BLEDSOE, RALPH C.: Files, 1981-1982 – REAGAN LIBRARY COLLECTIONS

This collection has been reviewed by the Reagan Library staff and it is available for research. You may access this collection in our research room. There is no need to file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for any of the contents of this collection.

BLEDSOE, RALPH C.: Files, 1981-1982

Office of Planning and Evaluation, Associate Director, 1981-1982

Office of Policy Development, 1982-1985 – see separate inventory

Special Assistant to the President, Executive Secretary, Domestic Policy Council, 1985-1988 – see separate inventory

Biography

A native of Waco, Texas, Ralph C. Bledsoe received a bachelor’s degree from Texas A & M College in 1955, a masters degree from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1962, and a masters and Ph. D. from the University of Southern California in Public Administration in 1968 and 1971, respectively. He was with the System Development Corporation between 1958 and 1971. Mr. Bledsoe was a senior faculty member at the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia from 1973 to 1980, and was director of the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland from 1980 to early 1981.

Mr. Bledsoe served as a consultant in the Office of Policy Development in early 1981 before joining the White House staff as Associate Director of the Office of Planning and Evaluation where he helped build the support system along with evaluating various cabinet councils. In 1982 he was appointed Special Assistant to the President and Executive Secretary to the newly-formed Council on Management and Administration where government-wide policies pertaining to Executive Branch management, administrative and personnel issues, and supervise the “Reform 88” Task Force. Also beginning in 1982 until 1985 Mr. Bledsoe served as Assistant Director of the Office of Policy Development for Management and Administration, and from 1984-1985 he was the Executive Director of the Federal Property Review Board. In 1985 became Special Assistant to the President, Executive Secretary, Domestic Policy Council until late 1988 when he left the White House.

SERIES I: SUBJECT FILE, 1981-1982 (1 l.ft., Box 1-8)

The Subject File consists of reports, articles, and charts pertaining to internal database development, government and private sector foresight, strategic planning, and various economic and social trends in the United States. The files are arranged alphabetically by topic.

SERIES II: MEMORANDUMS 1981-1982 (.3 l.ft., Box 8-9)

The Memorandums series consists of internal memorandums and reports regarding strategic evaluations and planning, monthly operational activities, and meeting agenda items of the Office of Planning and Evaluation. The files are arranged chronologically.

SERIES III: OFFICE OF PLANNING & EVALUATION CORRESPONDENCE 1981-1982

(.25 l.ft., Box 9-12)

The Office of Planning and Evaluation (OPE) Correspondence series consists of correspondence, publications, reports, and articles regarding OPE operational activities, functions, evaluations, policy and planning processes, personnel issues, and work plans. The files are arranged chronologically.

SERIES IV: REPORTS, 1981-1982 (.25 l.ft., Box 12-13)

The Reports series consists of graphs, charts, reports and lists regarding the Condition of Central Cities, the Growth of Governments, and the Economics of Health Care. This series also contains computer printouts of various White House events and OPE task summaries. The files are arranged alphabetically by topic.

SERIES V: AUDIO, 1981-1982 (Box 13)

The Audio series consists of audiocassettes with recordings of informal focus group discussions conducted by the market research firm, Prism Corporation, based in Washington, D.C. The audio recordings include group discussions on topics such as sources of current event information, important domestic issues facing the nation, and the relationship between and responsibilities of the Federal, State, and Local governments. All of the audiocassettes have been transferred to audiovisual storage.

CONTAINER LIST

SERIES I: SUBJECT FILE

Box 1

Richard Beal (1)(2)

Biographical Information on White House Staff – 1981 (1)-(3)

Decision Information Display System (DIDS) 1 (1)-(12)

Box 2

Decision Information Display System (DIDS) 1 (13)

Decision Information Display System (DIDS) 2 (1)-(14)

Economic Recovery Program (1)-(3)

Box 3

Economic Recovery Program (4)(5)

Futures Research (1) (1)-(5)

Futures Research (2) (1)-(4)

Futures Research (3) (1)-(4)

Futures Research (4) (1)-(5)

Box 4

Futures Research (5) (1)-(5)

Futures Research (6) (1)-(4)

Futures Research (7) (1)-(4)

Housing Policies (1982)

Management Assistance Team – January 1981-February 1981 (1)-(5)

Box 5

Management Assistance Team – January 1981-February 1981 (6)-(13)

Management Assistance Team - March 1981 (1)-(6)

National Archives (1981-1982) (1)-(3)

National Indicators System (1)

Box 6

National Indicators System (2)-(7)

Office of Planning & Evaluation April 1981 (1)-(5)

Office of Planning & Evaluation Information Systems – October 1981 (1)-(3)

OPE/Charles Smith – Phase I

OPE/Charles Smith – Phase II (1)(2)

OPE/Charles Smith – Phase III

OPE/Charles Smith – Phase IV

Box 7

OPE/Charles Smith – Phase V (1)-(4)

OPE/Charles Smith (1)-(8)

Phase IV Strategic Plan (1)-(5)

Possible Changes to Volumes I and II of the Strategic Plan (1)(2)

Box 8

Prism Corporation (1)-(8)

State of the Union 1982 (1)-(5)

Travel

SERIES II: MEMORANDUMS

Box 8, Continued

OPE Monthly Status Reports & Staff Meetings (1)-(3)

Box 9

Strategic Evaluation Memorandum #1-11 (1)-(3)

Strategic Evaluation Memorandum #12-15 (1)(2)

Strategic Memoranda Series (1)-(3)

Strategic Planning Memorandums #3-8 (1)-(4)

Strategic Planning Memorandum #10 (1)(2)

Strategic Evaluation Memorandum #18

SERIES III: OFFICE OF PLANNING AND EVALUATION CORRESPONDENCE

Box 9, Continued

Meese Correspondence (1981-1982) (1)(2)

Box 10

OPE Miscellaneous Correspondence (1) (1)-(14)

OPE Miscellaneous Correspondence (2) (1)(2)

Box 11

OPE Miscellaneous Correspondence (2) (3)-(13)

OPE Miscellaneous Correspondence (3) (1)-(6)

Box 12

OPE Miscellaneous Correspondence (3) (7)-(14)

101 – RCB – Correspondence 1981-September 1982 (1)-(4)

[Correspondence, 01/28/1981-05/04/1981]

[Correspondence, 05/05/1981-05/08/1981]

SERIES IV: REPORTS

Box 12, Continued

National Indicators Systems Report on the Condition of Central Cities (July 1981)

National Indicators Systems Report on Growth of Governments (July 1981) (1)(2)

Box 13

National Indicators Systems Report Number 7, Economics of Health Care

(October 1981) (1)(2)

[OPE Computer Printouts] (1)(2)

SERIES V: AUDIO

Box 13, Continued

OPE – Prism Corporation Focus Groups (Cassettes) [Audiovisual storage]

11/9/81 Philadelphia Group 1, 6pm Males

11/9/81 Philadelphia Group 2, 8pm Females

Chicago Females

Chicago Males

Female Panel in Cleveland, 11/10

Female Panel in Miami

Male Panel in Cleveland

Male Group in Miami

San Antonio Females