The Nation's Weather Enterprise –
a NOAA/Private Sector Partnership
Short Course on the Public/Private
Partnership
John Toohey-Morales, CBM, CCM
NBC Telemundo (WSCV)
& ClimaData Corporation
Miami FL
John.Morales@NBC.com
Timeline
2003 (Jan) – NRC “Fair Weather” published
2004 (Jan) – NOAA partnership policy proposed
2004 (Mar) – AMS sponsored Webcast
2004 (Jun) – Comments close
2004 (Dec) – NOAA partnership policy issued
2005 (Jan) – AMS CWCE Commission formed
2005 (Jun) – NWS policy implements partnership policy
2005 (Aug) – Policy clarification proposed
2006 (Jan) – Policy clarification adopted
2006 (Jun) – Short course “Live version”
2007 (Jan) – Short course “Module” on CD & online
June 1, 2006
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Background Slides
(partnership policy text)
Complete text of partnership policy clause 4:
(Language adopted in clarification highlighted)
The nation benefits from government information disseminated
both by Federal agencies and by diverse nonfederal parties,
including commercial and not-for-profit entities. NOAA recognizes
cooperation, not competition, with private sector and academic and
research entities best serves the public interest and best meets the
varied needs of specific individuals, organizations, and economic
entities. NOAA will take advantage of existing capabilities and
services of commercial and academic sectors to support efficient
performance of NOAA's mission and avoid duplication and
competition in areas not related to the NOAA mission. NOAA will
give due consideration to these abilities and consider the effects of
its decisions on the activities of these entities, in accordance with
its responsibilities as an agency of the U.S. Government, to serve
the public interest and advance the nation's environmental
information enterprise as a whole.
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Realities
• The private sector wouldn’t exist without data
and products from the public sector
• The public sector can’t fulfill it’s mission
without the private sector’s involvement
• Collaboration is the only sensible strategy
for all sectors
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Weather Enterprise
Realities
• The collaborative model is winning out over
the competitive model around the world
– Europe
– Canada
• Collaboration has a long and successful
history in the U.S.
– Media
– Aviation
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Examples and Models
• WSR88D Level 2 Data
– Model: Value-added
• Lightning Detection Networks
– Model: Commercial fee for service
• Severe Weather Alerts
– Model: Hybrid
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Everyone Benefits
• Public
– Receives more relevant and actionable weather
information
– Perceives the weather enterprise to be of
considerable value
• Government
– Reduce costs
– Focus on core mission
• Private Sector
– Grow revenues
– Expand employment
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TRUST grows the pie
• This course aims to train weather enterprise
professionals in both the private sector and
government on how they can work together
more effectively to advance the Weather
Enterprise as a whole
• Participants will not just learn the basics
relevant to the nature of government
institutions and private enterprises, but will
experience “walking a mile in each others
shoes” through a case study approach
June 1, 2006
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Learning Objectives
1. Introduce participants to the size, scope,
structure, function and complexity of
establishing and maintaining a thriving
public/private partnership.
2. Explore major issues pertaining to
government and private sector roles in the
Weather Enterprise.
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Key themes and topics
• Develop an understanding of the challenges faced by
participants in the weather enterprise who work in
roles other than your own, in particular:
– Private sector participants will develop an understanding of
the challenges faced by government decision makers asked
to balance different demands for services.
– Government participants will develop an understanding of
the challenges faced by private companies in maintaining a
viable business
• What are key differences between public and private
sector organizations such as funding and planning,
and how do these differences affect the partnership?
June 1, 2006
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Key themes and topics
• Introduce participants to the breadth and diversity of
client needs served by the Weather Enterprise.
• Reinforce the need for collaboration as a result of
inter-sector dependency within the Weather
Enterprise.
• What do words like customer, competition,
partnership, and disintermediation mean and are they
helping or hurting collaboration?
• Improve communication between public and private
sector participants.
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Content Example:
Weather issues addressed by
entrepreneur Chris Bedford
Sailing Weather Services
What kind of boat should be designed?
How long will the race take?
How much food do we need?
What kind of clothes should we take?
What quantity of fuel is needed
to run generators, pumps,
computers, and satellite receivers?
June 1, 2006
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Content Example:
Weather issues addressed by
entrepreneur Chris Bedford
Sailing Weather Services
Where should we go?
Is one route favored over
another?
What are the odds of success
given different routing options?
What data do we need and
how to we get it?
June 1, 2006
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“A strong partnership makes this work possible.”
Chris Bedford, Sailing Weather Services
“75% of my work relies on data from US
Government resources.”
 I provide interpretation and consulting focused on the client
needs.
 I add value to existing information, and also seek out new
and different resources.
 I develop new data, observations, and tools targeted to
specific requirements.
June 1, 2006
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The Nation's Weather Enterprise –
a NOAA/Private Sector Partnership
Distance Learning Module (Jan ’07)
• FREE Interactive mini-CD to interested parties
(beginning at AMS meeting in San Antonio)
• Also to be made available ONLINE (site TBA)
• Questions, comments, requests:
John Toohey-Morales
Tel. 305-661-9144
June 1, 2006
John.Morales@NBC.com
morales@climadata.com
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