The Department also offers our sincerest appreciation to 

The DesignPond for their outstanding contribution to the artistic design and layout of this plan.
Message from the Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

About the Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

About This Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Terms and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Strategic Goal 1: Drive U.S. Innovation and Global Competitiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Strategic Objective 1.1: Revitalize U.S. manufacturing and strengthen domestic supply chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Strategic Objective 1.2: Accelerate the development, commercialization, and deployment of

critical and emerging technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Strategic Objective 1.3: Increase international cooperation and commerce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Strategic Objective 1.4: Protect national security interests and enforce trade rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Strategic Objective 1.5: Promote accessible, strong, and effective intellectual property rights to

advance innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Strategic Objective 1.6: Improve the Nation’s cybersecurity and protect Federal Government networks . . . . . . . . . . 22

Strategic Objective 1.7: Advance U.S. leadership in the global commercial space industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Strategic Goal 2: Foster Inclusive Capitalism and Equitable Economic Growth . . . . . . . . 28

Strategic Objective 2.1: Drive equitable, resilient, place-based economic development and job growth . . . . . . . . . . 30

Strategic Objective 2.2: Build sustainable, employer-driven career pathways to meet employers’

need for talent and to connect Americans to quality jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Strategic Objective 2.3: Advance entrepreneurship and high-growth small and medium-sized enterprises . . . . . . . . 35

Strategic Objective 2.4: Expand affordable, high-quality broadband to every American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Strategic Goal 3: Address the Climate Crisis Through Mitigation, 

Adaptation, and Resilience Efforts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Strategic Objective 3.1: Increase the impact of climate data and services for decisionmakers through

enhanced service delivery and improved weather, water, and climate forecasts . . . . . . . . . . 42

Strategic Objective 3.2: Strengthen coastal resilience and advance conservation and restoration of

lands and waters for current and future generations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Strategic Objective 3.3: Accelerate development and deployment of clean technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Strategic Objective 3.4: Embed climate considerations across Department programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Strategic Goal 4: Expand Opportunity and Discovery Through Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Strategic Objective 4.1: Implement evidence-based decision making within the 

Department of Commerce to increase program and policy impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Strategic Objective 4.2: Modernize economic and demographic statistics to better meet business,

policymaker, and community needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Strategic Objective 4.3: Improve Commerce data usability and advance ethical, responsible, and

equitable data practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Strategic Goal 5: Provide 21st Century Service with 21st Century Capabilities . . . . . . . 62

Strategic Objective 5.1: Effectively implement new Department of Commerce authorities and investments . . . . . . . 64

Strategic Objective 5.2: Optimize workforce and diversity, equity, and inclusion practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Strategic Objective 5.3: Equitably deliver exceptional customer experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Strategic Objective 5.4: Make Department facilities and operations more sustainable and efficient . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Strategic Objective 5.5: Modernize mission support processes and infrastructure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Appendix I: Agency Priority Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Appendix II: Summary of Contributing Bureaus by Strategic Objective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Contents
I

nnovation, equity, and resilience. These three concepts drive 

our work at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and they’re 

crucial to our overarching goal of improving America’s 

competitiveness in the global economy.

This strategic plan for fiscal years 2022 to 2026 prioritizes 

investments in innovation, equity, and resilience that will 

position our workers and businesses for success in the 21st 

century. Universal affordable, high-speed broadband will 

help workers and businesses develop cutting edge skills and 

technologies. Meaningful action to combat climate change 

will support new, high-quality jobs. Our supply chains will be 

stronger and more diverse. And all Americans, especially those 

that have been historically excluded, will share in our prosperity.

Through collaboration with workers, businesses, and the staff 

of the Commerce Department’s 13 bureaus, we have developed 

an integrated roadmap to succeed in this 21st century economy. 

Our plan has five strategic goals:

Drive U.S. Innovation and Global Competitiveness.

By investing in resilient supply chains, bolstering our 

technological leadership, and engaging in strategic partnership 

with our allies, we will expand opportunities for American 

innovators, workers, and businesses.

Foster Inclusive Capitalism and Equitable Economic 

Growth. By creating an economy that works for all Americans, 

we will translate short-term growth into long-term prosperity. 

Once in-a-generation investments in broadband and community 

development will empower entrepreneurs in all regions of the 

country. Smart workforce development will align workers’ skills 

with industry needs and provide the necessary wraparound 

support so job seekers can successfully complete their training.

Address the Climate Crisis Through Mitigation, 

Adaptation, and Resilience Efforts. By using cuttingedge technologies to monitor and forecast climate change, and 

building partnerships with businesses and allies, we will address 

the climate crisis. Leading the world toward a clean energy 

future will create millions of good-paying jobs.

Expand Opportunity and Discovery Through Data.

We can’t improve what we don’t measure. By leveraging our 

tools of data and analysis, we will establish a level playing field 

for American workers and businesses in the global economy.

Provide 21st Century Service with 21st Century 

Capabilities. By listening to feedback, deploying smart 

technology, and using efficient systems for hiring and 

procurement, we will ensure that our Department’s employees 

are focused on achieving results for America.

As we pursue these five goals, we will remain committed 

to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars, bringing 

the highest possible return on America’s investment in 

Commerce Department programs.

I’m proud of this strategic plan and the path it sets for the 

Commerce Department. By amplifying America’s greatest 

strengths—our unrivaled innovation, our diversity of 

talent and communities, and our resilience in the face of 

unprecedented challenges—we will outcompete everyone.

Thank you,

Gina Raimondo

U.S. Secretary of Commerce

Message from 

the Secretary

2 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
About the Department

History and Enabling 

Legislation

The Department was originally established by Congressional 

Act on February 14, 1903, as the Department of Commerce 

and Labor (32 Stat. 826; 5 U.S.C. 591). It was subsequently 

renamed the U.S. Department of Commerce by President 

William H. Taft on March 4, 1913 (15 U.S.C. 1512). The 

defined role of the new Department was “to foster, 

promote, and develop the foreign and domestic commerce, 

the mining, manufacturing, and fishery industries of the 

United States.”

Locations

The Department is headquartered in Washington, D.C., 

at the Herbert Clark Hoover Building, 1401 Constitution 

Ave NW. The Department has field offices in every state 

and territory. The largest is the multibureau campus 

and laboratories in Boulder, CO. The Department also 

maintains trade offices in more than 86 countries.

Mission

The Department of Commerce’s mission is to create the conditions 

for economic growth and opportunity for all communities.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 3
Organization

The Department’s headquarters offices and 

component bureaus, listed below, implement 

over 225 budgeted programs and activities:

• Office of the Secretary (OS)

• Office of Inspector General (OIG)

• Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) 

• Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)

• Census Bureau (Census)

• Economic Development Administration (EDA)

• International Trade Administration (ITA)

• Minority Business Development 

Agency (MBDA)

• National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST)

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA)

• National Technical Information Service (NTIS) 

• National Telecommunications and Information 

Administration (NTIA)

• Office of the Undersecretary for Economic 

Affairs (OUSEA)

• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

Workforce

As of January 2022, the Department had approximately 

47,000 employees. The Department’s workforce ranges 

from 321 uniformed service officers in the NOAA 

Commissioned Officer Corps, 263 diplomats who are 

Foreign Commercial Service Officers, 166 badged law 

enforcement officers in BIS, 8,961 patent examiners at 

USPTO, to more than 37,000 other civil service employees 

who deliver critical services directly to U.S. businesses and 

the public. Six Department employees have received the 

Nobel Prize for work they performed at NIST.

4 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Impact on the American Public

The Department of Commerce’s mission is to create the 

conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all 

communities. Through its 13 bureaus, the Department works 

to drive U.S. economic competitiveness, strengthen domestic 

industry, and spur the growth of quality jobs in all communities 

across the country. The Department serves as the voice of 

business in the Federal Government, and at the same time, 

the Department touches and serves every American every day. 

The Department fosters the innovation and invention that 

underpin the U.S. comparative advantage. Its scientists 

research emerging technologies such as quantum computing 

and artificial intelligence (AI). Companies use NIST and NTIA 

laboratories to conduct research and development (R&D). 

NOAA advances R&D of the commercial space industry and 

climate science. USPTO’s intellectual property (IP) protections 

ensure American innovators profit from their work.

The Department helps lay the foundation for a strong 

manufacturing and industrial base comprised of world class 

businesses. NIST develops and disseminates standards that 

allow technology to work seamlessly and business to operate 

smoothly. NIST, MBDA, and ITA support firms as they grow—

adopting new technologies or processes, entering new export 

markets for the first time, investing in the U.S. market for the 

first time, accessing capital, and training workers. EDA prepares 

regions and communities for greater economic development 

and greater economic resilience. NTIA is working to bring 

reliable high-speed internet to all homes and businesses.

The Department promotes trade and commercial agreements 

that bring new opportunity to U.S. businesses and maintain 

national security. The Department facilitates international 

collaboration to solve industrial challenges from supply chain 

resilience to decarbonization. ITA provides market research 

and networking opportunities that help American companies 

begin exporting their products and services. BIS enforces export 

controls that keep U.S. technology out of the wrong hands.

Recognizing the inextricable link between the economy and the 

environment, the Department will drive mitigation, adaptation, 

and resilience efforts that use bureau core competencies and 

support the President’s whole-of-government approach to 

tackling the climate crisis. These efforts include acceleration of 

clean technology deployment, particularly through ITA’s focus 

on clean technology exports; and providing actionable climate 

information and tools through NOAA’s climate services.

The Department of Commerce provides vast amounts of data 

to inform better decisions for business, government, and the 

public, making it “America’s data agency.” NOAA provides 

weather forecasts and climate models that help emergency 

managers keep Americans out of harm’s way during extreme 

weather events. The Census Bureau delivers essential data 

on the U.S. population and economy, including the decennial 

census of people and households. BEA produces the national 

economic accounts, including gross domestic product (GDP). 

IP, trade, and scientific measurement data are among the 

other sets of information whose value the Department 

wants to maximize.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 5
This strategic plan summarizes key strategies that will drive 

progress in the Department’s five goal areas. It is designed 

to cascade throughout the Department and serves as an 

overarching guide for allocating the resources needed to 

achieve the Department’s long-term economic and social 

outcomes. 

Department leaders and employees will use this plan to 

transform strategies into actions, then actions into results. 

For each strategic objective, they will create an action plan, 

routinely measure and review progress toward the objective, 

and evaluate how the objective’s strategies should be 

adjusted and improved.

Performance Management 

Framework

The Department uses a systems-based management 

framework that empowers every employee to participate 

About This Plan

in performance management. The framework aligns 

and integrates leadership, strategic planning, employee 

engagement, process management, business information, 

and customer input into feedback loops that produce 

continuous learning and improvement. 

The Department uses key performance indicators, enterprise 

risk management, and program evaluation to increase evidence 

to support the Department’s budget formulation and decision 

making. This structure complies with guidance from the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB), the Government Performance 

and Results Act (GPRA) Modernization Act of 2010, and the 

Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018.

The infographic below illustrates the structure of this 

strategic plan. It explains the purpose, logic, and 

terminology that comprise each strategic goal.

6 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Agency Priority Goal – Strategic objectives may include 

an Agency Priority Goal (APG). An APG is a near-term result 

or achievement that the Department wants to accomplish 

within approximately 24 months. APGs are limited in number 

and align to the Department’s top near-term performance 

improvement priorities.

Contributing Bureaus – The agencies, bureaus, or 

operating components within the Department that participate 

in a strategic objective through their program activities. A 

strategic objective leader is designated from one or more of 

the contributing bureaus.

Evidence – The information used to formulate goals, 

objectives, and strategies in this plan. Evidence can be 

quantitative or qualitative. It may include, but is not limited 

to, performance measurement, research studies, evaluations, 

statistical data series, and data analytics.

Key Performance Indicators – A key performance 

measure used to track progress toward achieving a strategic 

objective. The Department will measure and monitor the 

trend for these indicators.

Terms and Definitions

Learning Agenda Questions – Research questions 

related to the programs, policies, and regulations of 

the agency that address the Administration’s priorities, 

longstanding challenges, and future priorities that may emerge. 

Learning Agenda Questions come from the Department’s 

Learning Agenda. The Learning Agenda shapes and guides 

Departmental evidence-building activities.

Strategic Goal – Includes the goal statement and goal 

overview. The highest-level statement of aim or purpose that 

is included in the strategic plan. This plan’s strategic goals 

articulate clear statements of what the Department wants 

to advance within its mission.

Strategic Objective – Includes the objective statement 

and the objective overview. The plan’s 23 strategic objectives 

are the primary unit for strategic analysis and decision making. 

Strategic objectives define the outcomes the Department 

intends to achieve.

Strategies – Represents key approaches, initiatives, 

and tactics that the Department will pursue to advance a 

strategic objective.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 7
Drive U.S. Innovation and 

Global Competitiveness

Strategic Goal 1

8 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Strategic Goal 1: Drive U.S. Innovation and 

Global Competitiveness

T

he Department of Commerce has long focused on advancing U.S. innovation and 

competitiveness. It is increasingly clear that innovation, economic security, and national 

security are deeply connected, and all rely on a resilient domestic industrial base, an 

effective innovation ecosystem, and strategic global engagement. This means the United 

States must prioritize investments in its people, infrastructure, technology, and supply 

chains. The Department will employ its multifaceted tools to strengthen the competitiveness 

of U.S. businesses, communities, and workers, while also engaging allies and partners to 

promote innovation, sustainability, and global security.

To improve U.S. businesses’ ability to compete abroad, the Nation needs to improve its 

capabilities at home. The Department will facilitate public-private collaboration to revitalize 

manufacturing and foster resilient supply chains that create quality jobs. These collaborations 

will solidify U.S. leadership in emerging technologies, including cutting-edge work in 

quantum computing, artificial intelligence (AI), 5G and 6G, and many more technologies still 

in development. Central to this work, the Department will promote accessible and effective 

intellectual property (IP) protection. These efforts will spur innovation, development, and 

commercialization in essential sectors like the semiconductor and commercial space industries. 

Commerce’s programs and services will ensure U.S. businesses have a fair shot at accessing 

global markets. The Department will equip American workers and companies to compete across 

the globe and attract foreign investment. Engagement with allies and partners will advance 

common goals, including decarbonization, protecting open data flows, and creating standards 

for critical and emerging technology. This work will complement global engagement with 

defense against injurious practices of foreign firms or foreign governments.

The Department will build back better by strengthening production, supply chain resilience, and 

innovation at home; facilitating trade and collaboration abroad; and defending U.S. businesses 

and communities against unfair trade practices.

Everything we do is designed to achieve one 

overarching goal: improve America’s economic 

competitiveness.

 – Secretary Raimondo

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 9
Strategic Objective 1.1

Revitalize U.S. manufacturing and strengthen

domestic supply chains

Lead: NIST

Contributing Bureaus: BEA, BIS, Census Bureau, EDA, ITA, MBDA, NTIA

A strong industrial base is essential for U.S. national security, economic security, and technological leadership. The 

COVID-19 crisis has underscored the risks from fragile supply chains and weak domestic manufacturing capability. 

Bottlenecks in one corner of the world can wreak havoc on domestic industry, limit production, and impact jobs and 

families. Domestic production is also essential to innovation. Manufacturing contributes 58 percent of domestic research 

and development (R&D), and when production heads overseas, R&D often follows. Further, the manufacturing sector is 

the sixth largest employer in the United States, representing 11 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and contributing 

$2.3 trillion to the economy. Communities and workers across the country know that manufacturing means good jobs 

and vibrant local economies.

In partnership with the private sector, the Department will deploy manufacturing investments, technical assistance, 

community development tools, commercial dialogues, and industry data to revitalize domestic production and build 

resilient supply chains.

Key Performance Indicators

● Value of advanced manufacturing technology 

portfolio within Commerce-sponsored 

Manufacturing USA Institutes

● The number of small and medium manufacturers 

who receive technical assistance to increase 

contributions into the domestic supply base of 

additional key products and critical technologies 

in the domestic supply base as defined in 

Executive Order 14017

● Facilitation of contracts, financing, jobs created 

and retained, and business capacity to underserved 

and minority-owned manufacturing businesses

● To what extent do Commerce’s existing partnerships 

with other agencies, industry, communities, 

nonprofits, and academia affect manufacturing, 

including the environmental sustainability 

of manufacturing? What partnership factors 

are associated with strengthening manufacturing?

● What Minority Business Development Agency 

(MBDA) interventions most effectively 

increase minority business enterprise (MBE) 

participation, innovation, and competitiveness 

in manufacturing? What interventions increase 

MBEs’ ability to participate, innovate, and 

compete in manufacturing?

