NAO 200-1

.02 This revision: (a) retitles the Order; (b) abolishes the NOAA Administrative Guide and the Administrative Support Center Series; (c) removes the NOAA Handbook Series as a separate component of the NOAA Administrative Issuances System and incorporates coverage within the NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) Series; (d) establishes the NOAA Delegation Series as a distinct component of the System and covers programmatic requirements for the series; (e) revokes NAO 200-101, Abolishment of the NOAA Directives Manual System; (f) prescribes Workforce Management Office’s responsibilities for the NOAA Organization Handbook and eliminates coverage of its administrative aspects from this Order; and (g) generally updates the Order.

SECTION 2. NOAA ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUANCE SYSTEM.

.01 The NOAA Administrative Issuances series listed below comprise the NOAA Administrative Issuances System. They provide for the management structure, delegations of authority, organizational arrangements, and administrative policies, responsibilities, and procedures.

- NOAA Administrative Order Series
- NOAA Circular Series
- NOAA Delegation Series
- NOAA Organization Handbook

.02 In addition, the following Departmental directives issuances are incorporated by reference and shall be considered a part of the NOAA Administrative Issuances System.

- Department Administrative Order (DAO) Series
- Department Organization Order (DOO) 10-15, Under Secretary of Commercefor Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator of the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration
- DOO 25-5, National Oceanic and Atmospheric and Administration.

SECTION 3. NOAA ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER SERIES.

.01 NOAA Administrative Orders (NAOs) prescribe administrative management policies, responsibilities, and requirements that apply to two or more NOAA Line and/or Staff Offices. NAO 200-3, The NOAA Administrative Order Series, describes the NAO series in detail and includes information on preparation, clearance, and issuance of NAOs. The Administrative Issuances Staff (AIS) will maintain a website for electronic posting of NAOs.

.02 NOAA Handbooks and Manuals. NOAA handbooks and manuals are a sub-set of the NAO series. Lengthy and complex NAOs, and other administrative issuances providing extensive coverage of procedures, processes, and other non-policy matter, should be issued as NOAA handbooks or manuals. For additional information, see the segment titled "NOAA Handbooks and Manuals" within NAO 200-3, The NOAA Administrative Order Series. AIS will incorporate appropriate information for accessing NOAA handbooks and manuals on the NAO website.

SECTION 4. NOAA CIRCULAR SERIES.

.01 NOAA Circulars provide for the dissemination of information covering a full range of administrative management matters. NOAA Circulars may be issued to convey material similar to that identified for coverage in NAOs when intended for a limited audience, such as location-specific information, or to provide for the issuance of interim policy and responsibilities pending the development of more detailed, permanent materials for issuance in the NAO Series. The protocol for format, preparation, clearance, and issuance generally mirrors that of NAOs. AIS will maintain a website for electronic posting of recent NOAA Circulars.

.02 NOAA's Workforce Management Office (WFMO) uses NOAA Circulars to announce and document organizational realignments within NOAA. These issuances are developed within WFMO, signed by the Director, WFMO, and posted on the NOAA Circular website by AIS.

SECTION 5. NOAA DELEGATION SERIES.

.01 Delegations of authority to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (hereafter, "the Under Secretary") are made and/or documented primarily in Department Organization Order (DOO) 10-15. This DOO includes delegations from the Secretary of Commerce and other Departmental officials (e.g., the Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration). The DOO also may document situations in which authority to perform specified functions has been assigned directly to the Under Secretary by law. Although the DOO is a component of the Department's directives system, Line Offices and Staff Offices are responsible for initiating updates and shall coordinate with their servicing General Counsel to amend DOO 10-15 as necessitated by changes in law or other factors.

.02 The NOAA Delegation Series is intended to cover delegations of authority made:

a. at the NOAA Headquarters level;

b. by Assistant Administrators;

c. by Staff Office Directors; and

d. as re-delegations at any level pursuant to, or in accordance with, those described in Section 5.02b. of this Order.

03 Whenever there is a new or revised authority and/or function within NOAA, including a delegation covered in DOO 10-15 or an organizational change covered in DOO 25-5, there also may be a requirement for a new and/or revised delegation appropriate for issuance in the NOAA Delegation Series. Organizations impacted by such changes shall coordinate with their servicing General Counsel in the development and approval of appropriate additions and modifications (including any revocations) to the NOAA Delegation Series.

.04 AIS is responsible for administering the NOAA Delegation Series. AIS can provide guidance on formatting and clearance steps in the development and approval process for delegation documents. After approval of a delegation of the type described in Section 5.02 of this Order, the originating office shall provide AIS with both a hard-copy of the signed original delegation and an electronic copy in a word processing format. AIS will post additions and changes to the website for the NOAA Delegation Series and will maintain a file copy of all delegations and re-delegations in the Series.

SECTION 6. NOAA ORGANIZATION HANDBOOK.

.01 The NOAA Organization Handbook (OHB) is an authorized component of the NOAA Administrative Issuances System. The OHB prescribes the organization structure and assignment of functions within NOAA at organizational levels below those covered in DOO 25-5.

.02 The Workforce Management Office (WFMO) is responsible for both content and administrative aspects of the OHB. NAO 200-7, Organization Management, provides information on reorganizations and restructuring and on the functionality of the OHB. Additional information on the OHB may be obtained directly from WFMO.

SECTION 7. RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUANCES SYSTEM.

The Chief Administrative Officer, through AIS, is responsible for management and oversight of the components of the NOAA Administrative Issuances System other than the OHB. This includes responsibility for setting standards governing the preparation, clearance, and electronic publication of the various components of the NOAA Administrative Issuances System.

SECTION 8. EFFECT ON OTHER ISSUANCES.

This Order supersedes NOAA Administrative Order 200-1, NOAA Directives System, dated November 15, 1989, and revokes NAO 200-101, Abolishment of the NOAA Directives Manual System, dated October 1, 1992. The NOAA Administrative Guide and the Administrative Support Center Series also are abolished.

SIGNED,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere

Office of Primary Interest:
Office of Chief Administrative Officer
Adminstrative Issuance Staff


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