ARTICLE Ⅰ-SCOPE
This Implementing Arrangement describes the cooperative scienti-
fic and technical activities to be undertaken by the American I-
nstitute in Taiwan (AIT) and its designated representative, the
Forecast Systems Laboratory (FSL) of the Environmental Research
Laboratories (ERL) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admi-
nistration (NOAA), to define the functional requirements for Ce-
ntral Facility and Workstation software, to initiate software d-
evelopment and to define training requirements for the Forecast
System being developed by the Joint Forecast Systems Project be-
tween the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) of Taiwan, the designated
representative of the Coordination Council for North American A-
ffairs (CCNAA), and NOAA/FSL.
ARTI CLE Ⅱ-AUTHORIZATION
The activities described in this Implementing Arrangement will
be carried out under the general terms and conditions establish-
ed by the Agreement between AIT and CCNAA for Technical Coopera-
tion in Meteorology and Forecast Systems Development. This Impl-
ementing Arrangement is hereby attached to that Agreement and b-
ecomes part of the Agreement.
ARTICLE Ⅲ-SERVICES
The Forecast System is comprised of two primary subsystems: a C-
entral Facility and a Forecaster Workstation Subsystem comprised
of an indeterminate number of forecaster workstations. The Fore-
cast System also has necessary communications between these sub-
systems and interfaces with existing sources of meteorological
data through the CWB Data Acquisition System and with distribut-
ion circuits that disseminate forecasts and warnings to various
users.
A detailed description of the Forecast System planned for the C-
WB is provided in the Project Implementation Plan for the Joint
Forecast System Project that was prepared as part of Implementi-
ng Arrangement #1 of this Agreement. Implementing Arrangement #2
of this Agreement provides for cooperation between FSL and the
CWB in the detailed planning and initial development of the For-
ecast System Central Facility hardware and software requirements
and for radar upgrades.
The activities described in this Implementing Arrangement are d-
irected to the definition of functional requirements for the Ce-
ntral Facility software; to the definition of functional requir-
ements and the initiation of software development for the forec-
aster workstation; and to planning for the training needed to a-
ccomplish the transfer of technology and capability to CWB. FSL
will provide both technical assistance and advisory support to
the CWB in areas where the CWB has the lead implementation resp-
onsibility. FSL will also work in collaboration with the CWB in
areas where FSL has the lead implementation responsibility. The-
se technical areas are:
‧ Functional Requirements for the Central Facility Software a-
nd Forecaster Display Products - The CWB has decided to deve-
lop the software for the new Central Facility internally, us-
ing CWB technical staff resources. Before this development c-
an commence, the CWB must understand fully the functional re-
quirements of the Central Facility and the nature of the sof-
tware designed to support it. To do this, the CWB will assign
technical staff to the Joint Team at NOAA/FSL to evaluate se-
aware that presently supports the FSL Central facility in vi-
ew of the CWB's planned Central Facility configuration.
On the basis of this evaluation the Joint Team will assemble
software and documentation that is applicable to CWB needs a-
nd will develop a preliminary software development plan that
CWB can use to begin its development effort. Although the CWB
has lead implementation responsibility, FSL will continue to
provide advice to the CWB as needed during the course of the
activity.
‧ Functional Requirements for the Forecaster Workstation - NOAA
/FSL is engaged in a major research and development program
directed toward bringing to operational status a UNM-based f-
orecaster workstation, and associated software and display p-
roducts. This is an ongoing activity, with major design deci-
sions scheduled for 1991. The CWB will participate in this p-
rogram and plans to base its workstation selection decisions
upon those of NOAA/FSL.
Accordingly, the cooperative activity under this Implementing
Arrangement will be to assign CWB technical staff to FSL to
par ticipate in the workstation development activity. These
staff will build upon their technical experience, will contr-
ibute to the technical effort, and will be responsible for c-
ontinuing development of the workstation upon their return to
the CWB.
On the basis of the development decisions taken, the Joint T-
eam will work with NOAA/FSL technical groups to develop a pr-
eliminary software development plan for the workstation that
will be used to begin the development effort. Although FSL h-
as the lead implementation responsibility for this activity,
the CWB is responsible for obtaining and integrating the new
workstations into the new CWB Forecast System.
