August 7, 2009


MEMORANDUM FOR:	W. Craig Fugate
		Administrator

FROM:			Dr. G. Kemble Bennett
Chairman, National Advisory Council

SUBJECT:	Recommendations on the role of the NRF and the NRF Revision Process   

At the July 2009 meeting, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Advisory Council’s (NAC) National Response Framework (NRF) Subcommittee discussed and provided recommendations on the nature of the NRF as a document and how that may impact work on the NRF Partner Guides.  The NRF Subcommittee also provided recommendations on the NRF Review and Revision process outline document.  On July 29, the full Council voted unanimously to send these recommendations to the Administrator.

Recommendation:
* The Subcommittee considers the National Response Framework (NRF) to be doctrine and, therefore, should be underpinned by a federal response plan that is shared with non-federal partners. 

* The Subcommittee believes the NRF Partner Guides are not applicable to doctrine and the Subcommittee recommends FEMA reassess the need for the Partner Guides

* The Subcommittee has reviewed the FEMA provided NRF Review and Revision outline document and will continue to be involved in the revision process. The Subcommittee would like to provide the following recommendations on this outline: 
o Suggests that objectives be added to each phase of the outline document
o As indicated in the outline document, FEMA should provide updates to the NAC at the conclusion of each phase of the revision process 
o Suggests that additional language on any preliminary analysis be followed-up on in later phases 
o It is recommended that the NAC be added as a formal point of review in Phase 4 of the revision process




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                  National Advisory Council


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