Strategic Analysis and Communication

ERT delivers strategic analysis and communication services to Federal government clients. We specialize in communications, outreach, and writing solutions; special event, graphics, web development, and maintenance functions; and education support. Our services include comprehensive internal and external communications support – ensuring that program and agency strategic vision are completely and accurately presented to stakeholders.

• Communication Strategy Support: ERT staff has considerable background developing and implementing comprehensive and integrated communications plans to support NASA and industry which have included key messages, audiences, frequency, methods, and tactics used to inform and educate various groups and individuals to build long-term relationships. A variety of products including: brochures, fact sheets, presentations, press releases, video, websites, social media, etc. are created to advance and augment the communication goals and objectives.
• Outreach Program Support: ERT currently performs message synthesis, writing and editorial support for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Ocean Services (NOS) publications. We work with NOS program leaders to develop communication platforms and messaging to provide publications that are timely, topical, interesting to a variety of age groups, and illustrated with compelling images. We ensure that facts are correctly stated and give attribution to contributors. We monitor audience response and prepare reports to target specific audiences, accounting for age, culture, scientific background, and objective. To develop feedback on product use, we track hits and issue surveys. We are actively involved in promoting use of materials through social media.
  
  Additionally, ERT staff has direct experience in overseeing NASA outreach efforts at its headquarters and at the Marshall Space Flight Center supporting program and staff offices. Such work has been cited by agency and center leadership for its exemplary efforts. ERT staff has helped develop strategic outreach and communications plans and message development for various audiences at the agency and Center levels. Our staff has also developed written material and focused special outreach events to explain and promote interest in the missions, programs, economic impact, technology transfer, education and operations of NASA for a wide array of audiences including elected officials, academia, industry and the public. Further, ERT staff has been leaders in developing strategic outreach and communication plans for both space advocacy groups and industry.
• Community Outreach: As part of a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study and Geophysical Investigation in Washington, DC for the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), ERT educates the public of the site’s hazards and remediation efforts through door to door canvassing, weekly newsletter generation and distribution, and monthly public Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) meetings. RAB meetings include stakeholders from the Environmental Protection Agency, DC Department of Health and Environment, American University, USACE Baltimore, USACE Huntsville, and project team technical staff including ERT geologists and geophysicists. ERT created and manned a 24x7 hotline number for residents to contact project personnel for after-hours emergencies. ERT developed three-step safety magnets for different target audiences including pedestrians, drivers, Spanish speakers and children, and distributed the information. ERT staff has direct experience in overseeing NASA community outreach efforts at the Marshall Space Flight Center for local, state, and regional areas. ERT staff has overseen a comprehensive integrated liaison activity for NASA to diverse audiences of community leaders, chambers of commerce, space advocacy groups and the public.
• Stakeholder Support: We provide NOS with administrative and outreach support to maintain and increase involvement of current and new stakeholders, including tracking and monitoring stakeholder activities, identifying opportunities to expand partnership activities, and reaching out to ocean-related organizations in recreation, industry, commerce and environmental areas. ERT staff also has extensive experience leading NASA stakeholder research and analysis activities identifying key issues and trends to consider in communication activities. Our personnel have completed several special studies focusing on impacts from legislative and budget processes and language, along with drafting responses to Congressional Inquiries, GAO study input. Such information has been presented to senior NASA officials.
• Congressional Outreach: On behalf of NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), we develop and maintain a contact plan that identifies members of congress and staffers critical to relevant legislation. We develop an active program that develops and coordinates materials and briefings, scheduled and unscheduled events, and tracks voting records and other indicators of success in forming opinion. We monitor congressional activities and policy task forces. ERT staff has also performed political analysis to develop and implement a communication outreach plan for key NASA stakeholders. We have drafted integrated economic impact reports and materials to emphasize connections to local, regional and national areas. Our personnel has extensive experience facilitating positive relationships with Congressional members, personal and committee staff, Governors, and other state and local officials from government and industry perspectives. Further, we have maintained Congressional files and also developed and maintained a stakeholder and advocacy database to analyze interests, concerns, positions, and statements focused on policy development.
• Media Monitoring and Analysis: ERT currently monitors approximately 8,200 news clippings per year directly related to NOS and 12,000 which mention its programs. Clippings of specific relevance to current programs and projects are then used to formulate reports on current media trends. Our staff experts proactively review and analyze media articles, editorials, speeches, interviews, releases, and reports from various publications and sites to provide our customers and stakeholders senior level insight to current activities.
• Special Event Support: ERT produces live broadcasts to classrooms, museums, and viewers worldwide for NOS. Live productions involve divers interacting with students in classrooms or topside hosts and researchers. We have supported Oceans Live, Aquarius Undersea Lab, BLUE Film Festival, and special projects related to the Water Quality Team, the Coral Reef Restoration Team, and Fish Tagging Annual Survey. ERT also leverages new media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter to promote special events and communicate with participants during events. ERT staff has also developed written information and presentations of policy or posture for use by senior NASA officials to external audiences at conferences, meetings, business, academia, and job fair functions. We have also executed site visits and protocol events for special guests including Congressional members, their staff and other elected officials and dignitaries. Such activities included coordinating agendas, schedules, protocol, logistical, and other preparations and reviewed efforts of other team members. Also, we have engaged leaders working with NASA, Marshall Center, and industry officials on public functions supporting the Agency’s mission.
• Web Development and Utilization: ERT has developed and operates websites for several offices in the NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS). Our web developers create intriguing and user-friendly portals for agencies to share scientific data with the public. Additionally, we employ Web 2.0 techniques to attract more attention to NESDIS websites and prominently place scientific data in search engine results. Our staff has vast experience writing articles and notices for websites of industry partners and space advocacy groups.
• Education Program Support: ERT currently provides support to NOS in a highly networked environment to develop and nurture relationships with educational groups, including maintaining awareness of current pedagogical methods and state and national educational standards and curricula. We remain fully aware, via conferences and educational journals, of enhancements in technology, visualizations, animations and other techniques that facilitate effective teaching. We incorporate these enhancements in distributions to teachers and students, producing quality, compelling materials. ERT staff also has many years of experience working with NASA HQ and MSFC education offices on STEM programs and events across the country.
• Evaluating Educational Activities: ERT develops assessment metrics and goal-specific outcomes of NOS educational programs. We assist with buy/build decisions for any new delivery technology or multimedia products, working with NOS to develop cost-effectiveness assessments, and developing training materials with spiral development and test use cases. We then train potential users/educators to ensure successful rollout and follow up with effectiveness evaluations.
• Graphics Designs and Standards: ERT works closely with NOS to develop an initial concept, standards, guidance, and branding strategy for products including Sanctuary Watch, accomplishment reports, condition reports, rack cards, brochures, newsletters, and other program materials. Standards go through several revisions before receiving buy-in by the HQ Best Practices Team. Standards are then presented to the Graphic Standards Working Group in sections via conference calls. Changes, additions, and complete redesigns are made according to the working groups guidance. We make graphic templates in several programs (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) for everyone in the system to utilize.