‧ Initiation of Workstation Software Development - The worksta-
tion software development is a major undertaking that will e-
xtend beyond the scope of this Implementing Arrangement. It
is anticipated that the work will continue under subsequent
Implementing Arrangement(s). When the system design has been
finalized and the preliminary software development plan prep-
ared, interim milestones for the system development and impl-
ementation will be established.
‧ Establishment of a Training Plan - Training of CWB technical
staff is a critical element to the success of Joint Forecast
Systems Project. The successful transfer of new Forecast Sys-
tems science and technology, and its continued independent u-
se and development by the CWB, is dependent upon the capabil-
ity of the CWB and of its technical staff
The following types of training will likely be included in t-
he Training Plan:
- Training in the forecast techniques used in mesoscale nowc-
asting
- Training in the use of the Forecast Workstation
- Training in system operations
- Training in system maintenance
- Training providing design overview and software descriptio-
ns
- Configuration management procedures
Training requirements for the new systems science and techno-
logy are multidisciplinary in nature, and sources and types
of training will be varied. A systematic evaluation is requi-
red to understand the full scope of training requirements. T-
he results of this evaluation will be incorporated into a Fo-
recast System Project Training Plan that will be mutually ac-
cepted. The plan will include training requirements that fall
within the scope of the Forecast Systems Project, as well as
those that will be the responsibility of the CWB to arrange
internally, or from other outside sources.
ARTICLE IV-FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
A. In accordance with the Agreement, CCNAA will reimburse AIT f-
or all costs incurred by AIT, and its designated representat-
ive, NOAA/FSL, in association with this Implementing Arrange-
ment.
B. The total cost for activities described in this Implementing
Arrangement is mutually agreed to be US$400,000. It is also
agreed that fifty percent of the funds will be transferred in
advance and that the remaining 50 percent will be transferred
within thirty days of the acceptance of the final summary re-
port by CCNAA, and its designated representative, CWB.
ARTICLE V-INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CO NSIDERATIONS
No intellectual property considerations are expected to arise in
conjunction with activities described in this Implementing Arra-
ngement. Existing system designs and computer software for the
FSL Forecast System are public domain. Reports, specifications,
and computer software prepared under the terms of this Implemen-
ting Arrangement will also be public domain once they have been
approved in final form by NOAA, AIT, CCNAA, and the CFVB.
ARTICLE VI-EFFECTIVE DATE, AMENDMENT, AND TERMINATION
This Implementing Arrangement is effective on the date of the l-
ast signature hereafter. This Implementing Arrangement may be a-
mended and/or terminated in accordance with the terms of the Ag-
reement. The estimated completion date for activities described
in this Implementing Arrangement is June 30, 1991.
FOR THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE IN TAIWAN
(Signed)
Clarke N. Ellis
Deputy Managing Director
Date: January 22, 1991
FOR THE COORDINATION
COUNCIL
FOR NORTH AMERICAN AFFAIRS
(Signed)
Date: February 2. 1991
Statement of Work - For Implementing Arrangement #3
System Requirements and Initial
Development Activities To the Agreement
for Cooperation in Meteorology and
Forecast Systems Development Forecast
Systems Laboratory - Central Weather
Bureau Joint Forecast Systems Project
1.0 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
The Agreement between the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and
the Coordination Council for North American Affairs (CCNAA) pro-
vides for technical cooperation between the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration's Forecast Systems Laboratory (NOAA/
FSL) and the Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan (CWB) in meteorol-
ogy and forecast systems development. FSL is providing technical
advice to the CWB to improve CWB weather forecasting capabiliti-
es, particularly of mesoscale weather phenomena.
The new Forecast System that the CWB intends to implement is co-
mprised of two primary subsystems: a Central Facility; and, a F-
orecaster Workstation Subsystem comprised of an indeterminate n-
umber of forecaster workstations. The Forecast System also incl-
udes the necessary communications between these subsystems and
must interface with existing sources of meteorological date thr-
ough the CWB Data Acquisition System and with distribution circ-
uits that disseminate forecasts and warnings to various users.
A detailed description of the Forecast System planned for the C-
WB is provided in the Project Implementation Plan for the Joint
Forecast System Project that was prepared as part of Implementi-
ng Arrangement #1.of this Agreement.
