The National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and its predecessors have produced internal publications, known as Office Notes, since the mid-1950's. In the early years they were mostly unreviewed manuscripts, which were used to inform others about current operations and research. Later, they were used as first drafts for papers which were being prepared for submission to more formal, external, literary publications. In the 1990's the Office Notes became more formal, requiring some internal review. The Notes document many of the changes that have occurred within the organization and thus are a valuable historical link to its past.

Since late 1999, a group of NCEP “volunteers,” representing a cross-section of all divisions within NCEP, has worked to move the Office Note series to the World Wide Web so that it is visible to the outside scientific community via the Internet. Special recognition should be given to Michiko Masutani, EMC, who applied gentle, consistent prodding to the volunteers in the early days of the project!

There have been at least 3 previous attempts by NCEP Directors (Dr. F. G. Schuman in 1974, 1977 and Dr. R. D. McPherson in 1992) to set guidelines for Office Notes. In general, the guidelines were concerned with which office was to control the Office Note series, with which office would distribute hard copies of the Notes, and with granting more autonomy to Division Chiefs to use an internal review process to approve, or disapprove, a proposed Office Note.

A “committee” composed of Ken Campana, EMC, Ricardo Romero, NCO, Angela Stansbury, OD, and Dennis Staley, OD, with inputs from Richard Firestone, EMC, and Mary Hart, EMC, developed the new guidelines. The older guidelines formed the basis for the new set. The new guidelines are attached.