An Economic Benefit is a dollar value of all financial/contractual transactions, capacity investments and increases in sales to MBEs via the asisstance of MBDA programs, services and resources.

A winter storm warning provides NOAA customers and partners advanced notice of a hazardous winter weather event that endangers life or property, or provides an impediment to commerce. Winter storm warnings are issued for winter weather phenomena like blizzards, ice storms, heavy sleet, and heavy snow. This performance indicator measures the accuracy of winter storm events.

Improving the accuracy and advance warnings of winter storms enables the public to take the necessary steps to prepare for disruptive winter weather conditions.

The public, private sectors, emergency managers, and government institutions at all levels in this country and abroad use NOAA tropical cyclone forecasts to make decisions regarding the protection of life and property. This measure represents the difference between the projected intensity of these storms and the actual intensity in knots (kt) for Atlantic Basin tropical cyclones (i.e., tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes).

* Annual Hurricane Season begins June 1 and ends November 30. The final values are produced after a verification and validation period.

The measure is validated by computing the average difference (error) for all the 48-hour forecasts occurring during a calendar year. Because tropical cyclones are relatively rare events, this measure can show significant annual volatility. Projecting the long-term trend, and basing out-year goals on that trend, is preferred over making large upward or downward changes to the targets each year.

This measures the accuracy of wave height forecasts, which are important for marine commerce. Accuracy is defined in terms of error. For the Day 1 wave height forecast, errors less than 2 feet are defined as accurate. Since FY 2014, a higher threshold of forecast errors has been used to define correct forecasts whenever higher waves have occurred. Hence, all wave height forecasts with errors less than (4 feet, 6 feet) are accurate forecasts when the observed wave height equals or exceeds (10 feet, 20 feet) respectively. This measure uses complex skill scores to analyze individual wave height components.

For the Day 1 wave height forecast, errors less than 2 feet are defined as accurate. Since FY 2014, a higher threshold of forecast errors has been used to define correct forecasts whenever higher waves have occurred. Hence, all wave height forecasts with errors less than (4 feet, 6 feet) are accurate forecasts when the observed wave height equals or exceeds (10 feet, 20 feet) respectively.

This measure uses complex skill scores to analyze individual wave height components.

Changes to regime control lists have been agreed to by the members of the multilateral regimes, who are the U.S. export control partners. If those changes result in tighter controls, they must be implemented to address national security or proliferation concerns, and if they result in liberalizations, they must be implemented to ensure that U.S. industry is not disadvantaged vis-à-vis our allies. Therefore, it is important to refer the draft multilateral changes for interagency review in three months or less from plenary meeting dates in order to meet our multilateral obligations, maximize U.S. competitiveness, and enable economic growth for American industries, workers, and consumers. Effective and efficient adaptation of export controls advances responsible economic growth and trade while protecting American security.

This measure is the percentage of applications reviewed meeting the criteria for decision making conducted on random sample of applications including first office actions to determine the soundness of decision-making under the Trademark Act.

The formula-driven calculation projects investment data at 3, 6, and 9 year intervals from the investment award. The formula is based on a study done by Rutgers University, which compiled and analyzed the performance of EDA construction investments after 9 years. This approach was reviewed and validated by third-party analysis conducted by Grant Thornton in 2008. Based on this formula and a review of EDA's historical results, EDA estimates that 40% of the 9-year projection would be realized after 3 years, 75% after 6 years, and 100% after 9 years.

The number of new and existing minority business enterprises (MBE) assisted through an MBDA program. A MBE is a business enterprise that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more socially or economically disadvantaged individual; and the management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more socially or economically disadvantaged individuals.