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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31, 2002
Contact Bill Shields, (202) 347-3190
A National Academy of Public Administration
(NAPA) Panel has found that the Smithsonian Institution currently
receives most of its funds for research projects through competitive
processes. However, the Panel has recommended that appropriations
be continued to provide the core support needed for maintaining
Smithsonian researchers' capacity to successfully compete
for grants and contracts. All research institutions have this
type of support to maintain their competitive capacity. The
recommendation is consistent with the recommendations of a
National Research Council (NRC) committee of the National
Academy of Sciences. NAPA and NRC were jointly commissioned
to study this issue.
"Although the two academies addressed
this issue from different perspectives-NRC from a scientific
perspective and NAPA from a management one-our conclusions
were essentially the same," said James Colvard, who chaired
the NAPA Panel that produced the report, Scientific Research
at the Smithsonian Institution.
Numerous factors may tilt a competitive
process toward different organizations competing for grants
and contracts. But the NAPA Panel found no persuasive evidence
that Smithsonian researchers have a consistent competitive
advantage over others. Although the Smithsonian has a lower
overhead rate than many others, scientific merit-not the rate-is
the major factor in grant award decisions.
The NAPA Panel also identified factors that
could detract from future research success at the Smithsonian.
Budget numbers may not accurately reflect scientific research
funding levels due to such factors as imprecise time recording
and inconsistent application of facility costs. The Panel
recommended that funding decisions and related analyses rely
on the actual cost of running the science centers, not research
estimates that currently are presented in the budget.
The issue of funding Smithsonian research
arose during development of the fiscal year 2003 budget. The
budget proposed that some of the Smithsonian's budget be transferred
to the National Science Foundation, where it could be used
to fund research for which the Smithsonian and other organizations
could compete.
Colvard, Visiting Professor at Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State University, was joined on
the Panel by C. William Fischer, former Senior Vice President
for Business and Finance at Northwestern University; Adam
Herbert, Jr., Regents Professor and former President of the
University of North Florida; Delores Parron, Scientific Advisor
in the Office of the Director at the National Institutes of
Health; Maxine Singer, President of the Carnegie Institution
of Washington; and Jerry Schubel, President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Aquarium of the Pacific and President Emeritus
of New England Aquarium.
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