EarthScope Lifecycle Transition to Operational Management Structure

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Directorate for Geosciences
Division of Earth Sciences

Memorandum

To: EarthScope Community

From: James H. Whitcomb
Section Head, Deep Earth Processes
Kaye Shedlock
Program Director, EarthScope

Date: May 17, 2006

Subject: EarthScope Lifecycle Transition to Operational
Management Structure

We can all be proud of the success of EarthScope to date. With more
than half of the five-year construction period past, the facility
construction is on-time and on-budget within the 10% NSF Government
Performance and Results Act (GPRA) goals. More importantly, a robust
competitive science support program is underway and exciting results
have emerged including penetration and identification of the San
Andreas Fault at depth, the capture of an Aleutian volcanic eruption
with GPS stations, and the capture of a Pacific Northwest silent
earthquake episode with borehole strain, GPS, and seismic
installations. This kind of breakthrough science is why NSF is
building this large and complex facility for the community with
support of the Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction
account. These successes are due in large part to the considerable
time and talents devoted to the construction of EarthScope by the
facility management, staff, and field technicians.

Transition to Operational Phase. Year four of the five-year
construction phase starts this coming October 2006. The
Transportable Array initial full deployment should be complete and
start to roll in 2007. As more of the facility becomes operational,
it is important to start the transition towards an operational
management structure. Towards this goal, NSF initiated the
development of a transition plan in consultation with review and
advisory panels, and with guidance by NSF management within the
Directorate for Geosciences, the Office for Budget, Finance, and
Award Management, and the Director's Office.

The key feature of the transition from EarthScope construction to
operations is the phase out of the facility construction management
structure and the ramp up of an operational program structure that
involves strong community input and participation.

EarthScope Regional Community-Based Office. Based on community
advice and pending further discussions with the EarthScope community,
NSF anticipates competitions for a series of EarthScope regional
community-based offices that evolve with the program and move
geographically (for example, western, central, eastern US, and
Alaska), each with an approximately three-year lifetime. These
offices would provide focus, engage the community, and serve as a
regional base of operations for EarthScope and provide the most
effective community-based leadership to guide EarthScope science,
education, and outreach.

EarthScope Lifecycle Transition Frequently Asked Questions

1) Why create a community-based EarthScope office?

EarthScope was planned by the community to be coordinated by the
community. Review and advisory committees have recommended stronger
community-based leadership to guide EarthScope science, education,
and outreach. We are responding to that advice.

2) Why now?

EarthScope is already operating and data are being collected at
hundreds of seismic, geodetic, and strain installations, and at depth
in the SAFOD. The permanent USArray backbone stations will be
completed with the next few months, and the initial deployment of the
Transportable Array will be complete in a year. We have already
reached such a high level of scientific interest, preliminary
results, data collection, education, and outreach interest within the
first footprint of the Transportable Array that it is time to begin
the transition to a regionally based EarthScope office. Beginning
this effort now also provides enough lead time for the office to be
fully developed by the time the Transportable Array begins to roll in
2007.

3) Is this unusual?

No. All of the other MREFC projects have had two different management
structures, one for construction and another during facilities
operations and maintenance. The EarthScope facilities are already in
operation and maintenance mode as they are constructed. Having the
regional office phase in as the facilities are completed preserves
continuity and enhances the likely success EarthScope.

4) What are the responsibilities of the "community based" EarthScope office?

The EarthScope community-based office will foster and facilitate
integrated EarthScope science. The office will coordinate EarthScope
scientific planning and provide scientific leadership for the
EarthScope community. The office will work with NSF to facilitate
collaborative research and when necessary, scientific response to
"events" in EarthScope topics and regions of interest.

5) What is the relationship of the community-based office to the
current facility office?

The principals in the community-based office will interact directly
with NSF and facilities staff to provide content and direction to the
EarthScope communications and support structures developed during the
construction of the facilities. The technical capabilities built by
the facility office will continue to be supported by the facilities,
including web services, publications, meetings and workshop support.
It is anticipated that necessary staff from the current
construction-phase facility office will be retained by the facilities
to continue to provide the excellent support and development they
have provided throughout the construction phase of EarthScope.

6) What about the facilities reporting and management? Who would be
responsible for that?

The facilities have been very successful in setting up their Earned
Value Management (EVM) and other required reporting systems. That
would remain the responsibility of the facilities. The
community-based office would receive monthly updates and quarterly
and annual reports about the facility via NSF. The status of the
facility and data availability is available in near-real-time through
the website, which will continue to operate and be maintained by the
facilities.

7) How will the community-based office be developed?

NSF will be guided by the community to determine the best procedure
for developing the community-based office. A peer reviewed proposal
process is favored.

8) What would a community-based office be like?

Based on community input to date and on several other successful
facility efforts, the community-based EarthScope office would consist
of a PI and a small staff. Most of the communications infrastructure
for EarthScope already exists, so the primary role of the office
staff would be to provide leadership. Scientific guidance could be
provided through a Steering or Advisory committee. The PI and
committee would work with the office staff, facilities, and/or NSF to
convene workshops and meetings. Similarly, they would facilitate
program planning and coordination, the development of educational and
outreach materials, liaisons with industry, and providing an
EarthScope presence at national and regional meetings.

9) Where will the community-based office be located?

The location would be determined through the proposal process.
Current advice favors an office that rolls across the US along with
the USArray Transportable Array, spending several (~3) years in a
region. For example, there might be western, central, eastern, and
Alaska-based offices. The facilities would provide continuity as the
community-based office "rolls".

10) Who may apply?

Universities, university-based consortia, and other groups with
strong ties to local and regional science and education communities.

11) Will this be more costly?

We estimate costs to be about the same or less, with the added
benefit of much greater direct community involvement.

12) Who should I contact for more information?

The NSF EarthScope Program Directors: Kaye Shedlock
(kshedloc@nsf.gov; 703-292-6693).