Through this "ready reference", MITRE aims to remediate the strain on RDT&E PMs and make it more likely that work necessary to support your agency's mission can continue to be funded. MITRE developed this model after reflecting upon the successes and failures of RDT&E programs from a variety of federal sectors over the past fifteen years.
Research Challenges in Combating Terrorist Use of Explosives in the United St...Duane Blackburn
The document outlines 10 key research challenges for combating terrorist use of explosives in the United States. The challenges are grouped into categories of deter & predict, detect & defeat, mitigate, and cross-cutting. The top priorities identified are counter-IED network attack and analysis, detection of homemade explosives, standoff rapid detection of person-borne IEDs, vehicle-borne IED detection, IED access and defeat, radio controlled IED countermeasures, IED assessment and diagnostics, waterborne IED detection systems, IED warnings, and IED threat characterization and signatures. Addressing these challenges through focused research efforts can help improve security against terrorist explosive attacks.
NSTC Policy for Enabling the Development, Adoption and Use of Biometric Stand...Duane Blackburn
The NSTC Policy for Enabling the Development, Adoption and Use of Biometric Standards establishes a framework for reaching interagency consensus on biometric standards adoption for the US Federal government. It aims to facilitate biometric system interoperability and effectiveness. Key actions include supporting biometric standards development, recommending standards for adoption, and integrating standards into agency plans and procurement. The policy is implemented through tasks coordinated by the NSTC Subcommittee on Biometrics and Identity Management.
This document discusses Duluth Metals, a company that aims to develop the Twin Metals copper, nickel, and PGM project in Minnesota through a joint venture with Antofagasta. It also explores other 100% owned mineral interests. The document contains forward-looking statements about Duluth Metals' plans and estimates. It notes various risks that could impact the potential development and production at Twin Metals such as commodity price fluctuations, permitting delays, and other permitting and operational challenges.
Item 5b Cooperation proposals in the field of financing green energyOECD Environment
The Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK) seeks to cooperate with the GREEN Action Task Force to increase financing for renewable energy projects. DBK currently has no special funding program for renewable energy infrastructure and needs methodological support in assessing environmental requirements and risks of green projects. DBK selects projects based on criteria like compliance with investment priorities and profitability. It is working to integrate environmental, social, and governance factors into its selection process and issues green bonds to finance green projects. DBK requests recommendations from the Task Force on best practices for evaluating renewable energy projects and assigning green scores to prioritize them.
Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. At the time of this report, more than 40 communities across the United States have committed to Vision Zero. We led workshops with Texas, Florida and Colorado agencies to foster and build relationships and strengthen zero deaths efforts. We also describe work toward equity and the Safe System Approach to transportation planning.
The document discusses the legislative background of OPIC's environmental policies and responsibilities. It outlines how OPIC adopted voluntary environmental guidelines in the 1970s before any statutory requirements. It describes how Executive Order 12114 in 1979 required OPIC to review projects' environmental effects abroad. It also explains how OPIC's 1985 reauthorization and amendments to its statute increased its environmental review responsibilities and prohibited support for certain environmentally hazardous projects.
The document discusses Plateau Energy Metals' Falchani Lithium Project in Peru as a strategic clean technology asset. Demand for lithium is growing 20% annually due to increasing electric vehicle adoption and battery usage. Falchani contains a high-quality lithium resource near surface infrastructure. Plateau plans to update resources and complete a preliminary economic assessment and metallurgical studies to advance the project.
Research Challenges in Combating Terrorist Use of Explosives in the United St...Duane Blackburn
The document outlines 10 key research challenges for combating terrorist use of explosives in the United States. The challenges are grouped into categories of deter & predict, detect & defeat, mitigate, and cross-cutting. The top priorities identified are counter-IED network attack and analysis, detection of homemade explosives, standoff rapid detection of person-borne IEDs, vehicle-borne IED detection, IED access and defeat, radio controlled IED countermeasures, IED assessment and diagnostics, waterborne IED detection systems, IED warnings, and IED threat characterization and signatures. Addressing these challenges through focused research efforts can help improve security against terrorist explosive attacks.
NSTC Policy for Enabling the Development, Adoption and Use of Biometric Stand...Duane Blackburn
The NSTC Policy for Enabling the Development, Adoption and Use of Biometric Standards establishes a framework for reaching interagency consensus on biometric standards adoption for the US Federal government. It aims to facilitate biometric system interoperability and effectiveness. Key actions include supporting biometric standards development, recommending standards for adoption, and integrating standards into agency plans and procurement. The policy is implemented through tasks coordinated by the NSTC Subcommittee on Biometrics and Identity Management.
This document discusses Duluth Metals, a company that aims to develop the Twin Metals copper, nickel, and PGM project in Minnesota through a joint venture with Antofagasta. It also explores other 100% owned mineral interests. The document contains forward-looking statements about Duluth Metals' plans and estimates. It notes various risks that could impact the potential development and production at Twin Metals such as commodity price fluctuations, permitting delays, and other permitting and operational challenges.
Item 5b Cooperation proposals in the field of financing green energyOECD Environment
The Development Bank of Kazakhstan (DBK) seeks to cooperate with the GREEN Action Task Force to increase financing for renewable energy projects. DBK currently has no special funding program for renewable energy infrastructure and needs methodological support in assessing environmental requirements and risks of green projects. DBK selects projects based on criteria like compliance with investment priorities and profitability. It is working to integrate environmental, social, and governance factors into its selection process and issues green bonds to finance green projects. DBK requests recommendations from the Task Force on best practices for evaluating renewable energy projects and assigning green scores to prioritize them.
Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. At the time of this report, more than 40 communities across the United States have committed to Vision Zero. We led workshops with Texas, Florida and Colorado agencies to foster and build relationships and strengthen zero deaths efforts. We also describe work toward equity and the Safe System Approach to transportation planning.
The document discusses the legislative background of OPIC's environmental policies and responsibilities. It outlines how OPIC adopted voluntary environmental guidelines in the 1970s before any statutory requirements. It describes how Executive Order 12114 in 1979 required OPIC to review projects' environmental effects abroad. It also explains how OPIC's 1985 reauthorization and amendments to its statute increased its environmental review responsibilities and prohibited support for certain environmentally hazardous projects.
The document discusses Plateau Energy Metals' Falchani Lithium Project in Peru as a strategic clean technology asset. Demand for lithium is growing 20% annually due to increasing electric vehicle adoption and battery usage. Falchani contains a high-quality lithium resource near surface infrastructure. Plateau plans to update resources and complete a preliminary economic assessment and metallurgical studies to advance the project.
The document discusses Plateau Energy Metals' Falchani Lithium Project in Peru as a strategic clean technology asset. Demand for lithium is growing 20% annually due to increasing adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. The Falchani Project has the potential to produce a high purity lithium carbonate product. It has excellent infrastructure and is located in a mining-supportive jurisdiction in Peru. Plateau plans to update resources and complete a preliminary economic assessment and metallurgical studies to advance the Falchani Project.
American lithium investor presentation v34RonWidjaja
American Lithium is a leading lithium development company focused on projects in the Americas. It has two quality lithium projects, TLC in Nevada and Falchani in Peru, located in tier 1 mining jurisdictions. The company also owns one of the world's largest undeveloped uranium deposits. American Lithium is well funded with $16 million in cash and strong institutional support. It has a large and diverse mineral resource base totaling 6.3 million tonnes of lithium carbonate at TLC and Falchani. In 2021, the company achieved significant milestones including a large resource estimate at TLC, successful acquisition of Plateau Energy Metals, and name recognition as a top mining company in Canada.
- American Lithium is a leading diversified lithium development company and was a top 50 company on the TSXV in May 2021.
- The presentation provides an overview of American Lithium and its subsidiaries, including their lithium projects in Nevada, USA and Peru.
- It discloses key details about the TLC, Falchani, and Macusani lithium projects, and summarizes preliminary economic assessments conducted for the projects.
Department of Transportation Preliminary Regulatory Reform PlanObama White House
When President Obama unveiled his plan to create a 21st-century regulatory system that protects the health and safety of Americans in a cost-effective way, he called for an unprecedented government-wide review of rules already on the books. As a result of that review, the Department of Transportation has identified initiatives to reduce burdens and save money. Read the agency plan and share your comments, feedback and questions.
Visit WhiteHouse.gov/RegulatoryReform to view all the plans and learn more.
This document provides an overview of Hudbay Minerals Inc.'s Q4 2012 conference call. It discusses Hudbay achieving production targets for the 6th consecutive year while maintaining steady costs in 2012. It also provides updates on the construction progress of Hudbay's three major development projects - Lalor, Constancia, and Reed - which are advancing on schedule and on budget. These new mines are expected to drive significant production growth over the next two years, with copper production projected to increase by 390%, precious metals by 115%, and zinc by 30% by 2014.
The document acknowledges contributions from organizations that assisted in producing a Department of Energy report on wind energy. It provides notice that the report was prepared in compliance with information quality guidelines and peer review processes. It also includes disclaimers about product endorsements and limitations on legal liability by the U.S. government. Contact information is provided for accessing the report electronically or purchasing it from the National Technical Information Service.
American lithium investor presentation Jan 2022RonWidjaja
American Lithium is a leading lithium development company with projects in Nevada and Peru. It has two advanced stage lithium projects - TLC in Nevada and Falchani in Peru. American Lithium also owns the Macusani uranium project in Peru, which is the world's 5th largest undeveloped uranium deposit. The company has a strong management team and treasury of C$50 million, and is focused on becoming one of the largest lithium producers in the Americas.
The document is a preliminary prospectus from Dalradian Resources regarding a gold development project in Europe. It notifies investors that the prospectus has not yet been filed with regulators and that no securities can be sold until it is approved. It also notes that the document does not provide full disclosure and investors should read the prospectus and any amendments for complete information, especially regarding risk factors.
The presentation provides forward-looking information about Hudbay Minerals' projects and operations, noting that actual results may differ materially from projections. It discusses key assumptions around mining, processing, costs, commodity prices, regulations, and other operational and economic factors. The presentation also notes risks including uncertainties in project development, depletion of reserves, operational hazards, compliance with laws, and dependence on key personnel and markets. Financial information is prepared under Canadian, not U.S. standards.
Creating Sustainable Value Through High Quality Long Life Deposits
Hudbay Minerals Inc. presented at the CIBC 2013 Whistler Institutional Investor Conference on January 23-26, 2013. The presentation focused on Hudbay's strategy of creating sustainable value through high quality, long life mining deposits. It discussed Hudbay's production forecasts, development plans for its projects, and anticipated timing. The presentation also noted some of the risks and uncertainties inherent in the mining industry and Hudbay's business.
