TERMS OF REFERENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00789R002600010021-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 31, 2000
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: June 3, 1994
• Content Type: MEMO

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DIA/PAG-TA
2 Jun 94
TERMS OF REFERENCE (U)
I. (U) BACKGROUND
(S/NF/SG/LIMDIS) In accordance with a Congressionally
Directed Action of January 1994 (enclosure 1), the Defense
Intelligence Agency has prepared a proposed multi-year research
and development program plan, subject to rigorous scientific and
.technical oversight, to investigate the scientific validity of
the STAR GATE program. The focus of the multi-year plan is to
ascertain whether results of military and intelligence value can
be obtained in a cost-effective manner using anomalous mental
phenomena (AMP).
(U) APPROACH
(S/NF/SG/LIMDIS) In order to fulfill Congressional
Direction, the Defense Intelligence Agency proposes to convene a
Scientific Evaluation Panel (SEP) composed of representatives
from each of the Service Scientific Advisory Boards. The purpose
of the SEP is to review and validate the STAR GATE's research and
development objectives and to make recommendations as to which
objectives should be pursued and the program scope required to
achieve those-objectives. If the SEP determines that objectives
in the plan are viable and executable, the General Defense
Intelligence Program (GDIP) Manager will complete this initiative
with others for limited available resources remaining in the
program.
III. (U) PURPOSE
(U) The purpose of this Terms of Reference (TOR) paper is to
familiarize the SEP with proposed program objectives, scientific
oversight methodology,. program management, and anticipated
contract deliverables.
IV. (U) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT GOALS
a. (C/NF) Congressional direction for the STAR GATE program
has consistently stressed the need for an even balance between
REPRODUCTION REQUIRES
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OR HIGHER DOD AUTHORITY
FURTHER DISSEMINATION
ONLY AS DIRECTED BY PAG CLASSIFIED BY MULTIPLE SOURCES
OR HIGHER DOD AUTHORITY DECLASSIFY ON OADR
SECRET Enclosure 2
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foreign assessments, operational activities and research, with
the overall architecture of the program such that the three areas
are interrelated and supportive of each other. Furthermore,
program historical development has repeatedly demonstrated the
need for R&D support in order to fulfill Congressional direction
as well as to provide support to on-going DIA intelligence
collection, analysis, and production functions.
b. (U) Current program plans are outlined in the multi-year
research and peer review plan. Specifically, it is planned to
use the first six months of the contract to hold meetings with
AMP experts around the country to determine which research goals
have the highest probability of success and to determine the best
methods for conducting the research. On the basis of these
meetings; the schedule, budget, and performance criteria for the
balance of the program will be finalized.
c. (U) Subject to adequate funding, recommendations of the
above working groups, and general guidance from DIA management,
the proposed research and development program will address the
following generic issues:
1. '(U) BASIC RESEARCH
a. (U) The objective of basic research is to
understand the fundamental, underlying mechanisms of remote
viewing (RV) or anomalous cognition (AC).
b. (U) The basic research goals are:
- To determine the fundamental nature of an
AC source, i.e., a quantitative, intrinsic description of AC
targets.
- To determine how AC information traverses
space and time from the source to the detector (i.e., the remote
viewer).
- To determine how AC information is sensed
by the viewer.
2. (U) APPLIED RESEARCH
a. (U) The objective of applied research is to
bridge the gap between pure research data and the applications of
that data, specifically, to improve the quality of AC data.
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b. (U) The applied research goals are:
- To identify individuals who possess
either a high-quality natural AC ability or a trainable one.
To create a set of training manuals
and/or procedures that will be efficient and effective in
teaching and evaluating RV skills.
- To establish a realistic certification
program for currently assigned personnel.
- To develop a system to categorize
potential AC targets with regard to their inherent AC
"visibility" since it has been shown that.all potential targets
are not equally amenable to AC.
- To design a series of instructions for
conducting AC sessions that are optimized for each particular
application.
