NOAA Climate Transition Program: A Method for Transitioning Research to Operations

1
NOAA Climate Transition Program A Method for
Transitioning Research to Operations 1Fiona
Horsfall and 2Harvey Hill 1NOAA/NWS/OCWWS/Climate
Services Division 2NOAA/OAR/Office of Global
Programs
Managed by NOAA Climate Office Program
manager Cross line office Advisory Panel
appointed by NCO Climate Board Priorities set by
Climate Board in response to recommendations from
regions NCO Director is approving
official Letter of Intent in response to Request
for Proposal Submission of Proposal Review Scaled
recommendations of merit reviewers Funding
allocations Recommendations of Advisory
Panel Benefits to regional/local
climate-sensitive decisionmaking processes

• The NOAA Climate Transition Program (NCTP) is a
  proposal-driven program that builds a deliberate
  bridge from research to applications for
  expanding regional and local climate services.
  It provides a mechanism for
• supporting research that addresses user needs
  and requirements
• transitioning the research to operations
• providing education and outreach capacity for
  new products

• NCTP represents a new way of doing business
  essential for delivery of climate services
• Advances scientific research
• Supports interactive learning
• Increases scientific capacity
• Develops infrastructure
• Adapts as demand for climate services increases
• Responds to user/decisionmaker requirements
• Results in products that have value to
  regional/local climate-sensitive decisionmaking
  processes
• Open to all

Decision- makers
Extension

• Criteria for Proposals
• Clearly defined roles
• Research
• Operations
• Decisionmaker
• Extension
• Defined participant contributions
• Formal agreement between participants
• Statement of duration and timeline
• Benefit analysis (socio-economic and other
  quantitative analyses, ecosystem benefits,
  etc.)
• Address post audit (validation, verification,
  refinement, maintenance)
• Expected outcome clearly defined

Research
Operations
NCTP Unit Model
Corresponding Author Fiona Horsfall,
NOAA/National Weather Service/Office of Climate,
Water, and Weather Services, W/OS4, 1325
East-West Highway, SSMC-II Room 13352, Silver
Spring, MD, 20910 email Fiona.Horsfall_at_noaa.gov