This document provides an overview of HBM's strategy to create sustainable value through high quality, long-life mining deposits. It discusses HBM's objectives to develop its Lalor, Constancia and Reed projects, with re-estimated costs for Constancia and plans for Lalor and Reed. However, the document also cautions that forward-looking information is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations.
Hudbay's Annual and Special Meeting of ShareholdersHudbayMinerals
This document summarizes the annual and special meeting of shareholders for Hudbay Minerals Inc. held on May 10, 2013. It recognizes the passing of Bruce Barraclough in 1947-2013. It provides forward-looking information on Hudbay's production, projects, and financial expectations. However, it notes that actual results may differ due to risks in the mining industry and other factors beyond the company's control.
American Lithium is a leading lithium development company focused on projects in the Americas. It has two quality lithium projects, TLC in Nevada, USA and Falchani in Peru, as well as one of the world's largest undeveloped uranium deposits. American Lithium is well funded with $19 million in cash and strong shareholder support. It has a large diverse resource base totaling 6.3 million tonnes of lithium carbonate at TLC and Falchani. American Lithium had a transformational year in 2021 with significant progress on its projects and corporate development.
RBC Capital Markets' Global Mining & Materials Conference HudbayMinerals
This document provides forward-looking information for Hudbay Minerals regarding its mining projects and production forecasts. It discusses Hudbay's 777, Lalor, and Reed mines in Manitoba and its Constancia project in Peru. The document notes that Hudbay expects to see significant production growth at its projects between 2012 and 2015, with copper production forecast to increase 390% and precious metals production 115%. It also provides an overview of recent developments and milestones at Hudbay's key projects.
State Department Regulatory Reform Plan August 2011Obama White House
The U.S. Department of State released its final plan for retrospectively analyzing existing rules in accordance with Executive Order 13563. The plan aims to identify rules that are obsolete, unnecessary, unjustified, excessively burdensome, or counterproductive. It will facilitate strengthening, complementing, or modernizing rules where needed. Public comments on the preliminary plan addressed issues like streamlining visa processing and export controls. The Department of State will provide notice before reviewing rules and allow at least 60 days for public input.
Equinox Gold is a Canadian mining company with seven operating gold mines, a multi-million-ounce gold reserve base and a clear path to achieve one million ounces of annual gold production from a pipeline of development and expansion projects. Equinox Gold operates entirely in the Americas, with two properties in the United States, one in Mexico and five in Brazil. Equinox Gold’s common shares are listed on the TSX and the NYSE American under the trading symbol EQX.
The document discusses Plateau Energy Metals' Falchani lithium project in Peru. Key points include:
- A preliminary economic assessment shows strong project economics with an after-tax NPV of $844 million and IRR of 18.8%.
- The project has excellent infrastructure access with low-cost power, water, labor and transport.
- Metallurgical testing indicates the project can produce a high purity, battery-quality lithium carbonate product at 99.74% purity.
- The project has potential to become a major contributor to economic development in Peru.
Equinox Gold is a Canadian mining company with seven operating gold mines and construction underway at an eighth site, a multi-million-ounce gold reserve base and a clear path to achieve one million ounces of annual gold production from a pipeline of development and expansion projects. Equinox Gold operates entirely in the Americas, with two properties in the United States, one in Mexico and five in Brazil. Equinox Gold’s common shares are listed on the TSX and the NYSE American under the trading symbol EQX. Further information about Equinox Gold’s portfolio of assets and long-term growth strategy is available at www.equinoxgold.com or by email at ir@equinoxgold.com.
2013 Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Metals, Mining & Steel ConferenceHudbayMinerals
Hudbay Minerals Inc. presented information on its mining projects and provided forward-looking statements regarding anticipated production levels and costs. The presentation discussed Hudbay's 777 mine in Manitoba, its Lalor and Reed projects also in Manitoba, and its Constancia project in Peru. Hudbay stated it expects substantial production growth at its operations between 2012 and 2015, with copper production anticipated to increase 390% and precious metals production projected to rise 115% over that period.
Ancient boxing had fewer rules than modern boxing, with fights continuing until one boxer was knocked out or conceded defeat, and hitting a downed opponent was allowed. There were no weight classes and opponents were chosen randomly. Chariot racing events included races for 2-horse and 4-horse chariots, as well as races for carts drawn by mule teams. Pankration was a combination of boxing and wrestling allowing punches and attacks now banned in modern sports. The pentathlon included five events: discus, javelin, long jump, running, and wrestling.
Fuengirola Ayer y Hoy es un documento que describe cómo ha cambiado la ciudad de Fuengirola a través del tiempo, desde sus orígenes como pequeño pueblo pesquero hasta convertirse en un importante destino turístico en la actualidad, atraído por sus playas y clima cálido.
The document discusses Plateau Energy Metals' Falchani Lithium Project in Peru as a strategic clean technology asset. Demand for lithium is growing 20% annually due to increasing adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. The Falchani Project has the potential to produce a high purity lithium carbonate product. It has excellent infrastructure and is located in a mining-supportive jurisdiction in Peru. Plateau plans to update resources and complete a preliminary economic assessment and metallurgical studies to advance the Falchani Project.
American lithium investor presentation v34RonWidjaja
American Lithium is a leading lithium development company focused on projects in the Americas. It has two quality lithium projects, TLC in Nevada and Falchani in Peru, located in tier 1 mining jurisdictions. The company also owns one of the world's largest undeveloped uranium deposits. American Lithium is well funded with $16 million in cash and strong institutional support. It has a large and diverse mineral resource base totaling 6.3 million tonnes of lithium carbonate at TLC and Falchani. In 2021, the company achieved significant milestones including a large resource estimate at TLC, successful acquisition of Plateau Energy Metals, and name recognition as a top mining company in Canada.
- American Lithium is a leading diversified lithium development company and was a top 50 company on the TSXV in May 2021.
- The presentation provides an overview of American Lithium and its subsidiaries, including their lithium projects in Nevada, USA and Peru.
- It discloses key details about the TLC, Falchani, and Macusani lithium projects, and summarizes preliminary economic assessments conducted for the projects.
Department of Transportation Preliminary Regulatory Reform PlanObama White House
When President Obama unveiled his plan to create a 21st-century regulatory system that protects the health and safety of Americans in a cost-effective way, he called for an unprecedented government-wide review of rules already on the books. As a result of that review, the Department of Transportation has identified initiatives to reduce burdens and save money. Read the agency plan and share your comments, feedback and questions.
Visit WhiteHouse.gov/RegulatoryReform to view all the plans and learn more.
This document provides an overview of Hudbay Minerals Inc.'s Q4 2012 conference call. It discusses Hudbay achieving production targets for the 6th consecutive year while maintaining steady costs in 2012. It also provides updates on the construction progress of Hudbay's three major development projects - Lalor, Constancia, and Reed - which are advancing on schedule and on budget. These new mines are expected to drive significant production growth over the next two years, with copper production projected to increase by 390%, precious metals by 115%, and zinc by 30% by 2014.
The document acknowledges contributions from organizations that assisted in producing a Department of Energy report on wind energy. It provides notice that the report was prepared in compliance with information quality guidelines and peer review processes. It also includes disclaimers about product endorsements and limitations on legal liability by the U.S. government. Contact information is provided for accessing the report electronically or purchasing it from the National Technical Information Service.
American lithium investor presentation Jan 2022RonWidjaja
American Lithium is a leading lithium development company with projects in Nevada and Peru. It has two advanced stage lithium projects - TLC in Nevada and Falchani in Peru. American Lithium also owns the Macusani uranium project in Peru, which is the world's 5th largest undeveloped uranium deposit. The company has a strong management team and treasury of C$50 million, and is focused on becoming one of the largest lithium producers in the Americas.
The document is a preliminary prospectus from Dalradian Resources regarding a gold development project in Europe. It notifies investors that the prospectus has not yet been filed with regulators and that no securities can be sold until it is approved. It also notes that the document does not provide full disclosure and investors should read the prospectus and any amendments for complete information, especially regarding risk factors.
The presentation provides forward-looking information about Hudbay Minerals' projects and operations, noting that actual results may differ materially from projections. It discusses key assumptions around mining, processing, costs, commodity prices, regulations, and other operational and economic factors. The presentation also notes risks including uncertainties in project development, depletion of reserves, operational hazards, compliance with laws, and dependence on key personnel and markets. Financial information is prepared under Canadian, not U.S. standards.
Creating Sustainable Value Through High Quality Long Life Deposits
Hudbay Minerals Inc. presented at the CIBC 2013 Whistler Institutional Investor Conference on January 23-26, 2013. The presentation focused on Hudbay's strategy of creating sustainable value through high quality, long life mining deposits. It discussed Hudbay's production forecasts, development plans for its projects, and anticipated timing. The presentation also noted some of the risks and uncertainties inherent in the mining industry and Hudbay's business.
This document provides an overview of HBM's strategy to create sustainable value through high quality, long-life mining deposits. It discusses HBM's objectives to develop its Lalor, Constancia and Reed projects, with re-estimated costs for Constancia and plans for Lalor and Reed. However, the document also cautions that forward-looking information is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations.
Hudbay's Annual and Special Meeting of ShareholdersHudbayMinerals
This document summarizes the annual and special meeting of shareholders for Hudbay Minerals Inc. held on May 10, 2013. It recognizes the passing of Bruce Barraclough in 1947-2013. It provides forward-looking information on Hudbay's production, projects, and financial expectations. However, it notes that actual results may differ due to risks in the mining industry and other factors beyond the company's control.
American Lithium is a leading lithium development company focused on projects in the Americas. It has two quality lithium projects, TLC in Nevada, USA and Falchani in Peru, as well as one of the world's largest undeveloped uranium deposits. American Lithium is well funded with $19 million in cash and strong shareholder support. It has a large diverse resource base totaling 6.3 million tonnes of lithium carbonate at TLC and Falchani. American Lithium had a transformational year in 2021 with significant progress on its projects and corporate development.
RBC Capital Markets' Global Mining & Materials Conference HudbayMinerals
This document provides forward-looking information for Hudbay Minerals regarding its mining projects and production forecasts. It discusses Hudbay's 777, Lalor, and Reed mines in Manitoba and its Constancia project in Peru. The document notes that Hudbay expects to see significant production growth at its projects between 2012 and 2015, with copper production forecast to increase 390% and precious metals production 115%. It also provides an overview of recent developments and milestones at Hudbay's key projects.