Learning Agenda Questions

10 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 1: Advance U.S. leadership in 

semiconductors

Semiconductors are essential inputs to products across sectors, 

including the automotive, telecommunications, information 

technology (IT), and medical device industries. Demand for 

semiconductors is growing with the digitization of the economy, 

but production has not kept pace, leading to a shortage in 

2020 and 2021. Further, the U.S. share of global production 

fell from 37 percent in 1990 to 12 percent at the start of 

2022. In 2020, Congress authorized the Department to lead 

the Federal Government in rebuilding domestic production 

capacity and protecting technology leadership. To accomplish 

this, the Department will incentivize the expansion of domestic 

semiconductor manufacturing capacity, expand funding for R&D 

and R&D infrastructure, increase industry supply and demand 

transparency, and improve access to design and production 

capability for smaller firms. Additionally, the Department 

will support engagements with allies and other likeminded 

foreign partners to promote long-term semiconductor 

industry innovation and supply chain resilience.

STRATEGY 2: Increase the resilience and diversity 

of critical, domestic supply chains

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that U.S. supply 

chains are fragile, as pandemic-related disruptions resulted in 

shortages of personal protection equipment and basic medical 

supplies. Resilient supply chains are critical for manufacturing 

operations, economic security, and national security. The 

Department will use multifaceted tools to support more 

secure and diversified supply chains. The National Institute of 

Standards and Technology (NIST) will leverage the Hollings 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership’s (MEP) supply chain 

programs to strengthen the Nation’s small and medium-sized 

firms that are core to domestic capacity. NIST researchers are 

working on applying blockchain technology to improve the 

transparency of supply chains across sectors, including reducing 

pathogens in food and biopharmaceuticals, and identifying 

counterfeit items. The International Trade Administration (ITA) 

will promote collaboration with governments, suppliers, and 

customers around the world to address geographic bottlenecks 

and improve transparency. ITA, the Bureau of Economic 

Analysis (BEA), and the Census Bureau will provide critical, 

sector-level research and analysis to U.S. Government agencies 

and decisionmakers to inform supply chain resilience efforts.

STRATEGY 3: Accelerate technology development

and deployment in U.S. manufacturing

Technology development and deployment is essential for 

U.S. manufacturers to bring products to market more quickly, 

improve their productivity and competitiveness, and grow their 

market share in the global economy. NIST will leverage the 

Manufacturing USA Institutes, MEP, and the NIST Laboratories 

to accelerate the development, deployment, and adoption 

of productivity and competitiveness-enhancing technologies. 

The NIST Laboratories will deliver the measurements, 

technologies, and standards to catalyze widespread adoption 

of transformative, competitiveness-enhancing technologies 

like AI, interactive robotics, and connected systems by U.S. 

manufacturers. Manufacturing USA will provide the investments 

and precompetitive partnerships necessary to develop new 

advanced manufacturing processes and tools. Expanded 

efforts across the MEP network to enable more widespread 

access to and piloting of advanced technologies will help 

smaller U.S. manufacturers overcome technical challenges. 

Through a nationwide network of nonprofit or universityaffiliated grantees and Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers, 

the Economic Development Administration (EDA) will provide 

technical assistance to import-impacted U.S. manufacturers 

to develop and implement projects that target improved 

competitiveness and increased profitability job growth.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 11
Strategic Objective 1.2

Accelerate the development, commercialization, and 

deployment of critical and emerging technologies

Lead: NIST

Contributing Bureaus: BIS, EDA, ITA, MBDA, NOAA, NTIA, NTIS

To maintain its global leadership, the Nation must innovate more and innovate faster than the rest of the world. 

Entrepreneurship depends on innovation and market opportunities, which drive economic growth, create jobs, raise 

wages, and help Americans lead better lives. Department bureaus NIST, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA), and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will conduct 

foundational and applied research in critical and emerging technologies, including quantum computing, AI, bioscience, 

advanced manufacturing, advanced communications, semiconductors, next-generation space and satellite technologies, 

and more. The Department will also work closely with industry to create the necessary conditions for innovation in the 

public and private sectors. This includes ensuring strong U.S. engagement and representation in the development of 

international standards and supporting the development of frameworks and best practices. MBDA and EDA will help 

drive domestic competitiveness by expanding the number of businesses and regions that contribute to the innovation 

economy and benefit from technological diffusion.

● What types of partnerships or enhancements to 

service delivery would strengthen the impact of 

measurement science research and standards 

development on U.S. industry in the fields of 

AI, quantum science, advanced manufacturing, 

engineering biology, and advanced 

communications?

Learning Agenda Questions Key Performance Indicators

● International adoption of NIST Quantum System 

of Units (SI) Standards

● Relative citation impact of NIST-authored publications

● Number of U.S. Government staff trained to effectively 

coordinate, participate, and influence technical 

standards development

● Number of participants at outreach events hosted 

by NIST to identify opportunities for engagement 

and influence in critical and emerging technology 

standards development

● Number of businesses using NIST research facilities

● Number of new technologies licensed or brought 

to market as a result of EDA-sponsored activities

12 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 1: Promote research, applications, 

and standards for emerging technologies such 

as quantum computing, AI, biotechnology, and 

advanced communications

Science and technology are rapidly evolving to integrate new 

capabilities across the economy, including in manufacturing 

processes, transportation systems, critical infrastructure, 

and health. While these innovations will contribute to the 

U.S. economy and quality of life, they have many associated 

challenges with interoperability, security, usability, performance, 

and resilience. The Department will address these challenges 

through measurement science and technology research, 

creating technical standards, establishing testbeds and joint 

partnerships, implementing programs that promote quality 

and enhance efficiency, and using emerging technologies for 

practical applications. Furthermore, by supporting collaborative 

equitable innovation ecosystems, EDA’s innovation and 

entrepreneurship grant programs will promote technology 

development, commercialization, and startup companies 

that bring innovative products to market. NTIA will develop a 

National Spectrum Strategy to improve spectrum efficiency, spur 

innovation, and mitigate interference and operational concerns.

STRATEGY 2: Strengthen U.S. participation 

in technical standards development

Technically sound standards ensure interoperability, support 

commerce, and can provide opportunities for U.S. industry. In the 

face of increasing technological competition, the Department’s 

leadership in research and standards development is critical 

to keeping America at the forefront of emerging technology. 

NIST will work with NTIA, the Bureau of Industry and Security 

(BIS), and ITA to strengthen U.S. Government coordination and 

engagement with stakeholders in standards development for 

critical and emerging technologies. Stronger U.S. participation 

will ensure the adoption and dissemination of standards that 

incorporate the highest technical expertise. NIST will work 

to increase diverse participation and leadership in standards 

developing committees, invest in relevant research activities, 

and support efforts to improve the overall stakeholder 

experience in standards development.

STRATEGY 3: Strengthen the competitiveness 

of America’s R&D ecosystem through inclusive 

commercialization and technology transfer 

of critical and emerging technologies

For the United States to maintain its position as the leading 

global innovation economy and to increase its competitiveness 

in the international marketplace, the Department will optimize 

technology transfer and support programs. This will improve 

the return on investment from the Department’s R&D and 

grants programs. The Department will improve the transfer and 

commercialization of technology from Federal Government labs 

through efforts like NIST’s lab-to-market program and by helping 

entrepreneurs access new technology and patent innovations. 

The Department will also invest in innovation ecosystems 

incentivizing partnerships between industry; institutions of 

higher education; nonprofits; and Federal, state, and local 

governments to promote a seamless innovation pipeline.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 13
Strategic Objective 1.3

Increase international cooperation and commerce

Lead: ITA

Contributing Bureaus: BEA, Census Bureau, EDA, MBDA, NIST, NTIA

International commerce and cooperation support a growing number of American jobs across sectors, strengthen the 

competitiveness of U.S. industry at home and abroad, and advance U.S. policy interests. Achieving these objectives requires 

international cooperation to open markets and advance pro-innovation policies, increase commercial ties, and address 

global economic challenges. Compared to other industrialized nations, U.S. firms under-export and are underrepresented 

in foreign markets. Likewise, in recent years, the U.S. share of global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows have declined. 

The Department will support the growth of exports and FDI by expanding services to more businesses, ensuring more 

U.S. regions and workers benefit, including those from underserved communities. International partnerships are also 

necessary to tackle global economic challenges. The Department will support bilateral and multilateral engagements 

to address common goals, from decarbonization and fragile supply chains to R&D and innovation. By strengthening 

cooperation with allies and partners and working toward a global economic agenda based on shared principles, the 

Department will also meet parallel goals for domestic economic revitalization and competitiveness.

Key Performance Indicators

● Number of export clients assisted

● Number of underserved community clients assisted

● Number of commercial diplomacy and advocacy 

Written Impact Narratives (WIN)

● Number of investment clients assisted

● Number of investment promotion WINs

● Facilitation of international contracts, financing, 

jobs created and retained, and business capacity 

to underserved and minority-owned exporters

● How effective are SelectUSA services in bringing 

FDI into communities and in supporting different 

industries?

● Do U.S. exporters that have been assisted by 

ITA’s Global Markets (GM) program outperform 

U.S. exporters that have not been assisted by GM?

● How much and what type of export assistance have 

been extended to underserved communities? Does 

the data indicate any patterns in what approaches 

are most successful in assisting these businesses 

to export?

Learning Agenda Questions

14 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 1: Deepen economic engagement with 

allies and partners to promote a resilient, inclusive, 

and sustainable global economy

The Department will expand bilateral and multilateral 

engagement to address global challenges that threaten future 

U.S. economic prosperity, such as supply chain disruptions, 

climate change, unfair trade practices, and aging infrastructure. 

Through enhanced dialogues and regional initiatives that involve 

equities across all bureaus, the Department will work with 

likeminded partners to innovate and develop new technological 

solutions and create regulatory conditions that promote fair 

market access and expand economic opportunities. It will 

further support governmentwide initiatives to modernize and 

develop infrastructure, especially in low and middle-income 

countries, and improve global workforce development efforts 

to provide equitable opportunities in emerging sectors. The 

Department will also work with partners and allies to advance 

the global digital economy, protect individual privacy, and 

facilitate collaboration on data governance and technology 

platform governance. Through these efforts, the Department will 

promote consistency, interoperability, and the free flow of data.

STRATEGY 2: Increase U.S. exports by broadening 

access to the Department’s network, programs, and 

services for U.S. small and medium-sized businesses 

with a focus on the Nation’s underserved communities

The Department will refine its digital services to increase the 

number of clients assisted on its trade.gov website and better 

integrate customer relationship management systems that 

track services provided to businesses and the outcome of the 

assistance. These and other digital solutions will extend the 

Department’s assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises 

in underserved communities that export at lower rates than 

other businesses. The Department will enhance its digital content 

to support clients throughout the exporting process, from 

identifying suitable foreign markets to business-to-business 

matchmaking opportunities. ITA will leverage its domestic 

network, partnerships with MBDA and EDA, and stakeholder 

engagement to assist businesses in underserved communities 

more effectively. This includes ITA’s Rural Export Center and 

Global Diversity Export Initiative programs that collaborate with 

state and local officials, economic development organizations, 

and community leaders to bring export assistance to a diverse 

array of underserved businesses. As part of its outreach and 

export counseling, ITA will inform U.S. businesses of advantages 

from trade agreements. NIST will help small and mediumsized businesses thrive by providing Small Business Innovation 

Research grants, cybersecurity solutions, and export assistance.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 15
STRATEGY 3: Assist U.S. exporters seeking foreign 

government contracts or projects, and address 

policies or actions by foreign governments that 

impede the exports of U.S. goods and services

Worldwide competition for foreign government contracts is 

more aggressive than ever. U.S. exporters often face competitors, 

including state-sponsored firms that may have government 

support or an unfair advantage. To ensure U.S. exporters compete 

on a level playing field for foreign government contracts and 

projects, ITA’s Advocacy Center, with the U.S. Commercial Service 

overseas offices and interagency support, counters foreign 

malign influences and provides commercial advocacy assistance 

to U.S. exporters. Additionally, by collaborating closely with U.S. 

industry partners and relying on a global network of experts, ITA 

tracks and addresses foreign government policies and practices 

that present barriers to U.S. exports and business overseas.

STRATEGY 4: Attract job-supporting foreign direct 

investment (FDI) into the United States

SelectUSA identifies and assists U.S. communities that have 

potential to attract job-supporting FDI into the United States. 

Specifically, ITA’s SelectUSA program provides data and 

research products, organizes investment promotion events, 

and conducts one-on-one client counseling in promising 

markets. These efforts demonstrate U.S. competitiveness 

and value to high-impact international business investors. 

ITA’s signature investment promotion event, the SelectUSA 

Investment Summit, brings foreign investors and local economic 

development officials together. SelectUSA also coordinates 

foreign investment promotion with state and local agencies 

and is the chair of the Interagency Investment Working Group 

of more than 20 agencies. The Working Group aligns industry 

and community-specific initiatives and Administration initiatives 

like supply chain resilience, infrastructure, and clean energy. 

To ensure this work benefits all Americans, the Department 

will identify underserved communities that need additional 

outreach to local Economic Development Organizations to 

attract job-supporting investments.

16 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Strategic Objective 1.4

Protect national security interests and enforce trade rules

Lead: BIS

Contributing Bureaus: ITA, NIST

U.S. technologies should not be misappropriated in ways that harm national security or foreign policy. Through the 

application and enforcement of export controls and participation in the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United 

States, the Department will guard against threats, including the unauthorized use of U.S. technology for purposes contrary 

to American interests. Additionally, free and fair trade requires participants to adhere to transparent rules and to uphold 

their obligations. The Department will work to protect U.S. industry against the harmful and distorting effects of unfair 

trade. Through trade remedies, the Department will ensure American companies and workers are able to compete on 

a level playing field at home and abroad.

● Are the export controls that have been 

implemented on emerging technologies effective?

● Is the export control system adaptable to the 

changing security environment, including the 

new threats?

Learning Agenda Questions Key Performance Indicators

● Number of actions resulting in a deterrence or 

prevention of a violation, and cases resulting in 

a criminal or administrative charge

● Percentage of licenses requiring interagency 

referral referred within nine days

● Percentage of licenses requiring Information Triage 

Unit report completed by Export Enforcement 

within 10 Executive Order days of referral

● Number of end-use checks

● Percentage of antidumping and countervailing 

duty (AD/CVD) determinations issued within 

statutory and regulatory deadlines

● Number of trade agreements compliance 

cases resolved successfully

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 17
STRATEGY 1: Administer and enforce export controls 

and foreign investment restrictions to protect against 

inappropriate use of U.S. technologies

BIS will work with interagency partners to enhance the 

application and enforcement of export controls. BIS will 

implement changes from the multilateral export control 

regimes in an expeditious manner and will administer an 

efficient export licensing system. Also, BIS will use both public 

and nonpublic resources to identify parties misappropriating U.S. 

technologies and consider additions to proscribed party lists and 

development of new end-use or end-user controls specifically 

tailored to the parties or activities of concern. To strengthen the 

effectiveness of its export controls, BIS will expand plurilateral 

and bilateral cooperation with allies and likeminded countries 

specific to export control policy and information sharing. BIS 

will also detect and aggressively investigate potential violations 

by monitoring exports, conducting end-use verifications, 

reviewing tips and disclosures, and leveraging interagency 

data fusion and analysis efforts. Additionally, the Department 

will share information with industry about illicit acquisition 

attempts and best practices. Finally, ITA and BIS will work 

within the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United 

States to prevent investment into sensitive U.S. technologies 

by foreign actors that could raise national security concerns.

STRATEGY 2: Enforce U.S. antidumping and 

countervailing duty trade remedy laws

The Department will defend U.S. industries and workers 

against foreign competitors’ injurious and unfair trade 

practices by administering U.S. antidumping and countervailing 

duty (AD/CVD) laws, along with monitoring the operation of 

U.S. trade agreements and seeking full compliance with foreign 

governments’ obligations under these agreements. ITA will 

enforce AD/CVD laws by conducting investigations based on 

U.S. industry petitions that allege material injury or the threat 

of material injury due to dumping or unfair subsidization of 

imports. When American workers believe they may be injured 

by such practices, ITA’s petition counseling helps them better 

understand trade remedy laws, their rights under these laws, 

and the requirements for initiating an ITA investigation. ITA 

will also conduct regular reviews and other types of proceedings 

under the law to ensure continued enforcement. Furthermore, 

ITA will vigorously defend the results of U.S. AD/CVD 

determinations before domestic courts and international 

tribunals. ITA will continuously monitor the operation of U.S. 

multilateral, regional, and bilateral trade agreements to ensure 

that foreign governments honor agreement disciplines. In the 

event of violations, ITA coordinates across the Department, 

the U.S. Government, and the affected industry to bring the 

offending government back into compliance as soon as possible.

STRATEGY 3: Identify and protect emerging 

technologies essential to national security

Through consultation with industry, academia, research 

institutions, technical advisory committees, other U.S. 

Government agencies, and allied governments, BIS identifies 

emerging technologies essential to national security and 

then implements and enforces appropriate export controls. 

