From: Steven Aftergood [[email protected]] Date: Mon, Jun 15, 2015 at 1:27 PM Subject: suggestion for the third NAP To: [email protected] Dear OSTP OpenGov program: This is a proposal for the third Open Government Partnership (OGP) National Action Plan (NAP). We propose a new initiative to promote public access to unclassified intelligence products. Specifically, we propose that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) Open Source Center (OSC) be directed to systematically publish open source analytical products that are unclassified and non-copyrighted. The justifications for this proposal include the following: * Release of unclassified open source intelligence analyses would enrich the public sphere, helping to inform the interested public on matters of current policy interest. * Public access to open source intelligence can foster improved government performance by enabling improved participation by and collaboration with independent, non-governmental experts. * At a time of widespread public cynicism concerning U.S. intelligence agencies, a regular program of publishing quality open source intelligence reports would promote a new appreciation for the role of intelligence. The proposal is consistent with the OGP guidance for creating National Action Plans. It is ambitious, exceeding current policy and practice, but it is also achievable. It would not require the production of any new analytical products. Instead, all that would be needed is a commitment to release existing reports that are unclassified and non-copyrighted. The marginal costs involved should be small or negligible. It is relevant, as all intelligence is relevant to public and national interests. And in many cases, such open source analyses are potentially responsive to public demand. As a point of reference, the CIA World Factbook is among the most popular government documents ever published. It is specific, requiring prescribed actions by the ODNI Open Source Center that are applicable to a particular subset of intelligence records. And it is measurable. OSC generates a steady stream of unclassified analyses that would be subject to the proposal. Their publication, and their subsequent utilization by the press and by researchers, will be quantifiable. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Steven Aftergood Federation of American Scientists 1725 DeSales Street NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036