State Department Regulatory Reform Plan August 2011Obama White House
The U.S. Department of State released its final plan for retrospectively analyzing existing rules in accordance with Executive Order 13563. The plan aims to identify rules that are obsolete, unnecessary, unjustified, excessively burdensome, or counterproductive. It will facilitate strengthening, complementing, or modernizing rules where needed. Public comments on the preliminary plan addressed issues like streamlining visa processing and export controls. The Department of State will provide notice before reviewing rules and allow at least 60 days for public input.
Equinox Gold is a Canadian mining company with seven operating gold mines, a multi-million-ounce gold reserve base and a clear path to achieve one million ounces of annual gold production from a pipeline of development and expansion projects. Equinox Gold operates entirely in the Americas, with two properties in the United States, one in Mexico and five in Brazil. Equinox Gold’s common shares are listed on the TSX and the NYSE American under the trading symbol EQX.
The document discusses Plateau Energy Metals' Falchani lithium project in Peru. Key points include:
- A preliminary economic assessment shows strong project economics with an after-tax NPV of $844 million and IRR of 18.8%.
- The project has excellent infrastructure access with low-cost power, water, labor and transport.
- Metallurgical testing indicates the project can produce a high purity, battery-quality lithium carbonate product at 99.74% purity.
- The project has potential to become a major contributor to economic development in Peru.
Equinox Gold is a Canadian mining company with seven operating gold mines and construction underway at an eighth site, a multi-million-ounce gold reserve base and a clear path to achieve one million ounces of annual gold production from a pipeline of development and expansion projects. Equinox Gold operates entirely in the Americas, with two properties in the United States, one in Mexico and five in Brazil. Equinox Gold’s common shares are listed on the TSX and the NYSE American under the trading symbol EQX. Further information about Equinox Gold’s portfolio of assets and long-term growth strategy is available at www.equinoxgold.com or by email at ir@equinoxgold.com.
2013 Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Metals, Mining & Steel ConferenceHudbayMinerals
Hudbay Minerals Inc. presented information on its mining projects and provided forward-looking statements regarding anticipated production levels and costs. The presentation discussed Hudbay's 777 mine in Manitoba, its Lalor and Reed projects also in Manitoba, and its Constancia project in Peru. Hudbay stated it expects substantial production growth at its operations between 2012 and 2015, with copper production anticipated to increase 390% and precious metals production projected to rise 115% over that period.
Ancient boxing had fewer rules than modern boxing, with fights continuing until one boxer was knocked out or conceded defeat, and hitting a downed opponent was allowed. There were no weight classes and opponents were chosen randomly. Chariot racing events included races for 2-horse and 4-horse chariots, as well as races for carts drawn by mule teams. Pankration was a combination of boxing and wrestling allowing punches and attacks now banned in modern sports. The pentathlon included five events: discus, javelin, long jump, running, and wrestling.
Fuengirola Ayer y Hoy es un documento que describe cómo ha cambiado la ciudad de Fuengirola a través del tiempo, desde sus orígenes como pequeño pueblo pesquero hasta convertirse en un importante destino turístico en la actualidad, atraído por sus playas y clima cálido.
Challenges of AJAX Development for Smartphone PlatformsMaxMotovilov
The document discusses the challenges of developing AJAX applications for smartphone platforms. It outlines core challenges like small screen sizes, different input methods, and limitations of JavaScript, CSS, and DOM APIs on mobile browsers. It also provides a case study of Kannuu's search client and discusses platform-specific issues encountered on Symbian, iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry. Prospects and workarounds for different platforms are presented.
This document provides rationales for answers on a diagnostic radiology exam related to musculoskeletal radiology. The case presented involves radiographs and MRI images of various musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. The correct diagnosis for each case is provided along with explanations for why the other answer choices are incorrect. Key details that help distinguish between similar conditions are emphasized, such as findings that are more or less typical for a given diagnosis. A variety of musculoskeletal injuries, abnormalities, and diseases are discussed.
This document is a client presentation by Global-i Consulting & Contracting Services that outlines their capabilities and proposed services. It includes an agenda covering introductions, Global-i's capabilities in various solution areas, identifying client needs, proposed services, why choose Global-i, implementation plans, and next steps. The presentation provides information on Global-i's full-lifecycle solutions, industry expertise, services across product development, go-to-market, program management, and more. It also discusses engaging Global-i to help meet the client's requirements in areas like product development, marketing, deployment, and systems integration.
The document discusses constellations and their use for navigation, timekeeping, and storytelling throughout history. It notes that the International Astronomical Union standardized 88 constellations in 1922, some based on Greek mythology and others reflecting other cultures. While the standardization made constellations better reference points, it reduced their sizes. The document advocates restoring the original, larger constellations and interpreting the night sky as it was understood before the 1930s boundaries were established.
The document discusses breast radiology questions from an exam. Question 188 describes a case where a fibroadenoma was found on biopsy initially and a follow up mammogram 6 months later. The most likely diagnosis is a phyllodes tumor based on the description of phyllodes tumors typically appearing mammographically. Question 189 describes mammogram images and the most likely clinical presentation is peau d'orange skin in the left breast, indicative of inflammatory breast cancer. Question 190 involves calcifications on a mammogram and ductal carcinoma in situ is considered the most likely diagnosis.
Legacies From Scratch Presentation 2 Nov 2008Graham Richards
Legacies are an important potential source of voluntary income for charities. While large charities engage in expensive advertising campaigns, smaller charities can start legacy fundraising with minimal costs by focusing on current supporters. Researching any previous legacies received and the demographics of existing supporters can help inform a legacy fundraising strategy. Messaging through existing communications like newsletters and websites can help raise awareness about including charities in wills. Targeting specific groups like single people without children may also help attract new legacy donors.
Este documento presenta un guión para una homilía sobre Cristo Rey. Incluye lecturas bíblicas, oraciones de los fieles y sugerencias para la celebración eucarística. El documento enfatiza que el reinado de Cristo se basa en el servicio y el amor, no en el poder o la ambición, y exhorta a los fieles a imitar a Cristo sirviendo a los demás, especialmente a los pobres y marginados.
El documento presenta una revisión de conceptos fundamentales de física como tiro parabólico, movimiento circular, velocidad angular, periodo, frecuencia y aceleración para sistemas bidimensionales. También cubre conceptos tridimensionales como condiciones de equilibrio, momento de fuerzas, centro de masa y centro de gravedad.
Angel 4 Customer Experience Platform allows companies to serve customers anytime through any communication channel by providing cloud based customer experience solutions.
This document provides feedback on Quiz 5 about the definite integral. It includes questions to find the area of shaded regions bounded by graphs, solving definite integrals using techniques like the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, and true/false questions testing understanding of concepts like how definite integrals relate to area and the relationship between position, velocity, and derivatives.
Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia are highlighted as an up-and-coming metropolitan area located on the coast with a thriving port. The cities offer amenities such as beaches, museums, and a revitalized downtown. Recent economic development initiatives have encouraged growth of businesses, including those owned by minorities. The region has experienced increasing tourism and airport traffic, highlighting its status as a transportation hub on the East Coast.
Federal agencies face increasing budget pressures that have forced workforce reductions over 10% in some agencies. As budgets continue to decline, CFOs must optimize workforce expenditures, which totaled $222 billion in 2015. CFOs need better data linking workforce funding to mission outcomes in order to make difficult budget decisions regarding the workforce. Advanced analytics can provide insights into spending alignment with priorities and costs. Integrating financial, workforce, and performance data helps CFOs understand ROI from workforce spending and optimize taxpayer dollars.
1. Analyze the overall manner in which the aforementioned budgets su.pdfFOREVERPRODUCTCHD
1. Analyze the overall manner in which the aforementioned budgets support federalism and
intergovernmental relations. Include two to three (2-3) examples of such support in order to
validate your response.
2. A friend who is a city manager once commented that he liked to put a so-called “radio” item
within each budget—an item that would make a lot of noise and attract attention but could be
“unplugged” easily. He said that after the council had focused all of its attention on that item and
it was finally removed, the council would approve everything else with little question. Imagine
that you are preparing a budget for presentation to the council. Propose two-to-three (2-3) tactics
that you would use in order to attract attention to and distract attention from a particular line
item.
Solution
1. The revenue sources and budgets are very in are different categories and budgets. However,
both support federalism and intergovernmental relations. As, the text states “The term
intergovernmental relations is often used to encompass all the complex and interdependent
relationships among those at various levels of government as they seek to develop and
implement public programs.” The text also states that federalism is the distribution of power in
an organization (as a government) between a central authority and the constituent units. Which
confirms that these type of revenue sources support federalism through, first, providing a fiscal
platform for federalism as a format to establish a financial relationship between federal and state
budgets. Secondly, through the curtailment of the levels of federal support for state and local
governments. Each entity has its fiscal agenda and level of distribution(s) for the budgets
presented. However, the intergovernmental relationship remains necessary from a federalist
aspect as both revenue sources are required to fiscally finance the country. Moreover, the federal
government is only one component of our Nations fiscal responsibility. States and local
governments actually manage a bulk of the programs that the federal government funds. This can
make for a complex relationship regarding the definition and purpose of each revenue source and
the levels of power governing those sources.
2.
According to (Cuts, Consolidations, and Savings, 2014) looking at the budget for fiscal year
2014 and the difference or change from 2012 in the area of “Low Income Home Energy
Assistance Program” this program had a discretionary cut of (-452 thousand dollars). While the
program maintained $3 million dollars, it still took on a major cut. According to (Cuts,
Consolidations, and Savings, 2015), the program cut another ($625,000 dollars) out of the
program. This program amongst many others received cuts but not necessarily because there
were no more funds but it could be that the level of politics needed to boost this program from
the representative is very low. The relationship could be harmed and not on a team based
relationship. T.
The document discusses the complex NASA budget process, noting that finding and maintaining a credible budget is difficult. It outlines the many stakeholders involved and explains that NASA's budget makes up a small percentage of the overall federal budget. The document also describes the roles of Congress and the President in authorizing and appropriating funds through a lengthy legislative process.
Portfolio management and the ppbe process at the department of energy white p...p6academy
This document discusses using portfolio management tools to improve the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Evaluation (PPBE) process for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). It describes how NNSA implemented Primavera Portfolio Management (PPM) to better track budgets at lower levels and make more informed decisions. PPM allows NNSA to group work into portfolios based on scope, location, and appropriation. This provides transparency into total costs and helps justify budget requests to Congress. The new system addresses issues found in a government audit and recommendations to better account for infrastructure and production costs across the nuclear security enterprise.