BIS works with government agencies that conduct or fund 

research relevant to emerging technologies, identifies 

proposed new controls for public comment, and implements 

new controls through multilateral export control regimes. 

As it reviews emerging technologies, BIS considers how new 

controls could impact their domestic development. This work 

safeguards U.S. economic and national security. It solidifies 

U.S. leadership in critical and emerging technologies and 

is an essential complement to the Department’s Strategic 

Objective 1.2, Accelerate the development, commercialization, 

and deployment of critical and emerging technologies.

18 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Strategic Objective 1.5

Promote accessible, strong, and effective intellectual 

property rights to advance innovation, creativity, and 

entrepreneurship

Lead: USPTO

Contributing Bureaus: ITA

Strong intellectual property (IP) systems fuel investments in research and innovation, spur new businesses, protect 

consumers from counterfeit goods, and promote economic competitiveness. To unleash the full potential of the U.S. 

economy and build back better, the Department will make continued strides to ensure equitable and affordable access 

to the benefits of IP protection. The Department will resolve and deliver IP rights in a timely manner while ensuring 

granted protections are clear and valid. This will curb abusive behaviors within the IP system.

● What regional economic conditions influence 

women’s choices to seek and obtain 

patent protection? What approaches can 

improve the accuracy of attributing gender 

or other demographic identifiers needed 

to assess if underserved populations are 

participating in the IP (i.e., Patent) system?

● How can effectiveness and efficiency of the 

patent examination process be improved?

Learning Agenda Questions Key Performance Indicators

● Percent compliance with required patent review 

timeframes for all mailed actions

● Percent compliance with required patent review 

timeframes for remaining inventory

● Patent statutory compliance, all statutes

● Average processing time for trademark applications

● Percentage of prioritized countries for which 

intellectual property (IP) country teams have made 

progress on at least three of the four performance 

criteria specified in Strategy 4

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 19
STRATEGY 1: Improve equitable and affordable 

access to the IP system

All Americans—regardless of race, gender, geography, or 

economic conditions—should have the opportunity to innovate 

and reap the rewards from innovation through entrepreneurship 

and commercialization. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 

(USPTO), working with the Council for Inclusive Innovation and 

other partners, notably the Small Business Administration, will 

design a program to help underrepresented groups access IP 

protection. USPTO will assist independent inventors and small 

businesses to locate resources available through other agencies 

to support the launch and marketing of their innovations 

and obtain protection for IP in U.S. and foreign markets. 

ITA will leverage its public-private partnership program 

to improve equity of access to export assistance resources, 

including on IP protection. The Department will continue 

to take steps to improve the data available to identify 

and address inequities in access to the U.S. IP system.

STRATEGY 2: Enhance patent quality and compact 

prosecution

An effective patent system provides timely issuance of highquality patent rights. In exchange for exclusive rights, the 

publication of patented inventions spurs innovation and enables 

others to build on that innovation. Patents must be reliable to 

give businesses the certainty they need to take their products 

to market and make timely and cost-effective decisions. USPTO 

will continue to improve both patent quality and processing 

timeframes. USPTO will increase patent examiners’ access to 

prior art or inventions by expanding search tools to retrieve 

both U.S. and foreign patent documents. Retrieving potentially 

relevant art or inventions at the earliest stage of prosecution 

will lead to higher-quality patents. USPTO will explore new 

opportunities to adjust the time allotted to patent examiners 

to review applications. To promote efficient, timely prosecution 

and clarity of the record, it will assess and adjust processes 

and the prosecution options available to applicants. USPTO 

will also improve collaboration and information sharing with 

foreign patent offices.

20 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 3: Reduce trademark pendency 

and protect the integrity of the register

Trademark filings have risen rapidly in recent years, as have bad 

faith filings and fraudulent activity. USPTO will further refine 

its capacity to manage fluctuations in demand and respond to 

the constantly evolving approaches to fraudulent trademark 

filings. It will also use authorities provided by the new Trademark 

Modernization Act (TMA) to reduce the initial amount of time 

applicants have to respond to office actions from six months 

to three months to expedite the application process but with 

an option to extend the required response time for a fee. The 

TMA will also provide USPTO and trademark owners with 

additional tools to address increased incidences of improper 

and fraudulent behavior. USPTO will establish an examiner 

training academy and streamline work through enhanced IT. 

Implementation of the new expungement and re-examination 

proceedings will allow USPTO and trademark owners to cancel 

unused registrations. Using the TMA as a foundation, USPTO 

will work with stakeholders, both foreign and domestic to 

issue trademarks that have true and lasting value.

STRATEGY 4: Protect and enforce IP abroad

Inventors and brand owners wishing to protect their IP abroad 

rely on the strength of other countries’ policies and enforcement 

mechanisms. Leveraging a network of Federal partners, the 

Department will redouble efforts to improve IP systems abroad 

through four performance criteria. The first is institutional 

improvements of IP office administration for advancing IP rights. 

The second is institutional improvements of IP enforcement 

entities. The third is improvements in IP laws and regulations, 

and the fourth is establishing government-to-government 

cooperative mechanisms. USPTO and ITA will promote U.S. 

IP interests in international forums and standard setting 

processes, as well as maintain high standards for IP protection 

and enforcement in future trade areas. USPTO will ensure 

trading partners abide by international IP commitments by 

using tools such as Section 301 reports published by the 

U.S. Trade Representative that review the global state of IP 

rights protection and enforcement. USPTO will help lead efforts 

to improve IP systems in other countries and will advise the 

State Department on IP issues that arise in international forums, 

including the G7 and G20. To monitor progress on international 

efforts to improve IP office administration, enforcement, 

laws, and regulations, USPTO will establish new cooperative 

frameworks. Further, to ensure businesses of all sizes are aware 

of international enforcement mechanisms, USPTO will coordinate 

with Federal partners, including the Copyright Office and the 

Small Business Administration, to enhance the effectiveness 

of education on best practices to protect IP.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 21
Strategic Objective 1.6

Improve the Nation’s cybersecurity and protect 

Federal Government networks

Lead: NIST

Contributing Bureaus: BIS, ITA, NTIA 

The Nation faces relentless and increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks that threaten its ability to realize the full 

benefits of the 21st century digital economy. The need for cybersecurity standards and best practices that address 

interoperability, usability, and privacy is critical to drive U.S. innovation and global competitiveness. The Department 

of Commerce will enable greater development and application of practical, innovative security technologies and 

methodologies that enhance the ability to address current and future security challenges. With a unique perspective 

on the economy and deep technical expertise, the Department has a leading role to meet cybersecurity challenges.

Key Performance Indicators

● Increased industry adoption of NIST cybersecurity 

standards, guidelines, and practices

● Cumulative number of collaborators on National 

Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) 

projects

● Number of companies and organizations exposed 

to NCCoE-produced cybersecurity guides and other 

products 

● Number of resources derived from the 

Cybersecurity Framework

● What incentives or policies will facilitate industry’s 

adoption of cybersecurity standards, guidelines, 

and best practices?

● What mechanisms are needed to improve 

collaboration and information sharing between 

the Federal Government and private sector on 

cybersecurity issues?

Learning Agenda Questions

22 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 1: Develop and disseminate robust 

technical standards and cybersecurity best practices

The Department will work with stakeholders to develop strong, 

trusted cybersecurity standards and guidelines. Open processes 

will bring together industry, government, and academia to 

develop practical approaches to cybersecurity. NIST will develop 

resources in a variety of formats to enhance their usability and 

accessibly, better suit the needs of small and medium-sized 

businesses, and address organizations’ unique needs. NIST will 

also promulgate its standards, guidelines, and best practices 

on the international stage through standards development 

organizations. The Department, through BIS, NTIA, ITA, and NIST, 

will engage with international stakeholders in forums like the 

International Telecommunication Union, and in engagements 

with allies and partners such as the Quadrilateral Security 

Dialogue and the U.S.-European Union Trade and Technology 

Council. These activities will inform and shape cybersecurity 

and privacy solutions and policies, drive interoperability, and 

maintain America’s position as a global leader in cybersecurity.

STRATEGY 2: Improve the security and integrity 

of the technology supply chain

The Department will work with companies across all sectors and 

sizes, as well as government and academia, to develop usable 

and effective domestic and global supply chain cybersecurity 

risk management practices. The National Initiative for Improving 

Cybersecurity in Supply Chains, a new NIST initiative, will 

emphasize tools, technologies, and guidance relevant to 

technology developers and providers. This initiative will focus 

specifically on supply chains involving smaller organizations 

that face unique challenges. These efforts will build upon 

NIST’s Cybersecurity Framework, NCCoE efforts, Executive 

Order 14028: Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity, and 

Executive Order 14017: America’s Supply Chains. NTIA, through 

its Communications Supply Chain Risk Information Partnership, 

will share supply chain security risk information, public security 

alerts, relevant training events, and grant opportunities.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 23
STRATEGY 3: Deliver cybersecurity-enhancing 

research and technology solutions to industry 

and government stakeholders

In consultation with industry, the Department will identify 

cybersecurity challenges and perform research on cybersecurity 

and privacy solutions to guard against future threats to the 

Nation’s data, economy, and way of life. To develop secure 

products and services, NIST will coordinate open competitions 

and pursue cutting-edge research in areas like quantum 

computing, AI and machine learning, biotechnology, advanced 

communications, and advanced manufacturing. In collaboration 

with industry and through NCCoE, NIST will also translate 

cybersecurity research into rapidly deployable tools that secure 

company operations and protect personal data. This work will 

build upon NIST’s understanding of market needs and gaps, 

as well as efforts under Executive Order 14028: Improving 

the Nation’s Cybersecurity.

STRATEGY 4: Expand cybersecurity training and 

workforce development and increase access to 

underrepresented communities

The Department will help grow a cybersecurity workforce that 

safeguards and promotes U.S. national security and economic 

prosperity. Through NIST’s National Initiative for Cybersecurity 

Education (NICE) program, the Department will promote a 

robust community of stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to 

advance an integrated ecosystem of cybersecurity education, 

training, and workforce development. Efforts will include 

promoting cybersecurity careers and pathways among diverse 

learners and using multidisciplinary approaches to integrate 

cybersecurity across varied curricula. NIST will use new 

methods, such as machine learning, to increase connections 

and fit between employers and job seekers. NIST will promote 

equitable access by designing and sharing the Workforce 

Framework for Cybersecurity as an accessible communication 

tool for cybersecurity workforce development.

24 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Strategic Objective 1.7

Advance U.S. leadership in the global 

commercial space industry

Lead: NOAA

Contributing Bureaus: BEA, BIS, EDA, ITA, MBDA, NIST, NTIA

The U.S. commercial space industry pioneers innovative technologies that transform Americans’ daily lives, gather critical 

climate and weather data, and help secure the Nation. In an increasingly connected world, space-based assets are essential 

to economic growth, national security, and competitiveness. In 2019, BEA statistics show the U.S. space economy accounted 

for 354,000 private sector jobs, $194.6 billion of real gross output, and $120.3 billion of current-dollar GDP. The Department 

has the tools and expertise to ensure America’s continued leadership in space and advance commercial space activities. 

To advance predictable, sound policies for commercial space innovation, the Department will advocate for the U.S. space 

industry in international and domestic venues. Through ITA, the Department will further its longstanding advocacy 

for American companies seeking international business opportunities. To improve space safety and sustainability, the 

Department will provide basic space situational awareness (SSA) services, contribute to relevant international standards and 

best practices, and promote government and industry partnerships focused on space cybersecurity. To promote commercial 

space innovation, the Department will invest in a portfolio of space-related R&D and provide key economic indicators about 

the space economy. The Department will also advance development, use, and application of space-based Earth observation 

capabilities that benefit all Americans.

Key Performance Indicators

● Number of successful advocacy cases won for U.S. 

companies overseas and the value of newly signed 

contracts won

● Milestones achieved toward establishment of space 

situational awareness (SSA) services for civil and 

commercial stakeholders

● Number of space policy related decision processes, 

rulemakings, statements, or other governmental 

activities influenced or led by the Department of 

Commerce

● Number of workshops, reports, and other tools 

produced to facilitate growth and advancement 

of the U.S. commercial space industry

● What Department of Commerce actions and 

initiatives would most effectively promote U.S. 

competitiveness in the commercial space industry?

● What Department of Commerce actions and 

initiatives are needed to promote long-term space 

safety and sustainability?

Learning Agenda Questions

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 25
STRATEGY 1: Coordinate regulatory functions 

across domestic and international stakeholders 

to promote competitiveness, and increase legal 

certainty for U.S. commercial space businesses

The Department will convene Federal, state, and international 

stakeholders as appropriate to identify and act on regulatory 

issues and opportunities for commercial space businesses with 

a whole-of-government approach. As commercial space activities 

expand into new areas and business models, the Department’s 

Office of Space Commerce will partner with these stakeholders 

to coordinate regulatory functions that promote competitiveness 

and increase legal certainty for space businesses. Coordinated 

regulation will support existing space activities and ensure 

regulatory frameworks address emerging missions. 

STRATEGY 2: Grow the customer base for 

U.S. commercial space goods and services

The Department will work across multiple agencies to coordinate 

efforts to advance the U.S. commercial space industry. The 

Department will support the growth of the domestic space 

industry through exports of space goods and services. ITA 

will leverage its network of domestic and overseas offices to 

promote foreign direct investment (FDI) into the U.S. space 

industry and ensure that U.S. space companies receive trade 

assistance and achieve their export goals. The Department 

will coordinate and advocate among stakeholders to grow the 

customer base for U.S. space products and services and support 

expansion of domestic space infrastructure. Additionally, the 

Department will promote the availability, security, and resilience 

of the U.S. space-related industrial base and supply chains.

STRATEGY 3: Improve space safety and 

sustainability

Space safety and sustainability are critical to furthering 

America’s commercial space activity and exploration. 

Investments to mitigate risks to space-based assets and 

human spaceflight present opportunities to grow the U.S. 

space industry while promoting safe and sustainable space 

operations. The Department will develop an SSA data sharing 

platform for civil and commercial use. This SSA platform will 

share commercial and government data on the precise location 

of space objects for satellite owners, operators, and space 

launch providers. The Department will develop standards and 

best practices to promote interoperability, communications, and 

technical capabilities in space. Because cybersecurity is needed 

to protect space-based assets and activities, the Department 

will promote government and industry partnerships focused 

on space cybersecurity.

26 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 4: Promote commercial space 

innovation

Commerce bureaus will support science, technology, engineering, 

art, and engineering (STEAM) workforce training opportunities 

to diversify participation in the space economy. Additionally, the 

Department will support entrepreneurial innovation training 

to meet the needs of small and medium-sized businesses. 

The Department will support space R&D, innovation, and 

manufacturing by facilitating creative and collaborative 

opportunities to enhance local, regional, state, and national 

technical capacity building, including tribal regions. To advance 

the development of new materials and manufacturing processes, 

communications technologies, quantum computing, AI and 

machine learning software, and sensor systems, the Department 

through NIST will invest in a portfolio of R&D in partnership 

with academic institutions, industry, and other government 

agencies. NIST will develop and deliver new calibration services 

for the space industry and engage with allies to identify areas 

for potential collaboration. NTIA will work with public and 

private stakeholders to coordinate efficient spectrum use. 

The Department will leverage BEA’s space economy data and 

research to provide key economic indicators to stakeholders 

in the Federal Government, private industry, and international 

community to aid policy and business decision making.

STRATEGY 5: Advance development, use, and 

application of space-based Earth observation 

capabilities to empower better decision making 

by the public and private sector

Space-based Earth observation data, analysis, and applications 

enhance understanding of the planet and enable better decision 

making across the public and private sector. For example, 

insights from Earth observation data can help industry more 

effectively monitor their supply chains and assets, agriculture 

businesses optimize their production, and insurance companies 

and investors assess risk. Space-based Earth observation data 

also enables the public and private sectors to mitigate the 

impacts of climate change. The Department will work with the 

U.S. commercial space industry to promote development of 

Earth observation emerging technologies, data analysis, and 

applications to support new business models.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 27
Foster Inclusive Capitalism and 

Equitable Economic Growth

Strategic Goal 2

28 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Strategic Goal 2: Foster Inclusive Capitalism 

and Equitable Economic Growth

Global competitiveness and a healthy democracy require that all Americans have an 

opportunity to participate in the 21st century economy. The talents and strengths 

of the entire country must be harnessed, including women, people of color, and 

others who are too often left behind. Inclusive growth is good economics. The Nation will 

fail to meet its full potential if it does not invest in all communities, workers, inventors, 

and entrepreneurs.

Expanding opportunity for more Americans is central to the Department of Commerce’s 

mission, and as the Nation continues to build back better, this mission is more critical than 

ever. The Department will corral established programs and employ new public investments 

to promote place-based growth. It will ensure that innovations in artificial intelligence (AI), 

robotics, quantum computing, and biotechnology happen across the United States, not just in 

a few urban centers. The Department will work with industry to invest in workers, providing 

the training and wraparound services that create concrete pathways to quality jobs. The 

Department will ensure every American has access to affordable, high-speed broadband 

internet, which is a prerequisite to so many educational, business, and job opportunities. 

