committees having legislative jurisdiction over NBS could propose legislation authorizing specific funding for those measurement activities the committees deem to be NBS lead agency responsibilities. The Senate and House Appropriation Committees could earmark specific funds for measurement activities that the committees feel are NBS responsibilities and can best be carried out by NBS.

CHAPTER 3

USERS ARE SATISFIED WITH

NBS SERVICES

The majority of respondents to our 838 questionnaires and individuals interviewed (36) expressed highly favorable opinions on four services performed by NBS--research and testing, calibrations, Standard Reference Materials, and Standard Reference Data. The high interest in NBS activities was evidenced by about an overall 90 percent response rate to our questionnaires. A similar interest was displayed by representatives of industry and academia whom we interviewed.

Most of the remarks included in the comment section of the questionnaires and those given orally by interviewees were complimentary. For example, some of the remarks included such statements as:

--NBS is a necessary and unique source of scientific
endeavor.

--NBS is an independent monitor and referee (in the
scientific field).

--NBS is doing important work.

--NBS has high credibility in the standards and measurement fields.

--NBS is a cornerstone of science in the United States.

--NBS should be the top research agency in the Government.

MAJOR SERVICES PERFORMED BY NBS

The four major services performed by NBS for others are:

1.

2.

Standard Reference Data. Primary aim is to provide critically evaluated data to the scientific and technical community to increase the effectiveness and productivity of research, development, and engineering design.

Standard Reference Materials. Actual materials in their solid, liquid, powdered, or gaseous state certified as to their chemical composition, chemical property, and/or physical property.

3.

4.

Calibrations. Ensures that instruments and devices conform with preestablished NBS standards.

Research and testing. Performs basic and applied research and testing in specific areas, under contract and/or agreement, generally with other Government agencies.

NBS SERVICES RATED HIGHLY

BY CUSTOMERS

To obtain users' reactions and opinions on NBS services, we sent a series of four questionnaires to a sampling of NBS customers. NBS could not identify the universe of users of its services. Therefore we sampled a variety of sources; such as, various mailing lists, members of a professional organization, and other sources. The results of the questionnaires cannot be projected to the total universe of users of NBS services. However, we have no reason to believe that these responses would be different than those from a statistical sample of all users of NBS services.

We supplemented our questionnaire inquiry by interviewing 36 members of the NBS Statutory Visiting Committee and panels which evaluate NBS activities. The interviewees consisted of representatives from:

a/There are only four State officials among the panel members.

Summary of questionnaires

We received about a 90-percent response to the 838 questionnaires mailed. However, 31 of the responses were received too late to be included in our analysis. Following is a summary analysis of the responses.

Most of the responses were from users of NBS services except for Standard Reference Data where only 53 indicated that they had used this service.

Our analysis of the 721 responses to the questionnaires showed that from 89 to 94 percent of the customers were very satisfied or generally overall satisfied with the services performed by NBS. From 68 to 86 percent were satisfied with the timeliness of the research and testing, Standard Reference Materials, and Standard Reference Data services, but only 42 percent were satisfied with the timeliness of the calibration services. Sixty percent of the users of calibration services were of the opinion that the cost of this service was somewhat or much higher than warranted, while 51 to 71 percent of the other users believed that the cost was just right. Further indications of user satisfaction was evidenced by the 63 to 76 percent of the respondents favoring a great or some expansion of services performed by NBS.

The following tabulations, expressed in percentages of responses to specific questions, summarize the opinions of NBS customers to whom the questionnaires were sent.