Policy
Directive
Effective Date: September 06, 2024
Expiration Date: September 06, 2029
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NASA Policy Directive |
NPD 1152.1 Effective Date: September 06, 2024 Expiration Date: September 06, 2029 |
a. It is NASA's policy to implement an Agency governance system which embodies the Governance Principles and Framework and supports the NASA Strategic Management System as defined in NASA Policy Directive (NPD) 1000.0, NASA Governance and Strategic Management Handbook.
b. It is NASA's policy that the Agency maintain a governance system that can be clearly communicated to and understood by all employees, which favors direct line authority whenever practicable, and in which decision authorities are clearly defined and unique. Specifically:
(1) All governing bodies in the Agency fall under one of the below clear and unique chartering authorities:
(a) Chartering authorities stated in NPD 1000.3, The NASA Organization, chapter 3 (the Executive Council and its subordinate bodies, i.e., "Agency Governance Councils");
(b) Chartering authorities as imputed by responsibilities of Headquarters Officials in Charge or Center Directors in NPD 1000.3, Chapters 4 and 5;
(c) Chartering authorities as imputed by NPD 1000.3, Chapter 2 by responsibilities of principals of the Office of the Administrator; or
(d) Chartering authorities imputed by clearly specified responsibilities in other NASA directives.
(2) Chartering authorities of governing bodies, to the level of Councils and significant Boards, are documented and kept current in NPD 1000.3.
(3) Bodies chartered under NPD 1000.3, Chapter 3 are reserved for decisions that:
(a) Are highly visible or sensitive for external stakeholders, or
(b) Involve long-lasting, high-impact, or irreversible decisions, or
(c) Are highly integrative and beyond the authority of a single organization.
(4) Names of governing bodies must include one of the following identifiers, as defined in Appendix A: Council or Board (for decisional bodies), Committee, Panel, or Working Group (for recommending or advisory bodies).
(a) The term "Advisory" may be included within the names for Boards, Committees, Panels, or Working Groups; however, it does not override definitions in Appendix A, e.g., an Advisory Board must still include some decisional functions if it is to be deemed a Board.
(b) The decisional scope and functions of governing bodies will not overlap. Bodies may convene jointly to address items of mutual concern.
(c) Chairs of governing bodies may charter subordinate bodies and delegate responsibilities only within their body's chartered scope and functions.
(d) Interfaces between parent and subordinate bodies are defined by clear and explicit decision thresholds.
c. It is NASA policy that decisions made by Agency Governance Councils consider relevant risks, are made with informed stakeholder consultation, are supported by sufficient evidence, are executed in a timely way, and are transparent to the maximum practicable extent. Specifically:
(1) All recommendations are made by an Agency Governance Council member or subordinate Board Chair.
(2) Decisions are evaluated based on defined decision criteria approved by the Agency Governance Council Chair.
(3) Preparation materials are made available to participants well in advance of Agency Governance Council meetings.
(4) Council members and invitees come prepared to Agency Governance Council meetings and represent both their organizational interests and the NASA enterprise interest.
(5) To the maximum extent practicable, final decisions are made during Agency Governance Council meetings.
(6) Agency Governance Council decisions are final, subject to reclama conditions and reclama procedures specified in their charters.
(7) Final decisions and actions are disseminated in a timely manner after Agency Governance Council meetings.
(8) To the maximum extent practicable, the outcomes of Agency Governance Council meetings are made available to NASA employees.
a. This directive is applicable to NASA Headquarters and NASA Centers, including Component Facilities, and Technical and Service Support Centers.
b. This directive does not apply to independent review bodies chartered by Mission Directorates to review specific programs/projects, or to external advisory (e.g., Federal Advisory Committee Act) committees.
c. In this directive, all document citations are assumed to be the latest version unless otherwise noted.
d. In this directive, the term "may" denotes a discretionary privilege or permission, "can" denotes statements of possibility or capability, "should" denotes a good practice and is recommended, but not required, "will" denotes expected outcome, and "are/is" denotes descriptive material.
a. The National Aeronautics and Space Act, as amended, 51 U.S.C. 20113(a).
b. NPD 1000.0, NASA Governance and Strategic Management Handbook
a. NPR 1152.1, NASA Charters and Agency Governance Council Procedural Requirements.
b. NASA Advisory Implementing Instructions (NAII) 1400.1, NASA Governance Charter Writing Manual (to be renumbered as NAII 1152.1).
a. The NASA Administrator determines the overall principles, framework, and systems of Agency governance, per NPD 1000.0, NPD 1000.3, and this directive.
b. The NASA Chief of Staff:
(1) Establishes consistent norms and expectations for senior leadership when participating in Agency governance.