More Non-Defense Research and Development (R&D) Spending is Not the Answer!Time2Innovate
1) The document argues that more non-defense R&D spending by the federal government is not the solution and that the current system has significant problems including lack of clear goals, too much bureaucracy, insufficient incentives, and burdensome rules and regulations.
2) It asserts that defense R&D is more effective due to less bureaucracy, better incentives for performance, more competition, and fewer regulations.
3) The author recommends setting clear goals and measures for federal departments and agencies, dramatically shrinking the federal workforce, streamlining processes, requiring training in management and innovation, and implementing a performance-based promotion system to improve the effectiveness of non-defense R&D spending.
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Module 3 - OutcomesFiscal Policy Government Expenditures and Re.docxannandleola
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- Career and Technical Education (CTE) being funded through the Carl D. Perkins Act, which faced an 11% cut.
- The Budget Control Act setting spending caps and an automatic 9% cut (sequester) threatening over $100 million from the Perkins Act.
- Key pieces of education legislation like the Workforce Investment Act and Elementary and Secondary Education Act being reauthorized.
The document provides information about Masters in Public Administration (MPA) degree programs, including what an MPA is, where MPA graduates work, who pursues an MPA, and the top MPA programs. An MPA is a two-year professional degree that prepares students for management roles in government and nonprofit organizations by focusing on public administration, policy, and management. MPA graduates work in government agencies, nonprofits, healthcare, and other public service sectors. Those who pursue an MPA include people currently working in government and nonprofits seeking career advancement, as well as those looking to change careers to public service. The top MPA programs according to one ranking are Syracuse University, Harvard University, and Indiana University
The document provides guidelines for state agency strategic planning in Washington. It discusses why strategic planning is important, including linking agency budgets to goals and statewide priorities. The guidelines emphasize that strategic plans should focus on how agencies will achieve statewide results and outcomes. It also outlines best practices for strategic planning and implementing strategic plans. Resources and references are provided to help agencies with the strategic planning process.
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CHAPTER 4The HR Role in Policy, Budget, Performance Management, and .docxchristinemaritza
CHAPTER 4The HR Role in Policy, Budget, Performance Management, and Program Evaluation
The conceptual model in Chapter 3 explains how an organization can remain relevant by responding appropriately to environmental change and uncertainty in ways that reflect strategic thinking about human resources. However, here, as elsewhere, analytical integration comes at the price of operational clarity. Chapter 4 links this conceptual model to the real world by describing the sequential processes by which ideas become programs. These are policy making, budgeting, performance management, and program evaluation.
Issues become part of a public agenda through the policy process. This process is chaotic and unpredictable, for it involves the serendipitous convergence or “coupling” of agendas, alternative solutions, and politics, all leading to government action.1 During this process, problems become public policy issues; these issues are framed by competing political agendas; legislatures authorize and chief executives approve policy solutions as law and fund them through a budgeting process. These policy and budget processes are the headwaters of public personnel management because they all lead eventually to paying people to do things.
Human resource planning (HRP) is that aspect of public HRM that mediates between the political environment and managerial implementation of public programs through core HRM activities such as workforce planning, job analysis, job classification, job evaluation, and compensation. In brief, HRP matches agency managers’ “wish lists” with political realities generated by projected revenues and political philosophies and goals within a much broader context of factors like the supply and demand for labor. For the line manager, the process begins with a request from the budget office: “What kind and how many positions do you need in order to meet program objectives?” In many cases, this request is preceded by some kind of strategic planning process that helps establish priorities and goals. It ends with legislative authorization of programs and appropriation of funds required to implement them.
Program implementation leads to performance management and program evaluation. Many interests—political, administrative, and clients are but a few—influence how an agency’s performance is measured, and how those measurements affect program evaluation. While decisions about a program’s continued funding are based on both political and administrative criteria, data-driven decisions are only possible if the agency has a management information system that can provide valid and timely information about program performance. Because pay and benefits typically comprise about 70 percent of an agency’s budget, an HR manager who can provide valued information about the costs and benefits of alternative methods of public service delivery can be a valued member of the leadership team responsible for making these decisions.
By the end of this chapter, y ...
Application Of Property Theories Of The Beacon HillTheresa Singh
The document discusses how cost analysis is an important factor for corporations to consider when making financial and investment decisions. It examines concepts derived from cost analysis like cost allocation, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. The advantages and disadvantages of cost analysis are also reviewed to help corporations properly evaluate projects using this technique.
With Congress debating tax extenders, including the R&D tax credit, it's a good time to check your understanding of the credit and how you could use it more effectively. More at http://gt-us.co/1uDxLn6
This document provides guidance on developing and using performance information for the Queensland Government Performance Management Framework. It covers topics such as developing performance measures and setting targets, measuring performance through indicators, standards and other metrics, monitoring performance, and reporting. The intended audience is Queensland Government departments and statutory bodies. Performance information is presented as key to effective management and accountability.
This document defines and discusses identity intelligence (I2). I2 involves collecting and analyzing identity information from multiple sources to identify individuals and assess threats. It is important for national security to help identify terrorists and other threats. While valuable, I2 faces challenges regarding privacy, data overload from the vast amount of information, and inconsistencies between identity systems. The document provides examples of how I2 could be used by federal agents to research individuals, similar to how a concerned father might research a teenage date, in order to assess potential threats or make informed decisions.
Potential Opportunities for Common Federal Biometric ServicesDuane Blackburn
Looking long term, what could be done to alter the foundations that federal biometric systems are built upon, thus enabling advancements that may not be possible today? In other words: How could these systems evolve to be more adaptive and flexible, both individually and as a whole?
MITRE internally funded a quick analysis to develop initial strategic thoughts on this topic, based on its in-depth knowledge of the existing systems. It is important to note that this project did not perform a deep-dive analysis of various options, and it does not present detailed actionable recommendations. Rather, it capitalizes on existing knowledge and experiences to analyze numerous potential opportunities and to identify those that we feel hold the most promise. It is this latter set of opportunities that are presented in this presentation. In each case, MITRE recommends more thorough analysis and interagency discussion take place amongst federal departments, prior to any actionable decisions being made.
BCC (2012): Federal Panel Identifying Future Government NeedsDuane Blackburn
The federal government held its annual Biometric Consortium Conference 18-20 September 2012. MITRE hosted a workshop during this conference to highlight FFRDC support to the federal biometrics enterprise. One panel in this workshop focused on identifying priorities that the federal government will not be able to address and/or sponsor, and that should be considered for attention by non-federal entities. This paper summarizes the priorities identified during this panel.
Identity Intelligence: From Reactionary Support to Sustained EnablerDuane Blackburn
This classified briefing discusses the evolution of the Department of Defense's identity intelligence capabilities from reactive support to sustained enablers. It provides an overview of past and present biometric capabilities fielded by DoD, including mobile identification technology, portable enrollment stations, and authoritative biometric databases. It also discusses the Identity Intelligence Project Office's role in defining policy, establishing data standards, and fostering information sharing to harmonize DoD identity intelligence requirements and integration. The briefing concludes by examining potential future directions, such as increased use of biometrics at borders and emphasis on fully illuminating identities through associated attributes.
Where We Are Today – The Current Landscape of Identity ManagementDuane Blackburn
This document summarizes a presentation by Duane Blackburn from MITRE Corporation on the current landscape of identity management. Some common themes from Blackburn's research and discussions with stakeholders are: the importance of identity management for collaboration and trust but challenges in managing identities across interconnected systems; the need for improved technologies, standards, privacy protections and governance; and that despite progress, governments still lack comprehensive identity management strategies. Blackburn also provided conceptual models of identity management and discussed depictions in Hollywood.
The 2011 edition of The National Biometrics Challenge updates the 2006 National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) report of the same name. This new report provides an overview of current challenges related to strengthening the scientific foundation of biometrics and improving identity-management system capabilities. It clarifies biometrics-related priorities for Federal agencies and provides context for non-governmental entities considering collaborations with agencies as private-sector partners. This report’s recommendations are based on analyses provided in two key National Research Council reports, a National Science Foundation workshop and two workshops organized by the NSTC Subcommittee on Biometrics and Identity Management specifically designed to gather input for this report.
Interagency Coordination of Biometrics and Forensic RDT&EDuane Blackburn
Description of biometric and forensic science activities of the National Science and Technology Council. Presented at the 2011 DoD Biometrics and Forensics RDT&E Forum.
Identity Management Policy - The End of the Beginning?Duane Blackburn
This document discusses identity management (IdM) policy. It summarizes the key themes from various government studies on IdM, including that IdM is important for collaboration and innovation, standards are needed for interoperability, and privacy protections must be balanced with security needs. Governance is also required to manage interconnected IdM systems. The document advocates for continued research, standards development, policy coordination, and public-private partnerships to advance IdM.
NSTC Identity Management Task Force Report Executive SummaryDuane Blackburn
The National Science and Technology Council's Task Force on Identity Management was established to assess the current state of identity management (IdM) across the US federal government and develop a vision for the future. The Task Force found that over 3,000 federal systems currently utilize personally identifiable information in an inconsistent and duplicative manner. Their vision calls for a federated network to securely manage digital identities using common data standards. This would enhance accuracy, availability, and privacy while reducing duplication. The Task Force provided recommendations in areas like standards, architecture, research needs, and government-wide coordination to advance toward this holistic IdM framework.
The National Science and Technology Council's Task Force on Identity Management was established to assess the current state of identity management (IdM) across the U.S. government and develop a vision for the future. The Task Force found that over 3,000 federal systems currently utilize personally identifiable information (PII) in an inconsistent and duplicative manner. The Task Force proposed a new framework that includes: 1) A "network of networks" to securely manage common PII elements across agencies; 2) Strong security, privacy and auditability standards; and 3) Ubiquitous yet controlled access to verified identity data. This proposed approach aims to improve accuracy, availability, privacy and coordination of IdM across the federal government.
Biometrics in Government Post-9/11: Advancing Science, Enhancing Operations Duane Blackburn
This report summarizes key US government initiatives since 2001 to advance biometric science and utilize biometrics to meet operational needs. Major activities include research to improve face, fingerprint, iris, and multimodal biometrics; developing standards; and operational use by DOD, DHS, DOJ, and DOS for applications like border security, law enforcement, intelligence, and access control. Interagency collaboration has been important for driving innovation and achieving interoperability across systems.
Privacy and Biometrics: Building a Conceptual FoundationDuane Blackburn
This document provides a high-level overview of privacy and biometrics to build a conceptual foundation for understanding their integration. It introduces biometrics as both physical characteristics and information processing systems. A typical biometric system collects and analyzes biometric data using sensors, algorithms, storage, matching, and decision processes. Privacy is defined in multiple ways and a functional architecture is presented. Finally, the document applies the privacy framework to the biometrics functional architecture to enable designing privacy protective biometric systems without compromising effectiveness. The goal is to connect information and individuals in a reliable and respectful way.
This document discusses biometrics and identity management. It provides an overview of the National Science and Technology Council's Subcommittee on Biometrics, which aims to advance biometrics to meet public and private needs. The report identifies the key driving forces behind biometrics as national security, homeland security, enterprise services, and personal transactions. It also outlines four primary challenges: improving biometric sensors; developing large-scale systems; establishing interoperability standards; and enabling informed privacy debates. The federal government's role is to help address these challenges through collaboration across sectors.
Using The National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)Duane Blackburn
The document discusses the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), which was established by executive order to coordinate science and technology policy across the federal government. The NSTC is chaired by the President and Vice President and aims to integrate S&T priorities across agencies, though full coordination can be difficult. Benefits of the NSTC include knowledge sharing, relationship building, and raising awareness of S&T issues. The success of NSTC bodies often depends on leadership setting realistic goals and applying pressure while refusing to accept failure.
These slides step users through the federal budget process, with a focus on science and technology. The process begins with federal program managers, works through budget shops at the agency, departmental, and White House levels, while referencing influences at each step. Budgets are then sent to Congress, back to the executive branch and down to the federal Program Managers for action.
This presentation describes coordination of federal biometric and identity management activities, and was given at the 2009 Biometric Consortium Conference.
This presentation describes coordination of federal biometric and identity management activities, and was given at the 2008 Biometric Consortium Conference.
This presentation describes coordination of federal biometric and identity management activities, and was given at the 2007 Biometric Consortium Conference.
Programming Foundation Models with DSPy - Meetup SlidesZilliz
Prompting language models is hard, while programming language models is easy. In this talk, I will discuss the state-of-the-art framework DSPy for programming foundation models with its powerful optimizers and runtime constraint system.
Fueling AI with Great Data with Airbyte WebinarZilliz
This talk will focus on how to collect data from a variety of sources, leveraging this data for RAG and other GenAI use cases, and finally charting your course to productionalization.
Ocean lotus Threat actors project by John Sitima 2024 (1).pptxSitimaJohn
Ocean Lotus cyber threat actors represent a sophisticated, persistent, and politically motivated group that poses a significant risk to organizations and individuals in the Southeast Asian region. Their continuous evolution and adaptability underscore the need for robust cybersecurity measures and international cooperation to identify and mitigate the threats posed by such advanced persistent threat groups.
HCL Notes and Domino License Cost Reduction in the World of DLAUpanagenda
Webinar Recording: https://www.panagenda.com/webinars/hcl-notes-and-domino-license-cost-reduction-in-the-world-of-dlau/
The introduction of DLAU and the CCB & CCX licensing model caused quite a stir in the HCL community. As a Notes and Domino customer, you may have faced challenges with unexpected user counts and license costs. You probably have questions on how this new licensing approach works and how to benefit from it. Most importantly, you likely have budget constraints and want to save money where possible. Don’t worry, we can help with all of this!
We’ll show you how to fix common misconfigurations that cause higher-than-expected user counts, and how to identify accounts which you can deactivate to save money. There are also frequent patterns that can cause unnecessary cost, like using a person document instead of a mail-in for shared mailboxes. We’ll provide examples and solutions for those as well. And naturally we’ll explain the new licensing model.
Join HCL Ambassador Marc Thomas in this webinar with a special guest appearance from Franz Walder. It will give you the tools and know-how to stay on top of what is going on with Domino licensing. You will be able lower your cost through an optimized configuration and keep it low going forward.
These topics will be covered
- Reducing license cost by finding and fixing misconfigurations and superfluous accounts
- How do CCB and CCX licenses really work?
- Understanding the DLAU tool and how to best utilize it
- Tips for common problem areas, like team mailboxes, functional/test users, etc
- Practical examples and best practices to implement right away
Generating privacy-protected synthetic data using Secludy and MilvusZilliz
During this demo, the founders of Secludy will demonstrate how their system utilizes Milvus to store and manipulate embeddings for generating privacy-protected synthetic data. Their approach not only maintains the confidentiality of the original data but also enhances the utility and scalability of LLMs under privacy constraints. Attendees, including machine learning engineers, data scientists, and data managers, will witness first-hand how Secludy's integration with Milvus empowers organizations to harness the power of LLMs securely and efficiently.
Have you ever been confused by the myriad of choices offered by AWS for hosting a website or an API?
Lambda, Elastic Beanstalk, Lightsail, Amplify, S3 (and more!) can each host websites + APIs. But which one should we choose?
Which one is cheapest? Which one is fastest? Which one will scale to meet our needs?
Join me in this session as we dive into each AWS hosting service to determine which one is best for your scenario and explain why!
Threats to mobile devices are more prevalent and increasing in scope and complexity. Users of mobile devices desire to take full advantage of the features
available on those devices, but many of the features provide convenience and capability but sacrifice security. This best practices guide outlines steps the users can take to better protect personal devices and information.
5th LF Energy Power Grid Model Meet-up SlidesDanBrown980551
5th Power Grid Model Meet-up
It is with great pleasure that we extend to you an invitation to the 5th Power Grid Model Meet-up, scheduled for 6th June 2024. This event will adopt a hybrid format, allowing participants to join us either through an online Mircosoft Teams session or in person at TU/e located at Den Dolech 2, Eindhoven, Netherlands. The meet-up will be hosted by Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), a research university specializing in engineering science & technology.
Power Grid Model
The global energy transition is placing new and unprecedented demands on Distribution System Operators (DSOs). Alongside upgrades to grid capacity, processes such as digitization, capacity optimization, and congestion management are becoming vital for delivering reliable services.
Power Grid Model is an open source project from Linux Foundation Energy and provides a calculation engine that is increasingly essential for DSOs. It offers a standards-based foundation enabling real-time power systems analysis, simulations of electrical power grids, and sophisticated what-if analysis. In addition, it enables in-depth studies and analysis of the electrical power grid’s behavior and performance. This comprehensive model incorporates essential factors such as power generation capacity, electrical losses, voltage levels, power flows, and system stability.
Power Grid Model is currently being applied in a wide variety of use cases, including grid planning, expansion, reliability, and congestion studies. It can also help in analyzing the impact of renewable energy integration, assessing the effects of disturbances or faults, and developing strategies for grid control and optimization.
What to expect
For the upcoming meetup we are organizing, we have an exciting lineup of activities planned:
-Insightful presentations covering two practical applications of the Power Grid Model.
-An update on the latest advancements in Power Grid -Model technology during the first and second quarters of 2024.
-An interactive brainstorming session to discuss and propose new feature requests.
-An opportunity to connect with fellow Power Grid Model enthusiasts and users.
Main news related to the CCS TSI 2023 (2023/1695)Jakub Marek
An English 🇬🇧 translation of a presentation to the speech I gave about the main changes brought by CCS TSI 2023 at the biggest Czech conference on Communications and signalling systems on Railways, which was held in Clarion Hotel Olomouc from 7th to 9th November 2023 (konferenceszt.cz). Attended by around 500 participants and 200 on-line followers.
The original Czech 🇨🇿 version of the presentation can be found here: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/hlavni-novinky-souvisejici-s-ccs-tsi-2023-2023-1695/269688092 .
The videorecording (in Czech) from the presentation is available here: https://youtu.be/WzjJWm4IyPk?si=SImb06tuXGb30BEH .
Ivanti’s Patch Tuesday breakdown goes beyond patching your applications and brings you the intelligence and guidance needed to prioritize where to focus your attention first. Catch early analysis on our Ivanti blog, then join industry expert Chris Goettl for the Patch Tuesday Webinar Event. There we’ll do a deep dive into each of the bulletins and give guidance on the risks associated with the newly-identified vulnerabilities.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of technologies, XML continues to play a vital role in structuring, storing, and transporting data across diverse systems. The recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) present new methodologies for enhancing XML development workflows, introducing efficiency, automation, and intelligent capabilities. This presentation will outline the scope and perspective of utilizing AI in XML development. The potential benefits and the possible pitfalls will be highlighted, providing a balanced view of the subject.
We will explore the capabilities of AI in understanding XML markup languages and autonomously creating structured XML content. Additionally, we will examine the capacity of AI to enrich plain text with appropriate XML markup. Practical examples and methodological guidelines will be provided to elucidate how AI can be effectively prompted to interpret and generate accurate XML markup.
Further emphasis will be placed on the role of AI in developing XSLT, or schemas such as XSD and Schematron. We will address the techniques and strategies adopted to create prompts for generating code, explaining code, or refactoring the code, and the results achieved.
The discussion will extend to how AI can be used to transform XML content. In particular, the focus will be on the use of AI XPath extension functions in XSLT, Schematron, Schematron Quick Fixes, or for XML content refactoring.
The presentation aims to deliver a comprehensive overview of AI usage in XML development, providing attendees with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions. Whether you’re at the early stages of adopting AI or considering integrating it in advanced XML development, this presentation will cover all levels of expertise.
By highlighting the potential advantages and challenges of integrating AI with XML development tools and languages, the presentation seeks to inspire thoughtful conversation around the future of XML development. We’ll not only delve into the technical aspects of AI-powered XML development but also discuss practical implications and possible future directions.
Best 20 SEO Techniques To Improve Website Visibility In SERPPixlogix Infotech
Boost your website's visibility with proven SEO techniques! Our latest blog dives into essential strategies to enhance your online presence, increase traffic, and rank higher on search engines. From keyword optimization to quality content creation, learn how to make your site stand out in the crowded digital landscape. Discover actionable tips and expert insights to elevate your SEO game.
