Introduction

The Office of Surface Mining’s (OSM) Core Leadership Team (CLT) approved the formation of the National Technology Transfer Team (NTTT).  OSM’s Mid Continent Regional Director is the executive sponsor for the NTTT.  We, the NTTT members, developed this Charter in a collaborative fashion to serve all of OSM’s customers.  We will modify it as needed in consultation with the CLT.

Definition of Terms

Core Leadership Team (CLT): OSM’s Director, Chief of Staff, Deputy Director, 2 Assistant Directors, and 3 Regional Directors.

Executive Sponsor: The MCRCC Regional Director.

National Technology Transfer Team (NTTT): OSM Team members or their alternates will be appointed by the appropriate Regional Director or Directorate.  IMCC and WIEB members will be appointed by their Executive Directors or their designated representative.  Members include:

• Appalachian Regional Coordinating Center (ARCC): Lois Uranowski
• Headquarter PSD (HQ): John Craynon
• Interstate Mining Compact Commission (IMCC): Greg Conrad
• Mid-Continent Regional Coordinating Center (MCRCC): Kimery  Vories
• National Technical Training Program (NTTP): Sarah Donnelly
• Technical Innovation and Professional Services (TIPS): Billie Clark
• Western Interstate Energy Board (WIEB): Dave Berry
• Western Regional Coordinating Center: Duane Matt

OSM Customers and the OSM Technical Transfer Community include:

• States/Tribes/OSM Staff
• Industry/Consultants/Public
• Other Federal/State Agencies
• Universities

NTTT Team Leader: Kimery Vories
(Current NTTT Team Leader – Three year term beginning January 1, 2006)

Technology Transfer Program (TT):  Activities and products include:

• Publications of Forum Proceedings and Workshops
• CDs and Videos
• Information Websites
• Brochures and literature
• NTTP Program
• TIPS Program
• IMCC Benchmarking
• Technical Interactive Forums and Workshops

1. Intent

Our intent is to have the team function to ensure:

• Coordination of National Level Technology Transfer Activities
• A forum to discuss and bring issues on technology transfer (TT) to closure.
• OSM TT resources are used efficiently and effectively.
• A partnership with management that:
  - Ensures that OSM’s TT functions meet our customers’ needs, and
  - Markets the TT function.
• A resource for executive policy makers on TT
• National TT objectives are the result of regional objectives or CLT initiatives

• To determine what can be done in terms of what is effective, practical, and achievable
• To learn about program needs and how to communicate effectively with our customers
• To learn about the TT process from other agencies
• To clarify responsibilities in the TT community as they apply to OSM nationally.
• To tie policy to reality—to ground the TT products in reality (check with the customer)
• To harness the knowledge and strengths of the TT community
• To create for the OSM TT community a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities, lines of communication, and unified plans of actions to accomplish our goals

2. Purpose

Our purpose is to provide a forum to guide national OSM TT activities and coordinate and communicate regional TT activities.  To accomplish this, we, in cooperation with TT professionals at all levels of OSM, will:

1. Identify and recommend national OSM TT priorities based on regional needs and CLT initiatives
2. Coordinate national TT activities
3. Ensure that OSM’s national TT planning initiatives fully address the current and future needs of the regions and directorates and support OSM’s missions, goals and Strategic Plan
4. Identify and analyze requirements, projects, and issues, and provide recommendations to the Core Leadership Team for significant TT concerns and activities
5. Promote a broader understanding of and support for TT in OSM

3. Executive Sponsor

OSM’s Mid-Continent Regional Director is the team’s executive sponsor.  The Regional Director will:

• Actively support the team by:
  - Responding to issues/concerns
  - Acting as an advisor
  - Being an advocate for the team and its causes
  - Helping to acquire resources
• Provide feedback to the team regarding NTTT activities 
• Provide guidance to the team

4. Decision Making

We will make team decisions by consensus.  All team members, or their alternates, must be present.   If everyone is not in complete agreement on a particular decision, we will use the "everyone-can-live-with it" approach as a means to achieve consensus.  If we are still unable to make a decision, we will forward the issue to the Executive Sponsor who will, in turn, present it to the Core Leadership Team.

5.  Team Member Responsibilities

All team members and their alternatives:

are expected to attend meetings or conference calls; a designated alternate must attend if a team member cannot be present are the point-of-contact for his/her organization; in the case of OSM, represents the Assistant/Regional and Field Office Directors and/or business line managers will communicate NTTT activities to appropriate managers, TT staff, and the States

• will raise issues that are of national concern to OSM’s TT program
• are prepared for meetings
• will provide candid input
• will work for the good of OSM TT
• will share administrative chores as agreed upon by NTTT (e.g., minutes, assignments, and team leadership)
• will complete projects and tasks within agreed time frames
• will assist the Team Leader and Executive Sponsor in briefings to the CLT, if requested

6.  Team Leader Responsibilities

The Team Leader is expected to:

• Prepare meeting agendas in advance
• Facilitate meetings and keep the team on topic
• Keep the team focused on moving toward solutions
• Provide leadership and management
• Provide a clear vision of the team’s purpose and direction
• be responsible to insure that team records (e.g., meeting notes, reports, briefings) are maintained and monitors action items
• Represent the team in other related meetings
• Function as team liaison with executive sponsor
• Encourage attendance and participation by all team members
• Serve for a three year term

7.   Team Recorder

The Team Recorder is expected to:

• Record the actions of each team meeting
• Ensure that appropriate meeting documents are circulated to the team members
• Ensure that the team leader has copies of all team documents

Serves at the direction of the team.

8.  Meetings

The team will have regular monthly conference calls and will meet as necessary and agreed upon by the team.

Minutes will be taken at all meetings.  The minutes will be short, discussion-oriented, and in a “Topic-Discussion-Decision” format.  The minute taker will distribute draft minutes electronically for review by the team.  The Team Leader will post the final minutes on OSM’s Intranet NTTT web page. 

The Team Leader is responsible for compiling and distributing an agenda to each team member prior to each meeting.  Members are responsible for submitting agenda items to the Team Leader.

9.  Coordination with OSM TT Staff

The NTTT members will coordinate any TT tasks, assignments, and team formations with the TT staff of their respective regions/offices/organizations.   This includes gathering TT information; commenting on draft OSM or DOI policies; or other tasks/assignments related to TT activities.