(2) Selects a Director, Office of the Executive Secretariat, to implement the Agency governance system per the Administrator's direction.
(3) Adjudicates, in consultation with Office of the Administrator principals, disagreements over paths for decision authority, timing of decisions, or other issues.
c. The Director, Office of the Executive Secretariat:
(1) Concurs on, and recommends to the appropriate chartering authority, governing body charters derived from authorities in NPD 1000.3, Chapters 2 and 3.
(2) Establishes and implements procedures and requirements to maintain the Agency Governance System per the Chief of Staff's direction and Administrator's intent.
(3) Recommends a position on disposition of Agency Governance Council authority questions to the appropriate Chair or Chief of Staff.
(4) Recommends on the readiness of all Council topics to the appropriate Chair.
(5) Ensures integration between Council decisions and actions, NASA policy revisions, and audit corrective actions.
(6) Ensures that the Office of the Executive Secretariat maintains a position of strict neutrality on the outcomes of Council decisions, with the exception of (7) below.
(7) Provides formal comments on any Council decision involving the Agency Governance System itself.
(8) Provides Council Executive and logistics staff support to Agency Governance Council chairs.
(9) Periodically reviews the health of the Agency Governance System relative to this NPD and relative to current Agency Council charters and recommends adjustments to the Chief of Staff and Chairs.
d. Mission Directorate Associate Administrators
(1) Serve as the chartering authorities for bodies directly supporting a defined program or project (e.g., Control Boards or other bodies), even if the NASA Associate Administrator is also the decision authority for the program or project under NPR 7120.5, NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management Requirements, or NPR 7120.8, NASA Research and Technology Program Management Requirements.
(2) Additionally have responsibilities as Officials in Charge of Headquarters Offices, as below.
e. All Officials in Charge of Headquarters Offices and Center Directors:
(1) Serve as chartering authorities for their own chartered bodies:
(a) Approve charters for bodies under their direct authority per NPD 1000.3, Chapters 4 or 5 and ensure that these charters are kept current.
(b) Ensure that their chartered governing bodies are kept current and comply with policy direction per Section 1.b above, support transparency of decision-making as in 1c above, follow requirements in NPR 1152.1, NASA Charters and Agency Governance Council Procedural Requirements, and guidance in NAII 1152.1 , NASA Governance Charter Writing Manual.
(c) Publish, in NODIS, the charters for any bodies under their chartering authority which are enumerated in NPD 1000.3.
(2) As participants in Agency Governance Councils:
(a) When included as a member or invitee to an Agency Governance Council, support and follow policy direction per Section 1.b above, and requirements per NPR 1152.1.
(b) When recommending a decision to an Agency Governance Council, support and follow policy direction per Section 1.b above, and requirements per NPR 1152.1.
(c) When supporting a recommendation by another Official in Charge or Center Director, provide timely inputs and attempt to resolve most disagreements before the Council recommendation.
(3) As participants in any Agency governing body:
(a) Are accountable to implement final decisions made in any governing body properly chartered by an authorized official.
(b) Follow documented reclama procedures in governing body charters when challenging decisions.
The Chief of Staff is delegated authority to implement this directive on behalf of the NASA Administrator.
None.
None.
1. Governance System Concepts
Agency Governance System. The overall delineation of roles, responsibilities, and decision-making authority as encompassed by, and derived from, NPD 1000.3 Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and those procedures and requirements needed to support decision making within chartered governance bodies.
Charter. An Other Policy Document (OPD) (as defined in NPR 1400.1, NASA Agency Governance System. The overall delineation of roles, responsibilities, and decision-making authority as encompassed by, and derived from, NPD 1000.3, Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, and those procedures and requirements needed to support decision making within chartered governance bodies. Charter. An Other Policy Document (OPD) (as defined in NPR 1400.1, NASA Directives Procedural Requirements) issued to authorize and document a governance body. Charters are OPDs under the NASA directive which assign responsibilities to an Official which impute authority to authorize the associated governance body (e.g., NPD 1000.3, NPD 8600.1, Capability Portfolio Management, or others).
Governing Body. A Council, Board, Committee, Panel, or Working Group established under a distinct chartering authority; see section 2 below.
Governance Authority. Specific authorities reserved from line authorities and placed under the authority of Agency Governance Councils, and their subordinate bodies.
Governance Framework. The principles and structures through which the Agency manages missions, roles, and responsibilities (as defined and further clarified in NPD 1000.0, Chapter 3).
Integrated Management System. A historical term, to be revised in NPD 1280.1, NASA Integrated Management System Policy, for the principles currently encompassed by the NASA Strategic Management System, as defined in NPD 1000.0.
Line Authority. Authority imputed by specific responsibilities assigned to Officials in Charge of Headquarters Offices, Center Directors, or Office of the Administrator principals in NPD 1000.3, Chapters 2, 4 or 5, or in specific NASA directives.