3. 1
Contents
1 A Survival Plan for the RDT&E Program Manager .........................................................................2
What is “RDT&E”?............................................................................................................................................3
2 Building Blocks for a Process That Works.........................................................................................3
Getting Started…...............................................................................................................................................3
Understanding Today’s Realities ...............................................................................................................3
Understanding Your Stakeholders, Customers, and Partners ........................................................4
Understanding Your Keys to Success .......................................................................................................4
3 A Defensible RDT&E Process..................................................................................................................5
Step 1. Determine Technical Capability Gaps........................................................................................7
Step 2. Understand Stakeholder Priorities and Budget.....................................................................8
Step 3. Analyze and Prioritize Gaps ....................................................................................................... 10
Step 4. Map Current Capabilities, Technology Trends, and Partner Activities ..................... 11
Step 5. Analyze and Prioritize the RDT&E Project Options .......................................................... 13
Step 6. Executing the RDT&E Projects .................................................................................................. 15
4 Conclusion................................................................................................................................................... 16
Appendix A The Federal RDT&E Budget and How it is Established ........................................ 17
A1. Quick Look at the Budgeting Process...................................................................................... 17
A2. How High-Level Priorities Are Determined.......................................................................... 19
A3. How Agencies Make Budget Requests.................................................................................... 20
A4. Development of the President’s Budget Request ............................................................... 20
A5. How Appropriations Are Decided ............................................................................................ 20
A6. The Budget Execution Process................................................................................................... 21
A7. Understanding Factors that Influence Budget Decisions................................................ 21
Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................................. 21
4. 2
I cannot tell you how much I sympathize with the view that important scientific projects in
which we have invested in the past and would like to continue to invest in the future simply
cannot be afforded under the current fiscal restraints.
—John Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and
Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (February 2012)1
1 A Survival Plan for the RDT&E Program Manager
Many credit science and technology with providing the foundation of this nation’s
prosperity2. Indeed, the ongoing need for federal agencies to invest in research,
development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) has been a consistent theme for the past few
presidential administrations. Unhappily, federal budget deficits caused by overspending
and global recessions have forced politicians and policymakers to start searching for
opportunities to reign in federal spending. Inevitably, these conflicting viewpoints will
converge at many levels of the federal government. That said, the people who will feel the
most impact are RDT&E program managers (PM).
Through this “ready reference”, MITRE aims to remediate the strain on RDT&E PMs and
make it more likely that work necessary to support your agency’s mission can continue to
be funded. MITRE developed this model after reflecting upon the successes and failures of
RDT&E programs from a variety of federal sectors over the past fifteen years.
In coming years, you, as RDT&E PMs, will be under intense pressure to prioritize and justify
your budget requests as you compete for scarcer resources. Within many security-focused
RDT&E agencies, this level of budget scrutiny is a foreign concept; over the past decade, the
criticality of rapidly introducing new capabilities for homeland security professionals and
warfighters generated an abundance of resources.
The result is a generation of federal RDT&E managers who do not now follow, or even
understand, the processes required to develop defensible priorities. In the new austere
budget environment, lack of experience in clearly articulating and defending your program
priorities will significantly diminish your chances of receiving the fiscal and leadership
support required to provide necessary capabilities to your customers.
This paper presents an adaptable RDT&E process that can serve as a foundation upon
which you and your fellow federal program managers can base your prioritization and
1
U.S. House of Representatives, Science, Space, and Technology Committee Hearing: Examining Priorities and
Effectiveness of the Nation’s Science Policies, February 17, 2012.
2
“Studies indicate that 50 percent or more of the nearly sevenfold real growth the country has enjoyed since the end of
World War II has been attributable to technological innovation resulting from investments in research and development.”
President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Executive Office of the President, November. 2012,
Transformation and Opportunity: The Future of the U.S. Research Enterprise: Report to the President. Available:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast_future_research_enterprise_20121130.pdf
5. 3
justification processes. The process enables PMs to
operate within the policies, procedures, and
constraints of your parent organization.
2 Building Blocks for a Process
That Works
Getting Started…
…requires an understanding of the realities of
RDT&E in the current, fiscally constrained
environment. This includes determining who has
influence over your program and the pressures that
are driving their decision-making. This knowledge
will play a foundational role in your RDT&E planning
process.
Understanding Today’s Realities
The quote from Dr. Holdren on the preceding page
underscores the transformation that is taking place
within the federal government – including its RDT&E
subset. RDT&E budgets will decrease for the
foreseeable future because of the overall federal
fiscal climate, and scrutiny over requests will
increase as agencies are forced to map priorities
against diminished budgets. PMs must therefore
base their planning processes upon the fundamental
tenants of successful RDT&E organizations, while
operating within the policies, procedures, and
constraints of their parent organization.
What is “RDT&E”?
The federal government uses a variety
of terms, sometimes interchangeably
and oftentimes inconsistently across
departments, to describe its
technology advancement stages. As
this paper is purposefully generic,
MITRE is using the term RDT&E to
encompass all related Research,
Development, Test, and Evaluation
topics that are within each reader’s
purview. The process described is
equally applicable to a basic/6.1a
research organization as it is to an
operationally-focused entity that has a
small amount of funds to optimize the
technologies used in the field.
The defensible RDT&E process
described in this paper is universal,
but its application and agency-specific
personalization will, of course, vary.
For example, the customer for a basic
research organization is vastly
different from the customer for an
operational-support research
organization. The former has to
integrate reviews to determine when
research isn’t sufficiently advancing
knowledge and should be terminated,
whereas the latter has to integrate
reviews to overcome the “valley of
death.”b
a OMB Circular A-11 (1998) defines
basic research as “Systematic study
directed toward greater knowledge or
understanding of the fundamental
aspects of phenomena and of
observable facts without specific
applications toward processes or
products in mind.” Available:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/o
mb/assets/a11_current_year/a_11_2012.pdf
b Valley of death describes the gap
between technology advancement and
the application of that advancement by
customers. RDT&E and operations are
typically funded through two distinct
budget line items, with line managers
often assuming that transition is the
responsibility of the other person.
When this incorrect assumption
occurs, new advancements “die” in the
valley of death because they aren’t put
to use.
6. 4
Understanding Your Stakeholders, Customers, and Partners
No federal RDT&E program exists in isolation. Each provides a service to someone, using
someone else’s funds, and collaborates with a number of external entities. All of these
entities play a direct role in your defensible RDT&E process and are discussed throughout
the remainder of this paper. For ease of understanding, they are formally defined as
followed for the purposes of this paper:
Stakeholders provide oversight, support, and/or resources
Customers receive the results of the RDT&E program’s activities.3
Partners are people with whom the RDT&E program collaborates.
Unlike most private sector
companies, federal agencies
can find themselves in
situations in which their
stakeholders and their
customers are the same entity.
For example, most of the time,
an operational unit will view
themselves as a customer of a
RDT&E program, as they use
technologies to support their
operational missions. At other times, such as during strategy and budget development, they
serve as a stakeholder in that they have roles in defining and enabling funding for the
program’s activities.
Beyond stakeholders and customers, RDT&E programs will have a host of partners with
whom they work to fulfill their missions. Examples might include: mission partners of the
entities that the program supports; interagency RDT&E activities that provide leveraging
and/or collaboration opportunities; and non-federal entities (academia, national
laboratories, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), and the
private sector) which provide insight and perform funded RDT&E.
Understanding Your Keys to Success
Successful RDT&E programs will be those that are closely aligned with national-level
policies and agency priorities, have solid technical and project management plans, and
leverage external activities as much as possible. RDT&E PMs who want their programs to
survive will therefore need to:
3
Customers will vary based on the type of RDT&E program. A basic RDT&E program’s customers would be the scientific
community and/or an applied RDT&E program. An operationally focused RDT&E program’s customers would be field
users.
The CEO of Harley Davidson once described stakeholders as “anyone
who can put us out of business.” Federal RDT&E PMs would be wise to think
similarly. Stakeholders can include all levels of their agency management,
parent Departments, the White House, Congress, the public – and even
disgruntled customers!
7. 5
Staff their team with technical subject matter experts (SMEs) who also have
knowledge of and insight into the operational4 contexts they are supporting
Devote significant resources to understanding their stakeholders’ priorities, their
customers’ technical capability gaps, the current state of technologies and their
advancement trends, and their partners’ activities
Strategically select projects with the best potential for overcoming priority
capability gaps, while being technically feasible and cost conscious
Enable collaboration and sharing of technical discoveries with RDT&E partner
agencies and the private sector as permitted
Partner with their customers to successfully transition technology
The next chapter describes each of these activities, and places them within an organized
process that will help you plan your RDT&E program in a defensible manner.
3 A Defensible RDT&E Process
For the foreseeable future, RDT&E programs will find themselves in an incredibly austere
budget environment. Funding will not be available to cover all, or even most, worthwhile
RDT&E activities. Indeed, even carefully planned funding allocations will likely be targets
for cannibalization by other programs within the program manager’s agency. That said,
potential poaching can be managed by rigorously employing a defensible RDT&E process
that:
Prioritizes unmet needs based on comprehensive knowledge of what they truly are
Takes into account technical options and their potential impacts
Maximizes collaboration with external RDT&E activities
Funds RDT&E projects as a result of analysis stemming from the prior three factors
in this list
The figure on the next page displays a defensible RDT&E process designed to serve as the
foundation for a program manger’s planning. As in most RDT&E strategic planning
activities, there is no clear-cut beginning and end to the process.5 New information (from
outreach activities) and capabilities (from RDT&E projects) is fed back into analysis blocks,
enabling ongoing assessment of capability gaps and prioritizing of future activities.
4
Or, in the case of basic research programs, have knowledge of applied research activities that their successful research
could transition to.
5
This contrasts with RDT&E projects or programs, which must have clearly-defined endpoints.
8. 6
Figure 1 - A defensible RDT&E process is continuous. The discussion in this paper begins with identifying
customers’ capability gaps.
9. 7
Step 1. Determine Technical Capability Gaps
Identifying and understanding the technical capability gaps of your customers is a critical
component of the RDT&E process. To be defensible, the process must continually assess
customer’s technical capability gaps in terms of decisions related to RDT&E activities.
Additionally, customers that are operational users will likely have a limited ability to fully
understand their technical capability gaps, so the program must be proactive in this step.
The outcomes you want at this
point
An understanding of technical
capability gaps for each of your
customers
Knowledge of how each
customer prioritizes their
technical capability gaps
Key players
Customer-facing entities within
the your agency
Customers and their chain of command
Your customer’s partners
Considerations
This step is predominantly an outreach function, designed to extract information on
capability gaps.
You will want to work with the
customer to describe the
capability gaps as specifically
as possible.
Individuals with whom the
program is communicating in
this process will not
necessarily be familiar with
RDT&E, development, or
technical capabilities. Tailoring the message to gain an understanding of what is
working well, what isn’t working well, and what they need to be able to accomplish
their job better (e.g., more efficiently, faster, or with greater results) is key.
Customers will likely not have a realistic viewpoint on budgets, differing types of
research, timelines, or the feasibility of developing the solutions they envision.
RDT&E PMs need to take significant personal initiative for this
step to be successful. PMs that rely upon their customers to formally
submit a list of requirements generally receive bad information – on the
rare occasions that they receive anything at all. Communication is key –
you’re going to have to talk with your customers a lot!
