Re-plan to accommodate COVID-19 impacts, with Q&A (3/31/2020)

On March 11, WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic, leading to travel restrictions and cancellation of group activities. NASA mandated telework operations and imposed travel restrictions, directing that all meetings, including peer review panels, be conducted remotely. This initially stressed the capacity of NASA's IT systems, and SMD requested the divisions to consider re-scheduling activities that could accommodate delays. The ESD Senior Review was one activity that could be delayed, especially since the consensus-building activity of the National Interests Panel, and the mission interview process of the Senior Science Panel would both be more effective with in-person meetings, if at all possible.

In re-scheduling the Senior Review, the basic process is mostly unchanged: the effect is to extend both the evaluation period and the mission response preparation each by one month, effectively extending the Senior Review timeframe by two months. A modified flow-chart for the process (modifications in RED):

Questions & Answers

Q1. Is this new schedule still compliant with the 2017 NASA Authorization Act which requires requires triennial reviews?
A1. Yes, with our last Senior Review in 2017, ESD needs to conduct a Senior Review in 2020; this review will be complete with a final report delivered in August 2020.

Q2. Does the new schedule support the NASA budget formulation and decision process?
A2. Yes, the revised schedule will deliver preliminary results to ESD in May, with final results in July. While this delays the Senior Review’s input to the 2022 budget formulation process, it still provides findings before the Agency’s final budget decisions and submittal to OMB in September.

Q3. I have a long-planned & paid-for vacation during the July panel meeting. Can I attend remotely?
A3. Yes, we will arrange for audio and/or webex access for mission team members to participate, subject to the same restrictions for observers/mission teams in the in-person panel.

Q4. What if the pandemic is still in effect in July? Will the panel meeting be delayed again?
A4. No, the panel meeting will switch to a remote-participation meeting, since the IT systems should have increased capacity by then, and panel & mission team members will be more familiar with virtual meeting procedures. The daily schedules will probably change, to accommodate the multiple time zones, e.g. the meeting will probably change from 3 very long days to 4 shorter days.

Q5. With the National Interests panel not meeting until July 6-7 to develop their consensus utility rating, how will their input be available to the Senior Science Panel?
A5. The National Interests panel is collecting their usage information now, and will deliver their pre-panel assessments to the National Interests Chair in early April, and they will meet by telecon April 28 to provide their issues and questions that can be addressed by the mission teams in the July mission interviews. This will provide the Senior Science Panel both organization-specific utility ratings and discussion topics before the first meeting of the Science Panel (May 12-14). The National Interests chair will pass these preliminary findings on to the Science Panel at the May telecon, at the same time he would have provided the consensus findings. At the July meeting, the consensus findings will be available prior to the Science Panel meeting, and the National Interests chair will brief the Science Panel before they rate and score the missions on the final day.

2020 ESD Senior Review Information

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