Overview 

of 

NIST’s Strategic Plan
 

Patrick D. Gallagher

Deputy Director Deputy Director


 
 Patrick D. Gallagher
Strategic Planning at NIST Strategic Planning at NIST

	 

“Corporate level Corporate level” 

” planning has not been consistent o

planning has not been consistent o

sustained. sustained.

	 Alignment with plans has been uneven. Alignment with plans has been uneven.	 NIST lacks a consistent long NIST lacks a consistent long

-term vision term vision

•	 Significant turnover in Director Significant turnover in Director’s office s office

• Nine Directors since 1993 Nine Directors since 1993•

	 

Nine Deputy Directors since 1993 Nine Deputy Directors since 1993

• 

•

	 

On average new leadership every 18 months On average new leadership every 18 months

 Planning has shifted down to the OU level out of nec

Planning has shifted down to the OU level out of nec
Three–year Programmatic Plan year Programmatic Plan

 Congress frustrated by lack of consistency Congress frustrated by lack of consistency Requires Annual Three Requires Annual Three-year Plan year Plan

• Sec. 3004 of the America COMPETES Act Sec. 3004 of the America COMPETES Act•

	 	 Submitted concurrently with budget request Submitted concurrently with budget request

	 COMPETES requires VCAT to comment on the plan 

COMPETES requires VCAT to comment on the plan 

of annual report of annual report
Initial Programmatic Plan Initial Programmatic Plan –FY 2009 FY 2009

- 2011

 Not well received by House Science Committee Not well received by House Science Committee

• 

• “...deeply concerned that NIST has still not devel

deeply concerned that NIST has still not deve

comprehensive, programmatic planning documen

comprehensive, programmatic planning documen

Chairman David Wu (D Chairman David Wu (D

-OR)

 Plan did not address MEP and TIP Plan did not address MEP and TIP

• 

• Two Congressional priorities Two Congressional priorities
NIST planning: the need to improve NIST planning: the need to improve

•	 Improved strategic planning identified internally as a 

Improved strategic planning identified internally as a 

management priority (2017 Vision Plan management priority (2017 Vision Plan – 

– OU Directo

OU Directo

•	 Need to integrate planning and budget increased wit

Need to integrate planning and budget increased wit

on larger, multi on larger, multi

-year programmatic initiatives; year programmatic initiatives;

•	 Key to stated management focus on improving NIST Key to stated management focus on improving NIST

decision decision

-making and execution; making and execution;

•	 Re

-focused NLB on direction setting and planning fo

focused NLB on direction setting and planning fo

(and streamlined line management to improve execu

(and streamlined line management to improve execu

follow up) follow up)

•	 The 3

-year planning document is a key step to susta

year planning document is a key step to susta

planning integrated with our budget development pro

planning integrated with our budget development pro
3 year plan structure 3 year plan structure
 

NIST Mission NIST MissionPlanning context Planning contextNIST Strategic goals and objectives NIST Strategic goals and objectives

 Adapt to rapid pace of technological developmen

Adapt to rapid pace of technological developmen

 Foster trust and efficient transactions in the mark

Foster trust and efficient transactions in the mark

 Address urgent national priorities; Address urgent national priorities;
  Improve efficiency and effectiveness of NIST Improve efficiency and effectiveness of NIST
 

Strategic plan Strategic plan

 Investment priority areas Investment priority areas
  Management priorities Management priorities
  Engagement priorities Engagement priorities
 
Identifying Investment Priority Areas for La

Identifying Investment Priority Areas for La

	 Developed a set of criteria to Developed a set of criteria to use in identifying potential fo

use in identifying potential fo

areas

•	 Is this a compelling innov Is this a compelling innovation or competitiveness issu

ation or competitiveness issu

the nation needs NIST to addres the nation needs NIST to address? 

•	 Is there a clear match Is there a clear match to our mission and goals? to our mission and goals?

•	 Does this address an urgent and compelling national n

Does this address an urgent and compelling national n

•	 Is this part of an ongoing priori Is this part of an ongoing priority for NIST (as identified 

ty for NIST (as identified 

previous budget and planning documents)? previous budget and planning documents)?

•	 Is this part of a coordinated nat Is this part of a coordinated national policy area? (on t

ional policy area? (on t

of policy officials) of policy officials)

	 Path forward Path forward

•	 Two working groups Two working groups(Planning group and OU Directors

(Planning group and OU Director

criteria to identify areas for Deputy Director decision criteria to identify areas for Deputy Director decision
Laboratory priority areas Laboratory priority areas

 Measurements, Standards and Technology for Measurements, Standards and Technology for... 

...

• 

• Physical Infrastructure Physical Infrastructure

• 

• Energy

• 

• Environment Environment

• 

• Biosciences/Health care Biosciences/Health care

•Secure IT Systems Secure IT Systems
Other thoughts Other thoughts.... 

 TIP and MEP funding TIP and MEP funding Critical role of core competence in measurement Critical role of core competence in measurement

science/standards science/standards
 

 Facilities and instrumentation Facilities and instrumentation
  IMS funding IMS funding
 

 Agency/policy discrimination of roles Agency/policy discrimination of roles Subsidiary plans: Subsidiary plans:
 

 Management Management Partnerships/engagement plan Partnerships/engagement plan
  Facilities Facilities