Strategic Management System. The processes by which the Agency manages strategy and its implementation through planning, performance, and results (per NPD 1000.0, Chapter 4). The Strategic Management System includes both the structure of the Agency Governance System and key activities conducted within it. The NASA Strategic Management System was previously referred to as the NASA Integrated Management System.
2. Terminology for NASA Governing Bodies
Agency Governance Councils. Those internal Councils whose charters are incorporated into NPD 1000.3, Chapter 3.
Council. The term "Council" is reserved for entities responsible for overall governance of the Agency. Council members are typically the seniormost officials within a subject area. Councils must include decisional authority within their chartered functions. For bodies chartered under NPD 1000.3, Chapters 2 or 3, the term "Council" is reserved for the Agency Governance Councils, as chartered in NPD 1000.3, Chapter 3, and Mission Directorate Program Management Councils chartered under the Agency Program Management Council or Mission Support Council (to preserve historical continuity). For bodies chartered under NPD 1000.3, Chapter 4, the term Council should be avoided for new governance bodies and reserved only for legacy bodies authorized before the issuance of this directive. For Center bodies chartered under NPD 1000.3, Chapter 5, Centers are strongly encouraged to follow the model used at the Agency level for Councils and other bodies, reserving the term Council for their seniormost Center bodies.
Board. Boards are comprised of senior officials authorized to commit on behalf of their organizations and tasked to make decisions regarding implementation of policy, strategic plans, goals, and resources, often as directed or delegated by a Council. Boards must have some decisional authority within their chartered functions; however, the mode of decision making is as documented in the Board's charter and may include decision making by facilitated consensus of members to mutually agreed upon courses of action.
Committees, Panels, Working Groups. To execute actions generated by a Board, a committee, panel, or working group may be established. Committees, panels, and working groups are established as advisory groups for Councils and Boards to address significant topics. These bodies may not have decisional authority, but frequently make recommendations to the chartering Council or Board. For Agency Governance Councils, these bodies should be subordinate to a Board or Directorate Program Management Council.
Committee. A group of individuals that meet to advise, coordinate, research, or make recommendations. The lifespan of a committee is based on the completion of activities assigned by a Council or Board. Committee charters are established with the respective Council's or Board's approval.
Panels. A group of individuals gathered to advise, judge, interview, or discuss topics supported by Councils or Boards. The lifespan of a panel is based on completion of activities assigned by the respective Council or Board. Panel charters are established with the respective Council or Board's approval.
Working Groups. A group of individuals working together to create a document or to resolve problems. The lifespan of a working group is based on completion of activities assigned by the respective Council or Board. Charters are not required for working groups unless the working group is expected to operate indefinitely, includes members across the Agency, and is established to support and is expected to report out to a Council or Board.
Subordinate Governing Body. A Council, Board, Committee, Panel, or Working Group established under the authority of a parent governance body's charter.
3. Governance Operations Concepts
Decision Criterion/Criteria. One or more statements which articulate conditions that must be met or measures of effectiveness that must be evaluated to approve a recommendation or select between alternative options. Decision criteria should be written such that they can be specific evidence, and recommendation briefings should be structured to demonstrate how well each recommendation or option meets the decision criteria. Additional details on the use of Decision Criteria in Agency Governance Councils can be found in NPR 1152.1.
Decision Threshold. A statement that articulates under what conditions a decisional subordinate governance body (i.e., Council, Board) has fully delegated authority to decide issues, and under what conditions the subordinate governance body may or must offer decisions to the parent governance body for decision. Decision thresholds may be specific and quantitative (e.g., dollar values), qualitative (e.g., "high stakeholder visibility"), required or discretionary ("shall" versus "may"), and may include multiple parts of "and" or "or" components. See NPD 1000.3, Chapter 6, for examples of decision thresholds for Agency Governance Councils.
NAII NASA Advisory Implementing Instructions
NPD NASA Policy Directive
NPR NASA Procedural Requirement
OPD Other Policy Document
U.S.C. United States Code
a. NPD 1000.0, NASA Governance and Strategic Management Handbook.
b. NPD 1000.3, The NASA Organization.
c. NPD 1280.1, NASA Integrated Management System Policy
d. NPD 8600.1, Capability Portfolio Management.
e. NPR 1400.1, NASA Directives Procedural Requirements.
f. NPR 7120.5, NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management Requirements.
g. NPR 7120.8, NASA Research and Technology Program and Project Management Requirements.
None.
This document does not bind the public, except as authorized by law or as incorporated into a contract. This document is uncontrolled when printed. Check the NASA Online Directives Information System (NODIS) Library to verify that this is the correct version before use: https://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov.