Restructuring of the National Intelligence Survey (NIS) Program

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-05597A000100030026-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 3, 1998
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: May 18, 1972
• Content Type: MF

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DOCUMENT No.
NO CHANCE 8'N CLASS.
C7 DEGLs1SM E
CLASS. DHWEfl TO: T5 S
NEXT &Y, DATE:
AUTH: Hsi 70.2
DATE: RE VIEW.ER:_Q5948J
18 May 1972
MEMORANDUM $ G U ITED STATES INTELLIGENCE BOARD
Restructuring of the National Intelligence Survey
{NIS) Program
REFERENCE: USIB-D-SI. 1/8, 28 August 1963
2. The 3S Committee recommends that publication of topical
detailed sections be discontinued as part of the NIS Program and that
*sir, and remaining resources be directed toward production of
a restructured General Survey, expanded on a selective basis by
inclusion of some of the more broadly useful material from the
detailed sections.
Rationale
adual attrition of the detailed sections over the year
produced a melange of topical coverage (seee attachment). Shifting
requirements for basic intelligence, a more realistic appraisal of
what the l Program can achieve, and dwindling resources have each
played a role in eroding the original program concept of worldwide,
:e, and well-integrated topical coverage. Discontinuance of
topics was in each ease agreed to only after careful consideration of
idendfiarble user requirements and priorities and a review of the avail-
ability of alternative coverage. It is now evident that the cumulative
effect of the attrition is a program shaped more by the series of
resource cutbacks imposed over the years than by the process of
restructuring the program to better meet changing priorities and
requirements,
3. Budget and manpower reductions for FY 73 require still
deeper cuts In the N Pr ram. However, the NIS Coenmittet believes
that what remains can best be made to meet important needs of the
national security community by placing full emphasis on production of
steel, high-quality, and broadly based General Survey. During
SUBJECT
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early 1972. the proposal submitted in this memorandum was subjected
to eatenstvee field comment, which indicated that loss of detailed
.
Beeves that concentration on the production, structure. and organization
of the new General Survey would utilize the remaining resources better
than the present disparate program and, in addition, would retain the
,.:
-&-.__._ -4-ft-rite for an
%snds On balance, however, the Commirgcc on-
EA n
Programmed production of the topical detailed sections would
be discontinued by the end of VT 7
slightly expanded and restruetur
al Surve
G
h
y,
ener
T
e
7*g
would become the body of the Program' In
te format
cha
,
ay-
p
v awe- addition to providing greater efficiency and flexibility in mai*tenance,4
the now format will enable the WM to incorporate into the appropriate
chapters -- or as separate annexes -- some of the more widely useful
data now contained in the detailed sections. This will apply particularly
to ilo-produced Information. Production of the General Surveys will
reecified in
ts s
b
p
jec
ded primarily by the priority areas and su
DCI 112.
Basic tel'iigence Tactboo% would continue to be published
. a~..r W* naauaally in both the classified and unclassified versions.
a The detailed section on oceanography would be continued for
.
another year pending the completion. of an assessment of interagency
requirements In this afield.
.'ice
lan would reduce the number of production an
1A '
p
. www 72 levels and would reduce significantly reaaurc;
in
s
sav
g
or the overall l Program. -L no expected
FY 7
.
he reduction in NIS resources programmed for
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I i- The Committee invites the Board's attention attention to the
reduction in departmentally published basic tuteiutgesae
vailable to supplement the NIS. some cases, the losses
ye impinged on the #* geographic and subject areas as
by reductions in the NIS Program. The necessary coas-
ommuntty effort on certain priority areas and topics, as
~_
consequence of manpower and budget cuts, to certain to reduce
rcb capabilities and. production an areas considered
or priority, for example. Latin America and Africa south
I a. The NW Committee requests that USIS approve the plan to
discontinue production of NIS topical detailed sections by the end of
g'`Y 72 and to Integrate on a selective basis broadly useful material
fr those sections, as appropriate, into thee new General Survey.
ition of N Detailed Sections
Distribution: (All with attachment)
O&1 - USIB (w/ 120 copies of attachment)
5 - 1 to each NIS Committee Member
1 - O/DDI
/'- Ch/NISD
2-D/BGI
D/BGI:JKKing:jmc/2845 (10 May 1972)
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