Federally Funded R and D Centers: Issues Relating to the Management of DOD-Sponsored Centers
Abstract
FFRDCs were first established during World War II to meet specialized or unique research and development needs that could not be readily satisfied by government personnel (due to limits on federal salaries and hiring) or commercial contractors. Additional and expanded requirements for specialized services led to increases not only in the size but also in the number of FFRDCs, which peaked at 74 in 1969. Today, 8 agencies, including DOD, fund 39 FFRDCs that are operated by universities, nonprofit organizations, or industrial firms under long-term contracts. Provisions of the Competition in Contracting Act 2 authorize agencies to award these contracts noncompetitively. The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) establishes governmentwide policy on the use and management of FFRDCs. The Director of Defense Research and Engineering is responsible for developing overall policy for DODs 11 FFRDCs. The Director also determines the funding level for each FFRDC based on the overall congressional ceiling on FFRDC funding and FFRDC sponsors funding requirements. Planned fiscal year 1996 funding for DODs FFRDCs is about $1.2 billion. DOD categorize search of its FFRDCs as either a systems engineering and integration center, a studies and analyses center, or a research and development laboratory.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- AD1185162
Entities
People
- Charles W. Thompson
- David K.C. Cooper
- Erin Slonaker Noel
- Maria Boyreau
- Monty Peters
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office