National Intelligence Council (NIC)
Publication Type Sub-collection
National Intelligence Estimates (NIEs) are the US Intelligence Community's most authoritative written judgments on national security issues, looking ahead to estimate the likely course of future events and to identify implications for US policy. They are produced for senior-level US policymakers. Special National Intelligence Estimates (SNIEs) are NIEs scheduled ad hoc and on short notice, usually to address a more narrowly defined issue. Earlier versions of Intelligence Estimates (prior to the first NIE in the autumn of 1950) carry the designation ORE (for Office of Reports and Estimates, 1946-1950).
Other NIC Publications include a variety of reports that are less formal than the judgments of a National Intelligence Estimate. Often these publications are intended for working-level policymakers. The Interagency Memorandum (IAM), Interagency Intelligence Assessment (IIA) and Interagency Intelligence Memorandum (IIM) are different titles for similar vehicles in which Community analysts assess developing situations. For a time the Office of National Estimates (1950-1973) issued its own report, rather than a coordinated Intelligence Community paper, in the form of a Special Estimate (SE) or Special Memorandum (SM).