Barry Rabe served on a National Academy of Public Administration panel that co-authored a report for the U.S. Department of Commerce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Congress. The report, "Building Strong for Tomorrow: NOAA Climate Service," was written at the formal request of the U.S. Congress to study, analyze, and make organizational recommendations for a Climate Service line within NOAA.
Rabe was inducted as a National Academy of Public Administration Fellow in April 2010. The National Academy of Public Administration is a Congressionally-chartered, non-partisan organization of top public management and organizational leaders that works to help solve the most critical and complex public management, governance, policy, and operational challenges.