KEY INTELLIGENCE QUESTIONS FOR FY 1974

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80M01082A000800160011-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2004
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: March 9, 1974
• Content Type: MF

-o
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9 MAR
sICI/IC 74-0972
MT3 DRAM R-i FOR: The Chairman and Members, National Security
Council Intelligence Committee
SUBJECT: Key Intelligence Questions for FY 1974
1. Reference is my latter of 9 January 1974, subject as
above, which forwarded a copy of the "Key Intelligence Questions
(KIQs)" and covimented on the inputs which had been received from
eachNSCIC member. I noted in the letter that the KIQs Would be
considered at an early NSCIC meeting.
2. Since it now appears that the Chairman's schedule will
preclude holding an NSCIC meeting, I am writing to request the
individual concurrence and comments of each meter on the KIQs.
3. As the fiscal year was more than half over before the
key questions had been compiled, I considered it necessary to
start the evaluation process as soon as possible. The USIB
agencies already have been tasked to respond to selected KIQs
as a test of the system. This really represents a "shakedown
cruise" on a program which I am hopeful will provide a good
management tool for measuring the effectiveness with c cwhich the eied
Intelligence Community reed to Intelligence
as being of major current importance to policy levels of the
Government. What I an seeking, as you are aware, is a better
linkage between the substantive functions of intelligence and
the allocation of resources.
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4. During the summer, we will review the "Key Intelligence
Questions" and develop a revised list for FY 1975. By that time,
our evaluation process should provide a basis both for improving
the state e t of questions and for evaluating the Community re-
sponses. Any cosnnents you may have as to the kinds of questions
on which to focus in the next iteration would be most appreciated.
[s/ W. E. Colby,
E. Colby
DCI/IC/CS ho 6 Mar 74
Distribution:
Orig.- Chairman NSCIC
1 - Dep Sec. State
1 - Dep Sec. Defense
1.- Chairman JCS
1 - Under Sec. Treausry
1 - DCI
1 - DDCI
1 - ER
D/DCI/IC
1 - IC Registry
1 - CS subject (NSCIC file)
1 - CS chrono
1 - I hrono
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DCI/IC 74-0905
9 JAN 1974
MEMORANDUM FOR: The Honorable Henry A. Kissinger
Chairman, NSCIC
SUBJECT: Key Intelligence Questions for FY 1974
1. Attached is 'a copy of my Key Intelligence Questions for
FY 1974 which, as you and I have discussed, is being submitted to the
NSCIC for approval. In the interim, I am distributing copies to the
United States Intelligence Board so that we can be getting along with
the many tasks which.face us in the evaluation effort for which the
Key Intelligence Questions are the basis.
2. The set of questions sent to you on 30 October has been
revised on the basis of proposals received from your staff, from
other NSCIC members and from the USIB principals. This final list
accommodates many of the changes and additions your staff proposed
in the response which General Scowcroft forwarded on December 10.
3.. 1 was very pleased to note the care with which the original
set of Key Intelligence Questions was reviewed and the thoughtfulness
of the proposed changes and additions. The total number of proposed
additions was so great, however, that accommodating all of them would
have changed the character of the listing. I wanted to keep the total
number of questions small enough to be manageable, so the problem was
to identify proposed additions of sufficient importance to substitute
for some of those on the 30 October list, or to revise the. wording of
the original questions to accommodate ideas presented in recommended
additions.. The list, as it is being submitted to the NSCIC, actually
has fewer questions than were included in October, but 23 of the
questions are new and 38 are revisions of the original questions.
4. The essential criteria applied to each question were that
it identify a problem of major current importance to policy levels
of the government, and that it provide a basis for measuring the
effectiveness of the functioning of the intelligence community.
Overall, an effort was made to keep the list relatively short and to
include questions dealing with matters on which a considerable amount
of resources are being or are likely to be devoted.
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5. As I reported to the President in my National Foreign
Intelligence Budget Recommendations, Fiscal Year 975:
. "I intend that these questions serve as the primary near
to guide to national intelligence collection, analysis,
and production. They will be followed by an evaluation
process to determine the degree to which various elements
of the-intelligence community contribute to answers. Future
resource decisions will then be influenced by these Key
Intelligence Questions and the comparative effectiveness of
various intelligence community elements.in answering them."
6. In my opinion, fundamental obstacles to the achievement of,-
the related goals of improved product and better resource management
have long been the separation of the substantive functions of
intelligence from the allocation of resources, and the absence of
a system for evaluating performance. Overcoming these obstacles
will be difficult and any approach will have to be evolutionary,
but I am initiating the effort through the articulation of the Key
Intelligence Questions.
7. The evaluation system which will be used in following
through on the Key Intelligence Questions effort is being described
in separate correspondence to the members of the USIB.
8. In order to take full advantage of all of the ideas which
were contained in the material submitted in response to my
request for comments on the 30 October version of the Key Intelli-
gence Questions, I am making a complete set of the inputs available
to my National Intelligence Officers and to my Intelligence Community
staff. I want the NIOs in particular to be aware of the various
topics which all of those who reviewed the first listing considered.
were candidates for addition, so that the NIOs can use. this information
in development of their own programs.
9. Again, may I express my personal appreciation for your
contribution to this project.
sick
W. E. Colby
DCI/IC/CS hko 9 Jan 74
Distribution:
orig -'addressee.
1 - DCI
1.- DDCI
1 - ER
1 _,IC subject (filed IC Registry)
1 - MPRRG
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i CS chrono
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INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY STAFF SUMMARY SHEET DCI/IC 74-0972
ROUTE TO
AC ON
SIGNATURE (Grade and Surname)
ORIGINATOR (Symbol)
TELEPHONE NO
DATE
1.
ES
D/DCI/IC/CS
Mar 74
9
PP
3.
DC
Signature
Ac
SIGNATURE
TYPED GRADE AND SURNAME TYPIST'S
INITIALS
ho
SUBJECT
NSCIC Action on Key Intelligence Questions for
REMARKS
PURPOSE: To obtain concurrence/comments of individual NSCIC members on KIQs.
BACKGROUND: The DCI letter of 9 January forwarding copy of the KIQs to each
NSCIC member advised the KIQs were to be considered at an early
NSCIC meeting. It is now apparent Secretary Kissinger's schedule
will not permit holding a meeting. This was discussed by General
Graham on 1 March with Richard Kennedy, Deputy Assistant to the
President for NSC Planning.
DISCUSSION: The letter requests concurrence and comments of NSCIC members
on the KIQs, but has been phrased to suggest that comments should
focus on the revision of the KIQs for the FY 1975 iteration.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Recommend DCI sign letter oppos t .
ie a am
Lieutenant General, USA
D/DCI/IC
4 Enclosures:
DCI 9 January 1974 letters re KIQs to:
Secretary Kissinger (DCI/IC 74-0905)
Secretary Rush (DCI/IC 74-0902) CY TO EACH GP/12 Mar
Secretary Clements (DCI/IC 74-0903)
Admiral Moorer (DCI7IC 74-0904)
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