On November 28, 2001, NASA Public Affairs Office issued a new policy on use of the metric system (below) that responds to Recommendation 8 in G-00-021, Assessment of NASA's Use of the Metric System. We appreciate the positive step the Office of Public Affairs has taken by developing a formal metric use policy. Although we feel that the policy could certainly be stronger, the policy appears to set a reasonable balance between the Government's desire to increase use of the metric system and the need to ensure that NASA press releases are easily understood by the public. All recommendations of this report are now considered closed.

     METRIC USE POLLICY FOR NASA PUBLIC AFFAIRS

     Section 5164 of Public Law 100-418, the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, 
     directs executive branch departments and agencies to:
     	-- use, to the extent economically feasible, the metric system in procurements,
               grants and other business-related activities, and
     	-- seek out ways to increase understanding of the metric system of measurement
               through educational information and guidance, and in government publications.

     In an attempt to more clearly comply with the spirit of the law, NASA's Office of Public 
     Affairs will adopt a more formal metric use policy.

     It is NASA policy to use language that most clearly illustrates the story. Metric terms 
     should be included in a story when they are relevant.
     	-- Use metric terms on first reference when they are the primary form in which the 
              source of a story has provided statistics. Follow the metric units with 
              equivalents in the terms more widely known in the United States. Normally, the 
              imperial equivalent should be in parentheses after the metric figure. 

     A general statement such as "A kilometer equals about five-eighths of a mile" would be 
     acceptable. However, avoid repeated use of parenthetical remarks in a story that uses 
     kilometers many times.

     There may also be times when a more general imperial conversion best communicates the 
     thought. Writing "about the length of a football field" may be a more clear illustration 
     than simply adding a standard "(120 yards)" parenthetical conversion to a press release.

     	-- There is no need to provide imperial equivalents if the metric standard has 
              become more widely known. For example, most Americans are familiar with 2-liter 
     	   soft drink measurements. There is no reason to convert to imperial ounces. 

	     -- If the mission uses imperial measurements, there is no need to provide a metric 
              conversion unless the conversion more clearly articulates the thought.