10. 8
Step 2. Understand Stakeholder Priorities and Budget
Stakeholders fund your program and make it possible for you to develop solutions for your
customers. Each stakeholder definitely wants the program to focus on overcoming priority
technical capability gaps, but every stakeholder will also have their own viewpoints on
prioritizing those needs—as well as having their own priorities for the program to meet.
You will need to understand
stakeholders’ viewpoints and budget
targets so as to (a) prioritize technical
capability gaps and (b) prioritize
potential RDT&E projects. The RDT&E
projects that the program eventually
selects must correlate to stakeholder
priorities or you can almost certainly
expect a decrease in future resources.
The outcomes you want at this point
Stakeholder views and/or
priorities on customers’
capability gaps, as well as other capability gaps that they have identified
Stakeholder views and/or priorities on RDT&E thrust areas
Insight into budget possibilities and considerations, for example, estimating the
budget available for the program across multiple fiscal years, and guidance for the
program to make informed decisions on projects (e.g., best investment is to spend
$x for priorities 3 and 5 rather than spend $x for priority 2)
Key players
Line management within the program’s agency
The agency’s parent department
Other influential entities
o Customers with
influence over the
program’s
stakeholders
o For intelligence
agencies, the Office of
Director of National
Intelligence (ODNI)
White House
o Office of Science and
Technology Policy
A few years ago, RDT&E PMs needed to only worry about their
closest stakeholder, but as budgets shrink senior officials will be getting
more and more into what they would have previously considered “the
weeds” of program management. Position your program so that it
makes everyone in your line management look good to their supervisors
(and oversight entities), and you’ll have a greater chance of success. Hint:
this will likely mean describing your program and decision processes
differently at each level, as you map it to their priorities and influences.
11. 9
o Office of Management and Budget
o National Science and Technology Council
o Others, depending on the nature of the program’s research (e.g., National
Security Staff, Domestic Policy Council, Office of National Drug Control
Policy)
Congress (authorizing/appropriating, and representative of the citizenry)
Considerations
This task is predominantly an
outreach function when dealing
with the program’s line
management, but transitions to an
investigative function when
dealing with higher-level
stakeholders. Priorities at the
department and White House
levels will need to be identified by reviewing directives, strategies, and speeches. It
is unlikely that these documents will mention a program’s potential activities
directly, but they are nonetheless beneficial as they (a) point to where RDT&E
budgets will be located at the macro level and (b) provide valuable references for
justifying a program’s requests through your line management.6
Stakeholder feedback on customers’ capability gaps will often not agree with what
the program discovered when talking with customers directly.
As budgets tighten, many stakeholders are going to be more risk-averse with their
funding decisions than in years past. They are going to want to see a higher
probability of success in their RDT&E projects.7
Stakeholders are going to be keenly aware of various strategies and policies in place
that they, and the program, are expected to support. Viewpoints on which
strategies/policies have the most importance will vary at different levels of the
stakeholder reporting chain. Alignment to these priorities will be required to obtain
future resources.
Cost-benefit ratio and alignment to a superior’s priorities will weigh more heavily
than keeping a customer happy by addressing their most vocal concerns.
6
Appendix A provides an overview of the federal government’s overall RDT&E budget process. This process has a trickle-
down effect as it significantly influences your stakeholders’ priorities, so it is important for you to understand.
7
These stakeholders are also going to be under pressure by the White House to maintain sufficient focus on basic
research. This will have a compounding effect on other research so that their overall success rates are high.
It is advisable for a program to have some form of knowledge
management system in place to keep tabs on stakeholder priorities, and
how they shift.
12. 10
Step 3. Analyze and Prioritize Gaps
This is the first of two analysis and
prioritization steps within the
defensible RDT&E process, and it is a
step that occurs within the program
itself. This step would likely occur once
per year, and be scheduled to support
budget decisions, but would be tweaked
throughout the year as more input
becomes available.
The step’s two inputs are the results of
the two prior steps. Thus, Step 3
combines these two sets of inputs,
analyzes them, and produces a
prioritized list of capability gaps that the program should consider addressing. Note that
the technical feasibility of gaps, the degree to which the gap has already been met by
others, and the program’s existing expertise will play no role whatsoever in this analysis.
In most cases, a 1-N priority list will not be required as it will be neither necessary nor
useful for later steps in the processes to distinguish between two gaps with priorities 35
and 368. What is necessary is to know that they’re in the range of priorities 35 and 36
rather than in the range of priorities 5 and 6. A binning process, where capabilities are
placed into four or five clearly defined priority bins, is usually sufficient. Criteria should be
established such that items in the top bin are only those that are of extremely high
importance and the program will likely have to address. Similarly, the bottom bin will act
as a discard pile into which you want to store gaps that won’t merit consideration. That
leaves you with two or three middle-tier bins to define so as to provide some separation
and grouping of the remaining gaps.
The outcomes you want at this point
Capability gaps binned into useful, prioritized, groups
Key players
RDT&E program management and staff
For some programs, it may be advantageous to also include the individual directly
above the program in the agency’s organization chart
Programs with only one or two customers should consider involving them in this
analysis as well. Programs with multiple customers should not do so as it can
cause multiple unintended consequences, such as one customer feeling that they
aren’t as important to you as the others.
8
A 1:N listing of potential projects will be required (on a subset of projects) in step 5.
13. 11
Considerations
Participants will need to be gathered in a single location during this step as it is
discussion-heavy.
The bins should be clearly defined and
understood by everyone prior to
initiating analysis and prioritization.
Discuss each capability gap individually.
A designated champion will first
introduce the gap (who, what, where and
why), and the group will then compare it
to stakeholder input and any other agency-specific criteria that is required. The
group then reviews the binning definitions and discusses them until they agree in
which bin the capability gap should be placed.
It is normal for the first few analyses to take forever as everyone feels out the
room and the process. The process becomes smoother and faster in subsequent
analyses.
Capability gaps that warrant significant discussion, or even disagreement, on bin
placement should be placed in the lower-level bin and marked so that they’re the
“cream of the crop” within the lower-level bin.
Step 4. Map Current Capabilities, Technology Trends, and Partner
Activities
For just about every RDT&E area, a
host of prior9 and ongoing capabilities
and RDT&E projects are taking place
outside the program that will be related
to the capability gaps you are trying to
solve. Understanding these activities,
and comparing them against prioritized
needs and stakeholder
priorities/budget, will help you
prioritize your own RDT&E topics, and
will also help you identify RDT&E
partnership opportunities.
9
An understanding of prior efforts and where they left off is just as important as knowing what projects are currently in
process; this knowledge could provide insight into past difficulties and enable programs to leverage past advancements.
Writing out the bin definitions and placing them
on an easy-to-see wall is highly recommended. The binning
definitions can be altered if, after performing a few analyses,
they do not seem to be yielding adequate separation.
14. 12
The outcomes you want at this point
An understanding of the realm of the possible for each technical capability gap – an
educated sense of current technology capabilities and future trends10
An understanding of which prioritized needs are being addressed by external
entities and can be leveraged, such as partnership opportunities for joint projects
and stand-alone external projects that produce results the program can directly
transfer to its customers.
Key players
The program’s technical SMEs
Industry
Academia
Venture capitalists
U.S. government RDT&E agencies
National Laboratories and FFRDCs
Considerations
This task is predominantly an outreach
function, designed to extract technical information for RDT&E areas related to each
capability gap. The focus should be on the higher bins of capability gaps, with lower-
level bins still requiring some attention, but less specificity.
This is not an easy task given that it requires some form of knowledge management
process within the agency. This is particularly true for larger RDT&E organizations
that have multiple or changing foci.
Because of the nature of RDT&E advancement, you will need to pay ongoing
attention to this step.
A program’s technical SMEs should perform this task. A proper time and budget
commitment from each SME is necessary to ensure that this element is a successful
part of the RDT&E process.
Insights gained, and how they will be used,
will vary based on the key players. For
example, Industry provides insight into
what is currently available, and what they
foresee becoming available in the near
future. Academia provides insight into what
is coming within 5-10 years. Venture
capitalists offer insight into related operational needs, industry-wide
10
Futures projections provide estimates on how technologies will evolve on their own. If a program manager estimates
that the technology will advance so that it meets their needs (capability and timeline) on its own, it will not be a good
candidate for funding.
Some organizations have traditionally viewed this
step as unnecessary overhead that takes funding away from
RDT&E projects. The most successful organizations, however, view
this step as an opportunity to capitalize on other entities’ funding.
This not only enables some capability gaps to be overcome with
little to no internal funding, but also significantly enhances
internally funded RDT&E projects’ chances of success.
Jointly funded and managed projects are highly
encouraged, as they will be looked upon favorably by agency
management and stakeholders.
15. 13
commercialization plans, technology trends, and state of the industry. Government
RDT&E agencies give insight into what they are funding, as well as how and why.
This not only provides technological insight, but also helps you identify
opportunities for joint projects. National Laboratories and FFRDCs perform RDT&E
on the government’s most challenging problems, and are also locations for joint
projects because of the special relationships they have with the federal government.
Step 5. Analyze and Prioritize the RDT&E Project Options
This is the second of two analysis and prioritization steps within a defensible RDT&E
process, and is a step that occurs within the program itself. This step would likely occur
once per year, scheduled to support
budget decisions, but would be
tweaked throughout the year as more
input becomes available.
The step’s inputs are the results of the
three steps discussed previously. The
task here is to combine these three
inputs, analyze them, and produce a
prioritized list of RDT&E projects that
the program should consider funding.
This analysis process also involves
binning as an initial step, and uses the
prioritized gaps bins from Step 3 as its
starting point. Starting with the highest
priority bin, each capability gap is
discussed in order to determine the
best approach to overcome it. “Best” in
this case usually means the following,
in descending order: capitalizing on
external activities, joint/partnership
projects, or the program funding a
project on its own. You will want to estimate timelines and resource requirements for each.
If the best solution for a particular gap is untenable (i.e., not technically possible, much too
costly), you would want to move it to the next lower priority bin. After doing this for the
entire bin11, the team can compare the total resource requirements of the bin against
available resources. If more resources are available, you and your team would perform a
similar analysis in the next lower priority bin. When the entirety of a priority bin cannot be
11
Programs may also want to review the highest-rated items in the lower level bins to determine if any of them have
cheap and easy solutions and should be moved to the higher priority bin.
The difficulty of this step is inversely proportional to
how well you performed prior steps. If prior steps were fully
completed, this step can be easy and fun.
