COORDINATION OF REQUIREMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61S00750A000700060014-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 6, 2001
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: March 29, 1955
• Content Type: MF

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Coordination of Requirements
Since the last meeting which I held with the offices on this
subject (February 18, 1955) you will recall a discussion was held with
the IAC agencies on Febru ary 45 and the memorandum for the record
on that meeting has already been sent to you. Subsequently my office
held further informal discussions with the LAG representatives. On
the basis of these various discussions my current thinking is to send
forward to the Director a report along the lines of the attached.
2. While it may be necessary to call anothermeeting within
the Agency before circulating this draft to obtain the views of the other
agencies., it would be helpful to me if I could have in writing "your re-
actions to my proposed report. I am particularly interested in knowing
whether I properly reflect your views as stated at the end of paragraph
3 and, of course, wish to know whether you agree or disagree with my
report otherwise. You may have changes to suggest or you may have
such contrary views that you would want to submit them in a separate
attachment to the Director.
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3. Once we had come to some understanding within the Agency
I would propose to circulate this draft report to the LAG agencies
Omitting paragraphs 3 and 4, submitting them separately. inasmuch as
any final report will have to be disseminated to the IAG agencies.
4. If possible, I would appreciate hearing from you by April 8.
25X1A9a
Special Assistant tothe rec or
for Planning and Coordination
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29 March 1955
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Coordination of Requirements
REFERENc1 : LAC-D-50/5, 20 January 1955 -- "Review of
Provisions for the Development and Coordina-
tion of Specific Information Requirements and
Collection Tasks"
1. You requested that in consultation with the r, resentatives of the
other IA C agencies I undertake a review of the existing provisions br the de-
velopment and coordination of information requirements and collection tasks
in conformity with established Priority National Intelligence Objectives. I
have discussed this matter with the LAC representatives at some length and
fter consultation with their respective supervisors they advise me:
a. That theirrespective agency's requirements are responsive
to UCID 4/4 although, of course. their responsibilities also include require-
ments not covered by that Directive;
b. That in their view the existing arrangements for the coordina-
tion of requirements, where necessary among the agencies, are adequate; and
c. That, in their opinion, no new coordinating mechanism or
procedures are required.
In these discussions it was recognized that there are specific prob-
lems in the coordination of requirements which arise from time to time such as
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need for guidance on the part of the director of NSA or such as has recently
been the concern of the LAC with regard to defectors. It was recognized that
individual collection administrators and plagued from to time with shortages
de and personnle or other weaknesses. It is believed that these can be
best corrected by being dealt with as specific problems as indeed in certain
cases they are being or have been.
3. Representatives of the CIA offices and I have together considered
the existing arrangements for coordination of requirements and the collection
programs of the community. No suggestion for a new mechanism or procedure
has been made except one proposed by the Office of Current Intelligence. This
proposal is essentially that the LAG should establish a sub-committee or other
nism to prepare a list of the intelligence requirements which flow from
now OCID 4/4. Those intelligence requirements would be for the produc-
f finished intelligence an those critical deficiencies cited in 4/4. recognizing
of course, that the Government also required other intelligence production. In
addition there would be a subcommittee composed of those responsible for ad-
ministering the various collection systems of the Government. Its function
would be to prepare the information requirements which stem from the intelli-
gence requirements outlined b the first subcommittee and to allocate the collec-
tion tasks. The offices within CIA have varying reactions to this proposal. ONE
OCL), 00 and FI seem not to favor it. OSI along with OCI favor the proposal and
0_KK is inclines to doubt the utility of the proposal.
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I understand a similar proposal has been made as a means of provid-
ing guidance to the director of NSA. It may be that for that facility some such
procedure may be justified. I have not looked into that imatter inasmuch as I
understand it is under consideration by USCI.B itself. Even were it proved de-
sirable for USCIB I do not believe it is practical and useful to apply the proposal
to intelligence generally.
5. My own opinion is that adequate guidance is being provided to the in-
telligence producing units of the IAC in regard to DCID 4/4 through the estimates
program and the construction of terms of reference for each of the estimates in
turn. beyond this consideration of production there probably are areas where
research activities should be coordinated and it is for these reasons that the
lAC has already established the ECI and the SEC, the Watch Committee and very
recently the ad hoc committee on the Formosa straits to produce authoritative
current intelligence for the President.
. With regard to the determination of collection tasks to acquire spe-
cific information requirements there already exist procedures and arrangemeee
which while undoubtedly not entirely perfect do provide for coordi
sense that material which can be obtained from overt sourceqis not levied upon
the clandestine services. there is a genuine effort to insure that a request for
collection is not made for infsfmation which is available in Washington or that
requests for the same information are not wittingly levied upon two collectors
simultaneously (it being borne in mind that the efforts of more than one collector
to obtain the same information may be in many cases entirely justifiable).
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Accordingly i recommend tbatno new mechanism be O*t&Wished tor
on of regtiirememts for the collection
don. As specific
problems arise they can be treated directly. insofar as the regular procedures
It to assign an officer to
zendatious to you.
do not seem suited to deal with a given problem you MAY
a special investigation and report such rec
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