2. Allocates and reprograms resources as required to meet approved objectives in accordance with delegated authority.

3. Manages the day-to-day operations of the Center in support of program roles and missions.

4. Assures the safety, reliability, maintainability, and quality assurance for facilities, operations, functions, and products of the Center.

5. Participates with Headquarters in the continual development of NASA policies and the review of NASA programs.

Each NASA Center Director acquires his/her institutional resources (personnel, facilities, etc.) from and reports to an Institutional Associate Administrator, who, because each center may work on many different programs, may or may not be the same as the Program Associate Administrator. Each Institutional Associate Administrator, in addition to any program responsibilities he or she might have:

1. Develops strategic plans consistent with the NASA strategic plan to define institutional goals and objectives and establish institutional priorities.

2. Allocates and reprograms resources as required to meet approved objectives in accordance with delegated authority.

3. Provides direction, leadership, and support to reporting Centers in order to maintain the infrastructure, as well as the technical and management capabilities commensurate with their roles and missions within the Agency.

4. Provides leadership and policy guidance to reporting Centers regarding the assignment of projects from all Program Offices, including the assurance of program-level documentation committing sufficient institutional resources to adequately support the assigned projects.

The program, institutional, and center relationships most relevant to the science programs are:

1. The AA for MTPE is the Institutional AA for GSFC. GSFC has a major role in the Space Science Program, as well as the MTPE Program.

2. The AA for SS is the Institutional AA for JPL (a contract “center”). JPL has a significant role in the MTPE Program, as well as the Space Science Program.

3. Other centers having significant involvement with the indicated NASA science programs, and their respective institutional AA's, are:

The Program and Institutional Associate Administrators report to the NASA Administrator, who:

1. Serves as the Agency head in carrying out the mission of the Agency and conducting all of its activities.

2. Represents NASA before the President, Congress, and the heads of Federal or other appropriate governmental agencies, external organizations, and communities.

3. Serves as the final Agency decisionmaker concerning all NASA activities, except as may be specified by law, regulation, Presidential directive, or delegated authority.