GUIDELINES FOR INTERAGENCY INTELLIGENCE PRODUCTION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89T00142R000700780009-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 30, 2011
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: September 30, 1987
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified and Approved For Release 2011/11/30: CIA-RDP89T00142R000700780009-9
30 September 1987
MEMORANDUM FOR: National Foreign Intelligence Board Principals
FROM: H. F. Hutchinson, Jr.
Acting Chairman, National Intelligence Council
SUBJECT: Guidelines for Interagency Intelligence Production
The Guidelines for Interagency Intelligence Production, as approved and
amended at NFIB on 24 September 1987, are attached for your information.
These Guidelines replace a similar document issued by DCI William Casey on
27 July 1981. Please disseminate to the appropriate elements of your
organization.
Attachment:
As stated
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30 September 1987
GUIDELINES FOR INTERAGENCY INTELLIGENCE PRODUCTION
This Notice replaces the 27 July 1981 DCI guidelines for interagency
production of national intelligence.
Purpose
These guidelines are intended to strengthen the Intelligence Community's
capacity to support the DCI in producing national intelligence responsive to
the needs of senior consumers while assuring the objectivity and integrity
$f the process. The system must be able to anticipate and respond quickly
to foreign trends and developments that create new requirements for
estimative intelligence products. These will be formulated primarily with a
view to assisting senior policymakers at the NSC and Cabinet level, although
they normally will have wider application and receive wider distribution.
These products will?be predominantly estimative and usually will address a
limited number of policy relevant key questions. They should generally be
short and focused; accordingly they should contain no more factual and
historical detail than necessary to provide context for the findings,
judgments, and projections.
Types of Interagency Intelligence Products
National Intelligence Estimate (NIE)
The NIE provides the most authoritative judgments of the Intelligence
Community on subjects of highest policy concern to the United States.
Judgments and projections will be derived from the most comprehensive
intelligence data and research available but will be presented in a concise
form. The main text will develop the analyses and estimative judgments over
the period of the NIE, evaluating alternative scenarios where appropriate,
and identifying indicators associated with alternative scenarios.
The time projection for a NIE usually will be in terms of years. For
most NIEs the preferred length is in the range of 10 to 20 pages with
background data and detailed discussion carried in annexes. The Key
Judgments should be proportionately brief, in the range of one to four
pages. An Executive Summary, following the Key Judgments, should be
considered in the case of unusually complex or detailed papers. The time
allocated for preparation of the NIE will generally be in terms of months
although it may be required within weeks on occasion. The nomination of
topics, the formulation of concept papers and terms of reference, and the
review and coordination process through NFIB discussion will be more
deliberate and thorough than for other interagency products.
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Special National Intelligence Estimate (SNIE)
While the SNIE shares many of the characteristics of the NIE, it differs
from the latter in several significant ways. The SNIE addresses more
specific and urgent problems; urgency is the dominant of these two
criteria. The SNIE is an unscheduled interagency intelligence product while
the NIE is scheduled and listed in the annual production plan. The time
projection for a SNIE usually will be in terms of weeks or months. The
preferred length of a SNIE is less than 10 pages, with very limited
background data or description. Key Judgments of SNIEs should be very brief
and normally not exceed two pages. The time allocated for preparation is
days to weeks. The nomination of topics, the formulation of Concept Papers
and Terms of Reference, and the coordination process will be accelerated.
Interagency Intelligence Memorandum (IIM)
The IIM will address problems of high policy concern to the United
States, although not the highest concerns where the NIE is more
appropriate. The IIM provides an Intelligence Community assessment of data
and events, with a considerable amount of evidential or methodological
detail, and usually will be estimative. It is the appropriate interagency
product when the primary objective is a Community judgment on factual matter.
There is no set time horizon for the factual determinations or the
estimates made in the IIM. There are no prescriptions for length or format
beyond succinctness appropriate to the subject requiring Community
judgments. The Key Judgments, and Executive Summary where appropriate,
should be proportionately brief. An IIM usually will be prepared over a
period of months. The process of nominating topics, formulating Concept
Papers and Terms of Reference, and the review and coordination will be
deliberate and thorough without sacrificing timeliness. The product usually
will be coordinated at the senior working level and approved by the
Chairman, National Intelligence Council.
Special Interagency Intelligence Memorandum (SIIM)
The SIIM has much the same relationship to the IIM that the SNIE has to
the NIE. While the IIM usually is scheduled, the SIIM is an unscheduled
interagency intelligence product. It provides an assessment of data and
events and usually will provide a near term projection of the immediate
situation. The preferred length of a SIIM usually is less than 10 pages;
the key judgments should not exceed two pages. The time projection for a
SIIM usually is weeks to months. The process for nomination of SIIM topics
and the SIIM coordination process will be accelerated. The SIIM usually
will be coordinated at the senior working level and approved by the
Chairman, National Intelligence Council.
Memorandum to Holders (M/H)
Any of the interagency intelligence products may be amended by a M/H if
changes in intelligence information or analysis justify a modification but
the changes are not extensive enough to justify a new product. The
procedures followed will be the same as for the basic documents they amend.
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The Interagency Process
Topics for interagency intelligence products may be suggested by any
senior officer in the intelligence or policy communities. A request may be
made directly to the Director Central Intelligence or the appropriate
National Intelligence Officer or to them through departmental channels.
The NIO is responsible for advising the DCI on the policy relevance,
importance, and utility of the topics nominated for interagency production.
The utility of the product for the policy community should be clearly
demonstrated, the requirement for an Intelligence Community judgment should
be justified. The NIO must assist the Intelligence Community in limiting
its formal interagency intelligence production to a clearly articulated
need-to-do basis vice a nice-to-do approach. Topics of general interest but
not meeting NIE/SNIE criteria might be more suitable for an IIM or SIIM, or
might better be addressed by single agency production. The NIO
recommendation is critical in reducing the time demands on NFIB principals
and focusing the resources of the interagency process on the most important
topics.
