SEMINARS - NIO/WE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87R00529R000200240017-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 26, 2010
• Sequence Number: 17
• Publication Date: June 25, 1980
• Content Type: MEMO

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? CONFIDENTIAL
I
25 June 1980
NFAC 4523-80
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chairman, NIC
. Seminars - NIO/WE
1. We would propose to hold in mid-September an all-day and into-
the-evening comprehensive seminar in support of our priority projects for
the remainder of the year --.i.e., the estimate on Policy Issues Between
the US and Europe in the 1980s, and the two related interagency memos on
Alternatives to Alliance and Prospects for "Europe". The seminar would
be organized around the key factors that would enter into these assessments
-- Europe's political prospects and economic trends, the outlook. for Euro-
pean regional relationships, Europe's global perceptions and objectives,
European security in the '80s, and -- tying these together -- prospects for
conflict and cooperation between the US and Europe. The thought would be
to try to get four or five academics to address each of these questions in
turn, followed by discussion and a wrap-up session in the evening. We would
much prefer to have the seminar at Headquarters. The cost would probably be
substantially less than the ceiling.
2. Given the inclusive nature of this seminar, the mini-seminar on
the PCI we had in April*, and the trouble we are having in completing our
production program, I.would hope this would fulfill our obligations. If
not, I would suggest a country seminar in December
* A morning and afternoon session wit from Yale,
Consul-General Fina, and attendees
from NFAC, DDO, INR, and the European Bureau. It was a first-rate discussion.
All Paragraphs
Classified CONFIDENTIAL
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NFAC #2239-80
MEMORANDUM FOR: The National Intelligence Council
FROM : C/NIC
SUBJECT : The Conducting of NIO Seminars
1. In order to form a more perfect NIC union, establish equal
opportunity, provide for the common defense of our budget, and secure
the maximum blessings'from the most effective use of invited experts,
I do ordain and establish the following procedures for conducting all
outside NIC seminars.
2. NIO's will check out with C/NIC:
-- At the outset of planning for the intended seminar,
its concept, scope, location, purpose, and estimated
cost.
-- Thereafter, all proposals for the seminar's expendi-
tures, other than the petty items.
3. NIO's will be responsible for:
-- Conducting two seminars per year (regional NIO's,
that is).
-- Choosing and inviting the outside experts.
Making, with NIC Admin's help, the necessary security,
administrative, local,. and travel arrangements.
Conducting the seminar's sessions and eliciting the
views of the invited seminarists.
-- Preparing a brief written account for C/NIC and
D/NFAC of what the seminar contributed.
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4. Guidelines:
?
The general purposes of these NIC seminars will be
to draw upon differing perspectives, check on in-
house judgments, provide an opportunity for competing
analysis, and demonstrate that NIC's estimates have
had the benefit of certain of the country's finest
minds. The purpose is not PR, and we should avoid
publicity or high visibility.
In forming seminar panels, we are to invite experts
who are broadly representative of views in the given
disciplines.
For optimum discussion and give and take, we are
to keep our seminar fairly small, generally not
more than as dozeD discussants.
Similarly, invite only a handful of government
officials, so that the seminars do not quickly
become too large and unwieldy to be intellectually
rewarding.
Unless specifically OK'd in advance by C/NIC, seminar
sessions will not be recorded, nor will verbatim
transcripts be prepared. Seminars are almost never
that rewarding in their every blush; writeups (from
notes) of the major points, differences, etc., will
suffice -- and at less cost to NIC and less trauma
to the participants. F
Wherever possible, we should hold seminar sessions ~
t more than half a day at
There may be occasions where small NIC seminars could
profitably be held elsewhere -- e.g., in Cambridge,
New York, or San Francisco -- in cases where needed
experts could be drawn from the general region
Richard Lehman
-2-
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STAT
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23 April 1980
MEMORANDUM FOR:, Regional NIOs and Assistant NIOs
SUBJECT NIO Seminars
NFAC #2999-80
1. In this period of galloping inflation, stretched federal dollars,
and vanishing slush funds, it may be useful to provide guidelines on keep-
ing seminar expenses down. I appreciate the value that can be gained from
seminars, as the recent one demonstrated, but the hard facts are
that we simply don't have muc money with which to conduct our several
seminars each year.
2. All money we spend on seminars has to compete with that line of
our budget that funds the travel expenses, per diem, and salaries of any
outside contractors hired by the NIC for however long and whatever reason.
Thus, an expert hired to undertake a research project or write part of all
of an estimate, a regular consultant brought in for a day or two to re-
view a draft or participate in a post-mortem exercise, or a scholar brought
in to give a briefing or present a paper before an NIO-sponsored group,
are all examples of other f monies in our "Miscellaneous Con-
tracts" budget line. With [~~ - as the going rate for any con- STAT
tractor's salary, and with some contractors choosing, as they are wont
to do, to live or work in places like California or Europe, it takes little
time or effort to run up bills in this budgetary area.
3. This being the case, we must weigh whether to spend liberally
on seminars, concentrate instead on hiring contractors to help us draft
our estimates, or provide for a combination of both. I think we have to
try to do both, recognizing that this will entail trimming our sails a
bit on all hiring of contractors. eneral,rule of thumb, therefore,
I am setting a general ceiling for all expenses incurred in con- STAT
nection with any one NIO seminar, and will want to'be consulted in advance
if you feel it desirable to exceed that limit. By all means, if you are
able to hold seminars costing less than that amount, please do so.
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4. I sent each of you a memorandum dated 26 March entitled "The
Conducting of NIO Seminars." In addition to the guidance given therein,-,
here are some tips on ways to keep seminar expenses down:
-- Do keep seminars small regarding numbers of outside
participants who must be brought in on contract.
-- Don't invite many people who must travel a long dis-
tance to attend (unless they will be here for other
purposes anyway).
-- Do make maximum use of meeting space available in
government-owned facilities (e.g., Headquarters,
Headquarters Building y.
Community
Don't participants if you are
using travel costs are high,
and getting large numbers of folks to and from will
be a hassle.
Do plan on a cash bar if your seminar schedule in-
cludes an evening reception (no CIA office can pur-
chase liquor for official functions; all such expen-
ditures must be approved and paid for by the office
of the DCI).
Don't lan on providing meals if your attendance is
larae~
5. With this kind of penny-pinching, we should be able to do a re-
spectable if modest job of hosting the dozen or so seminars the DCI ex-
pects us to hold this year. I will be delighted to pass along to you any
subsequent news of a loosening of the purse strings, but I don't expect
it soon.
Richard Lehman
Chairman
National Intelligence Council
-2-
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