(Version date: 09/21/00)

NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY
STRATEGIC PLAN

• VISION

  Everyone can know where he or she is and where other things are... anytime, anyplace.

   

• MISSION

  Deliver and evolve the Nation's foundation of reference for latitude, longitude, height, velocity, shoreline, and gravity throughout the United States with consistency, accuracy, timeliness, currency, and easy access to support public safety, coastal stewardship, economic prosperity, and environmental well being.

• STRATEGIC GOALS

  1. NATIONAL SPATIAL REFERENCE SYSTEM DELIVERY AND EVOLUTION
     1. Delivery: Increase the reliability, accessibility, availability and accuracy of the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS).
        • Monitor NSRS (results: latitude, longitude, height, velocity, shoreline, gravity, along with temporal changes and data accuracy estimates).
        • Update standards and specifications (results: accessibility, availability, accuracy, and consistency).
        • Accelerate the completion of survey projects (results: access and timeliness).
        • Disseminate data and information in most customer responsive and least costly manner.
     2. Evolution: Evolve the National Spatial Reference System to respond to the changing environment and user needs.
        • Increase efficiencies and accuracy with innovative technology application.
        • Broaden the applications for nontraditional users to achieve economic gains
        • Implement height modernization (results: accuracy, consistency, timeliness, and efficiency).
        • Expand CORS nationwide.
        • Complete and update the national shoreline.
        • Improve observations and models for determination of velocities.
        • Assess new remote sensing technologies in response to customer needs.
  2. CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS
     Optimize relationships to meet evolving needs and changing requirements.
     1. Understand and anticipate customer needs.
        • Implement mechanism for communications and feedback from customers and end users.
        • Expand customer base beyond traditional users.
        • Promote one stop shopping for NOS customers.
        • Deliver standards, specifications, data, and information with customer efficiency objectives.
        • Enable customers to efficiently use geodetic products and techniques.
     2. External Partners: Enhance partnerships to increase transferability of geodetic tools, methods, techniques, and technologies.
        • Increase support for State Advisor program to include coverage for all coastal states.
        • Expand Advisor role for NOS integration.
        • Optimize synergies with Federal partners.
        • Expand Advisor role for community based geodesy to better support state and local geographic information systems.
        • Increase linkages with professional and industry groups.
     3. Exploit partnerships within NOAA and NOS to achieve agency goals.
     4. Achieve one-stop shopping for users of NOS products and services.
     5. Leverage federal partnerships.
     6. Increase dissemination and application of standards, specifications, and guidelines.
     7. Initiate intra-NOS synergies
     8. Enable users to efficiently work with their own leveling data.
  3. TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP/DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATIONS
     Achieve world class leadership in use and innovative techniques and application of geodetic science, remote sensing, and precise positioning.
     1. Expand GPS applications to height modernization and beyond
     2. Enhance air, land, marine transportation safety and efficiencies.
     3. Expand remote sensing and photogrammetry applications in the coastal environment.
     4. Increase influence on world standards and spatial infrastructure.
        • Enhance participation in international forums, groups, and organizations.
        • Coordinate with NOS International office.
     5. Influence national and international policy development.
     6. Increase publication of professional papers.
  4. NGS WORKFORCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE
     Enable NGS to be responsive to everchanging environments and customer requirements.
     1. Increase advocacy for NGS programs (internal/external)
        • Raise intra DOC/NOAA/NOS appreciation for NGS programs, products, and services
        • Expand traditional and non-traditional users' knowledge of NGS
     2. Increase workforce efficiency and responsiveness to change.
        • Refine NGS core capabilities.
        • Retrain, develop, or recruit in line with core capabilities.
        • Augment NGS workforce with contractor support.
     3. Maintain technical expertise necessary for world leadership.
        • Training/development
        • Succession Plan
        • Consider alternative approaches for ensuring the suite of capabilities (CRADA contract, grants, and co-ops).
     4. Evolve an NGS culture which values teamwork, diversity, and horizontal integration within NGS and across NOS.
        • Executive Steering Committee.
     5. Align the organization structure, processes, staff, and supporting resources to reflect strategic direction.
        • Utilize private sector capabilities.
          • Implement an in-house contract management capability.
        • Secure marketing, communications, and outreach capabilities.
        • Explore creative alternatives for staffing (IPA, contractors, and students).
        • Enhance the information and technology software and hardware infrastructure.
     6. By 2005, to evolve the National Geodetic Survey into an agency that will, with no break or diminution of service, continue to fulfill its mission, and to be able, to the greatest extent possible, rely on outsourcing for routine data collection and data processing, as well as contractible administrative and support functions.