Presidential Review Directive NSTCÐ1, dated May 5, 1994, directs the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) to conduct an interagency review of the research and development (R&D) undertaken by the Federal laboratory systems. The objective of the directive is to ensure that the systems and their use reflect the Administration's priorities and effectively serve evolving national needs. The three largest Federal laboratory systems, those of the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), are the focus of this review, although programs in other Federal laboratory systems are to be considered by NSTC as necessary and appropriate. The purpose of the review "is to evaluate and develop recommendations for ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Federal R&D investment in the Federal Government's three largest laboratory systems." To support this effort, NASA, DoD, and DOE were each required to undertake separate reviews of their respective laboratory systems and report the results to NSTC.
NASA and the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology agreed on the Agency's strategy for obtaining an external review of its laboratory system.
The NASA Federal Laboratory Review Task Force (hereafter, the Task Force) of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC) was established by the Administrator to conduct this external review.
Terms of Reference (Appendix A) were developed; they respond to Presidential Review Directive NSTC-1 and incorporate several specific topics that the NASA Administrator asked the Task Force to consider.
The Task Force, which reported to NAC on February 9, 1995, has conducted its activities consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act and all implementing regulations. NASA ensured that a balanced range of views was represented on the Task Force. The NASA Administrator selected 26 experts with a broad knowledge of R&D as conducted by the Government, academia, and industrial sectors. This Task Force membership offered more than 850 years of professional experience, as well as cultural and gender diversity, which was of great benefit to the review process. All Task Force members were appointed as special Government employees to ensure that no member had financial or other interests that would conflict with their obligation to provide unbiased advice to NASA. This also ensured that they would have access to all necessary Government information. None of the Task Force members are full-time NASA employees. Task Force meetings were announced, as required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
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