Business ownership and entrepreneurship play an essential role in the innovation ecosystem 

and can provide wealth-building opportunities for American families. The Department will 

use its suite of investment and technical assistance tools to support American small and 

medium-sized businesses, women and minority-owned businesses, and entrepreneurs. 

In pursuit of these goals, the Department will collaborate extensively with underserved 

communities to ensure program design and tools meet their needs.

We are actively working to help communities build 

back equitably so that no one gets left behind.

 – Deputy Secretary Graves

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 29
Strategic Objective 2.1

Drive equitable, resilient, place-based economic 

development and job growth

Lead: EDA 

Contributing Bureaus: BEA, Census Bureau, ITA, MBDA, NIST, NOAA, NTIA

Poverty, limited job opportunity, and low labor force participation persist in communities across the United States, even 

when national growth is strong. Harnessing the talents and resources of these communities will raise living standards and 

increase U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). The Department is helping these communities jumpstart economic recovery and 

build long-term economic resilience. The Department’s programs, expertise, and regional presence will meet communities 

where they are and leverage regional assets to build opportunities for local business, industry, and workers. These efforts 

will include outreach to communities and populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 that have the most need. 

The Department will also help communities build on existing assets, from natural resources to educational institutions, to 

create regional clusters with the workforce and business acumen to drive growth. Many communities, particularly coastal 

communities, can benefit from the growing the Blue Economy. There is no limit to the potential of U.S. communities, and 

the American Rescue Plan and disaster funding have vastly enhanced the Department’s capacity to make place-based 

investments to put communities on the path to recovery and increase their long-term economic competitiveness.

Key Performance Indicators

● Number of jobs created and retained for grants 

made in underserved populations and geographies

● Dollar amount of private investment leveraged 

from grants made in underserved populations 

and geographies

● Percentage of EDA Customer Effort Score rated 

easy or very easy

● Growth in travel and tourism exports; progress in 

implementing National Travel and Tourism Strategy

● Fish Stock Sustainability Index score measuring 

the sustainability and economic competitiveness 

of the Nation’s fisheries

● Number of protected species designated as 

threatened, endangered, or depleted with stable 

or increasing populations

● What types of Economic Development 

Administration (EDA) funded activities, including 

those funded by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and 

Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and the American 

Rescue Plan Act (ARP Act) are associated with the 

strongest long-term economic advances, particularly 

for underserved communities and populations?

● Given rapid changes in oceans due in part to 

climate change, how can the National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) enhance 

fisheries management approaches to increase the 

sustainability and economic competitiveness of 

U.S. seafood?

● What techniques will raise awareness of the 

New Blue Economy? Which new statistics, once 

developed, will most accurately measure and 

demonstrate the value of the New Blue Economy?

Learning Agenda Questions

30 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 1: Support communities in developing 

and growing their local economies through 

customer-centric place-based investments

The Department will help communities thrive through economic 

development investments that harness the talents and assets 

of cities, towns, and regions. EDA investments range from 

planning grants to large-scale infrastructure investments. 

Programs will meet communities where they are, whether 

that means supporting recovery in the face of disaster or 

catalyzing high-growth industry. EDA is committed to adopting 

a customer-centric approach that synergizes Federal, regional, 

and local experience for the Agency’s potential applicants and 

grantees. EDA will re-engineer processes to provide an applicant 

experience that is easy to follow, clear, and predictable with a 

particular focus on equity and reaching historically underserved 

communities. Responsiveness, helpfulness, expertise, and 

collaboration will characterize the grantee experience. The 

Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) will provide 

a front door to minority business enterprises (MBE) seeking 

to navigate the Federal Government, ensuring MBEs can 

access loan and procurement opportunities.

STRATEGY 2: Invest in programs and projects that 

help communities become more resilient to economic 

shocks and advance equitable economic opportunity

The Nation’s converging economic, health, and climate 

crises have exposed and exacerbated inequities. As part of 

a comprehensive approach to advancing equitable economic 

opportunity and prosperity, EDA will make grants to help 

communities and regions, especially those with historically 

underserved populations and geographies (e.g., tribal lands, 

persistent poverty counties, and rural areas), build their capacity 

for economic and business development. EDA will prioritize 

economic development planning and implementation projects 

that build economic resilience to and long-term recovery from 

economic shocks such as the pandemic and the ongoing climate 

crisis. This priority includes addressing the economic resilience 

needs of coal and power plant communities and communities 

impacted by shifts in international markets and natural disasters. 

Resilience-building projects will include planning efforts and 

implementation projects. MBDA will also expand its services to 

encompass a broader geographic and programmatic footprint 

and provide MBEs with capacity building, access to public 

and private sector contracts, and management and technical 

assistance. MBDA will collaborate with major national and local 

stakeholders, such as minority-serving institutions, community 

development financial institutions, and traditional and 

alternative lending institutions.

STRATEGY 3: Support and accelerate high-growth 

industry clusters that are critical for economic and 

national security

To scale the next generation of technological innovation, 

maintain global competitiveness, and ensure everyone benefits 

from the innovation economy, the Nation must harness the 

potential of all regions, workers, and businesses. This means 

expanding support for innovation ecosystems all across 

America, beyond a handful of urban centers. According to the 

Brookings Institution, just five metropolitan areas—Boston, 

San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle—generated 

more than 90 percent of the country’s innovation sector 

growth between 2005 and 2017. The Department will catalyze 

growth in regions that have too often been left behind while 

supporting the next generation of technological innovation. 

EDA’s $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge will 

transform 20 to 30 economically distressed regions by 

investing in industry clusters. A stronger economy, focused on 

innovation and entrepreneurship, makes the Nation safer and 

bolsters national security. The National Institute of Standards 

and Technology (NIST) will strengthen efforts to leverage its 

nationwide expertise, facilities, and partnerships, as well as 

provide funding and technical assistance to enhance information 

sharing among researchers and entrepreneurs. This expanded 

integrated network will help ensure more efficient and equitable 

diffusion of the technology and knowhow needed to innovate.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 31
STRATEGY 4: Accelerate the recovery of 

communities that rely on the travel, tourism, 

and outdoor recreation sectors

As one of the best drivers of economic growth, international 

travel to the United States supported over 2 million American 

jobs before the COVID-19 pandemic and benefited virtually 

every sector of the U.S. economy. The pandemic severely 

impacted the international and domestic travel, tourism, 

and recreation businesses. Businesses closed. Jobs were lost. 

Local economies faltered. Through the $750 million Travel, 

Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation program, EDA will accelerate 

the recovery of communities that rely on the travel, tourism, 

and outdoor recreation sectors. EDA will help communities 

invest in marketing, infrastructure, workforce, and other 

projects to rejuvenate safe leisure, business, and international 

travel. International tourism was particularly impacted, with 

a 64 percent drop in international visitor spending in 2020 

compared to 2019. Through the interagency Tourism Policy 

Council, the International Trade Administration (ITA) will 

coordinate the development and implementation of a National 

Travel and Tourism Strategy that includes a five-year goal for 

international visitors and spending. To inform travel and tourism 

planning, ITA will provide communities demographic, activity 

participation rate, and visitor number data. NOAA will conduct 

outreach and engagement activities for the National Marine 

Sanctuary System and the National Estuarine Research Reserve 

System to accelerate recovery in diverse coastal communities. 

The Department will work with the Tourism Policy Council 

agencies to develop and implement a new National Travel 

and Tourism Strategy.

STRATEGY 5: Grow the Blue Economy

The marine economy, also known as the Blue Economy, refers 

to economic activities related to the Nation’s oceans, seaports, 

and Great Lakes. This sector is growing at nearly twice the rate 

of the overall U.S. economy—4.2 percent versus 2.2 percent in 

2019—including higher growth in employment. Because of the 

Blue Economy’s high potential for job growth and economic 

development, NOAA will use evidence-based, data-driven 

approaches to stimulate new business development in offshore 

renewable energy, fisheries and aquaculture, transportation and 

shipping, and marine recreation and tourism. Additionally, NOAA 

will increase the sustainability and economic competitiveness 

of U.S. seafood while combating illegal, unreported, and 

unregulated fishing. Increased investment in cutting-edge 

tools like remote sensing, eDNA and genomics, and uncrewed 

systems will allow NOAA to create valuable products and 

services to build economic opportunity in the face of changing 

ocean conditions. To gain a more complete understanding of 

the marine economy based on ocean data, NOAA will identify 

the current employment levels and revenue of for-profit and 

not-for-profit businesses that support ocean measurement, 

observation, and forecasting.

32 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Strategic Objective 2.2

Build sustainable, employer-driven career pathways 

to meet employers’ need for talent and to connect 

Americans to quality jobs

Lead: EDA

Contributing Bureaus: All bureaus

Worker shortages threaten to slow the economic recovery. These shortages demonstrate the need for employers to offer 

quality jobs and that American workers have the skills and competencies needed to fill those jobs. The Department will 

expand employer-driven education and training experiences with targeted wraparound services, designed to prepare workers 

for and connect them to quality jobs. To support business growth and create pathways for underserved workers to enter 

the labor market, the Department will emphasize the value of earn-while-you-learn programs. The Department will promote 

innovative and effective employment practices to ensure businesses can recruit, develop, and retain a skilled, diverse 

workforce. Additionally, the Department will provide clear, usable data on U.S. labor markets, learning options, and outcomes. 

The Department of Commerce’s bureaus and programs will engage with businesses, workers, and other key actors to create 

sustainable career pathways that meet the labor needs of regional economies and expand access to quality jobs.

Key Performance Indicators

● Number and demographics of workers placed 

through Good Jobs Challenge

● Estimated private investment funds leveraged as 

a result of EDA investments in workforce projects

● Number and demographics of workers trained 

through Commerce initiatives

● What are the most effective and promising 

approaches to partnering with businesses to 

identify skill gaps and train workers to fill them?

Learning Agenda Questions

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 33
STRATEGY 1: Invest in employer-driven regional 

workforce education and training systems that 

lead to quality jobs

Through the Good Jobs Challenge, EDA is investing $500 million 

in collaborative skills training systems and programs designed 

to provide pathways to quality employment. Efforts to reach 

historically underserved populations and areas are a priority. 

Projects will benefit communities of color, women, people with 

disabilities, disconnected youth, individuals in recovery, and 

individuals with criminal records. The programs will provide 

critical wraparound services, along with training, to support 

workers in navigating childcare, transportation, and other 

challenges. EDA’s Economic Adjustment Assistance program and 

Public Works program invest in capacity building and physical 

infrastructure projects that provide facilities for local workforce 

programs. The expansion of NIST’s Hollings Manufacturing 

Extension Partnership (MEP) will support dedicated efforts to 

foster inclusive and equitable manufacturing workplaces to 

attract and retain an innovative and highly skilled workforce. 

In areas where no workforce training programs exist, the 

MEP National NetworkTM will work with businesses and local 

partners to create new ones. NIST’s Manufacturing USA program, 

through its 16 institutes, will create new education, training, 

and outreach opportunities to establish talent pipelines needed 

for manufacturers to adopt the latest production technologies. 

Ultimately, the Department’s workforce investments will lead to 

workers trained with the skills to secure a union job or a quality 

job that provides good pay, benefits, and growth opportunities.

STRATEGY 2: Foster transformative employer 

practices to address their challenges in recruiting 

and developing a diverse, skilled workforce

The Department will work with employers to pursue 

workforce solutions that increase their competitiveness 

and help workers of all backgrounds secure good jobs. MEP 

Centers, Manufacturing USA, and the National Initiative for 

Cybersecurity Education (NICE) promote and support registered 

apprenticeships that provide Americans with paid work-based 

learning opportunities, hands-on learning experiences, and 

industry-recognized credentials. NICE publishes its Workforce 

Framework for Cybersecurity which allows businesses and 

workers to understand cybersecurity knowledge, skills, and 

tasks. This advances the Nation’s ability to train and hire a 

strong cybersecurity workforce, which is in high demand. The 

Baldrige Performance Excellence Program will publish a Job 

Quality Framework to help employers identify the practices 

needed to provide quality jobs that reduce their hiring and 

retention challenges, and ultimately result in more equitable 

economic growth. Finally, the Department will launch a voluntary 

employer commitment program to promote and celebrate 

the incorporation of skills-based hiring practices, new job 

quality approaches, and increased employer education and 

training investments.

STRATEGY 3: Produce and disseminate timely, 

clear data and information to help Americans 

discover and participate in opportunities for 

skills development and economic advancement

The Census Bureau’s Center for Economic Studies provides 

cutting-edge data and analysis about the U.S. workforce. Its 

Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) program 

uses state and Federal administrative datasets to create 

statistics on employment, earnings, and job flows at detailed 

levels of geography, industry, and different demographic groups. 

LEHD data also tracks workforce trends across the country. 

For example, the LEHD program’s Postsecondary Employment 

Outcomes data provides information on the typical income of 

individuals who complete college degrees and earn certificates. 

These data products allow employees and employers to 

understand the workforce landscape and make informed 

decisions. NICE’s CyberSeek.org website provides interactive 

tools and data, including a cybersecurity jobs heatmap and 

career pathway tool, to help close the cybersecurity talent gap.

34 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Strategic Objective 2.3

Advance entrepreneurship and high-growth 

small and medium-sized enterprises

Lead: EDA

Contributing Bureaus: Census Bureau, ITA, MBDA, NIST, USPTO

Entrepreneurship spurs innovation, strengthens domestic industries, and provides high-quality jobs that drive the 

U.S. economy’s recovery, growth, and vitality. The Department of Commerce plays an important role to foster the growth 

of entrepreneurial ecosystems that are inclusive, aligned with their regional technology and innovation initiatives, and 

promote long-term collaboration to close regional resource gaps. Through an extensive suite of programs and initiatives, 

the Department will make investments to enhance the capacity of regions to advance the next generation of technologies 

and foster industry innovation. The Department will provide capacity building, management training, technology transfer 

support, and export assistance to small and medium-sized businesses around the country. MBDA, in particular, will strive 

to ensure that minority business enterprises (MBE) benefit from the all-of-government effort to build back better.

Key Performance Indicators

● Percent growth in new businesses applications

● Total sum of funding secured by entrepreneurs as 

a result of activities sponsored by EDA investments

● Percentage of EDA awards that support 

entrepreneurship in underserved communities 

and regions

● Growth in workforce services provided to 

small to midsized U.S. manufacturers

● Growth in technology services provided to 

small to midsized U.S. manufacturers

● Growth in number of small to midsized 

manufacturers participating in MEP 

knowledge sharing events

● How effective are Department efforts to enable 

entrepreneurs to design and scale companies 

around new technologies? How can these efforts 

be improved?

● What are the most effective approaches to increase 

capital availability to minority businesses?

● Did Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) projects, funded via 

the CARES Act, result in additional lending, and did 

additional lending lead to positive outcomes for 

recipients?

Learning Agenda Questions

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 35
STRATEGY 1: Provide support to entrepreneurs 

to help businesses form and grow

EDA provides flexible funding that allows regions to respond to 

their ecosystems’ needs. These investments facilitate technology 

commercialization; entrepreneur support; and science, 

technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce 

development. Innovation and entrepreneurship supported by RLF 

funding and the Build to Scale Program will reduce friction along 

the path from the lab to market. The capital provided to grantees 

allows them to incubate or accelerate new and growing 

businesses that can provide high-quality jobs. EDA directly 

targets innovative workforce development systems through 

the Good Jobs Challenge and the STEM Talent Challenge. 

Businesses grow and job seekers get back to work as employers 

fill quality jobs through work-based learning. MBDA leads 

Federal Government efforts to promote the growth and global 

competitiveness of MBEs, which face unique challenges. Access 

to capital is the number one impediment to the success of MBEs. 

MBDA’s nationwide network of Business Centers, programs, 

and initiatives will address the problem through introductions 

to a national network of lending partners. The NIST MEP will 

strengthen existing relationships with Federal agencies, state 

governments, and regional incubators to enable manufacturers 

to develop new products and customers, upskill staff, adopt 

new technologies, and commercialize products.