16. 14
funded, the team would then prioritize RDT&E topics within that bin12
to determine which
subset of the bin should be selected.
The outcomes you want at this point
A prioritized list of RDT&E topics that should be selected for funding
Key players
RDT&E program management and staff
For some programs, it may be advantageous to also include the individual directly
above the program in the agency’s organization chart
Programs with only one or two customers could consider involving them in this
analysis as well—if and only if they are technology savvy
Considerations
It will be necessary to have SMEs develop course of action options/estimates as a
first step, prior to the binning process.
Much of the discussion within this analysis will be iterative, and doesn’t necessarily
require having all participants gathered in a single location. A final in-person review
prior to finalizing the list of prioritized RDT&E topics for attention is recommended.
12
A 1:N listing of topics, based on formal criteria, will need to be developed for the projects inside this bin.
Determining a best approach can require some creativity. For example, consider a NIJ
"Smart Gun” program had insurmountable technical hurdles in making a firearm that recognized its
authorized user. However, a combination of better body armor, retention holsters, trauma facilities,
and training all combined to meet their customer's true goal (fewer officers killed by their own firearm).
17. 15
Step 6. Executing the RDT&E Projects
At this point, the program has:
Gathered and analyzed its
customers’ capability gaps, and
prioritized them against
stakeholder priorities and
budgets
Studied technical options and
partnership opportunities
Analyzed the priority capability
gaps against technical options,
and selected the “best” approach
for each
Developed a prioritized list of RDT&E projects that the program should tackle with
its available resources
By following this approach, the program is able to defend its selections against scrutiny
from outside forces. In so doing, it has also helped to protect its existing resource allocation
from marauders within its agency and positioned itself with solid rationale for additional
resources (those priorities that didn’t make the cut). The program’s work within the
RDT&E process, however, is not complete.
Throughout the RDT&E project’s lifecycle, new information or capabilities will become
available that could cause the program to consider adjusting (up or down) allocated
resources13. Peer review processes can have similar effects.
Once a RDT&E project has finished, your team must address three sub-steps:14
Transition the technology to the customer(s). This transfer results in
adjustments to those customers’ technical capability gaps for future iterations of
this process.
Produce final project documents and deliver report(s) to the program’s
stakeholders. This is an important relationship- and prestige-building activity
that will yield future benefits for the program.
Share knowledge gained by the RDT&E project with the science and technology
community15. Sharing has several benefits: It raises the credibility of the
13
Adjusting in-process RDT&E projects is problematic, and not only for the contractual issues. Function creep is a big
concern, and has caused some projects to be delayed by years.
14
Some portions of these steps will occur during the RDT&E project’s lifecycle as well. For example, operationally focused
RDT&E programs should involve their customers throughout the RDT&E process and have a solid plan to overcome the
“valley of death.”
15
Ownership of intellectual property will also have to be determined.
18. 16
program within the science and technology community as they see its
contributions advancing the state of the art. It also enables others to study and
leverage the program’s work by facilitating peer review of program activities,
which is an important aspect of a mature RDT&E process. In addition, it enables
others to further advance and/or mature the program’s RDT&E gains. Finally, it
strengthens the professional network of the program, making future iterations
of the RDT&E process more collaborative and successful.
4 Conclusion
This paper presents a generic RDT&E process for federal RDT&E managers to build their
defensible processes upon, while operating within the policies, procedures, and constraints
of their parent organization. That said, this process is not specific enough, nor is it aligned
with every policy/procedure of a program’s parent organization, to be implemented
without additional planning.
Programs planning to implement the process described in this paper should rely upon a
small team to work through each step in the process and determine correlations, overlaps,
and gaps with their parent organization’s existing policies/procedures. The team should
then perform similar analyses for each step against the program’s own
policies/procedures, and adjust them as needed so that they meet their program’s ultimate
goal: implementing a defensible process for determining their RDT&E activities.
Post-project communication and outreach is an important, though often forgotten, element of
successful RDT&E projects. Non-publicized advancements will always die. Well-known advancements
will take on their own life, providing you and your customers even more benefits in the future.
19. 17
Appendix A The Federal RDT&E Budget and How it is
Established
A1. Quick Look at the Budgeting Process
This paper has focused on the process that a federal RDT&E program manager could follow
so that their budget decisions are sound and defensible. Although this is a critical step in
the federal government’s overall RDT&E budget process, it is the last of several steps. A
high-level understanding of the overall process will not only provide insights to better
understand the stakeholder influences described in the body of the paper, but will also
enable you to support earlier stages of the budget development process. This, in turn,
increases the chances that your priorities will also be viewed as priorities by your line
management and stakeholders.
The federal government’s RDT&E budget process is linear, but three budgets are always
being addressed concurrently. For example, in early 2013, the federal government is
concurrently (a) executing the FY13 budget; (b) putting the finishing touches on the
administration’s FY14 budget request to Congress; and (c) determining priorities and
approaches for the FY15 budget.
Figure 2 depicts the federal fiscal year, with key milestones for each of the three budgets
being worked. The remainder of this appendix will walk through the 3-year process of the
federal government’s RDT&E budget development and implementation.
21. 19
A2. How High-Level Priorities Are Determined
President Clinton established the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) via
Executive Order on November 23, 1993 to coordinate science and technology policy across
the federal government16. The NSTC is managed by the Office of Science and Technology
Policy (OSTP), which is a part of the Executive Office of the President17. A primary objective
of the NSTC is to establish clear national goals for federal science and technology
investments across virtually all the mission areas of the executive branch. This NSTC task is
where the federal government’s RDT&E budget planning begins.
Within the NSTC, policies and priorities are typically determined at the Committee level,
whose membership is the highest-level S&T executive within each federal department. The
NSTC has historically had four subordinate Committees, with a fifth (STEM Education)
being added in the Obama administration:
Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Sustainability
Committee on Homeland and National Security
Committee on Science
Committee on Technology
Each of these Committees reviews presidential direction and their own agencies’ needs to
determine which S&T topics should be priorities for interagency coordination. They will
then formally charter subordinate entities, typically a Subcommittee,18 for each topic.
Subcommittees consist of a mixture of federal subject matter experts (SMEs) and policy
officials, and are tasked with (a) determining subject-specific priorities19, (b) developing an
interagency RDT&E plan to overcome those priorities, and then (c) ensuring agency
budgets and interagency collaboration is in-place to meet the plan.
It is vitally important for you, as an RDT&E program manager, to have knowledge of these
activities if you have projects within NSTC subject areas. Your stakeholders are going to be
pressured to support these initiatives, which raise the profile of related RDT&E projects.
This, in turn, makes it easier for your team to justify RDT&E expenditures.
16
“Chaired by the President, the membership of the NSTC is made up of the Vice President, the Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy, Cabinet Secretaries and Agency Heads with significant science and technology
responsibilities, and other White House officials.” National Science and Technology Council." The White House. Retrieved
14 Dec. 2012: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/nstc.
17
The Executive Office of the President is the formal name for what is typically referred to as the White House.
18
Subcommittees are chartered for topics that will require multiple years of coordination, Interagency Working Groups for
single-year topics, and Task Forces for 6-month (or less) coordination.
19
Subcommittees will occasionally publish these priorities at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/nstc/docsreports
22. 20
A3. How Agencies Make Budget Requests
Agencies perform the vast majority of their budget planning well before funding is
appropriated and made available to RDT&E program managers. This work will typically20
begin in the first quarter of a calendar year and concludes with the agency submitting its
budget request in September to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the fiscal
year that starts 12 months later. For example, in September of 2013, the agency will submit
its budget request for fiscal year 2015 (which will begin on 1 October 2014).
During this period, OSTP and OMB will issue its RDT&E Budget Guidance Memorandum21,
which provides a short list of topics that agencies need to emphasize in their budget
requests. These items can be viewed as even higher-level priorities than those that were
determined by the NSTC, and are typically a mixture of what the NSTC feels is most critical
and the president’s personal priorities.
A4. Development of the President’s Budget Request
After agencies submit their budget requests, OMB begins a multi-month process of
reviewing the requests and developing the President’s budget request to Congress. OSTP
participates in this process, and compares agency RDT&E plans and budgets to the NSTC-
developed roadmaps and the Budget Guidance Memorandum. Multiple iterations of budget
plans are developed, as OMB works to adjust budgets to fit under target dollar amounts and
OSTP/OMB work to ensure that priority RDT&E projects are adequately funded.
Toward the end of the process, OMB will provide agencies a nearly final version of their
budget for their review.22 Agencies will have a couple of days to review the budget and
prepare appeals back to OMB if they feel the budget needs to be adjusted. OMB will then
finalize the budget and work with agencies to develop budget books and supporting
documentation so that the President can transmit his budget request to Congress on the
first Monday of February.
A5. How Appropriations Are Decided
After receiving the President’s Budget Request, Congress initiates actions on their budget
authorization and appropriations processes. The basics of this process can be found in any
civics textbook and are therefore not discussed here. Throughout this process, agency
heads are required to testify before a number of Committees on both the House and Senate
side, as well as answer a number of Questions for the Record (QFR)23 about their budget
requests. The EOP and Congress negotiate extensively throughout this process.
20
DoD processes are so complex that this planning starts much earlier.
21
These memoranda are available from http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/rdbudgets
22
This is referred to as pass-back.
23
Agency answers to QFRs are reviewed and approved by OSTP and OMB prior to submission to Congress.
23. 21
A6. The Budget Execution Process
Once Congress has passed a budget, and it is signed into law by the President, appropriated
funds begin to trickle down through agencies until they are available for your use as an
RDT&E program manager. As appropriated funds are typically different from what the
President requested, and certainly different from what you and your agency originally
requested, budget planning occurs throughout this trickle down process as well.
A7. Understanding Factors that Influence Budget Decisions
The high-level RDT&E budget process impacts federal RDT&E program managers by
significantly influencing your stakeholders and line management as budgets are developed
and adjusted. Understanding these influences allows you to strategically shape, discuss,
and justify your own budget requests.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to the following individuals for reviewing drafts, providing useful comments, or
offering editorial advice:
Dr. Pedro Espina, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the
President
Timothy Jaynes, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Laboratory, Department of
Defense
Chris Miles, Science and Technology Directorate, Department of Homeland Security
B. Scott Swann, Science and Technology Branch, Federal Bureau of Investigation
MITRE colleagues Dick Berg, Larry Bouterie, Ed Brown, Dolores Derrington, Marilyn
Kupetz, Nick Orlans, Mike O’Connell, Peter Overton, and Kim Shepard