The Development of Technical Capabilities for NOAA's Observing Systems Portfolio Management and Decisions

American citizens, businesses, and communities rely on NOAA's environmental intelligence to make decisions that impact lives and livelihoods. NOAA's observing systems portfolio is an inventory of NOAA observing systems programs, projects, and/or operations that provide a collection of products and services that support Americans. Nearly one-half of NOAA's annual budget is invested in acquiring and sustaining observing systems. Investment and management decisions across NOAA Line Offices and programs must rely on essential data about user observation needs, observing system capabilities, and their impact on NOAA's mission. To manage its complex and large observing systems observation portfolio, NOAA has established a policy on its integrated observing systems portfolio management, through NOAA Administrative Order 212-16, which requires systematic governance using evidence-based, data-driven decision making processes. The Technology Planning and Integration for Observation (TPIO) division maintains foundational data that are critical inputs for analyses to inform NOAA program managers, leadership, and other decision makers in the management of NOAA's observing systems portfolio.

This paper will present NOAA's technical capabilities to enable the Agency's decision-making process for its earth observation portfolio. These capabilities include foundational data, decision analysis engine and an approach that provide critical inputs to inform NOAA program managers, system-owners, leadership, and decision-makers in their strategic management of NOAA's observing systems portfolio. These foundational data and analysis capabilities have shown value for business intelligence analyses to inform NOAA's decisions on issues including strategic planning, system engineering, and operational procedures. We will present examples of how this information has been used to exercise NOAA decisions to justify budget initiatives and replace, sustain or advance technologies.