Under Implementing Arrangement #2 to this Agreement FSL, has pr-
ovided CWB with assistance in evaluating requirements and provi-
ding technical information to be utilized in preparing the fimc-
tional specifications for the CWB's new Forecast System Central
Facility.
This Statement of Work (SOW) addresses the tasks that will be u-
ndertaken by the joint team of CWB and FSL personnel in accorda-
nce with the terms of Implementing Arrangement #3.
The CWB is in the process of procuring, from domestic vendors,
the hardware, systems software, maintenance and other technical
services associated with the new CWB Central Facility and forec-
aster workstations. The Central Facility and workstations will
be modeled after the systems that have been developed at FSL.
The CWB has decided to undertake the development of the Central
Facility soft-ware and Forecaster Display products internally,
using CWB technical staff resources. The Forecast Systems Labor-
atory will provide both technical assistance and advisory suppo-
rt to the CWB in this part of the system development. Before th-
is development can commence, the CWB must understand fully the
functional requirements of the Central Facility and the nature
of the software designed to support it.
In addition, the CWB will participate with FSL in FSL's ongoing
research and development program directed toward bringing to op-
erational status a forecaster workstation, and associated softw-
are and display products on a UNIX-based platform, and to base
its workstation selection decisions upon the FSL developments.
FSL will undertake the software development for the workstation,
with CWB participation
Training in all aspects of the new science and technology assoc-
iated with the Forecast System, its Central Facility and Workst-
ations is a critical element to the success of the technology t-
ransfer objectives of the Joint Forecast Systems Project. There-
fore, this SOW included the preparations of a training plan spe-
cifying all of the training activities required prior to operat-
ional use of the system.
The tasks will be accomplished by the CWB-FSL Joint Team working
at the FSL facility in Boulder, Colorado and at the CWB facility
in Taipei, Taiwan, as appropriate. The Joint Team will consist
of CWB personnel on both long and short term assignment to FSL,
and FSL staff from the project office and FSL technical units.
Accordingly, this Statement of Work addresses the tasks that wi-
ll be undertaken jointly by FSL and CWB under the terms of Impl-
ementing Arrangement #3 and establishes the performance schedule
, deliverables and resources requirements.
2.0 TASK DESCRIPTIONS
Implementing Arrangement #3, Article Ⅲ: Services, describes fo-
ur technical areas of activity:
‧ Definition of Functional Requirements for the Central Facil-
ity
‧ Definition of Functional Requirements for the Forecaster Wo-
rkstation
‧ Initiation of Workstation Software Development
‧ The Establishment of a Training Plan
The tasks described in this SOW address the requirements of each
of these areas and establish the separate and joint responsibil-
ities of FSL and the CWB.
Task 1. Definition of Functional Requirements for the Central F-
acility
A Central Facility Familiarization Class was provided by FSL st-
aff as part of Implementing Arrangement #2. This class provided
CWB development team leaders with a firm understanding of the f-
unctions and design features of the Central Facility that has b-
een developed by FSL.
The CWB development team leaders will continue to work with FSL
staff in Boulder, CO for 4 to 6 months after the the training c-
lass. The objective of their stay is to prepare a Central Facil-
ity Functional Requirements Document for the development activi-
ties that will be undertaken by CWB upon their return. The deve-
lopment plan may likely include:
‧ System design plans to the subroutine level
‧ Specifications of software programs and subroutines
‧ Schedules and staffing requirements for each development ta-
sk
As the system development proceeds, test and evaluation plans w-
ill, of course, also need to be prepared.
This plan will allow the orderly development of the Central Fac-
ility to begin when the development team leaders return from th-
eir stay at FSL. FSL support to the Central Facility Development
Effort will continue throughout the development, with FSL staff
members providing technical input as required, as well as techn-
ical suggestions on finished products. Specific FSL staff will
be identified who will continue to be available to support CWB
as needed.
The FSL role in Task 1 activities is largely advisory. CWB staff
will prepare the development plan and will undertake the develo-
pment. FSL staff Will give help and advice as requested.
During their stay at FSL, the CWB staff will also become famili-
ar with the installation and operation of all the FSL Central F-
acility software applicable to the CWB environment. This will be
accomplished by having the CWB staff take the Central Facility
software programs, break them down into subroutines and recombi-
ne them into a structure that will allow their use on a stand-a-
lone processor. Each new program would include all functions for
a particular data type. This process would completed for several
data types during the period of the CWB staff stay at FSL.