- To provide meaningful absolute measures
of the information that is transferred by AC, i.e.,
interpretative analysis of the AC data.
- (S/NF/LIMDIS) To develop methods of data
fusion which will most effectively incorporate AC data into the
overall intelligence collection, analysis, and production
process.
3. (U) FOREIGN ASSESSMENT
a. (S/NF) A key role played by previous R&D
efforts has been to support the program's foreign assessment
initiatives. The assessment of parapsychological activities
presents some rather unique challenges. For example, if the task
were to evaluate Russian developments in laser weapons, there is
no shortage of Western high-tech companies or national
laboratories to which one could turn to for detailed technical
analytical support. In parapsychology, however, there is no
equivalent group within the USG with such expertise. In
addition, an R&D organization can seek to replicate foreign
experimental claims, thereby confirming their validity. It is
essential, therefore, to have R&D support to provide specialized
technical assistance in evaluating foreign R&D activities.
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SG1 B
IV. (U) GOALS
(U) To most effectively utilize anomalous cognition (AC)
data for military intelligence purposes, an R&D effort is
essential not only to explore the causes for AC, but also to
translate experimental/theoretical data into a practical, useable
methodology. The necessity of having an R&D effort in this area
comes from the fact that no DIA/DoD resources have been
identified or committed to accomplishing this R&D function. The
necessary in-house technical expertise to conduct basic and
applied research does not exist within DIA.
(S/NF/SG/LIMDIS) Moreover, this proposed research and peer
review plan represents DIA's best approach to successfully
accomplish identified R&D activities which, in-turn, will enhance
the capability of STAR GATE personnel to engage in operational
activities and to assess the work done by potential adversaries,
thereby, reducing the risk potential for a technological
surprise.
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V. (U) MISSION IMPACT IF R&D FUNDING IS CURTAILED/LOST
a. (U) LOSS OF THE MAJORITY OF FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE DATA
1. (S/NF) In the current and unstable world of
international affairs, traditional intelligence collection
SG1B methods are severely strained. Understandably, intelligence
collection against a field such as parapsychology does not occupy
a priority in the grand scheme of things.
b. (U) LOSS OF TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT SUPPORT
(C/NF) As stated, there is no group within DIA, DoD, the
Intelligence Community, or the national laboratories which
conducts on-going, in-depth technical investigation into the
field of parapsychology. Nor are there groups in the private
sector or university setting with the in-depth knowledge and
experience of the current contractor in the military intelligence
applications of parapsychological phenomena. Due to the highly
technical nature of the physics, psychology, and physiology
involved,"loss of R&D support would severely hamper our ability
to evaluate data and produce timely and accurate assessments.
c. (U) LOSS OF BASIC RESEARCH DISCOVERIES
(S/NF/LIMDIS) The field of parapsychology is one in
which new discoveries are being reported daily, especially from
Russia, the FSU, and the PRC as to the underlying mechanisms of
how the phenomena works. Aside from its intrinsic scientific
value in explaining more completely how the brain and mind
function, a proper understanding of these underlying mechanisms
is essential to improving any operational usage of the phenomena.
The use of RV as a consistently accurate intelligence collection
method is still to be determined. As in any other science,
increasing knowledge about the mechanism of the phenomena will
lead to increased knowledge about its productive applications.
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2 Jun 94
(S/NF/LIMDIS) Although DIA has had a measure of success
in the past, further support is required to sustain its efforts.
Without this support, DIA has no capability of ever improving our
operations capability without continued R&D support.
V. (U) R&D PLAN DURATION
(U) The proposed R&D effort would extend over a period of
five years, beginning in FY95.