The DCI is-the approving authority for initiating interagency
intelligence products. Some topics will be approved following NFIB
consultation on the annual interagency production plan. Others will be
proposed as the need arises and approved following such formal or informal
NFIB consultation as appropriate.
The appropriate National Intelligence Officer will manage the production
of the interagency product on behalf of the DCI. The NIO is responsible to
the DCI to ensure maximum Intelligence Community participation in the
production, balancing the requirements for timeliness and thoroughness. The
NIO, in consultation with the representatives of the NFIB principals, will
modify the attached production checklist to fit the circumstances.
The NIO will as a rule prepare a draft Concept Paper and Terms of
Reference in consultation with NFIB representatives and policy officers.
Policy community participation is especially important here to ensure
relevance of the final product. ire Concept Paper, i,morporating !Cey
s ions, and the Terms of Reference then will be approved in draft by the
Wi l 'be the basis to proceed.
The draft Concept Papers and TORS for scheduled NIEs and IIMs then
should be furnished to NFIB principals for their review and subsequent
coordination by their representatives. For SNIE's and SIIMs, this review
and coordination will be accelerated, depending on the urgency of the paper.
The NIO will consult with NFIB representatives on designating drafters
and contributors. The NFIB principals should relieve drafters of regular
duties to the maximum extent possible until their special assignments to the
estimate have been fulfilled. ,""ticipants in developing and coordinating
raft should be aware of policy community concerns, drawing upon Its
"itt , bttt NNFIB principals must ensure that the
y and objectivity of the intelligence process are maintained. To
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the NIO and the NFIB representatives must ensure Intelligence
d
,,
y ndependence from policy community pressures or participation in
e drafting and coordination processes. The DCI u ~y will review draft
xts; of_estimates at the time they are submitted ti4`B representatives
cr a established by the Concept Paper and Terms of Reference. He will
reserve his decision on the estimate until after he receives recommendations
from NFIB.
The NFIB representatives should have sufficient delegated authority to
agree to changes in the text at the coordination meeting such that, except
in the most unusual circumstances, they will be supported by their agencies.
Changes submitted after coordination usually will be reviewed by the
representatives before sending the text to the NFIB principals. For
scheduled NIEs, NFIB agencies should have 10 working days to review final
drafts prior to the NFIB meeting. For SNIEs, agencies should have five
working days to review final drafts, except for the most time-sensitive
estimates. Final coordination by NFIB principals may be by telephone vote,
without benefit of an NFIB meeting whenever timeliness dictates or other
factors indicate this as a preferable option.
us 11 should be succinctly stated in the body of the
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but
lot let the ssion of alternative views distract from the logical
o'of the estim
Attachment: Summary Production Checklist
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SUMMARY PRODUCTION CHECKLIST
I. TOPIC INITIATION
A. SCHEDULED ANNUAL PRODUCTION OR
(most NIEs and IIMs, no
SNIEs or SIIMs)
1. NIO annually solicits
or anticipates require-
ments from intelligence
and policy communities
2. NIC incorporates re-
quirement(s) in produc-
tion plan and seeks
NFIB review and DCI
approval
3. NIO initiates work to
meet projected comple-
tion date
B. OUT-OF-CYCLE PROPOSAL
(all SNIEs and SIIMs, some
NIEs and IIMs)
1. NIO continually receives
or anticipates new
requirements from intelli-
and policy communities
2. NIO reviews new require-
ments with NIC and community
contacts on an accelerated
basis for proposed SNIEs and
SIIMs
3. To seek approval for NIE or
IIM, go to step I.A.2. For
SNIE or SIIM, go to step
II.B.l.
II. CONCEPT PAPER (CP) and TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) DEVELOPMENT
A. NORMAL TRACK OR
(all NIEs and IIMs)
B. FAST TRACK
(all SNIEs and SIIMs)
1.
NIO develops CP and
TOR in consultation
with Community
1.
2.
NIO seeks DCI endorse-
ment on CP and TOR
2.
3.
NIO seeks NFIB rep
coordination on CP and
TOR
3.
4.
NIO distributes coordinated
CP and TOR to DCI and NFIB
4.
NIO develops CP (and
time permitting TOR) in
consultation with Community
on accelerated basis
NIO seeks accelerated DCI
endorsement of CP (and TOR)
NIO seeks accelerated
NFIB rep coordination
on CP (and TOR)
NIO distributes coordinated
CP (and TOR) to DCI and NFIB
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III. DRAFT DEVELOPMENT
A. NORMAL TRACK
B. FAST TRACK
1. NIO works with
drafter to produce pre-
coordination draft
2. NIO provides draft
to DCI while simul-
taneously seeking
NFIB rep coordination
on draft
IV. APPROVAL AND PUBLICATION
A. NORMAL TRACK
1. NIO works with drafter to
produce pre-coordination
draft on an accelerated
basis
2. NIO provides draft to DCI
while simultaneously
seeking accelerated
NFIB rep coordination
on draft
1. NIO distributes
coordinated draft to DCI
and NFIB principals for
consideration
2. IIMs approved and
published by C/NIC
unless DCI calls
NFIB meeting
3. NIEs discussed and
approved at NFIB
meeting unless
telephone vote is
called
END OF TRANSMISSION
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1. NIO distributes
coordinated draft to DCI
and NFIB principals for
consideration
2. SIIM approved and
published by C/NIC
unless DCI calls
NFIB meeting
3. SNIEs discussed and
approved at NFIB
meeting unless
telephone vote is
called
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