INFORMATION HANDLING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-00261R000300010002-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 2, 2000
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: June 5, 1969
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 200 MC
RDP91-%M' f 000300010002-0
5 June 1969
MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Director.. Comptroller
SUBJECT: ..~ rt
e..ra"ra
1. You will remember that my organizational survey of the
Agency recommended that OCS be removed from DDS&T and established
under joint direction with. the Office of Communications. This recom-
mendation was occasioned by what seemed to me the growing inter-
relationship between communications and information handling techniques,
procedures and facilities; also because the efficient transmission,
storage and retrieval of data seems increasingly to be a problem which
permeates all echelons and sectors of the Agency. It seemed to me
that it would follow that we should move towards greater centralization
of control in this area (certainly, not a new idea). I suggested the con-
solidati,on of this responsibility in the DDS, without too much enthusiasm,
but as the best of available options.
2. After digesting various comments on my report, I am less
enthusiastic even than before about the proposal to consolidate this
responsibility in the DDS. On the other hand, I am more corrvinced
than ever that somewhat greater centralization of authority than now
exists in OCS is needed to improve the over-all management of infor-
mation handling activity, promote the career development of personnel
engaged in this effort, establish controls over the design and procurement
of equipment and systems, provide assistance in programming and
systems development and consolidate the various studies and reviews
which are proliferating on this subject. I should perhaps say that I do
not favor consolidation of all ADP or computer installations and believe
that appropriate centers should continue to exist on a dedicated basis
in various components.
3. The annexed draft memorandum to 'the DCI is an attempt
to summarize, the existing situations which, it seems to me, call for
redress. If this memorandum accurately reflects the existing situation,
there appear to be three practical alternative courses of action:
2.-CIA rfit v}r- ~~ 000300010002-0
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 Approved For Release 2002/05/026,J6 i1-002618000300010002-0
25X1A
a. Do nothing and hope that the situation will clarify
and improve as individuals become increasingly educated
and cooperative and adapt various existing facilities. and
know-how to common needs and objectives.
b. On a command basis establish a greater degree of
centralized control at least for guidance purposes over ADP
activities in the Agency. This could be done by the creation
of a staff element reporting directly to you (but with consider-
ably less responsibility for the day-to-day operation of ADP
centers than was part of the similar proposal by .; 25X1A
by changing the character of the PPB function in this respect;
by extending the authority and terms of reference of OCS
without detaching it from the DDS&T; or by the establishment
of anew directorate responsible for both communications and,
information handling.
c. Appoint a strong representative committee to be
chaired by some disinterested individual (conceivably
with a mandate to. submit recommendations within
30 day*.
SECRET
Approved' For Release 2002/05/02 : CIA-RDP81-00261 R000300010002-0
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 Approved For Release 2002/0 0 , CIA-~DP81-00261 R000300010002-0
5 June 1969?
i'
icy 1~~OT ANDUM T'Ol~ s The Director of Central Intelligence
S-A'BJ'ECT:'
CIA Organization for Information Handling
l ? As we look forwax d to a
sQnsitzve to varying degrees.
2. The Office of Planning Programming and .Buci.getil-?.;
under the Executive Dia~c
t 3- ana.ormation handling ally organizationally sepa: ate but functionally p~ obed
Office h-eve a respo interrelated s
nsibi1i y for managing parts of an'informatior flow
'..which will come simultaneously from several different sources,
and which is important and t-*-
n
do eva.ew those segments
of
the
-'ze'Icy most directly conce ed with the management of this
i nc :; easingly large and co", l~
new generation of more highly
prnductive collection devices and to an increasing availabili
t
y of
information, it would be r xu e
t '-
pox -omp roller, has w%hi -L
a small section responsible for the preparation t .t
of that part, ~f Lac-
CIA Budget and Financial Plan concerned with Information Pxoce
and E1loitationY The head of this section also acts s.s the
rxiformation Processing Coordinator and is Chairman of the A , eY
lr.~orrnation sing Coznxnitteeb is y
ies an
maintain a good general Overview of the Agency a t is able
to advise on requirements and resource alloca ions. op
13doe; ~a
not attempt to make final technical judgments on ADP equipmer4,,
to carry Out: specific ADP manag
tl'osc factors;, such as budget beznent -responsibilities,, eyoi~ci
concern `tlze Agency as a whole,
the management of ADP xesouxwhich
,
Deputy DirectorsY generally is accomplished by the
3. The Office of Corn
munc
a
.ncy responsibilities concerned witr.
the; transmission of data betwe,~cz points Outside of the imrZediatc
environment of the Ace,,-, %, N rx- -
.
Lxoz`s {OC), within the DD/S, has
e function Of satisfying hose
yinb t
.1w4~J111CLLLY j.nis includes themove-
i~ent of data between the collector and the processing unit as well as
she movement of data betwe~;;n the
com
t
pu
ers and their associated
c:`-porn ?console equipment. Although this #unction is of the ?rea;,
i
mpoxtanep to the success of any pre sent Ox future ADP ? s? ; jte z CC U
or Release 200210102. cPk-F DP 1-00261 ROMMU1 -
C?, a .25X1A
 Approved For Release 2002/05/112' ?Ck-RDP81-00261 R000300010002-0
is organizationally separate from those elements of the Agency
du.:octly concerned with the design, procurement, installation and
operation of ADP systems.
4. The Office of Computer Services (OCS) is assigned to the
DD/S&T and is designated as. an Agency office of common service
but with no jurisdiction over ADP centers, personnel or equipment
except for that which is assigned specifically to it. OCS provides a
;gr(;at deal of computer support to all Directorates on a work order
basis, including computational scientific support and overhead
reconnaissance mission planning support to DD/S&T, but the major
-'! 17P centers in DD/I, DD/P and NTPIC, and other smaller dedicated
compute installations, are organizationally separated from OCS
which has no responsibility for their design, procurement, manage-
ment, manning or operation.
5. Some studies are under way within the Agency and within
certain committees and subcommittees of USIB which will have an
effect on Agency consideration of management of information handling.'
Beginning on July Ist; the ASPIN Project, under the DD/I, will
undertake a study in depth of the ADP support requirements of the
intdiigtnce production elements of the Agency. Also, the impact
that the. recently proposed Electro-Optical Imaging (E-?Z) System
vfill have on CIA is now under study by a group under 25X1A
Decisions which are to be made at NRO concerning the development
of the E-OI will eventually have to be accommodated by CIA manage-
ment. In addition, SIGINT/SORS and SIGINT /IGS are both completing
studies in their areas of immediate concern which will point up new
information' handling management requirements.
6. All of the above indicates that we may want to take a hard
loolc at the total Agency ADP picture to determine if we should not at
,this time, rather than at some later time, readjust our organizational
arrangements to better handle the information management problems,
7a7 Sohn ~. $ros"g
-),"I Yrla x -:I:-i w
z"Dcj
5OHN A.- B3ROSS
CIA-RDP81-~
D/DCI/NIPr