§6614. Policy planning; analysis; advice; establishment of advisory panel

(a) The Office shall serve as a source of scientific and technological analysis and judgment for the President with respect to major policies, plans, and programs of the Federal Government. In carrying out the provisions of this section, the Director shall-

(1) seek to define coherent approaches for applying science and technology to critical and emerging national and international problems and for promoting coordination of the scientific and technological responsibilities and programs of the Federal departments and agencies in the resolution of such problems;

(2) assist and advise the President in the preparation of the Science and Technology Report, in accordance with section 6618 ¹ of this title;

(3) gather timely and authoritative information concerning significant developments and trends in science, technology, and in national priorities, both current and prospective, to analyze and interpret such information for the purpose of determining whether such developments and trends are likely to affect achievement of the priority goals of the Nation as set forth in section 6601(b) of this title;

(4) encourage the development and maintenance of an adequate data base for human resources in science, engineering, and technology, including the development of appropriate models to forecast future manpower requirements, and assess the impact of major governmental and public programs on human resources and their utilization;

(5) initiate studies and analyses, including systems analyses and technology assessments, of alternatives available for the resolution of critical and emerging national and international problems amendable to the contributions of science and technology and, insofar as possible, determine and compare probable costs, benefits, and impacts of such alternatives;

(6) advise the President on the extent to which the various scientific and technological programs, policies, and activities of the Federal Government are likely to affect the achievement of the priority goals of the Nation as set forth in section 6601(b) of this title;

(7) provide the President with periodic reviews of Federal statutes and administrative regulations of the various departments and agencies which affect research and development activities, both internally and in relation to the private sector, or which may interfere with desirable technological innovation, together with recommendations for their elimination, reform, or updating as appropriate;

(8) develop, review, revise, and recommend criteria for determining scientific and technological activities warranting Federal support, and recommend Federal policies designed to advance (A) the development and maintenance of broadly based scientific and technological capabilities, including human resources, at all levels of government, academia, and industry, and (B) the effective application of such capabilities to national needs;

(9) assess and advise on policies for international cooperation in science and technology which will advance the national and international objectives of the United States;

(10) identify and assess emerging and future areas in which science and technology can be used effectively in addressing national and international problems;

(11) report at least once each year to the President and the Congress on the overall activities and accomplishments of the Office, pursuant to section 6615 of this title;

(12) periodically survey the nature and needs of national science and technology policy and make recommendations to the President, for review and transmission to the Congress, for the timely and appropriate revision of such policy in accordance with section 6602(a)(6) of this title; and

(13) perform such other duties and functions and make and furnish such studies and reports thereon, and recommendations with respect to matters of policy and legislation as the President may request.

(b)(1) The Director shall establish an Intergovernmental Science, Engineering, and Technology Advisory Panel (hereinafter referred to as the "Panel"), whose purpose shall be to (A) identify and define civilian problems at State, regional, and local levels which science, engineering, and technology may assist in resolving or ameliorating; (B) recommend priorities for addressing such problems; and (C) advise and assist the Director in identifying and fostering policies to facilitate the transfer and utilization of research and development results so as to maximize their application to civilian needs.

(2) The Panel shall be composed of (A) the Director of the Office, or his representative; (B) at least ten members representing the interests of the States, appointed by the Director of the Office after consultation with State officials; (C) the Director of the National Science Foundation, or his representative; and (D) the Director of the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy.

(3)(A) The Director of the Office, or his representative, shall serve as Chairman of the Panel.

(B) The Panel shall perform such functions as the Chairman may prescribe, and shall meet at the call of the Chairman.

(4) Each member of the Panel shall, while serving on business of the Panel, be entitled to receive compensation at a rate not to exceed the daily rate prescribed for GS–18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, including traveltime, and, while so serving away from his home or regular place of business, he may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence in the same manner as the expenses authorized by section 5703(b) ¹ of title 5 for persons in government service employed intermittently.

( Pub. L. 94–282, title II, §205, May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 464 ; Pub. L. 97–375, title II, §215(2), (4), Dec. 21, 1982, 96 Stat. 1826 , 1827; Pub. L. 117–328, div. FF, title II, §2104(k)(3)(A), Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5720 .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 6618 of this title, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), was repealed by Pub. L. 97–375, title II, §215(1), Dec. 21, 1982, 96 Stat. 1826 . See section 6615 of this title.

Section 5703 of title 5, referred to in subsec. (b)(4), was amended generally by Pub. L. 94–22, §4, May 19, 1975, 89 Stat. 85 , and, as so amended, does not contain a subsec. (b).

Amendments

2022-Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 117–328 added cl. (D).

