CHARTER OF THE PRODUCT REVIEW DIVISION (PRD) OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY STAFF

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Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP80M01133A000600190011-1
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
29
Document Creation Date: 
December 15, 2016
Document Release Date: 
February 9, 2004
Sequence Number: 
11
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
May 15, 1974
Content Type: 
MFR
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PDF icon CIA-RDP80M01133A000600190011-1.pdf1.13 MB
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SECRET- Approved For Release 2004/03/16 : CIA-RDP80M01133'A060600190011-1 15May1974 MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD'. ? SUBJECT: Charter of the Product Review Division (PRD) of the Intelligence Community Staff The Mission of PRD is not defined in any one document. But various; ? official paper's do describe the functions and objectives of the Division, as determined in the first instance, rather broadly, by the President (for the DCI); then, fairly specifically, by the DCI (for the D/][ CI7TC); and finally, quite explicitly, by the D/DCI/IC (for PI-1,D). App-ropriate quotations lice-, these papers, and from one additional DCI study, are listed at Annex, 'arranged according to source. An iriterpreLive summary based oar these quotations and arranged by principal function--product review, product improvement, and structural i.mprov.ernent--is provided below. PRD Charter Product Revie,v: PRI) is responsible for re\riewing and eval.u-ttin_ the performance of the Community as.a producer of finished intellige r ?--PRD must assess the adequacy and'th lines of reportixip, -n e the quality of presentation and analysis, and the responsiveness of the intelligence product to the concurri.ers` needs. --It must review the effectiveness of the Community as a conveyor of warning and as a provider of vital inforniation during periods of crisis. Approved For Release 2004/03/16 : C C, 17 0 1) r-1 -lt must, `in close association with the NIOs,..continue to contribute to the refinement of key Intelligence Questions (KIQ), ..spur the development of the process which accompanies the KTQ procedure, and in general monitor the entire KIQ system, Product Improvement: Pursuant to its review activities, PRD, in cooperation with other elements of the Community, is charged with pro- posirig and implementing diverse rhea utility and 25X1 quality of finished intelligence. LUE L Approved For Release 2004/03/16 : CIA-RDP80M0l133A000600190011-1 --It should -recommend ways to provide high-level consumers with better, more timely, and less redundant products. -It should continue to develop the concept.of the "Family of National Products" and encourage the adoption of specific proposals growing out of this concept, as it applies both to serial intelligence production and production during crises: -It should make proposals concerning the revamping of warning mechanisms, procedures, publications, and doctrines. --It should establish -a Community effort to improve analytical methods. -.-It should develop regular systems (for implementation by the NIOs) to ensure that serious divergent points of view are properly expressed in finished products, and it should formulate ways to introduce systematic challenge procedures into the Cornmunit.y's deliberations. --It should help the Community's production agencies to improve publication formats and production procedures. --It should seek means to strengthen the Community's arnal.ytica] resources, principally by finding ways to develop the r-rost p: opi_tiou:; working environments; the most effective personnel rnanagerreut, and the' highest.pos_sibie level of individualcompetence. Structural Improvement: PRD, in its efforts to improve product, is tesp.onsible for concerning itself with those organ national is8ues and problems which affect the quality and timeliness of finished production. ---PRD must devise ways and m eans to ensure that unnecessary production activities are eliminated and that the Community adheres to a'rational division of labor. ?-It must'encourage.the formatioh of a'closer and more fruitSul relationship between the producers and the collectors of intelligence. Approved For Release 2004/03/16 : CIA-RDP80M0l133A000600190011-1 Approved For Release 2004/03 ? UP80M01133Ad00600190011-1 ANNEX The PRD Charter: Relevant Quotations from Official Documents i. s 1. The President's directive of November 1971 specifies inter alia that: The responsiveness of the US intelligence effort with respect to national requirements must be subject to continuing review. Assignment of intelligence functions within the community must be reviewed and revised to eliminate inefficient, ~.:.,xn.necessary or outmoded activities. The quality, scope and timeliness of the cor m rnity'.s product must be inmproved. 2. In response to this directive, the DCI committed himself on 6 September 1973, inter alia, to: '"Through the NSCIC, determine by December 1, 1973 which national. intelligence products satisfy.. user needs and idc .tify new product requirements. Achieve significant improvements in product formats and production procedures to increase responsiveness early in 19 74. Establish by December 31, 1973 procedures to enable the NSCIC and my own staff to review the responsiveness and quality of the comrmmunityts product. ,evievv programs to upgrade the quality of intelligence personnel and improve personnel rnanagement in the community. Undertake specific studies to evaluate the intelligence product and its worth to the consumer and eliminate intelligence collection and production effort of marginal usefulness. Undertake selective review during the next 18 months Appr@ifv cd @th . 2OO W3 & : 31~' P$0 i ~3 ?0A6bt0~9~D4 on Approved For Release 2004/03/16 : CIA-RDP80M0l133A000600190011-1 of labor and increase the. number of services of common concern performed within the community: Indications and warning intelligence -ELINT processing and exploitation Current intelligence reporting - HUMINT operations and foreign service reporting Identify during the second quarter of 17-Y 1974 the current needs of the -users of foreign economic intelligence. 3. The DCIrs Letter of Instruction to the D/DCI/IC of 13 March 1974 states that the IC Staff would be responsible for the implementation. of many of the commitments listed above. Specifically, in areas of concern to PRD, the IC Staff would: Establish and maintain a procedure for the evaluation of community efforts in analysis and production, collection and processing, and resource utilization, Insure the evaluation of the utility of community intelligence products and advise me and the NIOs of ways and means to improve them. Provide a focal point for DCI planning activity for the community and for the drafting and circulation of appropriate DCI guidance papers including the DCI Perspectives. Establish a coordinated community effort to improve analytical methods and to improve the quality and acceptability of outside substantive research. 4. The D/DCI/IC in his turn instructed the Product Review Division (in his Letter of Instruction of 15 March 1974) to: Create and maintain a staff representative of the Community capable of creating'and maintaining procedures for evaluating Community efforts in analysis and production, and establish systems to perform this function effectively. Approved For Release 2004/03/4 CIA-RDP80M01I 33A000600190011-1 SECRET Approved For Release 200 IJ CIA-RDP80M01133A00060019001"1-1 Determine and assist in the implementation of ways to improve the Community's performance in the area of finished analytical intelligence. Play an active role in the continuing, process of refining Key Intelligence Questions and in the use of KIQs by the NIOs to evaluate Community performance. Formulate and gain acceptance of ways to introduce a systematic challenge mechanism into the workings of the finished intelligence community. Continue to, develop the concept of the Family of National. .Product .s and to -encourage .the. adoption-.of specific recom- mendations growing out of this concept:, .s if applies both to the regular, serial production of finished intelligence and to the production of intelligence in times of crisis. Specifically concerning the Tatter, assess the performance of the Community in times of crisis and recommend ways to provide high-level consumers with better, more t.i..rnely, and less redundant products (including warning notice-,) during such periods. Establish and chair a coordinated Comrnraiity effort to improve analytical methods and the. quality and acceptability of outside (contract) research. I