The Office of Program Administration and Policy Development provides managerial, technical and administrative support to the Director of Research in the planning and direction of research and development programs in a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines. Specific functions include:

• performing special studies involving major NRL programs and resource issues;
• providing administrative support in the areas of personnel, budget, facilities, equipment, and security;
• reviewing and managing the Director of Research's correspondence;
• providing management information and analysis for various aspects of the research program effort;
• coordinating VIP and foreign visits to NRL;
• managing NRL facilities;
• managing the NRL Directives System;
• coordinating unsolicited proposals, congressional correspondence, and other external inquiries;
• maintaining the NRL Research and Development achievements file;
• reviewing and interpreting external Navy and Department of Defense directives addressed to NRL;
• coordinating the Independent Research and Development program;
• developing guidance for and monitoring the 6.1 (basic research) Program and 6.2 (exploratory development) Program;
• coordinating the NRL-National Research Council (NRC) and Office of Naval Research (ONR) Postdoctoral Resident Research Associateship Programs, NRL-U.S. Naval Academy Faculty Co-op Program, Navy American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Program, and other special Navy programs;
• interacting with Office of Naval Research (ONR) Headquarters and the Research and Development Centers;
• assisting in the development of NRL's five-year Plan.