FORMAT AND PROCEDURE FOR R&D PLANNING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP71B00529R000100160006-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 17, 2002
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: June 13, 1968
• Content Type: MF

Internal Use Only
Approved For Release 2002108/12 : - 0529R000100160006-1
DD/S&T 2345-68
13 June 1968
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Planning, Programming and
Budgeting
SUBJECT : Format and Procedure for R&D Planning
1. The attached paper outlines the procedure which we informally
discussed recently. I believe it will encourage better planning in
R&D, and significantly reduce the amount of time which our scientists
and engineers now spend in unnecessary effort in the development of
these plans, i. e. , necessary and sufficient planning information will
be obtained, but the submission of superfluous and redundant
information will be discouraged. In addition, potential changes or
alternatives in the R&D plan may be more readily evaluated and
adapted. Ultimately, the long-range plan will merge directly into
current year plans, and on into actual implementation without
changing horses anywhere in the stream. Because the planning/
execution of the R&D program will always remain open to input of
detail and revision, planning need not be an onerous chore. The
R&D program is relatively simple and well structured, so imple-
mentation of the proposed procedure will provide timely experience
in the use of such techniques, and identify desirable characteristics
which should be incorporated in the over-all management system of
the Agency, of which this is only one part.
2. With your approval, I propose to arrange for the programming
and other detailed actions which may be required in order to imple-
ment the proposed system as rapidly as possible so that it may be used
for the next cycle of long-range R&D planning this Fall.
Special Assistant to the R&D Coordinator
John M. Clarke
Director of Planning,
Programming and Budgeting
STATINTL
Attachment: As Stated
Approved For Release 2002/08/12 : CIA-RDP71 B00529R000100160006-1
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 Internal Use Only
Approved For Release 2002/08/12 : CIA-RDP71 B00529R000100160006-1
FORMAT AND PROCEDURE FOR R&D PLANNING
1. In responding to the current Call, R&D plans for the period
FY 70-74 were submitted by the various technical offices in a variety
of formats and with greatly differing degrees of detail. Different
ground rules were used in arriving at estimates. The quality of the
R&D planning inputs may be improved and, at the same time, much
extraneous work eliminated if simple uniform procedures and a
common format was adopted. The Contract Information System, now
in wide use for maintaining. a data base on current R&D contracts, was
designed to also be used without modification in the planning process.
Mince detailed information pertaining to this system is provided in the
Agency Project Officers' Manual, the extension of this system to
planning will require a minimum of additional instruction or orientation.
2. In addition to simplifying the submission of data by the various
technical offices, use of the Contract Information System for planning
will facilitate entry of the R&D plans into a data base which may then
be changed or manipulated as required as the plan progresses toward
execution with a minimum of effort on the part of either the technical
offices or the O/PPB. Further, the R&D planning base may easily be
kept current since any modification of funding or direction of the R&D
program may quickly be reflected in the data base. From this base
up-to-date information copies on the R&D plan may be provided in
appropriate detail to the technical offices and other interested com-
ponents.
3. The following procedure is proposed. Technical offices will
complete, as a minimum, a single Contract Information Data Input
Sheet for each R&D program element in which that office proposes to
expend funds. Although there may be exceptions (and hopefully these
will increase in number) there are few current programs which are
sufficiently well defined to justify planning in greater detail than
element level beyond three years. Thus, in submitting five year
plans, for example, offices with programs in audio collection would
submit a single Contract Information Sheet to indicate their planned
expenditures for the fifth year, and another sheet to indicate the
expenditures proposed for the fourth year. The 100 characters
provided by the CIS for program/project description on the Input
Data Sheet will provide sufficient detail for any entry at the Agency
Approved For Release 2002/08/12 : CIA-RDP71 B00529R000100160006-1
Internal Use Only
 Internal Use Only
Approved For Release 2002/08/12 : CIA-RDP71 B00529R000100160006-1
level. Supplementary detail may be provided only if required at
the Directorate level. Assume, for example, that ORD has sub-
mitted a single Input Data Sheet for audio collection for FY 74.
A year later the estimated expenditure for FY 74 might be revised,
and two years after the original submission it might be desirable to
provide some detail to describe the main features of future work
proposed. This detail will increase in each succeeding year and
continue through the current operating year as the various planned
details become actual projects and contracts within the system. To
accomplish this it is only necessary to submit revised Data Input
Sheets as additional detail is developed, and to reallocate the amount
budgeted for this activity among the details. The descriptions of the
work will also become more detailed.
4. Although modification of the plan for any program element or
detail for any year may be met very simply, it is anticipated that
particular attention would be given to revising and updating the plan
as a part of the regular PPB cycle. In terms of the present pro-
cedure, for example, it is proposed that in the submission of five
year plans that pertinent printouts of the plan then existing in the
data base be provided to each technical office for revision, and for
the incorporation of any additional detail that might be pertinent at
that time.
5. When the revised plans are submitted by the various offices,
the integration of the inputs may be done almost completely automatic-
ally, and the distribution and focus of effort among the program sub-
categories and elements may be easily examined. Hopefully, much
of this could be done in the near future through the simple expedient
of a CRT or other suitable display.
6. To be effective, clear definitions of terms and procedures
are required. The Project Officers' Manual provides most of what
is needed with only the designation of the required data elements for
planning having to be specified. For example, it would appear to
serve no purpose to describe the type of R&D work, i. e. , research,
exploratory development, advanced development, etc. , for a program
element estimate five years in the future. Thus, this information
should be submitted only when a request for contract action is sub-
mitted for approval. In fact the only critical planning data items
would be the program element, any project detail, the description,
the estimate, the identification of the organization proposing to do
the work.
Approved For Release 2002/08/12 : CIA=FiDP71 B00529R000100160006-1
Internal Use Only