36 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 2: Promote inclusive entrepreneurial 

ecosystems by addressing barriers to entry 

that prevent the participation of historically 

underrepresented communities

Through competitive funding opportunities, including Build to 

Scale, the Build Back Better Regional Challenge, the Good Jobs 

Challenge, and the STEM Talent Challenge, EDA will engage 

underrepresented communities directly and via its grantees to 

foster greater entrepreneurship. EDA’s Economic Adjustment 

Assistance funding addresses both sudden and long-term 

economic distress. MBDA, through its national network of 

Business Centers, will provide management and technical 

assistance, capacity building, education, and training to ensure 

inclusive entrepreneurship. MBDA also provides assistance 

through its Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) program 

for the unique needs of different populations. For example, 

the BAA program supports the entrepreneurship needs of 

women of color, the formerly incarcerated, American Indians, 

Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. For industries, MBDA 

has Specialty Centers for advanced manufacturing, exporting, 

and procurement. USPTO will work with the recently rebranded 

Council for Inclusive Innovation to develop a comprehensive 

national strategy to expand opportunities for and better include 

more innovators and entrepreneurs who have traditionally not 

participated in the innovative ecosystem but could create new 

technologies, companies, and industries. This work will be done 

in collaboration with partner organizations, including EDA 

and MBDA. Much of the work will support underrepresented 

groups, independent inventors, and small and minority 

businesses in identifying, securing, and protecting their 

intellectual property (IP).

STRATEGY 3: Enable access to data and evidence 

to spur entrepreneurship

The Department will make data more accessible and product 

and service research available to small and medium-sized 

enterprises. MBDA will operate as a data-driven, policy-focused 

agency aimed at increasing MBE access to contracts, capital, 

government services, and business opportunities. MBDA will 

implement an ambitious research agenda to identify economic 

conditions, market trends, and opportunities that foster the 

growth and global competitiveness of the next generation 

of MBEs. NIST will provide data and insights on challenges 

facing manufacturers of different sizes and demographics to 

better equip the MEP Centers to serve manufacturers. Through 

knowledge sharing events and direct client engagements, the 

MEP national network will connect entrepreneurs and startups 

in the small to midsized manufacturer community to information 

on new and emerging technologies, processes, and markets. 

Entrepreneurs will also gain access to manufacturing experts 

who provide technical assistance on using data tools and 

market intelligence.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 37
Strategic Objective 2.4

Expand affordable, high-quality broadband 

to every American

Lead: NTIA

Contributing Bureaus: Census Bureau, EDA

The Department of Commerce will ensure all Americans can access affordable, future-proof broadband by implementing 

a nearly $50 billion investment in infrastructure, planning, digital inclusion, and workforce development. Broadband is an 

engine for opportunity in the modern economy and a necessary foundation for inclusive growth. It can close geographic 

and economic gaps between rural and urban areas, transform distressed areas, drive global competitiveness, and increase 

national economic resilience. Further, broadband is an essential component of modern life and has become a requirement 

to participate equally in education, employment, health care, and public safety services. Broadband kept many families 

connected to their jobs and schools through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet many Americans, especially those 

living in rural areas, tribal reservations, and minority neighborhoods, do not have access to quality, affordable broadband. 

The Department’s broadband investments are designed to maximize coverage and its meaningful use, which are imperative 

for national and individual success.

Key Performance Indicators

● Total amount of Department of Commerce grant 

funds obligated for broadband-related programs

● Total number of locations (i.e., households or 

institutions) physically connected to broadband 

infrastructure through grant programs administered 

by the Department

● Total number of households, institutions, or individuals 

that participated in digital inclusion initiatives 

provided through grant programs administered 

by the Department of Commerce

● Total number of households or institutions that have 

received broadband through grant, loan, and subsidy 

programs administered by the Federal Government

● Estimated number of jobs created or retained through 

Department of Commerce investments in broadband 

infrastructure and digital inclusion programs

● How many U.S. residents have received broadband 

or improved or more affordable service as a result 

of Federal broadband support programs and the 

Universal Service Fund Programs?

Learning Agenda Questions

38 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 1: Invest Federal funds to support 

equitable deployment, access, and adoption of 

broadband

The National Telecommunications and Information 

Administration (NTIA) and EDA will develop and administer 

Federal funding programs to advance the Nation’s broadband 

capabilities and drive local economic growth. Targeted Federal 

funds will facilitate broadband planning and infrastructure 

deployment, digital literacy, and broadband adoption and use 

across the Nation. NTIA and EDA will work with states, tribal 

entities, local communities, and minority-serving institutions 

to help them leverage Federal funds to extend the reach and 

benefits of broadband. The bureaus will provide technical 

assistance to applicants and awardees to help them translate 

the funds invested into real change for the American public. 

These efforts will ensure equitable Federal investments among 

populations without high-quality broadband service and limited 

adoption. Priorities will include rural, tribal, minority, and 

low-income communities left behind by the digital divide.

STRATEGY 2: Accelerate broadband expansion 

through the alignment, coordination, tracking, 

and measurement of cross-Federal Government 

broadband programs

More than 80 programs across over 15 Federal agencies invest 

in advancing the Nation’s broadband capabilities. NTIA will 

lead the coordination of these varied programs across the 

Federal Government to maximize the benefits of Federal funds, 

reduce duplication of effort, and ensure that investments 

translate into meaningful expansion of broadband access 

and use for all Americans. The Department will use Census 

Bureau data in combination with program data to assess 

the effectiveness of the broadband expansion programs. 

To enable more targeted Federal broadband investments, 

NTIA will track cross-agency spending on Federal broadband 

support programs and determine how those investments affect 

the number of U.S. residents connected and local economic 

conditions. These insights will provide accountability for the 

effective use of Federal funds, increase efficiency of spending 

across programs, and support research into the broader 

economic impacts of Federal Government investments.

STRATEGY 3: Create and retain high-quality jobs 

to support broadband infrastructure deployment 

and utilization

The Department’s broadband infrastructure investments will 

lead to thousands of new jobs. To help prepare American 

workers to fill these jobs, the Department’s investments will 

include workforce development programs to train, upskill, and 

place individuals, particularly those from underrepresented 

communities. Additionally, NTIA’s digital equity grant programs 

will fund digital skills and digital literacy training that will 

help create a pipeline of workers across the country who can 

use broadband-enabled digital technologies as necessary for 

employment and upskilling through access to online training 

and education.

STRATEGY 4: Maintain, operate, and improve the 

Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network and 

advance first responder communications solutions

The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) 

is responsible for ensuring the deployment and operation of 

the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) 

for America’s first responders. The FirstNet solution includes 

dedicated nationwide spectrum that has priority and preemption 

capabilities built into the network to ensure first responders 

have access to wireless broadband communications when and 

where they need them. The FirstNet Authority will evolve and 

upgrade the NPSBN to next-generation technologies through 

its unique public-private partnership. To ensure the public safety 

community has access to advanced wireless communications 

when it needs them most, the FirstNet Authority will track its 

investments in emerging technologies that enable more than 

60,000 first responder agencies nationwide to take advantage 

of the capabilities built into the network.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 39
Address the Climate Crisis Through 

Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience Efforts 

Strategic Goal 3

40 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Strategic Goal 3: Address the Climate Crisis Through 

Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience Efforts 

T

he Department of Commerce will work to build a Climate Ready Nation, whose 

prosperity, health, safety, and continued growth benefit from a shared understanding 

of, and collective action on, climate change. Every American family and community, 

as well as the entire U.S. economy, are susceptible to the effects of climate change. A narrow 

window of opportunity remains to create science-based and equitable solutions to avoid 

the most catastrophic impacts of climate change, while helping to create a clean energy 

economy. In 2021, a total of 20 weather and climate disasters cost the Nation a combined 

$145 billion in damages. Addressing the climate crisis is an essential and existential 

component of the Department’s mission to create the conditions for economic growth and 

opportunity. In support of the governmentwide approach to tackle the climate crisis, the 

Department will drive mitigation, adaptation, and resilience efforts that leverage bureaus’ 

expertise and capabilities. These efforts include accelerating clean technology development 

and deployment, providing actionable climate information and tools to decisionmakers, and 

providing support for vulnerable communities. These tools will address climate-related risks in 

every sector of the economy, especially in the most vulnerable communities and populations. 

We can’t wait to tackle the climate crisis. The 

signs are unmistakable. The science is undeniable. 

And the cost of inaction keeps mounting.

 – President Biden

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 41
Strategic Objective 3.1

Increase the impact of climate data and services for 

decisionmakers through enhanced service delivery 

and improved weather, water, and climate forecasts

Lead: NOAA

Climate information is only as powerful as the actions it motivates and informs. To this end, the Department of Commerce 

will provide decisionmakers across the public and private sectors with critical, actionable climate data to inform their 

decisions. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) produces data and services about the impacts 

of climate change, from heat to flooding to extreme storm events. To enhance service delivery, NOAA will improve climate 

forecasting and work with external stakeholders. NOAA will work with the private sector to understand and meet their 

climate data and service needs. To enhance the use of climate data and services, NOAA will strengthen partnerships with 

nongovernmental sectors and emergency managers, as well as Federal, state, local, and tribal officials. NOAA will work with 

underserved communities that are especially vulnerable to extreme weather and climate events to provide relevant, userfriendly climate information. Providing high-quality climate data to decisionmakers will help prepare the Nation, particularly 

vulnerable communities, for the impacts of rising sea levels and of more frequent and costly extreme weather, water, and 

climate events, which inflicted over $145 billion in damages in 2021. NOAA will upgrade its observational infrastructure to 

collect the data needed to accelerate the transition of research on climate, space weather, and coastal and ocean prediction 

into value-added products to grow the economy and protect lives.

● What new and sustained observations, data, and 

capabilities would be most beneficial to support 

emergency managers and generally protect the 

economy and save lives?

● What new tools, strategies, and techniques would 

most effectively improve communication of NOAA’s 

weather and climate forecasts to vulnerable 

populations?

Learning Agenda Questions

● How effectively is NOAA delivering Impact-Based 

Decision Support Services to public safety officials 

and partners, especially in communities that 

are particularly vulnerable to climate hazards? 

Do NOAA indicators ensure the information or 

support is accurate and adequate for the level 

of decisions made by public safety officials 

and partners?

42 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 1: Transform ocean, weather, water, 

and climate information dissemination and service 

delivery to better and more equitably serve 

decisionmakers and meet evolving societal needs

Service delivery will have a customer focus that increases the 

accessibility and usefulness of climate data and information. 

NOAA is a crucial source of weather and climate information 

for a wide variety of businesses, engaging with thousands of 

American companies every year. For example, it helps retailers 

and manufacturers make better decisions about how much 

product to manufacture and in what locations to stock certain 

items. NOAA will increase its engagement with businesses to 

learn more about how to tailor its service delivery across industry 

sectors, from agriculture to construction to insurance. As it 

develops new and improved climate services to address hazards 

that have the greatest economic impact, including hurricanes, 

flooding, drought, and wildfires, NOAA will partner with industry 

leaders and associations to ensure these tools help U.S. businesses 

prosper in the wake of a changing climate. NOAA will engage 

communities, particularly underserved communities, to learn how 

to tailor the way information and alerts are communicated to 

meet their local needs. One size does not fit all when it comes to 

communicating about threats and emergencies. NOAA will listen 

and learn to develop the most effective (i.e., safest) responses to 

communications on weather events. The improved climate data 

and services will make businesses, including small businesses, 

more resilient to climate change.

Key Performance Indicators

● Percentage of the continental U.S. population 

served by flood inundation mapping services

● Improved precipitation services: Threat Score for 

heavy precipitation events (2 inches or more) 

made three days in advance

● Percentage of Weather-Ready Nation Ambassadors, 

StormReady, or TsunamiReady communities serving 

socially vulnerable populations and U.S. businesses

● Number of StormReady or TsunamiReady 

communities

● Customer satisfaction with the National Weather 

Service services, as measured by the American 

Customer Satisfaction Index

● Number of climate-smart communities enabled for 

resilience planning, including but not limited to 

extreme heat in urban communities, enhanced fire 

weather prediction for emergency management 

partners, expanded drought monitoring in tribal 

areas, and climate impacts to coastal communities

● Number of economic sectors regionally engaged 

by the Regional Climate Services (RCS) program, 

with sectoral needs documented and prioritized

● Annual number of Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Research (OAR) research and development 

(R&D) products transitioned to a new stage 

(i.e., development, demonstration, or application)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 43
STRATEGY 2: Increase and strengthen partnerships 

across government, industry, academic, and nonprofit 

organizations to improve NOAA’s suite of climate 

data and services in response to increasing demand 

for support services

To reduce the impacts of extreme weather, NOAA will transform 

the way communities and decisionmakers use information by 

connecting forecasts and warnings to the needs of public safety, 

emergency management, water resource management, and 

national and economic security officials. NOAA will expand 

partnerships with these professional groups to strengthen 

relationships, share best practices, and deliver improvements 

that will make society more ready, responsive, and resilient. 

NOAA will host roundtables with key public, private, academic, 

and tribal stakeholders to build deeper interpersonal connections 

and facilitate improved partnerships for decision support.

STRATEGY 3: Enhance predictive forecasts for 

extreme, high-impact ocean, weather, water, 

and climate events

Weather forecasts already generate $35 billion in economic 

benefits to U.S. households. NOAA and its partners will increase 

that benefit by delivering critical improvements in predictive 

capabilities to reduce risk and uncertainty. Key forecasting 

improvements will include urban heat mapping, precipitation 

forecasts across timescales, harmful algal blooms, and fire 

weather forecasting. NOAA will improve precipitation services 

that address uncertainty and risk in rainfall amounts and 

locations. NOAA will also provide flood inundation mapping 

services nationwide. The National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST) and NOAA will partner to support the 

development of climate-ready infrastructure. Forward-looking 

climate data and technologies will help set climate-ready 

standards for the built environment and for management 

of natural resources.

STRATEGY 4: Enhance observational infrastructure

Measuring and predicting climate change impacts are 

fundamental to NOAA’s mission. NOAA’s world-class 

observations of the ocean, atmosphere, and space provide 

timely, actionable data used to make vital decisions that affect 

all sectors of the U.S. economy on a local and global scale. 

Marine industries such as fisheries, shipping, offshore wind, 

farming, forestry, building, and construction rely on NOAA’s 

observations. NOAA’s information is also vital to communities 

as they manage the risk of hurricanes, floods, heatwaves, and 

wildfires. To stay ahead of impending dangers that climate 

change poses, NOAA will increase investments in observational 

and research infrastructure and capabilities. These improvements 

will translate weather and climate models into more accurate 

and actionable forecasts.

44 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Strategic Objective 3.2

Strengthen coastal resilience and advance 

conservation and restoration of lands and 

waters for current and future generations

Lead: NOAA

Contributing Bureaus: EDA

If current trends continue, $66 to $106 billion dollars of existing U.S. coastal property could be below sea level by 2050. 

Furthermore, the United States could see at least 1 percent reduction in its gross domestic product (GDP) by 2100 due to 

coastal flooding. Given these projections, the Department of Commerce will increase efforts and investments in ecological 

restoration and community resilience. NOAA will meet increasing demand for the science and services needed to enhance 

coastal resilience to climate change. NOAA will support the natural and economic resilience of oceans and coasts by 

disseminating state-of-the-art risk-based tools and actionable information, strengthening on-the-ground partnerships, and 

improving place-based conservation efforts. Specifically, NOAA will help achieve the Administration’s goals to conserve at 

least 30 percent of the Nation’s lands and waters by 2030, help create well-paying jobs, and foster economic development, 

especially in underserved communities.

Key Performance Indicators

● Number of square miles of new area advanced 

through one or more steps of the National Marine 

Sanctuaries or National Estuarine Research 

Reserves (NERR) designation or expansion 

processes

● Percentage of U.S. coastal states and territories 

demonstrating annual improvement in resilience 

capacity to weather and climate hazards

● Number of Sea Grant tools, technologies and 

information services that are used by NOAA’s 

partners/customers to improve ecosystem-based 

management

● Number of communities that utilize Digital Coast

● What approaches have proven most effective 

in helping coastal communities and ecosystems 

prepare for and recover from extreme weather 

events, climate hazards, and changing ocean 

conditions?

● Do the models and tools that are currently available 

for communities to prepare for coastal inundation 

at seasonal, annual, and multiyear timescales meet 

community needs? What new models and tools 

should be developed to address unmet needs?

Learning Agenda Questions

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 45
STRATEGY 1: Use data tools and public 

investments to improve coastal resilience

Coastal communities, properties, and businesses are particularly 

vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The Department will 

improve the resilience and adaptability of coastal communities 

through planning and investment. NOAA will partner with 

local, state, Federal, and tribal officials, and planners as well 

as businesses to provide data, training, and direct assistance 

to help coastal communities plan for future climate-related 

risks. The Economic Development Administration (EDA) will 

help communities and regions build the capacity for economic 

development by investing in projects that enhance economic 

resilience in coastal communities and regions. Investments in 

resilient infrastructure will protect coastal communities and 

enhance coastal habitat, providing a range of benefits for 

people, economies, and ecosystems.

STRATEGY 2: Protect and restore coastal wetlands 

and coral reefs to sequester carbon, buffer storms 

and flooding, and foster biodiversity

National climate goals include reaching net-zero emissions and 

advancing the America the Beautiful initiative while furthering 

economic development. Restoring ecosystems tackles the 

climate crisis by enhancing resilience to drought and resistance 

to flooding. NOAA investments and programs will protect and 

restore critically important marine, coastal, and Great Lake 

resources. NOAA cooperatively manages sanctuaries, marine 

monuments, and National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRs). 

