THE WELCH COMPANY
440 Davis Court #1602
San Francisco, CA 94111-2496
415 781 5700





March 15, 1999                                                                       03 00050 61 99031501



Mr. Roy Roebuck
Science Applications
International Corporation (SAIC)
10260 Campus Point Drive
San Diego, CA  92121

Subject:  NSF Grant planning and scope

Dear Roy,

Your letter on Mar 14, spawned some questions, set out as Action Items, which takes up your offer of assistance. A few weeks ago a colleague sent a paper that supports Communication Metrics as good science. The NSF effort can test and develop this potential. It appears that proposals are due by Jun 9, 1999, so we need a schedule to meet that deadline, beginning with a statement of our objective or thesis. Once that is accomplished, or in parallel, we need to write up our agreement, and determine whether more team members are needed to tackle this thing, who is going to do what and when. Then we have to turn out the work.

Apart from NSF, we might explore joining forces on commercializing our vision of automated management (see POIMS). That seems to be the thrust of your help on improving SDS and the marketing scenario. I would welcome the opportunity. Since we both have inroads in the military, this might be explored toward achieving a solid base of experience showing usefulness and cost savings.

Finally, an innovative mind can become an isolated mind, too narrowly focused; so, we need to be ready to accomodate differences between us about details and emphasis.

Sincerely,

THE WELCH COMPANY



Rod Welch