[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 14, Volume 5]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 14CFR1213.103]

[Page 89-90]
 
                     TITLE 14--AERONAUTICS AND SPACE
 
                   CHAPTER V--NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND
                          SPACE ADMINISTRATION
 
PART 1213_RELEASE OF INFORMATION TO NEWS AND INFORMATION MEDIA--Table of Contents
 
Sec.  1213.103  Responsibilities.

    (a) The Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs is responsible 
for developing and administering an integrated Agency-wide 
communications program, establishing Agency public affairs policies and 
priorities, and coordinating and reviewing the performance of all Agency 
public affairs activities. The Assistant Administrator will develop 
criteria to identify which news releases and other types of public 
information will be issued nationwide by NASA Headquarters. Decisions to 
release public information nationwide by NASA Headquarters will be made 
by the Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs or his/her designee.
    (b) NASA's Mission Directorate Associate Administrators and Mission 
Support Office heads have ultimate responsibility for the technical, 
scientific, and programmatic accuracy of all information that is related 
to their respective programs and released by NASA.
    (c) Under the direction of the Assistant Administrator for Public 
Affairs, Public Affairs Officers assigned to Mission Directorates are 
responsible for the timely and efficient coordination of public 
information covering their respective programs. This coordination 
includes review by appropriate Mission Directorate officials. It also 
includes editing by public affairs staff to ensure that public 
information products are well written and appropriate for the intended 
audience. However, such editing shall not change scientific or technical 
data or the meaning of programmatic content.
    (d) Center Public Affairs Directors are responsible for implementing 
their portion of the Agency's communications program, adhering to Agency

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policies, procedures, and priorities, and coordinating their activities 
with Headquarters (and others where appropriate). They are responsible 
for the quality of public information prepared by Center Public Affairs 
Officers. They also are responsible for the day-to-day production of 
public information covering their respective Center activities, which 
includes obtaining the necessary Center concurrences and coordinating, 
as necessary, with the appropriate Headquarters Public Affairs Officers.
    (e) Center Directors have ultimate responsibility for the accuracy 
of public information that does not require the concurrence of 
Headquarters. See Sec.  1213.104(d).
    (f) All NASA employees are required to coordinate, in a timely 
manner, with the appropriate Public Affairs Officers prior to releasing 
information that has the potential to generate significant media or 
public interest or inquiry.
    (g) All NASA Public Affairs Officers are required to notify the 
appropriate Headquarters Public Affairs Officers, in a timely manner, 
about activities or events that have the potential to generate 
significant media or public interest or inquiry.
    (h) All NASA public affairs employees are expected to adhere to the 
following code of conduct:
    (1) Be honest and accurate in all communications.
    (2) Honor publication embargoes.
    (3) Respond promptly to media requests, and respect media deadlines.
    (4) Act promptly to notify the public of, and correct, erroneous 
information, either internally or externally.
    (5) Promote the free flow of scientific and technical information.
    (6) Protect non-public information.
    (i) All NASA employees are responsible for adhering to plans 
(including schedules) for activities established by public affairs 
offices and senior management for the coordinated release of public 
information.
    (j) All NASA-funded missions will have a public affairs plan, 
approved by the Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs, which will 
be managed by Headquarters and/or a designated NASA Center.
    (k) Public affairs activities for NASA-funded missions will not be 
managed by non-NASA institutions, unless authorized by the Assistant 
Administrator for Public Affairs.