December 3, 2004
Ms. April Schweighart
Chair, Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology
National Institute of Standards and Technology
3205 Barker Hollow Pass
Austin, TX 78739
Dear April,
I apologize for the
delay in responding to your letter sent after the September 2004 VCAT
meeting. Now that the uncertainty surrounding the Presidential election
and the FY 2005 spending bill are lifted, however, I am better able to
respond to your excellent feedback on both our strengths and on the areas
where we can improve to ensure that we are maximizing our ability to foster
innovation, trade, public safety and security, and jobs.
First, I want to thank
the committee for participating in the Boulder rededication ceremony preceding
our September meeting. Your presence meant a lot to our Boulder staff
and me. Second, I offer the following responses to the points in your
letter:
Performance Evaluation
We are currently preparing a primer on NIST performance evaluation that
will provide the type of detail the VCAT is looking for on the topic.
We anticipate offering to present key examples of how the value chain
and the associated evaluation tools have been applied in specific projects
and programs at future VCAT meetings.
I agree that it is
important to continue conducting retrospective studies of NIST impact
in selected areas. Indeed, NIST anticipates initiating one such study
in FY 2005 and will apprise and solicit input from the VCAT on study design.
Strategic Planning
and Outreach
NIST has benefited enormously from VCAT input on our evolving strategic
plan for outreach. Chief of Staff Mat Heyman will present the current
plan to the VCAT at this month's meeting and we look forward to continued
collaboration with the VCAT in this area.
Safety
Beginning with this month's meeting, I plan to apprise the VCAT quarterly
of our key safety measures and associated policies through my NIST Update
presentation. I welcome the opportunity to work directly with VCAT members
who are able to provide expert guidance on safety issues outside the quarterly
meetings, and have asked NIST Safety Council Chair Bill Koch to follow
up with VCAT Vice-Chair Deb Grubbe to pursue such guidance.
Annual Report Recommendations
I am pleased that the VCAT found my responses to the 2003 Annual Report
recommendations useful. I plan to present a consolidated response to major
recommendations made by the VCAT at each 4th quarter meeting. In addition,
I will continue sending my responses to your quarterly recommendations
for posting on your web site. I believe this two-pronged approach will
help us accelerate continuous improvement and achieve a more productive
relationship with the VCAT over time.
NIST continues to
evolve to higher levels of performance as of result of your valuable feedback.
We look forward to your further contributions to NIST and its programs.
Sincerely,
Hratch G. Semerjian
Acting Director
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