1982-Subsec. (a)(11). Pub. L. 97–375, §215(2), (4), inserted "and the Congress" after "President", and substituted "section 6615" for "section 6618".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

References in Other Laws to GS–16, 17, or 18 Pay Rates

References in laws to the rates of pay for GS–16, 17, or 18, or to maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, §101(c)(1)] of Pub. L. 101–509, set out in a note under section 5376 of Title 5.

Comprehensive Accountability Study for Federally-Funded Research

Pub. L. 105–276, title IV, §430, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2512 , provided that:

"(a) Study.-The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, may enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences for the Academy to conduct a comprehensive study to develop methods for evaluating federally-funded research and development programs. This study shall-

"(1) recommend processes to determine an acceptable level of success for federally-funded research and development programs by-

"(A) describing the research process in the various scientific and engineering disciplines;

"(B) describing in the different sciences what measures and what criteria each community uses to evaluate the success or failure of a program, and on what time scales these measures are considered reliable-both for exploratory long-range work and for short-range goals; and

"(C) recommending how these measures may be adapted for use by the Federal Government to evaluate federally-funded research and development programs;

"(2) assess the extent to which agencies incorporate independent merit-based evaluation into the formulation of the strategic plans of funding agencies and if the quantity or quality of this type of input is unsatisfactory;

"(3) recommend mechanisms for identifying federally-funded research and development programs which are unsuccessful or unproductive;

"(4) evaluate the extent to which independent, merit-based evaluation of federally-funded research and development programs and projects achieves the goal of eliminating unsuccessful or unproductive programs and projects; and

"(5) investigate and report on the validity of using quantitative performance goals for aspects of programs which relate to administrative management of the program and for which such goals would be appropriate, including aspects related to-

"(A) administrative burden on contractors and recipients of financial assistance awards;

"(B) administrative burdens on external participants in independent, merit-based evaluations;

"(C) cost and schedule control for construction projects funded by the program;

"(D) the ratio of overhead costs of the program relative to the amounts expended through the program for equipment and direct funding of research; and

"(E) the timeliness of program responses to requests for funding, participation, or equipment use.

"(b) Independent Merit-Based Evaluation Defined.-The term 'independent merit-based evaluation' means review of the scientific or technical quality of research or development, conducted by experts who are chosen for their knowledge of scientific and technical fields relevant to the evaluation and who-

"(1) in the case of the review of a program activity, do not derive long-term support from the program activity; or

"(2) in the case of the review of a project proposal, are not seeking funds in competition with the proposal."

Computer Network Study

Pub. L. 99–383, §10, Aug. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 816 , provided that:

"(a) The Office of Science and Technology Policy (hereinafter referred to as the 'Office') shall undertake a study of critical problems and current and future options regarding communications networks for research computers, including supercomputers, at universities and Federal research facilities in the United States. The study shall include an analysis of-

"(1) the networking needs of the Nation's academic and Federal research computer programs, including supercomputer programs, over the period which is fifteen years after the date of enactment of this Act [Aug. 21, 1986], including requirements in terms of volume of data, reliability of transmission, software compatibility, graphics capability, and transmission security;

"(2) the benefits and opportunities that an improved computer network would offer for electronic mail, file transfer, and remote access and communications for universities and Federal research facilities in the United States; and

"(3) the networking options available for linking academic and other federally supported research computers, including supercomputers, with a particular emphasis on the advantages and disadvantages, if any, of fiber optic systems.

"(b) The Office shall submit to the Congress-

"(1) within one year after the date of enactment of this Act [Aug. 21, 1986], a report on findings from the study undertaken pursuant to subsection (a) with respect to needs and options regarding communications networks for university and Federal research supercomputers within the United States; and

"(2) within two years after the date of enactment of this Act [Aug. 21, 1986], a report on findings from the study undertaken pursuant to subsection (a) with respect to needs and options regarding communications networks for all research computers at universities and Federal research facilities in the United States."

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Functions vested in Office of Science and Technology Policy and Director thereof pursuant to subsec. (a)(2) of this section and sections 6615 and 6618 of this title transferred to Director of National Science Foundation by section 5A of Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1977, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, effective Feb. 26, 1978, as provided by section 1(a) of Ex. Ord. No. 12039, Feb. 24, 1978, 43 F.R. 8095, set out under section 6601 of this title.

Abolition of Intergovernmental Science, Engineering, and Technology Advisory Panel; Transfer of Functions

The Intergovernmental Science, Engineering, and Technology Advisory Panel, established pursuant to this section, was abolished and its functions transferred to the President by Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1977, §5A, 42 F.R. 56101, 91 Stat. 1634, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, effective Feb. 26, 1978, as provided by section 1(b) of Ex. Ord. No. 12039, Feb. 24, 1978, 43 F.R. 8095, set out under section 6601 of this title.

¹ See References in Text note below.