These place-based programs protect the reefs, estuaries, and 

vital ecosystems that sustain resilient coastal communities 

and economies, including natural infrastructure (e.g., wetlands 

and floodplains). NOAA will evaluate the designation of 

new National Marine Sanctuaries and NERRs and increase 

capacity to protect newly designated areas. All conservation, 

vulnerability assessment, and resilience initiatives will engage 

local communities to increase climate literacy and build 

support for action.

46 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Strategic Objective 3.3

Accelerate development and deployment 

of clean technologies

Lead: ITA

Contributing Bureaus: EDA, NIST, NOAA

Promoting the development and deployment of clean technologies will accelerate global decarbonization and position 

U.S. industry for future success in a net-zero economy. The Department will advance the transition to net-zero emissions 

by supporting clean technology industries necessary to achieve global climate targets and America’s competitiveness goals. 

In the near-term, by developing and implementing a U.S. Clean Tech Export Competitiveness Strategy, the Department will 

increase global market access for U.S. clean tech exporters, provide more targeted market intelligence to these companies, 

and grow greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) into clean tech. In the medium-term, the Department will work to 

position nascent and emerging U.S. clean tech market segments to compete globally. Additionally, NOAA will facilitate 

the expansion of the offshore wind industry while protecting marine life and industry. NIST will also support research 

and commercialization of clean technologies.

Key Performance Indicators

● Number of International Trade Administration 

(ITA) client outreach activities to U.S. clean tech 

companies

● Value of clean tech Written Impact Narrative 

Statements (WIN)

● What could be key sources of U.S. competitive 

advantage?

● How can regional forums be an opportunity for 

clean technology standards?

Learning Agenda Questions

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 47
STRATEGY 2: Support offshore, renewable energy 

while protecting vulnerable marine species and 

maintaining the economic value of fisheries

To advance U.S. leadership in clean energy technologies, 

NOAA will collaborate with the relevant parts of the U.S. 

Government to meet the Administration’s clean energy goal 

to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind in the United States 

by 2030. The production of offshore wind energy will be 

responsible and inclusive of all stakeholders. It will combat the 

climate emergency, conserving marine resources, and creating 

high-paying, high-skilled American jobs. Scientific research 

will improve understanding of how offshore energy interacts 

with fishing and coastal communities. NOAA will collaborate 

with other Federal and state agencies, and affected partners, 

to address potential adverse impacts on fisheries, fishing 

communities, protected species and resources, and important 

marine habitats. NOAA will use surveys and other assessment 

methods to monitor changes to marine resources in and 

around offshore wind developments. To make offshore wind 

development transparent, data will be published on its output 

and impacts.

STRATEGY 3: Advance cutting-edge technologies 

aimed at climate mitigation, adaptation, and 

resilience

NIST and NOAA will partner to support the development of 

climate-ready infrastructure. NIST Laboratories will provide 

access to unique facilities and testbeds to accelerate the 

development of climate mitigation technologies such as carbon 

capture and storage, improve the ability to measure and track 

greenhouse gas emissions, and improve the performance and 

accuracy of climate observing systems. These programs allow 

communities to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the 

impacts of climate change and enable industry to advance vital 

technologies that will reduce the Nation’s carbon footprint.

STRATEGY 1: Increase clean technology exports

ITA will lead clean tech industry export promotion and trade 

mission programming efforts. ITA will incorporate clean tech 

into its current engagements and will develop a long-term 

export strategy targeted on selling U.S. clean tech related 

products and services globally. Through the ITA Advocacy 

Center identifying foreign government contract and project 

opportunities, ITA will enhance its outreach efforts and advocacy 

for U.S. clean tech companies. ITA will leverage its global 

networks to ensure broad outreach to U.S. clean tech companies 

and shared information about procurement and project 

opportunities created by advocacy efforts. ITA will increase 

its role in clean tech international standards development and 

intellectual property (IP) protection. Attracting greenfield FDI 

will enhance the growth of clean tech companies and the clean 

tech industrial base. The Department will increase its FDI clients 

assisted by showcasing the positive U.S. clean tech investment 

climate, including through SelectUSA. To position U.S. industry 

for future success, ITA will identify needs of emerging clean tech 

sectors and align commercial dialogues and initiatives to regions 

that present near-term opportunities. The Department will 

collaborate with U.S. Government agencies through the Trade 

Promotion Coordinating Committee to ensure governmentwide 

coordination on clean tech export competitiveness.

48 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Strategic Objective 3.4

Embed climate considerations across 

Department programs

Lead: Office of the Secretary

Contributing Bureaus: All bureaus

Climate change will profoundly affect economic growth and competitiveness, and therefore the Department of Commerce’s 

mission. The Department is incorporating climate considerations, including mitigation, adaptation, and resilience measures, 

into all relevant aspects of its policies and programs. This includes prioritizing environmental justice work; collecting, relying 

on, and disseminating the best and most up-to-date climate-related science and data; and partnering with the private 

sector and international allies on solutions.

Key Performance Indicator

● Number of people engaged or reached 

through education and awareness activities 

or Intergovernmental Coordination from the 

Department of Commerce Climate Action Plan

● EDA investments supporting environmentally 

sustainable development

● What are the gaps in publicly available data, tools, 

and services that are needed for communities to 

develop climate and environmental assessments 

required for EDA grant applications?

Learning Agenda Question

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 49
STRATEGY 2: Produce climate-related statistics 

and research that examine the links between 

climate and the economy

The Department has the tools and expertise to measure 

the growing economic impact of climate change and better 

understand the interplay between climate and the U.S. economy. 

The input-output accounts produced by the Bureau of Economic 

Analysis (BEA) detail linkages among industries and are the 

bedrock for government and private sector models of climate 

change’s economic impact. In addition to maintaining and 

improving core accounts, BEA will explore ways to advance 

environmental economic accounting. The Census Bureau formed 

the Environmental, Natural Disasters, and Energy Research 

Group, an internal working group, to coordinate Census 

research activities on climate change and the environment. 

Notably, Census Bureau economists and statisticians will 

research the effects of climate change on household income 

distribution and U.S. businesses. To show how vulnerability to 

climate-related events affects resilience, the Census Bureau will 

enhance Community Resilience Estimates. Streams of research 

will examine specific impacts of climate change-related events 

(e.g., hurricanes, wildfires and related smoke, and extreme heat). 

To support sustainability and economic adjustment, Department 

science will also analyze water use in the manufacturing 

sector and labor market impacts of the transition from fossil 

fuels to clean energy. Additionally, the Census Bureau will 

develop new statistics for the public and build a microdata 

infrastructure that combines information on residential 

histories, income, demographic information, and exposure 

to environmental hazards using linked survey, decennial 

census, and administrative data.

STRATEGY 1: Incorporate climate considerations 

into grant-making, stakeholder engagement, and 

internal processes

The Department embraces the opportunity to integrate climate 

considerations into its programs and processes across all 

bureaus. For example, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 

(USPTO) will work to accelerate review of patent applications 

related to environmental quality, energy conservation, 

development of renewable energy, greenhouse gas emission 

reduction, and other climate-related topics. For all grant 

applicants with infrastructure projects, EDA will require 

proposals to consider impacts from climate change during 

project design. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) export 

control awareness outreach will include companies focused on 

climate-related solutions and technologies. NIST will establish 

a dedicated process to review and coordinate ongoing and 

planned climate-related activities to ensure delivery of the most 

accurate measurements, data, and standards. In accordance with 

Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support 

for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, 

the Department conducted a service equity assessment of key 

programs to identify systemic barriers to environmental justice. 

To build on that assessment, the Department will develop an 

action plan to drive improvement and address long-standing 

hazards to community health.

50 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 51
Expand Opportunity and Discovery 

Through Data

Strategic Goal 4

52 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
By leveraging Commerce data, we will spur good-paying 

jobs, empower entrepreneurs to innovate and grow, and 

help all American workers and businesses to compete 

here at home and abroad.

 – Secretary Raimondo

Strategic Goal 4: Expand Opportunity 

and Discovery Through Data

Accurate, timely, and usable data are critical to the Department’s mission to 

create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all communities. 

The Department’s data cover topics ranging from demographics and economics 

to climate change and quantum computing, and the size and complexity of the data 

that the Department generates, collects, stores, analyzes, and disseminates have grown 

exponentially. As the Nation’s economy, technology, and demographics change rapidly, 

leaders in communities, industry, and government require data to develop insights to drive 

U.S. competitiveness, innovation, and job growth. To fulfill its mission, the Department 

must systematically deploy data and rigorous evaluation to design and evaluate its own 

programs and policies. Additionally, the Department must improve usability, accessibility, 

timeliness, and granularity of data disseminated to the public. The Department also must 

identify, implement, and routinely revise ethical data practices. Integrating these practices 

will modernize the Department’s data ecosystems, as well as improve data confidentiality 

and privacy where required. Advancing the data ecosystem will drive economic prosperity 

and can advance the position of vulnerable populations.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 53
Implement evidence-based decision making 

within the Department of Commerce to increase 

program and policy impact

Lead: OUSEA

Contributing Bureaus: All bureaus

The Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Evidence Act) as well as White House circulars and 

memoranda direct the Federal Government to make decisions using the best available evidence. The Department must 

systematically use data, facts, and evaluation to address the complex issues and challenges facing the American people. 

Additionally, the Department must evaluate its programs to ensure that they deliver the intended results. Doing so requires 

timely use of rigorous data analysis governed by principles of scientific integrity and inclusion. Therefore, the Department 

must further institutionalize the internal use of high-quality, accessible evidence informed by diverse communities. National 

crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturns, climate change, and the government trust gap make this 

work even more urgent.

Strategic Objective 4.1

Key Performance Indicators

● Implementation of the Evaluation Plan and 

Learning Agenda

● Stakeholder satisfaction with datasets identified, 

created, or modified to support operations

● Number of new high-frequency or experimental 

data programs developed 

● Percentage of requests for access to data processed 

within target timeframes

● What challenges hinder the availability and 

usability of statistical, administrative, and scientific 

data for evidence building? Which actions would 

have the highest impact in overcoming these 

challenges?

● What datasets are available/needed to track the 

impact of Department programs on historically 

underserved communities/populations?

Learning Agenda Questions

54 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 1: Create organizational infrastructure 

to establish evaluation as a critical agency function 

and a high-performing internal service

Title I of the Evidence Act elevates program evaluation to 

a critical agency function. The Presidential Memorandum 

on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity 

and Evidence-Based Policymaking directs agencies to embed 

data quality and integrity into their culture. To these ends, the 

Department will review the staffing, organization structure, 

expertise, and authorities needed at all levels to evolve 

evaluation and evidence building, as well as integrate them with 

performance and data management activities. Policies, standard 

operating procedures, and dedicated staff will mature a systemsbased approach to identify and research questions in the 

Department Learning Agenda, then employ findings in decision 

making. Interviews with senior leaders and external stakeholders 

will clarify data and organizational capacity needs. The 

Department will design program evaluation activities with an 

emphasis on utility and providing timely, actionable information. 

To raise overall capabilities, the Department will establish and 

enhance peer-to-peer collaboration mechanisms, including 

staff exchange programs, multibureau tiger teams, peer review 

committees, and events that bring academic stakeholders and 

practitioners together with Commerce staff.

STRATEGY 2: Identify statistical and administrative 

data that can be used to assess the impact of Federal 

interventions and develop refinements to increase 

the utility of the data

For decades, Federal agencies have used performance metrics 

to monitor and report progress. By integrating statistical and 

administrative data with performance data, the Department 

will improve its capacity to design and assess its programs. 

All these data must be highly reliable, easily accessible, available 

for small areas, and updated frequently to prompt preemptive 

corrective action. To increase the utility of data and evaluation, 

the Department must have information about the welfare of 

organizations, areas, and people who receive Federal benefits 

and, for comparison, those that do not. Furthermore, to act 

on White House direction to assure equity in program benefits 

addressed in Executive Order 13985, the Department must 

use data to analyze the impact to historically underserved 

communities and populations. Staff across the Department 

will identity, inventory, and develop better data for policy 

design, performance analysis, and program evaluation. These 

staff will also research and analyze data needs and datasets 

to answer questions in the Department Learning Agenda and 

complement performance management activities. Bureaus 

across the Department will collaborate and use partnerships 

as well as special authorities, such as those available to the 

National Technical Information Service (NTIS), to take full 

advantage of private-sector expertise.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 55
Modernize economic and demographic statistics 

to better meet business, policymaker, and 

community needs

Lead: Census Bureau

Contributing Bureaus: BEA, OUSEA

Communities, policymakers, and businesses increasingly require detailed, timely, and user-friendly data and statistics to 

navigate a dynamic economy. In recent years, the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) have employed 

data science, big data, and techniques such as automation to enhance the information they make available to the public. 

To maintain the Department’s strong reputation for providing quality data, it must quickly measure emerging sectors and 

address declining response rates in household and business surveys. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated 

a need for high-frequency and user-friendly economic indicators that enable decisionmakers to assess rapidly the effects 

of changing circumstances and sudden events. Using alternative data sources and building on existing research will enable 

the Department to offer new and higher-frequency data products, while ensuring that data, particularly data pertinent to 

underserved communities, are reliable, accurate, and readily accessible to guide policies and programs.

Strategic Objective 4.2

Key Performance Indicators

● On-time delivery of new data products that 

measure the impact of significant events in 

near real time

● Percentage of milestones met for initiatives to 

modernize data collection and production methods

● Percentage of new priority data products achieved

● What refinements and new statistics would support 

more equitable management of the economy?

● How reliable are early estimates of key economic 

indicators and what actions can improve reliability?

Learning Agenda Questions

56 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 1: Expand high-frequency data 

products in response to government, public, 

and business data needs

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated a need for highfrequency data products to use in planning and decision 

making. As a result, the Department rapidly developed a small 

business pulse survey, household pulse survey, and consumer 

spending measures using card transaction data that provide 

weekly data. Currently, the Department is in a unique position to 

mature the new capability to provide more timely and frequent 

data, in response to changing conditions in the economy and 

society. Leveraging pulse surveys, alternative data sources, and 

data science methodology, the Department will create new 

high-frequency data products and expand the frequency and 

timeliness of existing products. The Department will engage with 

businesses, governments, and the public to understand critical 

data needs, as well as consider underserved communities and 

data equity, to determine the appropriate mix of high-frequency 

data products with core and benchmark data products.

STRATEGY 2: Modernize data collection and 

production methods for creating quality data 

products with minimal respondent burden

Over the years, survey response rates have declined while the 

need for quality statistical data has increased. Data are collected 

in almost every facet of society, from other government agencies, 

credit card companies, internet platforms, and more. More 

communities and families, including traditionally underserved 

areas, are connected to the internet by computer or smartphone. 

The Department is in a unique position to capitalize on both the 

availability of data from other sources, as well as the increase 

in respondent connectivity. The Department will use alternative 

data sources to supplement survey data, modernize its statistical 

production processes, and develop additional survey self-response 

platforms, such as web-based and smartphone-based response 

options. These activities will allow the Department to provide 

high-quality statistical data with greater frequency and without 

additional burden to respondents. Throughout these activities, 

the Department will safeguard the privacy and autonomy of 

data subjects and the confidentiality of protected information.

STRATEGY 3: Develop new and expanded 

products to measure a dynamic economy

Businesses, governments, Federal agencies, and consumers 

require increasing amounts of data at more detailed levels 

to guide their evidence-based decisions. Emerging economic 

and demographic issues, including a demand for issue-specific 

data, arise more quickly than in the past. The Department will 

respond to these demands by maintaining an open dialogue 

with customers and offering new and expanded data products. 

These products will enrich the understanding of income 

inequality and key sectors of economic activity. They will further 

inform economic and policy analysis and serve the needs of 

the Nation, as well as states and local communities. Alternative 

measures and perspectives, whether using existing or emerging 

data sources, will provide an opportunity to test new products 

and expand the scope of available information about the 

U.S. economy and people.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 57
Improve Commerce data usability and advance 

ethical, responsible, and equitable data practices

Lead: OUSEA

Contributing Bureaus: All bureaus

The American public and businesses rely on the Department of Commerce as a trusted source of data. The timely delivery 

of quality, equitable, ethical, and secure data products and services is necessary to sustain that trust. To address the needs 

of data novices and domain experts alike, the public must have easily consumable and usable data, tools to improve 

findability and accessibility, and standards to improve interoperability. By leveraging partnerships to implement best 

practices throughout the data lifecycle, the Department will protect the privacy and confidentiality of individuals and 

businesses while making its data assets more findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR). Within the Federal 

Government, the Department will lead in raising the standards for responsible data practices that better meet the needs 

of current users and expand access to new users.

