Communicating With External Stakeholders

1. Communicating With External Stakeholders Scott Rayder NOAA Chief of Staff August 27, 2007

2. NOAA Business Model Communicating with External Stakeholders

3. What are Elevator Speeches Detail… Detail… Detail… • Why is your program so important? • Don’t get bogged down in the details • Why should other people care about your program? Communicating with External Stakeholders

4. Who are our stakeholders? • Executive branch • National interest • Other Government Department and Agencies • Congressional members • Staff • Academia • Industry • Media In other words everyone! Communicating with External Stakeholders

5. How Does NOAA get its message to External Stakeholders? • Directly • The Administration does so via briefs or updates in person (e.g. briefings to Hill, press, NGOs and industry) • Through the press • We use the media as a means to leverage the importance of NOAA’s programs • Through constituents • 3rd party validation of the NOAA program is critical for support of our organization Communicating with External Stakeholders

7. Why Are External Stakeholders Important? $ $ X Communicating with External Stakeholders

8. The HillAppropriations Reorganization a Surprise • House Appropriations Committee contracted from 13 to 10 Subcommittees • Senate appropriations Committee, despite opposition, eventually acceded to most changes • In House, NOAA’s funding subcommittee has been renamed the Science, State, Justice and Commerce Subcommittee • In the Senate, the funding subcommittee has been renamed the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee Communicating with External Stakeholders

9. The HillAppropriations Reorganization a Surprise • NOAA will now be considered by both the Senate and House subcommittees with: • =$17.3B FY ‘08 budget request • =$6.43B FY ’08 budget request • =$3.82B FY ’08 budget request • Although budget allocations should cover all of the requests, it is ultimately up to the Subcommittees to divvy up the money Communicating with External Stakeholders

10. The HillNOAA’s Unique Hill Relationship • Viewed as a “non-political” science-based agency • Intense support from key leaders • Positive public image —programs touch constituents lives daily • Fisheries regulations causes most controversy and Member concerns Communicating with External Stakeholders

11. How Does NOAA Legislative Affairs Work • Pro-active 24/7/365 • Meeting member’s needs • Keeping NOAA Legislative Affairs in the loop (e.g. one NOAA) • Respond promptly • Get members and staff into the field (202) 482-4981 BUILDING TRUST! Communicating with External Stakeholders

12. How Does NOAA Legislative Affairs Work (contd.) • Legislative coordination: • Drafting Assistance • Monitoring bill and amendment introductions • Maintaining communication with bill sponsors • Coordinating Views Letters, Statement of Administration Policy and unofficial views Communicating with External Stakeholders

13. How Does NOAA Legislative Affairs Work (contd.) • Communications: • Initiate meetings and briefings with members and staff • Respond promptly to Congressional inquiries • Introduce key staff to NOAA through meetings, site visits and written materials • Maintain website • Keep DOC and NOAA leadership informed through written and oral reports http://www.legislative.noaa.gov/ Communicating with External Stakeholders

14. The Press DO YOU KNOW THE RULES? • On the record • Off the record • On background As you move upwards in NOAA you need to know the rules! Communicating with External Stakeholders

15. The Press • On the record • Your name in print • Off the record • You provide information but that information can’t be used directly, however, it will enable a reporter to ask sharper questions of others • On background • The information you provide is used but your name is not in print (e.g. “A Commerce official noted...”) Ask the reporter before you talk! Communicating with External Stakeholders

16. The Press • Be careful — names in lights get shot at! • You may get burned! • Reporters can get information wrong! • Report to your NOAA PA rep on your dealings. The goal here is to speak as “one NOAA” • Getting cross-wired in the press is embarrassing Communicating with External Stakeholders

17. 3rd Party Endorsements • Implementation of US Ocean Action Plan • NOAA needs to work with key constituents Communicating with External Stakeholders

18. 3rd Party Endorsements • Letters • Emails • Telephone • Faxes • Events in DC to support specific initiatives (e.g. CHOW) • Our constituents target the following: • The Hill â Enacted Budget • DOC â Formulated Budget • OMB â Formulated Budget } • Goal: Constituents care about programs! We want them to care about NOAA programs! Communicating with External Stakeholders

19. 3rd Party Endorsements • We cannot ask people to lobby on our behalf. This is illegal! • If you are asked by a constituent if support for this organization would help, you can... • Any correspondence in support of NOAA programs/budget needs to go to AAs and Ed Shaw in NOAA Business Liasion BE RESPONSIBLE! Communicating with External Stakeholders

20. NOAA LEADERSHIP AND CULTURE- • “The Committee is concerned that after three decades in existence and in spite of recent leadership guidance, many of the NOAA line offices operate as automats entities acting alone without considering the greater good of the agency. NOAA has a long track record of success but it is the Committee’s firm belief that one line office would undercut another line office in an instant if it could receive additional funding. This culture is detrimental to the entire agency’s mission. Because of these concerns the Committee directs NOAA to contract with the National Academy of Public Administration to examine these issues and improve NOAA’s Culture”. Source: U.S. Senate 2008 Full Committee Mark Communicating with External Stakeholders