NPD 1000.3E - Chapter2

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NASA
Procedural
Requirements

NPD 1000.3E
Effective Date: April 15, 2015
Expiration Date: December 31, 2024

COMPLIANCE IS MANDATORY FOR NASA EMPLOYEES

Printable Format (PDF)

Subject: The NASA Organization w/Change 113

Responsible Office: Associate Administrator

Chapter 2: Agency Leadership and Organizational Structure

2.1 Office of the Administrator

2.1.1 MISSION. This office provides overall leadership, planning, policy direction, management, and coordination for all NASA activities.

2.1.2 OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES.

2.1.2.1 The Administrator leads the Agency and is accountable to the President for all aspects of the Agency's mission, including establishing and articulating the Agency's vision, strategy, and priorities and overseeing successful implementation of all supporting policies, programs, activities, and performance assessments. The Administrator performs all necessary functions to govern NASA operations and exercises the powers vested in NASA by law.

2.1.2.2 The Deputy Administrator advises the Administrator on overall leadership, planning, and policy direction for the Agency. The Deputy Administrator performs the duties and exercises the powers delegated by the Administrator. The Deputy Administrator acts for the Administrator in his or her absence by performing all necessary functions to govern NASA operations and exercise the powers vested in NASA by law. The Deputy Administrator also serves as the Chief Acquisition Officer, ensuring that the NASA mission is achieved through the management of the Agency's acquisition activities.

2.1.2.3 The Associate Administrator performs the duties and exercises the powers delegated by the Administrator and acts for the Administrator in the absence of the Administrator and Deputy Administrator. The Associate Administrator is responsible for integrating the technical and programmatic elements of the Agency. The Associate Administrator oversees the Agency's Centers, programs, Technical Authorities, and the NASA Office JPL Management and Oversight. The Associate Administrator oversees the planning, directing, organization, and control of the day-to-day Agency technical and programmatic operations, including establishing controls over Agency activities, providing a means for evaluating mission accomplishments, and correcting deficiencies.

2.1.2.4 The Chief of Staff is responsible for coordinating the management and execution of initiatives, programs, and policies in critical areas of concern to the Administrator and ensuring that the strategic goals and objectives established by the Administrator are achieved. The Chief of Staff directs the Office of the Administrator, oversees the Office of Executive Secretariat, and also serves as a liaison to the White House staff.

2.1.2.5 The Deputy Associate Administrator is responsible for overseeing the strategy for mission support elements across the Agency. The Deputy Associate Administrator oversees the Agency's operational mission support functions through the Mission Support Directorate, Centers, and appropriate staff offices. Reporting to the Associate Administrator, the Deputy Associate Administrator performs and executes duties delegated by the Associate Administrator and acts for the Associate Administrator in his or her absence. In addition, this role builds and advances industry partnerships in support of the agency's long-range planning, development and partnering strategy.

2.1.2.6 The Associate Administrator for Technology, Policy and Strategy directs the Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy. This position is responsible for developing and shaping Agency policy in response to Administration direction, as well as coordinating strategy across the Agency, in support of the Administrator.

2.1.2.7 The Associate Administrator for Space Security Interests, in support of the Administrator, leads a broad security focus on NASA's civil space efforts within the larger national and global environment; and supports enterprise protection and assessment efforts, representing NASA and working with our federal agency partners to advance our national posture.

2.1.2.8 The Chief Program Management Officer, reporting to the Associate Administrator, is responsible for stewardship of the Program Management (PM) functions across NASA; including programmatic policy and tailoring, PM community of practice, program reviews, and independent assessment practices. The Chief Program Management Officer is the steward of NASA program/project management requirements (NPR 7120.5 and NPR 7120.8). The Chief Program Management Officer also holds responsibility for Agency compliance with the PM Improvement Accountability Act,

2.1.2.9 The mission statements for the offices and functions that provide support to the Office of the Administrator are included below.

a. Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy (OTPS). The OTPS provides data and evidence-driven advice to NASA leadership to assure an integrated enterprise approach to technology, policy, and strategy. The office supports and promotes the Administration's and NASA leadership's top policy agenda and priorities, providing special studies as needed. The OTPS maintains awareness of critical emerging issues, both internal and external to the Agency. The OTPS includes the position of the Chief Technologist, as a senior representative for NASA.

b. Office of Executive Secretariat (OES). The OES is responsible for ensuring that the Office of the Administrator decisions are timely, informed, fully documented, properly archived, and readily retrievable, and that commitments to certain key NASA external stakeholders are fulfilled. The OES implements the NASA governance system and documents and promulgates internal NASA policies and requirements, as well as external regulations codified in the Code of Federal Regulations. The OES manages Office of the Administrator formal approvals and correspondence, implements NASA's audit liaison program, and monitors compliance with Presidential Executive Orders.

c. Enterprise Protection Program (EPP). The EPP, led by the Principal Advisor for Enterprise Protection (PAEP) who reports to the Associate Administrator for Space Security Interests, provides advice and recommendations on threats, vulnerabilities, mitigations, security, and assessments of NASA missions, activities, critical capabilities, and technologies. While implementing a plan to coordinate protection efforts across the Agency and promote enterprise-level solutions, the PAEP is the NASA representative to the Space and Security Defense Program and similar entities and functions.