Strategic Objective 4.3

Key Performance Indicators

● Percentage of milestones met in the Commerce 

Data Strategic Action Plan

● Percentage of milestones met in improving 

Commerce data tools based on user feedback

● What barriers exist to collecting information from 

underserved communities?

● What fundamental areas of research and standards, 

if targeted by the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST) and its stakeholders, will further 

develop the foundation for trustworthy AI?

● What emerging technologies effectively enhance data 

sharing while preserving privacy and confidentiality?

● What skills and training techniques are most effective 

in preparing the Commerce workforce for current and 

emerging data challenges?

● What barriers exist to using climate-related data by 

underserved and at-risk communities and which, if 

addressed, would have the highest impact? What 

practices and techniques would effectively expand 

environmental and climate data equity and usability?

Learning Agenda Questions

58 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 1: Modernize the data ecosystem

The Department and each of its bureaus will modernize their 

data ecosystems (i.e., data collection approach, data storage 

and configuration, and tools for data linking and analytics) 

to maximize data sharing and collaboration within legal and 

ethical requirements. Achieving this complex and challenging 

transformation of data ecosystems at scale will involve 

publishing open data assets in a data catalog; sharing common 

data terminology; and adopting user community data standards, 

protocols, and technologies. The Department will analyze and 

document enterprise data asset and infrastructure requirements 

to inform related capital plans. Pilots and collaborative 

projects, such as integrated project teams, will inform full-scale 

implementation. A Departmentwide data inventory and search 

portal will aggregate and promote all the Department’s open 

data assets in a single location while also providing access to 

each bureau’s unique data search capabilities and data services. 

As the Department and its bureaus open their data assets, they 

will increase data usability. For example, as the Nation’s lead 

climate and statistical agency, the Department will provide the 

authoritative climate science, demographic data, and geospatial 

mapping services required to address climate change and 

growing income inequality. The Department will increase support 

of planning and mitigation actions at the local and regional 

scales through data delivery approaches tailored to the needs 

of communities disproportionately impacted by climate change 

and lacking the resources to develop their climate responses 

independently.

STRATEGY 2: Develop principles, guidance, 

and capacity for appropriate data practices at 

the Department of Commerce

New technology facilitates faster and easier data collection, 

combination, manipulation, and sharing. However, this same 

technology amplifies risks inherent to the new digital world. The 

Department will mitigate these risks using ethical data practices 

throughout the data lifecycle. When implementing Executive 

Orders 13985 and 14035, the Commerce Data Governance 

Board (CDGB) will research existing global and Federal data 

ethics principles and develop Departmentwide guidance for 

facilitating appropriate data practices. These practices include 

documenting the intended use of data; ensuring equity; and 

fostering transparency, accountability, and fairness. Foremost, 

the Department will ensure the continued privacy and 

confidentiality of protected information. The Department will 

also build its capacity to effectively manage data over the entire 

lifecycle, from data collection to dissemination. This will require 

building a workforce literate in data management, analytics, and 

stewardship. As part of this effort, the Department will improve 

workforce data acumen and skills through training opportunities 

identified through workforce data skills assessments. Through 

both top-down and bottom-up initiatives coordinated through 

the CDGB, the Department will develop an innovative workforce 

that welcomes and supports opportunities to advance its 

data agenda.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 59
STRATEGY 3: Leverage partnerships and 

stakeholder engagements to continuously 

improve data access and usage

Regular, meaningful dialogue with current and potential users of 

Commerce data is essential to delivering useful and responsible 

services. The Department, across all its bureaus, will support 

the implementation of Executive Order 13985 by investigating 

data access barriers and needs across a range of stakeholders, 

particularly underserved communities. The Department will 

collect input through stakeholder engagement and listening 

sessions. By using special authorities and fostering partnerships 

with other organizations, the Department will gather new ideas 

and new approaches from all sectors. The CDGB will foster 

continuing dialogue with internal customers on responsible 

data use. The CDGB will convene topical discussions in areas 

such as sharing data assets, unintended algorithmic bias in AI, 

data quality, and fit-for-purpose data analyses. By leveraging 

expertise across the Department, communities, and sectors, 

Commerce data practices will advance rapidly, responsibly, 

and equitably.

STRATEGY 4: Strengthen scientific integrity 

across the Department

The Presidential Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government 

Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking 

directs agencies to adhere to high ethical standards for data and 

research. Particularly, research must be insulated from political 

influence. The Commerce Chief Data Officer, Evaluation Officer, 

Statistical Official, and the CDGB will support data integrity, data 

management plans, and requirements to bolster science and 

data-informed decision making. A Department Scientific Integrity 

Officer will work with all bureaus, particularly the statistical and 

scientific bureaus, to refresh relevant policies and procedures, 

and support a culture that protects the integrity of all expert 

findings and analyses. A Department Administrative Order will 

be developed to address scientific and statistical integrity.

60 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 5: Improve efficiency of data sharing

The Department of Commerce is the authoritative source for 

critical national datasets needed to address climate change, 

racial inequality, COVID-19 impacts, U.S. economic growth, 

and job creation. In an increasingly complex and interconnected 

world, the Department’s bureaus must share and integrate 

appropriate datasets to cultivate innovation. The Department will 

employ best practices and technologies to enable more efficient 

and systematic data sharing. To provide a convenient reference, 

the Department will post model data sharing agreements and 

information about data sharing requirements for each bureau 

to a single webpage.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 61
Provide 21st Century Service 

with 21st Century Capabilities

Strategic Goal 5

62 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Strategic Goal 5: Provide 21st Century Service 

with 21st Century Capabilities

21st\

century service and mission support capabilities are critical to achieve 

the Department’s goals and the Administration’s priorities. The 

Department’s ambitious agenda requires a highly skilled workforce 

that reflects the diversity of the American public. To perform their work effectively, the 

Department’s staff should have the best technology, timely human-centric service delivery 

processes, and efficient approaches to hiring and acquiring resources. Workforce and 

technology operating environments have changed rapidly, and the pandemic accelerated 

that change. Successfully adapting and advancing the quality of mission support activities 

will require thoughtful change management over the life of this strategic plan. The 

Department will implement new strategies to optimize internal operations, infrastructure, 

workforce quality and equity, sustainability, and overall customer experience. These 

transformations depend on a strong organizational culture. Anchored by a systems-based 

approach to organizational performance management, this goal will further strengthen 

the Department’s inclusive, learning, and customer-focused culture.

It’s more important now than it has ever been that 

we work together to build a 21st century economy 

with American businesses and American workers 

at the forefront.

 – Secretary Raimondo

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 63
Effectively implement new Department of Commerce 

authorities and investments

Lead: Office of the Secretary

Contributing Bureaus: All bureaus

Each year, the public entrusts the Department with billions of dollars to carry out programs that grow the U.S. economy 

and improve living standards. Managing these funds with integrity and achieving results for the American people is a 

fundamental responsibility. To fulfill this responsibility, the Department will use state-of-the-art performance management 

practices, program evaluation, data expertise, and systems of internal controls to ensure exceptional stewardship. To 

improve the impact of programs, the Department will promote data-driven decision making, build customer feedback loops, 

drive continuous improvement, and design new operations based on evidence. The Department will support its expanded 

programs with a benchmark system to manage funds. Additionally, the Department will use improved applications and 

robust standard operating procedures to manage grants and contracts. Special hiring authorities will bring new staff on 

quickly. Training, affinity groups, teams, and details will support a work environment where staff have the capacity to 

deliver innovative, effective results for the American public.

Strategic Objective 5.1

Key Performance Indicators

● Audit opinion score

● Number of repeat significant deficiencies remaining

● Percentage awarded using high-risk contracting 

authorities

● Percentage of obligations to small, disadvantaged 

businesses, socioeconomic small businesses, and 

Ability One

● What grant disbursement processing procedures 

could be streamlined to reduce bottlenecks and 

overall processing times?

● How can data collection and analysis processes 

better inform whether a grant recipient 

is progressing toward the success criteria 

established in the award?

Learning Agenda Questions

64 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 1: Establish and communicate clear 

performance management protocols for new and 

expanded financial assistance programs

The Department will mature and further integrate its systematic 

approach for performance management to all new and 

expanded assistance programs. These programs will set and 

communicate clear goals with measurable performance targets 

for each funding stream. Program evaluation will inform 

program design and data collection throughout implementation. 

Key performance indicators will track the pace of program 

implementation and the projected impact. Program performance 

monitoring and evaluation will benchmark spending and identify 

any issues that may require corrective action or technical 

assistance. Program evaluations will also leverage existing 

Department and Federal data sources to facilitate impact 

evaluation and provide decisionmakers with evidence on the 

types of projects and strategies that create jobs and build 

robust local economies.

STRATEGY 2: Ensure efficient, effective, and 

transparent use of funds

The Department maintains internal controls and oversight over 

all managed funds in accordance with the Federal Manager’s 

Financial Integrity Act, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 

Circular A-123 Management’s Responsibility for Enterprise 

Risk Management and Internal Control, and the Government 

Accountability Office (GAO) Standards for Internal Control 

in the Federal Government. This system of financial controls 

identifies potential inefficient, ineffective, or misused spending. 

It also ensures that an additional level of review and corrective 

action will occur when the Department identifies weaknesses or 

deficiencies. Additionally, the Department conducts annual audits 

to validate the effectiveness of this system. To increase efficiency, 

particularly for high-dollar-value programs, the Department 

will improve technology systems, such as a new Business 

Applications Solution and grants management systems.

STRATEGY 3: Ensure programs serve all 

relevant stakeholders

The Department will enhance stakeholder involvement in 

program design and execution. Through virtual and in-person 

listening sessions with communities and organizations, the 

Department will provide a forum for more robust input on its 

program design from industry, labor, academia, and community 

groups, including organizations that represent historically 

underserved communities, such as minorities, women, and the 

LGBT+ community. Greater outreach efforts with information 

on funding opportunities will improve service to all communities, 

and clearer information on requirements to access program 

benefits will minimize the burden on applicants. Intuitively 

designed paper-based and online processes will make the 

Department’s services more approachable for new applicants.

STRATEGY 4: Increase workforce capacity and 

innovation competencies

The Department will increase workforce capacity and skill 

sets to properly manage and quickly distribute new funds. 

To decrease time spent maintaining legacy systems, staff 

will receive training on how to implement cloud-based 

commodity information technology (IT) platforms and services 

as the preferred method for service delivery. To instill best 

practice program management and acquisition techniques, 

the Department will train staff on project management, 

contract management, change management, and application 

development skills. Through an acquisition innovation lab, the 

Department will provide tools, training, and forums for sharing 

underused acquisition techniques that can reduce cycle time 

and provide better service delivery. Additionally, the Department 

will develop career development resources for the program 

management and risk workforces to help them better advise 

mission-focused programs.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 65
Optimize workforce and diversity, equity, 

and inclusion practices

Lead: Office of the Secretary

Contributing Bureaus: All bureaus

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed how and where work is performed. At the same time, competition to 

attract and retain top talent has become fierce. To compete, the Department must reimagine the future of work. Now is 

the time to cultivate a more flexible work environment that demonstrates empathy, inclusiveness, and responsiveness. 

The Department must foster a diverse workforce that reflects the Nation’s diversity and relates to the needs of different 

communities. Further, all employees must feel valued, supported, and accepted in the workplace. Toward these ends, 

the Department is committed to improving the hiring process and developing a talent pipeline that attracts the best 

and brightest Americans from all segments of society to the Federal service. The Department will ensure employees can 

collaborate, build knowledge, strengthen skills, and use evolving technologies and methods to excel in new mission areas 

and forms of work. These efforts will result in a skilled and engaged workforce that contributes to the accomplishment 

of the Department’s critical mission well into the 21st century.

Strategic Objective 5.2

Key Performance Indicators

● Average number of days to hire for all hires

● Candidate quality index

● Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) 

Employee Engagement Index Score

● Permanent attrition rate

● Time to respond to Equal Employment Opportunity 

(EEO) complaints

● Number of Inclusion, Special Observances, and 

Special Emphasis Programs

● How effective are changes in the recruitment 

and hiring process in reducing the cycle time for 

hiring and improving the quality of candidates 

on certification lists?

● How could the Department’s leadership 

development programs be more effective 

in supporting succession planning?

Learning Agenda Questions

66 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 1: Attract, recruit, hire, and retain 

talented and diverse employees

The Department will enhance its approach to attract, recruit, hire, 

and retain qualified and diverse candidates. Actions will include 

outreach to minority-serving institutions, diverse professional 

groups, and groups representing veterans and people with 

disabilities. These efforts will promote Federal careers and 

provide information on how to apply for Federal positions. As 

required by Executive Order 14035, the Department will increase 

its measurement of demographic representation and trends in 

its workforce. The Department will use these data to carry out an 

agency Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan 

that drives continuous improvement to recruitment and retention 

strategies. Additionally, the Department will leverage Affinity and 

Employee Resource Groups (A/ERG), training and development, 

and flexible work opportunities to integrate the governmentwide 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Maturity Model.

STRATEGY 2: Improve hiring processes and 

pipelines to reduce hiring time and vacancy backlogs

The Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO), Deputy CHCO, and 

Principal Human Resources (HR) Managers will conduct quarterly 

reviews of the time required to recruit and hire. These reviews 

will provide detailed hiring time data, identify any bottlenecks 

in the process, and direct needed improvements. Servicing HR 

offices will implement strategies to reduce process delays and 

achieve the Office of Personnel Management’s 80-day hiring time 

standard. At least quarterly, the Department will review progress 

and make improvements that address identified problems.

STRATEGY 3: Make the Department’s work 

environment more accessible, inclusive, 

and engaging

The Department will make the work environment more 

accessible, inclusive, and engaging by promoting A/ERGs and 

ensuring applicants and employees with disabilities have access 

to all buildings and technology. A/ERGs will connect employees 

across the Department, creating inclusiveness, engagement, 

and accessibility. A/ERGs will also provide a psychologically 

safe forum for employees to discuss challenges and foster a 

sense of workplace culture and belonging. The Department will 

conduct accessibility assessments and leverage A/ERGs to serve 

as a resource for problem solving. These efforts demonstrate 

the Department’s commitment to employee advancement 

and engagement, as well as support the implementation of 

the Rehabilitation Act and Executive Order 14035’s Section 8, 

Professional Development and Advancement. 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 67
STRATEGY 4: Build a pipeline to develop minority 

managers and senior executives so Department 

leadership reflects the diverse Nation it serves

The Department should have a workforce that reflects the 

diversity of the American people. To meet this goal, the 

Department will engage in strategic outreach with institutions, 

organizations, individuals from underrepresented groups, women, 

and people with disabilities to expand the pool of interested 

candidates. Additionally, the Department will cultivate an 

internal talent pipeline that grows a more diverse leadership 

team. Historically underrepresented groups’ participation in 

available training, leadership development programs, executive 

coaching services, and mentoring are critical to develop this 

pipeline. The Department will review job series data to identify 

occupations that lack diversity and take steps specified in 

Executive Order 14035 to improve representation in those 

fields. By establishing a workforce that reflects the diversity of 

the American people, the Department will be more innovative, 

effective, and better prepared for the future.

STRATEGY 5: Develop and grow current Federal 

employee skill sets to adapt to changing priorities 

and support upward career mobility

Collaborative partnerships with internal and external training 

entities will further cultivate a learning culture across the 

organization. Going forward, mission achievement will 

require individuals to have a wider array of knowledge and 

skills. Department learning and development initiatives will 

provide tools and resources to help employees master new 

competencies, enhance their leadership skills, and grow as 

individuals and team members. This includes establishing 

core Department competencies and documented career path 

frameworks. Empowering the workforce to build and share 

knowledge, strengthen skills, and use evolving technologies 

and methods will allow the Department to excel as its 

mission expands and evolves.

STRATEGY 6: Create more workforce agility, 

flexibility, and capabilities to accommodate 

expanded mission areas and the future of work

The Department must attract and retain a workforce that is 

prepared to achieve the mission of today and the future. The 

Department will share and collaborate across bureau talent 

pools to broaden employees’ experiences and knowledge 

base. Leadership development programs will enable bureaus 

to increase knowledge sharing and build a learning network. 

The Department will conduct an organizational assessment 

to evaluate and forecast anticipated workforce skill gaps 

and implement targeted upskilling and reskilling programs 

to address unmet needs. Additionally, the Department will 

expand the use of rotational details and other talent exchange 

programs (i.e., partnerships with other Federal agencies or the 

private sector). Cross-bureau leadership development programs 

established for entry and midlevel positions will create networks 

across the Department that build technical and leadership skill 

sets and breed diverse leaders who can navigate priority shifts 

and support long-term mission delivery.

68 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Equitably deliver exceptional customer experience

Lead: Office of the Secretary

Contributing Bureaus: All bureaus

The Department is the front door for Federal business services. To make that door easy to open, especially for businesses in 

underserved communities, the quality of customer experience should be central to service delivery. The design and delivery 

of both external and internal services should provide easy, efficient access to existing, new, and potential customers. 

