Date: Tue, 25 Mar 1997 18:03:09 -0600
From jb@ncsa.uiuc.edu Tue Mar 25 19:05:36 1997
To: csteams@newton.ncsa.uiuc.edu, atteams@newton.ncsa.uiuc.edu,
        eotpaci@newton.ncsa.uiuc.edu, rp@newton.ncsa.uiuc.edu
Subject: almost there...

Dear Partner.

We're down to the final days.  The NSB meets on Thursday to review the PACI
recommendations and will make its decision shortly after a 3-5 pm closed
session.  We are hopeful to hear the results by 5:45 pm eastern time.  We
will immediately send the results to you via email.  We are following NSF's
lead on the press announcement. NSF is preparing a press release which the 
NCSA home page will link to. We will keep you advised.

If the recommendations are upheld by the Board on Thursday, we will then be
able to begin budget negotiations with the NSF. Hopefully, we will have a
good handle on the budget details by the end of April.   

Also, we will be scheduling another "all hands" meeting in mid-May.  Will
have dates on this meeting for you later this week.

This has been a long process and we appreciate your patience.

Stay tuned.

Jim Bottum


jim-I wonder if it wouldnt be good to send a watered down version of the
message I sent out to the PACIEX this morning out to the all-hands?  They
may feel left out at not being mentioned in the backgrounder, so we need to
set their expectations that NSF will now be able to begin negotiations and
hopefully by the end of april we will have a better idea as to the total
budget and who the full range of partners are.  Dont want to scare them, so
basically send a feel good message with a little of the nsf timetable in
it.  OK?  You can run a draft by me first if you want.