Performance Period: November through May 15,1990 through May 15,
1991, with continuing FSL support through J-
une 30,1991.
Resources required: staff/months
10 FSL Staff
15 CWB Joint Team
(While in Boulder)
Deliverables: The CWB Development Team, with FSL technical input
, will prepare the Central Facility Development P-
lan and compile existing source code and document-
ation used in the FSL real-time system. In additi-
on, Case Study Data Sets used by FSL researchers
will be provided to CWB.
Task2. Definition of Functional Requirements for the Forecaster
Workstation
FSL has been developing a UNIX - based Forecaster Workstation,
which will be used by the CWB. The basic functionality of the w-
orkstation has been completed, including the interface to the C-
entral Facility, the overall system configuration, product sele-
ction procedures, the capability to display all products availa-
ble, and the typical workstation functionality (Loop, zoom, roam
, etc.) There remains, however, a number of developments remain-
ing, as well as establishing specific features for operational
use by CWB. The definition of these requirements will be specif-
ied in the Functional Requirements Specification.
Performance Period: November 15,1990 through March 31, 1991
Resources required: staff/months
6 FSL Staff
6 CWB Joint Team
Deliverables: A Functional Requirements Specification
Task 3. Initiation of Workstation Software Development
Additional developments to the UNIX Workstation will begin as s-
oon as the functional requirements specification has progressed
to the point where specific tasks have been clearly identified.
Development tasks will be of two types:
‧ Tasks directed toward improving basic workstation capabilit-
ies, such as additional meteorological applications.
‧ Tasks directed toward tailoring the workstation for operati-
onal use within CWB.
Detailed development plans will be developed in Task 2, describ-
ed above.
During the initial operation of the workstation systems at CWB,
the principle use will be to allow CWB forecasters to be-come f-
amiliar with the operation of the workstation, as well as to ev-
aluate the impact of the system on operational forecast procedu-
res. For this purpose, the workstation software allowing delayed
real-time operation, along with case-study date-sets of severe
storms used by FSL researchers, will be provided for CWB use.
Performance Period: January 1 through June 30, 1991
Resources required: staff/months
16 FSL Staff
20 CWB Joint Team
Deliverables: Interim progress on the workstation softw are dev-
elopment. In addition,existing workstation source code and docu-
mentation and case-study datasets will be provided.
Task 4. Establishment of a Training Plan
The implementation of a Forecast Workstation System into the Ce-
ntral Weather Bureau forecast operations is an advancement that
is, of course, expected to significantly improve the forecast c-
apabilities of the CWB. It will, however, have a major impact on
operational activities within CWB. Thus it is important that CWB
staff be properly trained in the installation, operation, maint-
enance, use, and design of the system.
The Training Plan will identify all of the types of training and
employee development activities necessary to bring the CWB staff
to the level when they can effectively use and maintain the For-
ecast Workstation System. The following types of training will
likely be included in the Training Plan:
‧Forecaster training in the forecast techniques and procedures
used in mesoscale nowcasting
‧Forecaster training in the use of the Forecast Workstation
‧Operations training in system operations and diagnostic proc-
edures
‧Maintenance training in system hardware and software mainten-
ance
‧Software development and maintenance training providing a de-
sign overview and subroutine-level software descriptions
‧Configuration management procedures
As part of the planning of the project training program broader
issues involving the impact of the Forecast System on the CWB m-
ust be considered. For example, in considering training of oper-
ations and maintenance staff, the question naturally arises as
to whether round-the-clock staffing is required. This then leads
to staffing requirements, education and experience required, and
how this staff fit into the overall organization. These issues
go be-yond the training questions, but show that the planning of
the training program is a time when CWB must start addressing t-
hese issues.
Performance Period: January 1 through April 30, 1991
Resources required: staff/months
4 FSL Joint Team
6 CWB Joint Team
Deliverables: Project Training Plan
3.0 SCHEDULE
Work will be performed between November 1,1990 and June 30,1991
at the FSL facility in Boulder, Colorado. If necessary, FSL per-
sonnel will visit the CWB facility in Taipei, Taiwan, for furth-
er consultations during the course of the work. As part of the
ongoing activities, preparation of Implementing Arrangement #4
for the project activities for the period of July 1, 1991 to Ju-
ne 30, 1992 should be completed by June 1, 1991.
