SSTI Digest

While there is no uniform federal policy for conducting peer reviews and no written government-wide definition of peer review, there is general agreement among the agencies and the While House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) as to what the term means, according to a new General Accounting Office (GAO) report, Peer Review Practices at Federal Science Agencies Vary. OSTP and the Office of Management and Budget encourage funding of research projects that are peer reviewed over those that are not reviewed through the process.

Additionally, GAO found some common criticisms of the peer review process from officials in several agencies. Issues raised included peer review being occasionally elitist (discounting economic considerations over science) and its potential for discouraging the funding of innovative research as peer review practices tend to be conservative.

The House Committee on Small Business approved a bill to extend the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program until September 30, 2007. H.R. 2392, introduced by Representatives Taalent, Bartlett, Kelly and Velazquez, also was referred to the House Committee on Science for consideration. The ASME International Capitol Update reports a House floor vote on the bill is expected in Mid-July.

H.R. 2392 also clarified that companies retain proprietary rights to data developed under the SBIR program for four years following the last federal funding received, which then could include Phase III awards. Other provisions in the bill addressed minor housekeeping issues related to SBA reporting requirements.

Ohio's investment in technology-based economic development will top $50 million in FY 2000 as a result of the biennial budget passed by the Ohio General Assembly this week. Spending for the programs will grow nearly 35 percent from $40.4 million in FY 1999 to $54.4 million in FY 2000.

Most of the increase is as a result of the Ohio Technology Actions Grants (TAGs) Program, growing from $1.9 million in FY 1999 to $14.75 million each year for FY 2000 and 2001.

The Technology Action Grants (TAGs ) provide funding to companies, universities and collaborative partnerships for projects which:

International collaboration in science and technology through joint research and development projects and activities offers opportunities for the US and foreign governments to leverage research dollars and increase productivity.

A recent report by the General Accounting Office (GAO), Federal Research: Information on International Science and Technology Agreements (GAO/RCED-99-108), identifies: 1) the number of international S&T agreements active during fiscal year 1997; and, 2) the number of these agreements that resulted in research projects or other activities.

The Computing Research Association (CRA) has released an in-depth look at the information technology (IT) worker situation in the United States, The Supply of Information Technology Workers in the United States.

Working with four other professional IT-related societies, CRA conducted a critical review of the information available on the supply of IT workers, the broader definition of an IT worker, traditional and nontraditional sources for IT workers, the long term and short term demand for IT employees, and suggested ways to positively affect the supply of IT workers.

Research and development (R&D) spending in the United States reached an estimated $220.6 billion in 1998, reflecting an inflation-adjusted increase of 5.3 percent over 1997, reports the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the recently released National Patterns of R&D Resources: 1998.

Industry, not government, is responsible for most of the growth, according to the report. Industry has provided the largest share of financial support for U.S. R&D since 1980, found Steven Payson, report author and Senior Science Resources Analyst with NSF's Division of Science Resources Studies.

Preliminary 1998 estimates show industry R&D spending increased in real terms 7.7 percent over 1997 to $143.7 billion, or 65.1 percent of the total. Federal support increased 0.8 percent to $66.6 billion, for a record low of 30.2 percent of the total.

The National Science Foundation's Directorate for Education and Human Resources has released A Report on the Evaluation of the National Science Foundation's Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. The report (NSF 99-115) was prepared under contract by the COSMOS Corporation.

Among the report's findings are:

• The EPSCoR states increased their aggregate share of federal academic R&D awards from 0.25 percent per state in 1980 of total awards to 0.40 percent per state in 1994. In contrast, the non-EPSCoR states' share declined modestly over the same period. A "per state" unit of analysis was used to assess changes in R&D because the number of states participating in the program changed over time as new cohorts of states were added to the program. (See accompanying table)

The Colorado Advanced Technology Institute (CATI) has been abolished effective June 30, 1999. CATI was the state's lead organization on technology-based economic development since its creation in 1983.

Responsibility for CATI programs is being transferred to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. CATI funds appropriated for FY2000 will be split between the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE) and the recently created Office of Innovation and Technology in the Governor's office, which is expected to focus on communications and information resources within state government.

CATI staff have either accepted new positions with CCHE or other organizations or retired.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is seeking candidates for the United States Innovation Partnership (USIP) Fellow. The Fellow will serve a one-year appointment in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to help foster science and technology cooperation between the states and the federal government.

Specifically, the Fellow will be a technology professional with first-hand knowledge of and experience with state government operations as well as a broad understanding of federal science and technology programs.

Among the qualifications necessary for becoming a White House Fellow are:

• an advanced degree or equivalent work experience;

Candidates are sought for a Senior Executive position (Salary $100,000+) to provide visionary and high level leadership for the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, a new statewide technology transfer and commercialization nonprofit organization. Resume and salary requirements must be submitted no later than July 12, 1999.

The full description can be found on the SSTI website (http://www.ssti.org) following the "Job Corner" link.

[Note: The position is filled]

Maine Governor Angus King, Jr. and Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology Gary Bachula signed a letter of partnership last week that links the National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) with a variety of organizations in Maine. Bachula heads the Department of Commerce's Technology Administration (TA), which includes NIST.

This is the first such partnership between NIST and a state and is anticipated to serve as a pilot for possible expansion to other states if successful.

"I am excited about the prospect of this new teaming arrangement, which should yield positive returns not only to Maine, but to other parts of the country which will benefit from the results of this cooperation. It is a perfect fit for inclusion under the umbrella of the U.S. Innovation Partnership," Bachula said.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has released the program description and request for proposals for the FY 2000 Commercial Operations & Support Savings Initiative (COSSI). COSSI, a joint program of the Army, Navy and Air Force, is designed to develop and test a method for reducing Defense operations and support costs by inserting commercial items into fielded military systems.

COSSI funding available for this RFP is anticipated to range between $75-$100 million, dependent on the FY 2000 Defense appropriation. A reserve of 15-20 percent of the total funds available is to be set aside for joint projects - projects with application in more than one service.