2.1.2.10 The following Boards are chartered under the authority of the Administrator:

a. Executive Resources Board.
b. Performance Review Board.
c. Inventions and Contributions Board (per 14 CFR Title 14 Chapter 5).
d. Contract Adjustment Board (per 14 CFR Chapter 5).

2.1.2.11. The following Boards are chartered under the authority of the NASA Chief Operating Officer (see 2.1.3.2 below), per OMB Circular A-123, to inform management of Enterprise Risk:

a. Enterprise Protection Board
b. Space Environments Sustainability Board

2.1.3 SPECIAL RELATIONSHIPS.

2.1.3.1 The Administrator chairs the Executive Council.

2.1.3.2 The Administrator appoints the Agency Chief Operating Officer (COO), Performance Improvement Officer (PIO), and the Chief Acquisition Officer (CAO) to ensure the Agency's mission is achieved through management of activities in accordance with respective laws including the 2010 GPRA Modernization Act. The COO and PIO are responsible for activities as designated by OMB Circular No. A-11 and OMB Circular No. A-123. The CAO is responsible for activities as designated by 41 U.S.C § 1702(b). The GPRA Modernization Act requires all agency heads to designate a COO. Agency heads in consultation with the COO will designate a senior executive as the Agency PIO, who reports functionally to the COO. The Administrator has currently appointed the Deputy Administrator to serve as the CAO, the Associate Administrator to serve as the Agency COO and the Deputy Chief Financial Officer for Strategic Insights and Budget to serve as the PIO.

2.1.3.3 The Deputy Administrator is the alternate Chair for the Executive Council.

2.1.3.4 The Associate Administrator chairs the Agency Program Management Council and the Acquisition Strategy Council.

2.1.3.5 The Deputy Associate Administrator chairs the Mission Support Council.

2.1.4 LINE OF SUCCESSION. In the following order: Deputy Administrator; Associate Administrator; and Chief of Staff. The process for designating an Acting Administrator is set forth at 5 U.S.C. 3345 et. seq.

2.1.4.1 Under Section 202(b) of the Space Act, the Deputy Administrator shall act for and exercise the powers of the Administrator during his or her absence or disability. In the event that the Office of the Administrator becomes vacant, the Deputy Administrator shall serve as Acting Administrator immediately and automatically upon occurrence of the vacancy up to the appointment of a new Administrator, Presidential action under the Vacancies Reform Act, 5 U.S.C. 3345, or the expiration of authority under the Vacancies Reform Act. If both the Offices of the Administrator and Deputy Administrator are vacant or if the Office of the Administrator is vacant and authority for the Deputy Administrator to serve under the Vacancies Reform Act has expired, no individual can serve as the Acting Administrator without Presidential action unless otherwise authorized by law. However, in that event, all authorities of the Administrator that may be legally delegated are delegated to the incumbent official in the following order of precedence: Deputy Administrator; Associate Administrator; Chief of Staff; Center Director for Johnson Space Flight Center; Center Director for Kennedy Space Center; and Center Director for Marshall Space Flight Center. In consultation with the General Counsel, such official exercising authority under this delegation shall also request Presidential action for the appointment of an Acting Administrator.

2.1.5 DELEGATION AND REDELEGATION. Except as may be specified in laws, regulations, or directives, OICs and Center Directors have full authority to carry out the responsibilities of their offices, and they may redelegate this authority as deemed appropriate.

2.2 The Official Agency-level Organizational Chart

The NASA Organization Structure includes the Administrator, the Deputy Administrator, the Associate Administrator, the Chief of Staff, and the Deputy Associate Administrator.
The following report to the Administrator: The Office of the General Counsel. The Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs. The Office of Communications. The Office of the Inspector General and Advisory Groups advise the Administrator.

The following report to the Deputy Administrator: The Chief Scientist/Senior Climate Advisor. The Chief Financial Officer. The Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy. The Office of International and Interagency Relations. The Office of STEM Engagement. The Office of Small Business Programs. And, the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity.

The following report to the Associate Administrator: The Chief Information Officer. The Chief Safety and Mission Assurance. The Chief Engineer. The Chief Health and Medical Officer. The Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. The Space Operations Mission Directorate. The Science Mission Directorate. The Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. The Space Technology Mission Directorate. The Ames Research Center. The Armstrong Flight Research Center. The Glenn Research Center. The Goddard Space Flight Center. The Johnson Space Center. The Kennedy Space Center. The Langley Research Center. The Marshall Space Flight Center. And, the Stennis Space Center.

The following report to the Deputy Associate Administrator: The NASA Office of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Management and Oversight, and the Mission Support Directorate upon which direct reports are the Chief Human Capital Officer, the Office of Procurement, the Office of Strategic Infrastructure, and the NASA Shared Services Center.

Notes: The Administrator may delegate direct reports to the Deputy Administrator at his/her discretion. The Deputy Administrator is designated as Chief Acquisition Officer. The NASA Office of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Management and Oversight oversees the JPL contract. JPL is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center with programmatic reporting to the Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate.