NASA Procedural Requirements

NPR 1152.1 Effective Date: September 23, 2024 Expiration Date: September 23, 2029

Subject: NASA Charters and Agency Governance Council Procedural Requirements

Responsible Office: Chief of Staff

Appendix E. Required Content and Format of Agency Governance Council Minutes and Decision Memoranda.

VITAL MEETING DATA

Includes date, time, location, and attendance policy/invitees by organization.

MEETING ACTIVITIES

A concise statement of the purpose of each topic of the meeting and any other key activities. Includes time of actual start of meeting.

BACKGROUND

A summary of key background information for the meeting’s topic, typically identical to that distributed to Council members in advance of the meeting. Includes any heritage of the topic in the Council prior to this meeting, and rationale for Chair bringing the topic to the Council. When the meeting includes a single item of business, this is a separate section; when the meeting includes multiple items of business, is incorporated as the introduction to each Item of Business as detailed below.

ITEMS OF BUSINESS

One or more iterations of the following pairs, organized by the Council Executive to coherently consolidate the overall outcomes of the meeting.

Narrative descriptions. A summary of key information as communicated by the briefer(s).

Discussion. A list of short summaries of major themes of discussion associated with the theme in this section of the minutes. Non-attributional except for key statements, questions or direction by the Chair, or key comments made by specific members representing their specific organizational stakes.

CONCERNS OR DISSENTING OPINIONS

Used only in minutes associated with decisions if a member organization has requested recording of a concern or dissenting opinion, per 2.6 above.

OUTCOMES, NEW ACTIONS

Used optionally to summarize outcomes that do not constitute formal decisions as defined in 2.6 above, or actions if not incorporated into a Decision Memorandum block as below.

DECISION MEMORANDUM (begins after a page break)

(SUMMARY)

Used only with APMC Key Decision Point Decision Memoranda to allow the DM block to serve as a standalone document if severed from the minutes. Typically, identical to the Background section above. Summaries must be concise and limited strictly to factual information.

DECISION

A narrative statement of the full decision, as finalized during the Council Meeting, following standards as in 2.6.3 above. Decision blocks may not include assertions, findings, details, or clarification not discussed in the Council meeting. Clarifying details may be suggested by briefing organizations for inclusion as footnotes.

NEW ACTIONS

A list of new actions, following the format “[Organization], (in coordination with [organization, organization]), to [full action statement as a sentence]. Due: [due date]. [Informal/formal action; (corresponding to) may be closed out of board/to be closed in board]. Actions must have a full subject/verb/predicate sentence structure and have one and only one office assigned as lead.

REPORT-BACK

Any expectations of in-board report-back to the Council or an explicit statement that in-board report-back is not required.

IMPLEMENTATION

A list of key milestones, with estimated dates, to fully implement the decision. These are not binding parts of the decision, but rather documentation of the expected schedule at time of decision.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Accountable. The Official(s)-in-Charge or Center Director(s) accountable for implementation of the decision. If more than one, the specific portions of implementation of the decision that each is accountable for are concisely described.

Responsible. The individual(s) responsible for practical implementation of the decision, such as a project manager. If more than one, the specific responsibilities of each are concisely described.

ADJOURNMENT

Time of final adjournment of the meeting.

LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

A complete expansion of all acronyms and abbreviations used in the minutes and Decision Memorandum, including any that may be common use for the Council audience at the time of the meeting and not expanded in the main text.

ATTENDANCE (if CUI and specially restricted attendance)

A list of actual participants in the meeting.

ATTACHMENTS

Specific excerpts of briefing materials or supplementary narrative documents which are to be incorporated by reference into the binding decision.

DISTRIBUTION:
NODIS

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.