The WAS*IS Partnership Initiative began as a part of the Summer 2006 Weather and Society – Integrated Studies (WAS*IS) Workshop. During the workshop, the need for strong public/private partnerships was discussed as a major component of the WAS*IS movement to integrate social science into meteorology in a comprehensive and sustained manner.

Based on the affiliations of the initiative's team members, the group chose to focus on the relationship between the NWS and national private sector companies, and determined several key messages for the initiative. The initiative focuses on achieving improved communication and collaboration between sectors and a synergistic approach within the weather enterprise. Ultimately, progress in these areas will lead to improved products and services from the weather enterprise, benefiting the public as a whole by providing better and more understandable weather information.

The WAS*IS Partnership Initiative's role in the weather industry is comprised of engaging NWS and private sector representatives in the partnership conversation, introducing people with similar partnership interests, and assisting with partnership-specific projects throughout the enterprise. The need for this work has been illustrated consistently throughout the life of this initiative. Additional meetings and presentations, and facilitation of collaborative projects, are planned for the future with the intent of further forward progress toward improved public/private sector partnerships.