NASA Procedures and Guidelines
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NPR 1450.10C Eff. Date: March 06, 2000 Cancellation Date: March 24, 2006	NASA Correspondence Management and Communications Standards and Style
| TOC | ChangeHistory | Preface | Chapter1 | Chapter2 | Chapter3 | Chapter4 | Chapter5 | Chapter6 | Chapter7 | Chapter8 | AppendixA | AppendixB | AppendixC | AppendixD | AppendixE | AppendixF | AppendixG | AppendixH | ALL |

CHAPTER 1: Managing and Controlling Mail and Communicationa

1. Communications Addressed to the Principals of the Office of the Administrator

1.1.1 The OCIC, Headquarters Correspondence Management Office manages and controls incoming and outgoing, internal and external correspondence, communications, and mail addressed to or signed by the Principals of the Office of the Administrator, e.g., Administrator, Deputy Administrator, Associate Deputy Administrator, Chief Engineer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Scientist, and Chief Technologist.

1.1.2 The OCIC manages, controls, and tracks incoming and outgoing, internal and external communications requiring responses, as well as those actions initiated by the Administrator, Deputy Administrator, or Associate Deputy Administrator.

1.1.3 The OCIC prescribes specific guidance, procedures, and standards for preparing internal and external correspondence and communications in both paper and electronic formats.

1.1.4 The OCIC serves as the Agency focal point for communications addressed to or signed by the Principals of the Office of the Administrator.

1.1.5 The OCIC serves as the Agency authority and establishes Agencywide guidelines to ensure that NASA disseminates optimal communications to the widest possible audience.

1.1.6 The OCIC establishes the style and format for preparing various types of correspondence and communications designed to improve the management and flow of communications.

1.1.7 The OCIC ensures quality editing and proofreading that reflect "plain language" as promulgated by the President's National Partnership for Reinventing Government.

1.1.8 The OCIC coordinates senior-level communications for the Executive Office of the President, Congress, and domestic and international dignitaries.

1.1.9 The OCIC provides editorial guidance to scientists, technologists, engineers, program and project directors and managers, and to those whose functions involve or support the public and legislative affairs, education, history, scientific and technical information, and technology transfer offices.

1.1.10 The OCIC manages a tracking system of accountability for incoming and outgoing, internal and external correspondence, communications, and mail for the Office of the Administrator.

1.1.11 The OCIC manages a recordkeeping system of accountability for the incoming and outgoing, internal and external correspondence, communications, and mail for the Office of the Administrator.

1.1.12 The OCIC ensures that the Office of the Administrator's records are maintained in accordance with the prescribed Federal guidelines and applicable Agency Retention Schedules.

1.2 Quality Control Liaison (QCL) and Correspondence Control Liaison (CCL) Designations for NASA Headquarters

1.2.1. The Associate Administrator for each Headquarters organization (hereafter also referred to as the Action Office) must designate a member from its organization to serve as a QCL and CCL. These designations are required to facilitate the smooth and efficient flow of communications between the Action Office and the OCIC.

1.2.2. The QCL supports the following correspondence management activities:

a. The QCL reviews and edits Action Office responses for actions assigned by the OCIC.

b. The QCL ensures that responses for signature by the Principals of the Office of the Administrator reflect Agency standards, format, style, and contain all appropriate information.

c. The QCL ensures that signature packages are properly assembled.

d. The QCL initials the Action Document Summary (ADS), NHQ Form 117, to signify that packages prepared for signature by the Principals of the Office of the Administrator have been reviewed and are correct. The OCIC will return all packages the QCL fails to initial. (See Appendix A, Figure A-4, Block 3.)

1.2.3. The CCL supports the following correspondence management activities:

a. The CCL serves as the focal point for correspondence and actions that are assigned to the Action Office by the OCIC.

b. The CCL manages a tracking system of accountability for actions that are assigned to the Action Office by the OCIC.

1.2.4. Each Associate Administrator must provide the OCIC with the name(s) of the individual(s) designated to serve as the QCL or CCL.

1.2.5. Each Associate Administrator must timely apprise the OCIC of changes to QCL or CCL designation(s).

1.2.6. Each Associate Administrator must provide the OCIC with the name of an individual to serve as a Point of Contact (POC) when either the designated QCL or CCL is absent or unavailable.

1.3 Action Office Mailboxes

1.3.1 The OCIC establishes mailboxes for each Action Office.

1.3.2 The OCIC uses these mailboxes to dispatch and transmit correspondence management matters to the Action Office.

1.3.3 Each Action Office must check its mailbox at least once per business day.

1.4 High-Profile Responses (Administration Offices)

1.4.1 Action Offices must meet due dates for high-profile (e.g., Secretary of Transportation, Director General, Russian Space Agency) responses.

1.4.2 To help identify correspondence as high profile and to call attention to special handling requirements, pertinent information, a short due date, or the number of staff hours expended to prepare the response, the OCIC notes any special information in the "Abstract" section of the Action Cover Mask. (The OCIC summarizes pertinent information regarding the correspondence and produces an Action Cover Mask that is sent with the correspondence to the Action Office.)

1.5 Due Dates

1.5.1. The OCIC establishes a due date, using a 10-business-day timeframe when no due date is stated in the incoming correspondence.

1.5.2. When the incoming correspondence specifically states a due date, the OCIC uses that date.

1.5.3. The White House Correspondence Office establishes due dates for its referrals. The due dates vary between 15 and 25 business days, depending on the subject. The OCIC must use the White House Correspondence Office due dates in establishing an Action Office due date.

1.6 Extensions of Due Dates

1.6.1. All due dates must be met. Requests for extensions should be rare, and the Action Office must specifically justify the reason for its request.

1.6.2. The Action Office must immediately notify its assigned OCIC Correspondence Analyst regarding any possible delinquency.

1.6.3. The OCIC will provide guidance to the Action Office and, as appropriate, will coordinate the request for an extension on behalf of the Agency with the external organization and advise the Action Office accordingly.

1.6.4. The OCIC will provide guidance to the Action Office and will coordinate the request for an extension on behalf of the Action Office for Office of the Administrator-initiated actions with the Office of the Administrator and advise the Action Office accordingly. For example, Capital Investment Council, Program Management Council, Senior Management Council, Senior Staff Meeting Minutes.

1.7 Office of the Administrator Signature Packages

1.7.1. All packages for signature by the Principals of the Office of the Administrator must first go through the OCIC. This includes NASA Directives.

1.7.2. The OCIC reviews and processes the package for signature by the Office of the Administrator. Incomplete packages or packages requiring corrections are returned.

1.7.3. Do not carry packages directly to the Office of the Administrator. The Office of the Administrator will return them to the OCIC.

1.8 Concurrences for Office of the Administrator Signature Packages

1.8.1 The Action Office must obtain all required concurrences on the ADS before submitting signature packages to the OCIC. The OCIC recommends that the Action Office simultaneously hand-carry or fax the package.

1.8.2 The Action Office reviews the "Info Offices" listed by the OCIC on the Action Cover Mask to determine the appropriate concurrences.

1.8.3 The Action Office must obtain concurrences on the ADS from the cognizant Headquarters organizations when responses include data from other Headquarters offices or Centers.

1.9 Correspondence to Officials-in-Charge of Headquarters Offices and/or Center Directors

1.9.1. The Action Office must include the most current distribution list in the signature package.

1.9.2. The OCIC will return the signature package to the originating office if the distribution list is absent or incorrect.

1.9.3. Visit the Correspondence Management Web site on the HQ Home Page at http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/codec/codeci/mailcor/cormgt.html to see the most current listings.

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