FEDERAL RESEARCH: Information on Fees for Selected Federally Funded Research and Development Centers.
Abstract
*Of the three Agencies, Energy, Defense, and NASA only Defense has specific regulations for its Centers' fees. Energy uses its regulations covering the development of fees for the contractors that manage and operate its facilities. These regulations differ from Defense's. NASA uses the general federal and NASA regulations that apply to its other contracts. * Fees totaling $185.2 million were paid in fiscal year 1994 to Centers funded by Energy, Defense, and NASA. Energy paid about $122.8 million; Defense, about $45.9 million; and NASA, about $16.5 million. The purposes of the fees varied by agency and by contract. Energy provided fees to compensate contractors for a variety of overhead costs, fund contract performance awards, and provide incentives. The fees for Defense's Centers were used for corporate research, capital equipment and facilities, working capital requirements, contingencies, and unreimbursed costs. The fee for NASA'S single Center was for a contract performance award. * All of Energy's Centers are operated under management and operating contracts. In all but three cases, the contractors' work covered more than research and development. For example, during fiscal year 1994, nearly 100 percent of the funds for the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory were used for research and development activities, while only about 3 percent of the funds used to operate the Savannah River Laboratory and Plant-which includes the Savannah River Technical Center-were used for research and development * Under Energy's 1994 contract reforms, revised contracts include objective measures of performance. However, not all of the revised contracts link earning the fee to the contractor's performance.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA344771
Entities
People
- D. L. Brack
- J. E. Heil
- R. M. Antonio
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office