To deliver this 21st century service, meet the requirements of Executive Order 14058: Transforming Federal Customer 

Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government, the Department will employ enabling technology and 

improve customer experience by collecting customer feedback. The voice of the customer is fundamental to better 

understand pain points, reduce burdens, build accountability, and improve efficiency across the Department. The Department 

will undertake customer experience capacity building, process design, and standardization efforts focused on providing 

customers and coworkers first-rate services and solutions that are easy to access, equitable, effective, and responsive for all.

Strategic Objective 5.3

Key Performance Indicators

● Percentage of customers who indicate positive 

satisfaction with designated priority services

● Percentage of customers who indicate they 

were treated fairly when using designated 

priority services

● Percentage of customers who indicate the 

employees they interacted with were helpful

● What are the most significant barriers to providing 

business assistance to underserved communities 

and populations? How can they be removed?

● How can bureau customer relationship management 

systems be integrated with other key customer data 

and be used to track cycle time for service and the 

quality of customer experience?

● What customer and human-centered design 

approaches should be used to routinely assess 

and improve the design and navigation of 

Department websites?

Learning Agenda Questions

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 69
STRATEGY 1: Identify actionable information 

to eliminate customer pain points and increase 

customers served

To provide excellent customer service, the Department must 

understand customers’ needs, expectations, and pain points. 

Additionally, as more bureaus are designated as high impact 

service providers (HISP), the need for information sharing, 

collaboration, and coordination within and across agencies 

has increased. To address these needs, the Department will 

develop 360-degree assessments of customer experiences, 

particularly among the public in underserved areas. Following 

OMB guidance, the Department will identify potential areas of 

improvement for how services are delivered. Assessments will 

address current and prospective customers and be supported 

by technology and HR analytics. The assessments will discover, 

collect, and analyze customers’ feedback and insights from 

Department and public sources. The Department and existing 

HISPs will also provide training in full customer experience 

analytics, including technology demonstrations, to promote 

efficiencies when analyzing data to make decisions. This strategy 

will also promote collaboration between HISP and non-HISP 

bureaus and agencies to exchange best practices, leverage 

lessons learned, and standardize feedback processes.

STRATEGY 2: Enhance equitable digital and 

nondigital customer engagement and service delivery

Some customers, particularly hard-to-reach, disadvantaged, 

or non-English-speaking communities, may prefer to access 

information through nondigital sources. Others may prefer 

electronic communication. To ensure the Department equitably 

services all customers, Department services and information 

must be widely available to all customers in their preferred 

access format, whether digital, nondigital, or both. Key customerfacing bureaus will conduct customer experience research 

activities to gain insights about customers’ needs, behaviors, 

and their information consumption habits and preferences. The 

Department will apply these findings to substantially increase 

awareness and use of Department programs. The Department 

will also leverage existing relationships and develop protocols 

for working with other agencies.

STRATEGY 3: Drive high-quality customer service, 

assistance, and satisfaction by improving initial 

interactions with the public

Many customers’ first direct interaction with the Department is 

through a contact center. The Department will establish guiding 

principles to provide contact centers with a better understanding 

of service philosophies and standards. The principles will 

provide a foundation for quality customer service and enhance 

overall customer experience. Efforts to improve contact centers 

will consider these principles for interacting with callers via 

telephone and in writing to exemplify the Department’s values, 

culture, and commitment to its stakeholders.

STRATEGY 4: Improve customer data 

standardization, integration, and analysis

The Department will establish overarching customer experience 

processes and guidelines to assist bureaus during planning, 

analysis, and decision making. This will ensure a customercentric, structured approach that complements existing 

performance management activities. The Department will 

provide guidance on standardization of terms, naming 

conventions, research methodologies, insight analytics practices, 

process improvement, and other customer experience–related 

practices. Each bureau will employ and adapt this guidance. 

These efforts will increase the Department’s ability to analyze 

and act on customer engagement data to improve the 

discoverability and service quality.

70 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Make Department facilities and operations more 

sustainable and efficient

Lead: Office of the Secretary

Contributing Bureaus: All bureaus

To address the climate crisis and strengthen occupant wellbeing, the Department will reduce the carbon footprint of its 

facilities and equipment. The Department must overcome challenges including legacy infrastructure, limited electric vehicle 

charging stations, acquisition mechanisms that do not consistently offer green options, and staff climate literacy. As a 

solution, the Department will invest in and maintain more climate-resilient infrastructure and operations, pursue efficient 

and pollution-free upgrades, and prioritize zero-emission vehicle acquisitions. The Department will implement sustainable 

acquisition processes and create equitable economic opportunities for businesses with climate-friendly products. 

Additionally, staff will receive training on sustainability best practices.

Strategic Objective 5.4

Key Performance Indicators

● Annual investment in sustainable and 

climate-resilient design measures, energy, 

and water efficiencies, and clean energy use 

● Number of conversions to electric or zero 

emission vehicles

● Renewable energy plus nonelectric renewable 

energy used as a percentage of total 

electricity use

● What actions are needed to achieve electricity 

use free of carbon pollution by 2030?

● What actions are needed to achieve net-zero 

emission buildings by 2045?

Learning Agenda Questions

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 71
STRATEGY 1: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 

and increased use of renewable energy at 

Department facilities

The Department will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet 

targets set forth in Executive Order 14057: Catalyzing Clean 

Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability and 

other applicable regulations. To meet net-zero emissions targets, 

the Department will increase the use of carbon pollution-free 

electricity, improve energy and water efficiencies across its 

facilities, and incorporate climate-resilient design into all capital 

planning projects and retrofits. The Department will replace aged 

infrastructure with low-emissions fixtures and systems, as well 

as increase the use of advanced utility meters to better inform 

acquisition and operational decision making on equipment 

and facilities’ energy consumption. The Department will also 

reduce unnecessary use of potable water, use direct investment 

and performance contracting vehicles, and increase the use of 

carbon pollution-free electricity and onsite renewable energy.

STRATEGY 2: Maximize conversion of the 

Department’s Federal vehicle fleet to electric vehicles

To improve fleet efficiency, the Department will replace its 

vehicles with electric, low greenhouse gas emission, or hybrid 

vehicles. The Department will also right size its fleet, enhance 

the Fleet Information Management System, and integrate the 

use of IT in fleet vehicles. This will inform acquisition decisions 

on maintenance issues and energy usage. To measure success 

of this strategy and guide implementation, the Department 

will develop a zero-emission fleet strategy and annual targets, 

in accordance with Executive Order 14008: Tackling the 

Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and related guidance.

STRATEGY 3: Enhance sustainable acquisitions 

and electronic stewardship across procurement, 

acquisitions, IT, and facilities

The Department will use procurement as a key tool in its move 

toward net-zero emissions. To the maximum extent possible, 

the Department will purchase sustainable products and 

services designated by the Environmental Protection Agency as 

sustainable and made of recovered materials. The Department 

will streamline and centralize acquisition procedures to increase 

the selection of green options, use governmentwide category 

management vehicles, and use shared services. The Department 

will also consolidate data centers to increase efficiency and 

purchase sustainable electronics (e.g., ENERGY STAR).

STRATEGY 4: Institute a culture of sustainability 

across all Departmental functions

To create a culture of sustainability, the Department will increase 

climate literacy through collaborative education and awareness 

programs. The Department will incorporate sustainability 

targets into employee performance plans and objectives, where 

applicable. Additionally, the Department will provide online 

sustainability training to all employees, such as the program 

offered by the Office of Sustainable Energy and Environmental 

Programs. These combined efforts will increase awareness and 

knowledge of sustainability, climate adaptation, and resilience.

72 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Modernize mission support processes and infrastructure

Lead: Office of the Secretary

Contributing Bureaus: All bureaus

Efficient internal processes and IT infrastructure enable the Department to provide essential services, disseminate knowledge, 

facilitate productivity, decrease risk, inform decision making, and reduce costs. Most importantly, the Department must have 

user-friendly processes and privacy protection to build public trust. To reduce unnecessary complexity and improve service 

delivery quality and turnaround time, the Department will replace legacy technology for operations, employ cybersecurity 

advances, and leverage private-sector best practices in process design. New technology will also support acquisition savings 

by identifying opportunities to achieve economies of scale. The Department will work to create a future-proof foundation 

for responsive services, agility, relentless innovation, and IT that is secure and empowers employees to excel.

Strategic Objective 5.5

Key Performance Indicators

● Improve the Department’s Federal Information 

Technology Reform Act (FITARA) score: employee 

rating for internal service quality

● Percentage of Federal Information Security 

Modernization Act (FISMA) reportable systems 

adopting National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-53 

Rev. 5 Security Controls

● Percentage of on-time, on-budget deployments 

of Business Application Solutions (BAS), Grants 

Enterprise Management Solution (GEMS), and 

Talent Acquisition systems

● Percentage of application services migrated to 

Cloud-Based platforms

● Percentage of normal priority Personnel Action 

Requests (PAR) completed on time

● Number of employees with Federal Acquisition 

Certification for Program and Project Managers 

(FAC-P/PM) 

● Percent reduction of service level agreement 

timelines due to process reengineering

● Percentage of workforce trained or credentialed 

in innovative acquisition techniques

● What systems can be established to quickly identify 

and correct process problems that cause service 

delays outside of standards?

● What mission support activities can be further 

streamlined to reduce the burden on mission 

delivery staff time? How can processes be leaned 

without compromising value-add requirements?

Learning Agenda Questions

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 73
STRATEGY 1: Accelerate information 

technology (IT) modernization

The Department operates many legacy IT systems and platforms 

that it needs to replace or upgrade. Maintaining these systems 

consumes excessive HR and funding. It also prevents faster 

deployment of next generation IT systems that would better 

serve the Department’s mission. When upgrading commodity 

IT functions, the Department will use industry standard cloudbased platforms as well as standardized software and hardware 

deployments. This will free up application development resources 

and accelerate the rollout of services and applications that offer 

unique, mission-related functionalities.

STRATEGY 2: Advance equity and accountability in 

mission-focused acquisition, procurement, and grant 

execution

The Department will make acquisition and grant investments to 

ensure equitable economic growth, innovation, climate solutions, 

and global competitiveness. To ensure accountability and 

transparency in its investments, the Department will implement 

program management best practices such as baselining cost, 

schedule, and performance monitoring. The Department will 

track economic benefits to disadvantaged communities and 

address climate related concerns in acquisition and grant 

programs. In support of Executive Order 13985: Advancing 

Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities 

Through the Federal Government, the Department will focus on 

increasing procurement from small disadvantaged businesses 

and businesses in the Ability One program. New tools, resources, 

and training will increase outreach to underserved communities.

STRATEGY 3: Eliminate service duplication and 

operational inefficiencies across the Department’s 

dispersed mission support functions by integrating 

them into the Enterprise Services (ES) model

The ES business model will use shared resources, standard 

processes, innovative sourcing strategies, and technology 

advancement to drive operational efficiency and improve 

customer service across the Department. ES will integrate 

dispersed business support functions into a single service 

delivery system. This will allow all bureaus and offices to 

dedicate more staff and resources to mission functions. This 

standardized approach to acquisitions, HR, and managed 

printing will free up capacity for continuous innovation and 

improvement as well as more accurate processing of pay, 

personnel, and benefit actions.

STRATEGY 4: Monitor compliance with all Federal 

cybersecurity standards and establish systems to 

identify emerging vulnerabilities

To protect critical data and infrastructure from increasingly 

sophisticated and persistent cybersecurity attacks, the 

Department will comply with the FISMA and similar regulatory 

requirements. To safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, and 

availability of information systems, the Department will make 

considerable IT investments and practice consistent vigilance. 

Additionally, the Department will publish modernized enterprise 

cybersecurity policies, standards, and handbooks. The Department 

will develop and implement a plan to adopt a Zero Trust 

Architecture, establish fellowship and internship programs for 

cybersecurity, and build an Agency Continuous Diagnostics and 

Mitigation dashboard. The Department will also continuously 

identify and implement new tactics as threats emerge.

74 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
STRATEGY 5: Simplify and incorporate enabling 

technology in core processes

To increase the efficiency and accuracy of core processes, 

the Department will employ industry standard cloud-based 

productivity tools to modernize processes and workflows. 

These productivity tools will automate repetitive tasks, reduce 

duplication of effort and infrastructure, and standardize the tools 

employees use to perform their jobs. The Department will also 

offer training to help staff take advantage of cloud platform 

features, which will improve communication, collaboration, and 

customer service. The skills employees develop in these trainings 

will empower them to integrate data-driven decision making 

and feedback loops that drive continuous improvement across 

Department operations.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 75
An Agency Priority Goal (APG) is a near-term result or achievement that the Department wants to accomplish within 

approximately 24 months. APGs are limited in number and align to the Department’s top near-term performance 

improvement priorities. The Department has established the following priority goals for fiscal years (FY) 2022 to 2023. 

APG 3: Strengthen the 

global competitiveness 

of American businesses

Bureau: ITA

By September 30, 2023, in support of expanding the global 

footprint of American small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)

and enhancing its accessibility and assistance to businesses 

in underserved communities, the International Trade 

Administration will accelerate its digital transformation to 

double the annual number of clients assisted from 38,000 

in FY 2020 to 76,000 in FY 2023, with a particular focus 

on SMEs and the Nation’s underserved communities.

APG 1: Ensure all Americans 

have access to high-speed, 

affordable, and reliable 

broadband

Bureau: NTIA (Jointly implemented with the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture)

By September 30, 2023, the Departments of Agriculture and 

Commerce will expand affordable and reliable access to 

broadband service by funding projects, which when completed, 

will provide at least 550,000 households with reliable and 

affordable access to high-quality internet service. 

APG 2: Increase conservation 

of America’s coastal land and 

waters

Bureau: NOAA

By September 30, 2023, in support of the America the Beautiful 

initiative, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

will advance formal designation or expansion processes to 

conserve at least 590,000 square miles of additional coastal 

and marine habitats as National Marine Sanctuaries or National 

Estuarine Research Reserves (NERR) to help ensure that 

nationally significant resources continue to provide economic, 

social, and environmental benefits for future generations.

Appendix I Agency Priority Goals

76 | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN 
Strategic Goals Strategic Objectives

Office of the SecretaryBEABISCensus BureauEDAITAMBDANISTNOAANTIANTISOUSEAUSPTO

Goal 1 –

Drive U.S. 

Innovation 

and Global 

Competitiveness

1.1 – Revitalize U.S. manufacturing and strengthen domestic supply chains

1.2 – Accelerate the development, commercialization, and deployment of 

critical and emerging technologies

1.3 – Increase international cooperation and commerce

1.4 – Protect national security interests and enforce trade rules

1.5 – Promote accessible, strong, and effective intellectual property rights 

to advance innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship

1.6 – Improve the Nation’s cybersecurity and protect Federal Government 

networks

1.7 – Advance U.S. leadership in the global commercial space industry

Goal 2 –

Foster Inclusive 

Capitalism 

and Equitable 

Economic Growth

2.1 – Drive equitable, resilient, place-based economic development and 

job growth

2.2 – Build sustainable, employer-driven career pathways to meet 

employers’ need for talent and to connect Americans to quality jobs

2.3 – Advance entrepreneurship and high-growth small and medium-sized 

enterprises

2.4 – Expand affordable, high-quality broadband to every American

Goal 3 –

Address the 

Climate Crisis 

Through 

Mitigation, 

Adaptation, and 

Resilience Efforts

3.1 – Increase the impact of climate data and services for decisionmakers 

through enhanced service delivery and improved weather, water, 

and climate forecasts

3.2 – Strengthen coastal resilience and advance conservation and 

restoration of lands and waters for current and future generations

3.3 – Accelerate development and deployment of clean technologies

3.4 – Embed climate considerations across Department programs

Goal 4 –

Expand 

Opportunity 

and Discovery 

Through Data

4.1 – Implement evidence-based decision making within the Department 

of Commerce to increase program and policy impact

4.2 – Modernize economic and demographic statistics to better meet 

business, policymaker, and community needs

4.3 – Improve Commerce data usability and advance ethical, responsible, 

and equitable data practices

Goal 5 –

Provide 21st 

Century 

Service with 

21st Century 

Capabilities

5.1 – Effectively implement new Department of Commerce authorities 

and investments

5.2 – Optimize workforce and diversity, equity, and inclusion practices

5.3 – Equitably deliver exceptional customer experience

5.4 – Make Department facilities and operations more sustainable and 

efficient

5.5 – Modernize mission support processes and infrastructure

Summary of Contributing Bureaus

by Strategic Objective

Appendix II

Lead Contributing bureau

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • 2022 – 2026 STRATEGIC PLAN | 77
U.S. Department of Commerce

1401 Constitution Ave NW

Washington, DC 20230

commerce.gov