Cross-clearance

1. Cross-clearance Excellence in Science Committee October 18, 2011 Office of the Associate Director for Science

2. Key Points of Cross-clearance • Cross-clearance is required from other centers that share responsibility for specific program areas • Not limited to documents with policy statements • Not limited to manuscripts • Not required for co-authorship • Cross-clearance is the official approval of another unit. (Unofficial collaborations may have occurred, but approval is not official until ADS or other official signs.)

3. Key Points of Cross-clearance • Conducted NC ADS to NC ADS, (even if NC ADS would not clear normally) • NC ADS speaks for the center as one voice in cross-clearance • Your role in conducting cross-clearance review is different than when you are in the primary clearance chain • Focus is on identifying potential show-stoppers relevant to your program

4. Problem #1 – Too Little Cross-clearance • Some recent, notable lapses in cross-clearance • Documents must be submitted for cross-clearance to all CIOs with overlapping areas of interest • This is true even if: • it is a routine publication published many times before • it is an abstract • there are no policy statements • It is the responsibility of the CIO to provide cross-clearance • Documents that are published without required cross-clearance could result in: • Correction or retraction • Many unhappy people

5. Problem #2 – Too Much Cross-clearance • Cross-clearance responsibilities are not the same as primary clearance responsibilities • Cross-clearance should focus on deal breakers • Comments should clearly distinguish which comments are mandatory for granting cross-clearance • Mandatory comments should be accompanied with an explanation • Mark non-mandatory comments as “for consideration” • Avoid over-review in cross-clearance • The originating CIO has primary responsibility for the scientific quality of the document • Major issues that are not related to your program should not be marked as mandatory (but you may want to alert the CIO ADS)

6. Problem #2 feeds Problem #1 • Overly detailed cross-clearance makes people dread having to send things for cross-clearance

7. CIO ADSs and Cross-clearance • Cross-clearance is between CIO ADSs • Triage! • Educate SMEs and clearance officials about cross-clearance • Ensure delegated cross-clearances are going to reviewers who understand the unique role of cross-clearance • Know what your CIO is sending back in cross-clearances • Check that comments are focused on deal breakers • Cross-clearance comments from multiple SMEs should be consolidated, i.e., one voice for the CIO

8. CIO ADSs and Cross-clearance • Consult with fellow ADSs about cross-clearances • Consult on which topics need cross-clearance • Alert them to any concerns from your CIO about cross-clearance • Communicate directly with ADSs about out-of-scope concerns or comments

9. Tips for Successful Cross-Clearance • Ensure other relevant programs are consulted and engaged while the document is being developed. • Submit “clean” documents (with all previous comments addressed) to cross-clearance. • When reviewing incoming cross-clearance documents, focus on “deal breakers” (e.g., scientific errors, problems with policy) related to your program. Avoid intrusive edits or overly detailed reviews.

10. Tips for Successful Cross-Clearance(continued) • Adhere to recommended cross-clearance timelines, and alert other CIOs if more time will be required. • Clearly specify which comments are mandatory (conditional for granting cross-clearance) and which are for consideration only. • Work with your CIO ADS to resolve cross-clearance issues. (This is especially important for potentially contentious issues.)

11. Label mandatory comments (i.e., deal breakers) If a comment isn’t related to your CIO or program, it shouldn’t be mandatory