COMPTROLLER GENERAL'S REPORT NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS--ANSWERS TO DIGEST The National Bureau of Standards, part of The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science EFFECT OF "LEAD AGENCY" POLICY The Bureau's ability to do its job has OMB's implementation of the lead agency For example, the Bureau has established Tear Sheet. Upon removal, the report CED-80-49 Protection Agency appropriations, rather than by direct appropriations to the Bureau, on the grounds that the environment is the Agency's responsibility. In setting priorities, agencies tend to place at the highest level those tasks most closely related to their direct mission. Inevitably, funds to support measurement science, metrology, and standards development will rank low among another agency's priorities. Funds being considered by another agency for allocation to the Bureau are more likely to be cut or directed to higher priorities within the agency. RECOMMENDATION The Bureau's 1901 organic act imposes no mandatory requirements on the Bureau; it simply authorizes the Bureau to perform a variety of functions. If the Congress decides to amend or revise the Bureau's organic act, GAO recommends that the language make clear the areas in which NBS is to have lead agency responsibility. (See p. 13.) MOST BUREAU CUSTOMERS SATISFIED GAO sent a questionnaire survey to 838 MAJOR REPROGRAMING Citing budget constraints, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Science and Technology directed the Bureau to develop a plan to reprogram about $11 million of current programs--about 13 percent of its basic program. (See app. VI.) The programs terminated were worthwhile but of lower priority than the proposed programs. About half of the reprograming took place in fiscal year 1979; the remainder is scheduled for fiscal year 1980. This was done because of the extent of the reprograming in relation to the Bureau's total budget and to minimize the impact on the Bureau's scientific staff. Because the reprograming took effect so ANALYSIS OF LEGISLATION GAO found no inconsistency, conflict, or AGENCIES' COMMENTS AND GAO's EVALUATION The Department of Energy, the Nuclear The Department of Commerce and OMB did Tear Sheet as the lead agency for certain measurement sciences, metrology, and standards, the Bureau's difficulties with OMB's implementation of the lead agency concept will be substantially reduced. (See p. 13.) In the draft report sent for comment to OMB, GAO proposed that the Director, OMB, take responsibility for seeing that lead agencies allocate enough funds to the Bureau so that it can carry out its functions related to the agencies' missions. In its response, OMB said it recognized Accordingly, GAO is not making a recommendation to OMB at this time. (See p. 14.) MATTER FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE CONGRESS In view of OMB's position, appropriate committees of the Congress may wish to consider authorizing and appropriating specific funding for those activities which should be considered as National Bureau of Standards lead agency responsibilities. (See p. 14.) DIGEST CHAPTER 1 2 3 4 Contents Page i H. INTRODUCTION Scope of review NBS EFFORTS ARE HAMPERED BY AGENCY CONCEPT The lead agency concept Effect of lead agency concept on NBS OMB's position on the lead agency concept Conclusions Recommendation to the Congress Agencies' comments and our evaluation USERS ARE SATISFIED WITH NBS SERVICES Conclusion NBS MAJOR REPROGRAMING Identification of tasks to be Work selected to be initiated Letter dated October 10, 1978, from the 31 |