VI. (U) OVERSIGHT
a. (U) PROJECT OVERSIGHT METHODOLOGY
1. (U) PROGRAM MANAGEMENT/OVERSIGHT
(S/NF) DIA, as executive agent, proposes to
implement a management structure that fosters a proactive,
responsive, and creative environment for this activity. Both
the external research and in-house activities will be centered in
the Technology Assessment and Support Activity under the
supervision of the Chief, Office for Ground Forces (DIA/PAG).
d. (U) LOSS OF PROFICIENCY ENHANCEMENT DEVELOPMENT
METHODOLOGY RESEARCH
(S/NF) it is proposed that responsibility for
overall project oversight be provided by a Project Review Board
(PRB) composed of five senior management individuals. Review/
guidance will be available from DIA's Executive Director and from
the Deputy Director. The General Defense Intelligence Program
(GDIP) director will conduct periodic project reviews and provide
guidance. Links with the Intelligence Community will help
provide a broader management and program review base for this
activity.
(U) The extensive nature and scope of these various
program management and oversight activities will insure that all
activities identified in this TOR can be appropriately monitored
and evaluated on an on-going basis.
2. (U) SCIENTIFIC OVERSIGHT
(S/NF) Scientific oversight for the program
office will be provided by DIA's Scientific Advisory Board.
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oversight for external contract activity will be provided by a
proposed expert scientific oversight Committee (SOC) chartered by
the selected R&D contractor. A Human Use Review Board will also
be established to provide expert guidance/advice regarding
contractor adherence to appropriate DoD human use regulation.
(U) A Scientific Oversight Committee (SOC) will
be tasked with three major responsibilities:
a. (U) Review and approve all experimental
protocols prior to the collection of experimental data.
b. (U) Critically review all experimental
final reports as if they were submissions to technical scientific
journals. All remarks in writing are included in the final
technical reports to DIA.
c. (U) Propose directions for further
(U) In addition to these responsibilities, the
SOC members will be encouraged to exercise un-announced drop-in
privileges to view experiments in progress.
(U) The voting members of the SOC should be
respected scientists from the following disciplines: physics,
astronomy, statistics, neuroscience, and psychology.
(U) An Institutional Review Board (IRB) should
also be formed by a selected contractor and charged with the
responsibility of assuring compliance with all U.S. and DoD
regulations with regard to the use of humans in experimentation
and assuring their safety. The IRB members should represent the
health, legal, and spiritual professions IAW government
guidelines.
3. (U) DEVELOPMENT OF EVALUATION CRITERIA
a. (U) SCIENTIFIC VALIDITY
(S/NF) An extensive technical data base
currently exists which has established the scientific validity of
AMP. In addition, a thorough review of DoD's activities in AMP
was conducted in 1987 to evaluate the use of AMP for intelligence
gathering purposes. The overall findings of this evaluation were
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that "...the Project Review Group has determined to its
satisfaction that the work of the Enhanced Human Performance
Group is scientifically sound...and is providing valuable insight
into the nature of an anomaly which have a significant impact on
the DoD." This research and development program will both draw
from and add to this extensive data base to further demonstrate
the scientific validity and practicality of AMP.
b. (U) PERFORMANCE
(S/NF) The ability of the STAR GATE program
to produce results that have an intelligence value can only be
measured by customer feedback evaluations. AMP provided
intelligence data, along with other forms of intelligence, are
evaluated, in part, with subjective criteria. STAR GATE has
developed feedback mechanisms and procedures for customers that
should result in a method of quantifying this subjective feedback
data so that operational value added and cost-effectiveness can
be measured.
VII. (U) POTENTIAL RESEARCH RETURNS
(S/NF/SG/LIMDIS) The research pursuits identified in the
overall research and peer review plan have the potential for
achieving highly significant results using AMP to address
problems of national security by pushing the phenomena to their
natural limits. This overall result will be achieved by:
mechanisms of AMP.
- Identification of the underlying
- Establishment of the limits of
operational usefulness-of AMP.
- Determination of the degree to which
foreign activities in AMP represents a threat to national
security.
- Development of countermeasures to
neutralize this threat.
- Use of research findings to improve
operational activities.
- Development of data fusion criteria to
integrate AMP results with other intelligence sources.
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