Functions Completion
Date
───────────────────────────────
Task 1 a) Definition of Functional 1/1 5/91
Requirements for the
Central Facility
b) Complete Central Facility 5/15/91
Development Plan
c) Initial Central Facility 6/30/91
Development by CWB
Task 2 ‧ Definition of Functional 3/31/91
Requirements for the
Forecaster Workstation
Task 3 ‧ Initiation of Workstation 6/30/91
Software Development
Task 4 ‧ Establishment of a 4/30/91
Training Plan
Schedule by Month
10/1 11/1 12/1 1/1 2/1 3/1 4/1 5/1 6/1 6/30
─────────────────────────
Task 1 a) ─────﹥
b) ────────﹥
c) ────﹥
Task 2 ────────﹥
Task 3 ───────────﹥
Task 4 ───────﹥
A Joint Management Progress Review is scheduled for early April
1991 either at Boulder, Colorado or in Taipei. A site visit to
the CWB to review Central Facility Development progress will al-
so be scheduled.
4.0 BUDGET
As stated in Implementing Arrangement 3, funds available for the
tasks described in this SOW will be US$400,000.
All budget figures are estimates. Actual amounts will be accrued
for purposed of fulfilling the financial arrangements described
in the Implementing Arrangement, in accordance with the terms of
the Agreement.
All programs within the Forecast Systems Laboratory use the same
budget procedures, whether they are base-funded programs or ext-
ernally-funded programs. In FY'91 a fixed rate facility charge
is applied to all program funds to cover, management, administr-
ative and indirect costs, and the use of the FSL facility and a-
ll of the equipment and data associated with it. This fee is pr-
ojected to be 40% of the project budget and covers the following
Laboratory over-head costs for both FSL and CWB employees at FSL
:
‧Management and Administrative Costs - 5%
‧Use of the FSL Computer Facility (Operation and Maintenance)-
20%
‧Additions to the FSL Computer Facility to meet new Laboratory
needs - 15%
FSL staff time is charged at the employees salary plus the norm-
al NOAA benefit, leave and overhead charge. FSL professional st-
aff are primarily in the government grade scales of GS-11 to GS-
14. Contract staff are in equivalent categories. Actual charges
to a project are based on the salary of the individual staff as-
signed to the project. For budgeting purposes, we have found th-
at using an average salary and overhead of $6,000 per person-mo-
nth for each FSL staff member assigned to the project provides a
good initial estimate. The projected costs for each task identi-
fied in Table 1 are based on these figures.
Travel of FSL personnel will be performed in accordance with st-
andard U.S. Government regulations and rates.
Charges for report reproduction, express deliver, shipping and
miscellaneous expenses will be at actual cost.
Table 1 - 1991 Budget Estimates*
FSL Personnel Cost by Task Seaffing Cost
FSL CWB** ($000)
(Person-months)
1. Definition of Functional Requirements 10 15 100
for the Central Facility Software and
Forecaster Display Products
2. Definition of Functional Requirements 6 6 60
for the Forecaster Workstation
3. Initiation of Workstation Software D- 16 20 160
evelopment
4. Establishment of a Training Plan Oth- 4 6 50
er Charges ───────────
Subtotal 36 47 360
Other Charges
FSL Travel to Taiwan (4 trips x 14 days 25
each), & 1 trip to Monterey, CA
Publication, Communications, Misc. 15
TOTAL 400
──────
* Including FSL facility user fees as discussed in Section 4.0
** Costs include use of all FSL facilities by CWB staff
5.0 CWB JOINT TEAM ASSIGNMENTS TO FSL
CWB staff will be actively involved in the FSL activities. This
includes both participation in the training activities (Training
class and training plan) and the Work-station planning and deve-
lopment. The following CWB staff are scheduled for long-term wo-
rkstations at the FSL facilities:
3/90-4/91 CWB On-Site Coordinator
10/90-10/91 Meteorologist Analyst
11/90-5/91 Software Manager/DBMS Manager
11/90-5/91 Lead Central Facility Programmer/Analysts(2)
11/90-11/91 Workstation Programmers(a)