RE-EVALUATING OUR PRIORITIES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88G01116R001202300001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 24, 2011
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 9, 1986
• Content Type: MEMO

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9 April 1986
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Re-evaluating Our Priorities
can be removed from the base to cover new activities of higher priority.
cuts to our program; and (c) how to fit new initiatives into the FY 1988
program. In each case, we are attempting to determine, as best we can, what
1. Your note on the need to re-examine use of our base resources has
prompted us to look more carefully at what we have actually done to the base
program over the past year or so and outline how we intend to continue to
scrub the base. Briefly, we look at the base from three perspectives--(a) how
to accommodate higher-priority unfund requirements in the operating year
(FY 1986) by reorienting our base resources; (b) how to give ourselves more
flexibility to do what we must next year (FY 1987), given likely Congressional
Reviewing the 1986 Program
2. While not nearly as systematic as we would like, each directorate
reviews its resources early in the fiscal year to determine how to accommodate
unallocated cuts from Congress. In the current fiscal year, for example, the
directorates had to absorb a reduction due to unallocated cuts
and another for Gramm-Rudman.
3. Once the operating budgets are set, the directorates review their
resources to determine what can be deferred in favor of higher priority
requirements. Thus far, this year, for example:
E T
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SUBJECT: Re-evaluating Our Priorities
Additional shifts will occur throughout the
fiscal year. Starting with the next Comptroller's meeting in late April, we
will actively search for items that might be deferred so that we can cover
high priority unfunded requirements.
Reviewing the 1987 Program
6. In constructing the program that is now before Congress, we limited
growth in the base in an effort to force trade-offs between priority items.
Reviewing the 1988 Program
8. Although it has not yet come to you for review, we are already hard
at work on the program that we will propose for FY 1988. In June, the
Deputies and I will meet with the Comptroller to reach final recommendations
to you on the shape of our request. As with past years, we have attempted to
limit growth in the base program. In addition, I intend to fund as much of
our investment program and as many of our new initiatives as practical by
cutting the base. Our effort throughout will be to force trade-offs of the
base, the investment programs, and proposed initiatives against one another.
In addition, I have tasked the Comptroller to determine whether more
systematic means are available to identify surplus funds in the base program.
SF.CR FT
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SUBJECT: Re-evaluating Our Priorities
Taking the Next Steps
9. Despite all of our efforts, resources in our base program are probably
still being spent for items that are not as important as maintaining the
momentum of some of our longer-term investment or other higher priority
activities. Nonetheless, I would not recommend a formal program to ask office
or division chiefs to re-examine their priorities and tell us how they can be
rearranged. First, the real work of doing a job like this falls too heavily
on a very small number of folks--the same people who are right now stretched
very tight by their work in support of us on the 1986, 1987, and 1988
programs. Second, we will not get much information that is actionable since
systematic information on which base activities our senior managers would
consider marginal is hard to come by.
10. Instead, I propose that we continue to make the relatively sizable
reductions in our base programs needed to sustain our investment and other
high priority activities at agreed levels. In other words, we should preserve
funding levels for key programs and make room for selected new initiatives
while mandating that as many reductions (taken by Congress in 1987 or within
the Executive Branch for 1988) as possible be taken from the base. I suggest
that we do this incrementally and continuously, and that we listen for the
screams of anguish. Our people are not shy and we will hear from them soon
enough. Realistically, I think this approach gives us the highest lihood
that we will actually achieve the goal you wish us to achieve.
11. I will be happy to talk further about all of this if you like.
S F C R F T
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Executive Registry
86- 1249/1
1 April 1986
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Operations
Deputy Director for Science and Technology
Deputy Director for Administration
FROM: Executive Secretary
SUBJECT: Reevaluation of Priorities
At this morning's Staff Meeting, the DCI made reference to a request
he had made that "the Deputies" take a hard look at our resource base to
make sure the "base" supports our priorities--this is to be done even if.
it means reducing the people and dollar resources applied to other areas
in the base.
