The Role of Commercialization in IOOS and the Regional Associations

In just a few short years, the Integrated Oceanographic Observing System (IOOS) has made significant progress towards the ambitious goals laid out for it. In addition to a number of operational successes, it has made notable strides in outreach to and inclusion of the oceanographic enterprise and user base. The program and its Regional Associations (RAs) have been consistent in their advocacy for a diverse membership, actively courting both providers and end users as members, including federal, state, and local governments; universities and research institutions; private sector businesses; and individual consumers. The products and services provided under the IOOS/RA umbrella have been primarily provided free of charge to the end user. This reflects the program's genesis as a government-funded entity, but with the fiscal constraints anticipated for the future, it is unlikely that government-only funding will be able to address all of the identified requirements. The author proposes that IOOS and the RAs embrace commercialization as a primary goal of the program and consider the use of end user fees as a means of providing additional resources to support the oceanography enterprise. In addition, a relatively loose organizational structure has served the RAs and their member organizations well in its initial years, allowing maximum flexibility, independence, and the ability to take advantage of pre-existing regional strengths. However, as the program matures, a more formalized structure and allocation of responsibilities is appropriate. The author offers an option for how to assign roles and responsibilities in order to take best advantage of the strengths of the different types of member organizations.