600F08007
oEPA
United States
Environmental Prot
Agency
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Strategic Plan & Implementation
Overview
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NRMRL Strategic Plan
The National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) has developed a
strategic plan that strengthens and reaffirms its commitment to providing credible
research and technological information to improve public health and safeguard
the natural environment. The strategic plan aligns its purpose and research
priorities with EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) Principles
described at the end of this document.
A team of NRMRL employees representing management, technical personnel,
and administrative staff analyzed NRMRL's strategic opportunities in the context
of changes taking place in environmental science and engineering and
management practices. The analysis led the group to develop five strategic goals
that are at the heart of the plan and will guide the laboratory's actions through
2012. Each NRMRL division, branch, staff, program and individual has been
asked to make significant and measurable commitments to ensure the success
of the plan.
Mission
NRMRL's mission is to advance scientific and engineering solutions
that enable EPA and others to effectively manage current and future
environmental risks.
Goals
NRMRL's strategic plan upholds the goals of both EPA and ORD. EPA's strategic
plan calls for regulatory and voluntary measures to achieve cleaner air; cleaner
and safer water; remediated and revitalized contaminated land; healthy people,
communities and ecosystems; and compliance and environmental stewardship.
ORD's strategic plan looks for organizational excellence in order to: support
EPA's mission, be a high-performing organization, be a leader in the
environmental research community, integrate environmental science and
technology to solve environmental problems, and anticipate future environmental
issues.
The NRMRL team identified specific outcomes for each of five goals, and
strategies to achieve them. Performance indicators were established for
evaluating progress toward the outcomes. The plan also specifies the need for
closer working relationships with partners and clients such as other ORD
laboratories, EPA program offices, EPA regions, states, tribes, other research
organizations, and the private sector. For NRMRL employees, it sets forth ways
for individuals to understand their roles in achieving the strategic goals. For
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NRMRL clients, the plan identifies opportunities for developing collaborative
research. This synergy will create the understanding needed to solve key
environmental problems. While the five strategic goals are fixed, NRMRL's
progress toward achieving the goals will require ongoing evaluation and
adjustments. External factors that can affect progress toward achieving the
outcomes were incorporated into each goal. Management challenges that could
result from new and changing government approaches and practices have also
been discussed and incorporated.
Goal 1
Environmental Solutions
Increase and improve scientific and engineering innovation and
leadership to provide solutions to important environmental problems
Goal 2
Marketing
Increase the impact, recognition, and research capacity of NRMRL
Goal 3
Collaboration
Improve collaboration to achieve quality, value-added, and recognized
products and services
Goal 4
Organization
Improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency
Goal 5
Workforce
Develop mission-focused, dedicated, and flexible workforce
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Goal 1 Environmental Solutions
Increase and improve scientific and engineering innovation and leadership
to provide solutions to important environmental problems
Goal 1 focuses on the technical programs NRMRL will pursue and the risk
management solutions it will produce. NRMRL's research priorities will reflect
scientific requirements, national priorities, and implementation realities. Criteria
to be used in establishing priorities will ask "Does the program clearly support
the EPA and NRMRL missions?" and "Has the state of science been sufficiently
evaluated in order to achieve desired outcomes?" Answers will help assign a
high, medium or low ranking for program planning on criteria of: Impact,
Alignment, Resources, and Advances in Science.
Goal 2 Marketing
Increase the impact, recognition, and research capacity of NRMRL
The success of Goal 2 is embedded in the laboratory's unique research and
technical support programs, which are critically and objectively peer reviewed.
Effective technical communication and outreach is essential to convey NRMRL's
research outcomes to facilitate risk management and increase opportunities for
collaboration.
Four key steps to improve communication are:
• Developing the appropriate communication staff within the divisions and the
Office of the Director
• Executing an effective communication plan with solid performance measures
• Participating in the most appropriate technical conferences
• Building and strengthening NRMRL's Web presence in the user community
Goal 3 Collaboration
Improve collaboration to achieve quality, value-added and recognized
products and services
Solutions to large-scale, multimedia (e.g., air, ground water, surface water, soil,
sediment) problems require the collaborative skills of scientists, engineers, and
subject matter experts from a variety of disciplines and competencies. In
addition, increasing labor and operational costs necessitate leveraging our
expertise and resources to the greatest extent possible. The strategies listed in
Goal 3 of NRMRL's strategic plan include:
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• Expanding development of technology partnerships with industry, using
CRADAs and the Environmental Technology Program
• Fostering knowledge of available collaboration tools by communicating what
is available, how to acquire access, how these tools can be used, and whom
to contact for information
• Using surveys to assess progress and measure success of collaborative
efforts
• Notifying internal and external stakeholders of collaborative opportunities
(e.g., sabbaticals to academia and research institutions, details to other
ORD laboratories and program offices, post-doctoral programs, and visiting
scientist program)
Goal 4 Organization
Improve organizational effectiveness and efficiency
As part of Goal 4, NRMRL will create business-process efficiencies and provide
more high-quality technical and administrative work by relying more intensively
on the skills and creativity of its staff. NRMRL will also improve methods for
tracking resources that identify outputs and outcomes to ensure that resources
are used effectively. In addition, NRMRL will institute a management procedure
to ensure and track consistent implementation of NRMRL's quality assurance
system.
Goal 5 Workforce
Develop a mission-focused, dedicated, and flexible workforce
NRMRL's strategic plan will provide solutions through an exceptional staff that
includes scientific and engineering, administrative, and managerial
professionals. The plan ensures the right skills are utilized in the right places
to carry out its mission and to be more efficient in doing so. The plan will also
improve methods to recognize the strengths and accomplishments of NRMRL
employees.
NRMRL will hire, retain, and develop the right talent as the "employer of first
choice" in a highly competitive marketplace. In order to fulfill its current and future
commitments, NRMRL will ensure that staff members are properly trained and
that workforce outcomes are met.
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Implementation
Once the strategic plan was completed, senior managers and division
representatives began working on annual division implementation plans. NRMRL
senior management identified 12 priority actions to focus on as a team. Each
NRMRL division has developed actions and performance measures to gauge
progress and communicate results. Continuing to focus energy on a well-defined
implementation process will enable NRMRL to turn a great plan into an
outstanding organization, and guarantee continued success over the coming
years.
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ORD Principles - Many People, One ORD
We are a unified organization built from the vision, talents, and
contributions of all our people. Each of us must be both a "steward
of the whole" and an advocate for each individual. We create a
work environment that empowers all employees with the personal
responsibility and the right to exercise their leadership skills and to
achieve their full potential in support of ORD's shared mission and
priorities. Toward that end, we commit ourselves, corporately and
individually, to the following principles:
1. We are environmental stewards.
2. We are a center of scientific excellence that informs
environmental decisions.
3. We actively seek out partnerships that advance the quality,
relevance, and impact of ORD's research.
4. We each exhibit leadership.
5. We trust each other and are worthy of each other's trust.
6. We communicate openly, honestly, and clearly.
7. We make informed decisions at the most local level possible.
8. We embrace our diverse perspectives.
9. We are accountable for our actions.
10. We recognize and celebrate our accomplishments.
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&EPA
k United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Cincinnati, OH 45268
www.epa.gov/NRMRL
EPA/600/F-08/007
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