As additional back round, I am providing a copy of a memorandum the
DCI sent to and Bob Gates on this subject. This is for your 25X1
information only (to give you an idea of where the DCI was coming from
this morning). You should not take any action on this until you have
received specific guidance to that affect from Bob and 0 25X1
Attachment: DCI Memo ER 86-1429, dtd 27 Mar 86
cc: Comptroller
Dist:
Orig - DDO
ER File
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I I Executive Registry
86-
1249
27 March 1986
MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Director
Deputy Director for Intelligence
FROM: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Reevaluation of Priorities
1. In my various discussions relating both to the 25X1
9 prospective budget
levels and where we get people and resources to do what needs to be done on
urgent high priority tasks like counterterrorism, mobile missiles, etc., etc.,
it is clearly necessary that we initiate promptly a special exercise more
focused than ever to "scrub" our base and review and reevaluate our priorities.
2. In talking to the DO Futures Conference on 25 March, I was questioned
about where we are going to find the people to carry out a strong counterterrorism
cbl.. %.CI lU I II iy
in light of the budgetary outlook, a major part of the answer will have to be
involved in shifting riorities, people and resources to more important and
urgent requirements.
3. Will both of you give some thought as to how we can best assure that
the substantive people take a new look in each division and each office, or
even lower offices if appropriate, to question all activities, to review
priorities, and to see where resources and funding can be taken from less urgent
and less important activities in order to be sure that we meet the really
pressing needs. My offhand thinking would be to have some kind of a mechanism
which would require office chiefs, and perhaps even subordinate units, to report
on what changes in priority and what shifting and reduction in resources they
are prepared to recommend in light of the situation we face. Perhaps we should
set a target for each unit to achieve with its recommendations. Whatever target
we set, we should be able to get far larger shifts from some units than from
others.
4. Give me your views on this or let's arrange a brief meeting to formulate
a process for accomplishing this.
25X1
William J. Casey
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EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT
ROUTING SLIP
ACTION
INFO
DATE
INITIAL
1
DCI
X
2
DDCI
x
3
EXDIR
X
4
D/ICS
5
DDI
X
6
DDA
7
DDO
8
DDS&T
9
Chm/NIC
10
GC
11
IG
12
Compt
13
D/OLL
14
D/PAO
15
D/PERS
16
VC/NIC
17
ES
18
19
20
21
22
Apr 86
Date
Remarks
To 3/5: Please get together and schedule
sessi-n with DCI to discuss.
STAT
x c tive Secretary
27 March 1986
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t I I Executive Registry
MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Director
Deputy Director for Intelligence
FROM: Director of Central Intelligence
SUBJECT: Reevaluation of Priorities
1. In my various discussions relating both to the prospective budget
levels and where we get people and resources to do what needs to be done on
urgent high priority tasks like counterterrorism, mobile missiles, etc., etc.,
it is clearly necessary that we initiate promptly a special exercise more
focused than ever to "scrub" our base and review and reevaluate our priorities.
2. In talking to the DO Futures Conference on 25 March, I was questioned
about where we are going to find the people to carry out a strong counterterrorism
program, meet new requirements in etc. Certainly
in light of the budgetary outlook, a major part of the answer will have to be
involved in shifting priorities, people and resources to more important and
urgent requirements,
3. Will both of you give some thought as to how we can best assure that
the substantive people take a new look in each division and each office, or
even lower offices if appropriate, to question all activities, to review
priorities, and to see where resources and funding can be taken from less urgent
and less important activities in order to be sure that we meet the really
pressing needs. My offhand thinking would be to have some kind of a mechanism
which would require office chiefs, and perhaps even subordinate units, to report
on what changes in priority and what shifting and reduction in resources they
are prepared to recommend in light of the situation we face. Perhaps we should
set a target for each unit to achieve with its recommendations. Whatever target
we set, we should be able to get far larger shifts from some units than from
others.
4. Give me your views on this or let's arrange a brief meeting to formulate
a process for accomplishing this.
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