piner@pur-phy.UUCP (Richard Piner) (02/04/86)
Posted: Mon Feb 3, 1986 8:35 AM EST Msg: CGIG-2171-6898
From: RPARK
To: WHATSNEW
Subj: What's New, Friday, 31 January 1986 Washington, D.C.
dh
1. THE CONGRESSIONAL SCIENTISTS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM of the
APS has extended the deadline for receipt of completed
applications to 28 Feb 1986. Successful candidates will
serve for one year, beginning 1 Sept 1986. In addition to
demonstrated competence in physics, candidates are expected
to have a strong interest and some experience in applying
scientific knowledge toward the solution of social problems.
About half of the former APS Fellows have elected to remain
in Washington where they help to fill a critical need for
people in government with a scientific background. For
further information contact: Dr. Mary L. Shoaf, Princeton
Plasma Physics Lab., 609/683-2104.
2. THE PACKARD-BROMLEY REPORT on the health of universities
and colleges, which carries the optimistic title "A Renewed
Partnership," contains a number of recommendations for
indirect cost reimbursement that are identical to those made
by OSTP in November (see WN 29 Nov 85, 27 Dec 85).
Specifically, these recommendations are: 1) to use a fixed
rate for administrative cost pools common to all
universities, 2) eliminate the requirement for cost sharing,
3) eliminate the requirement for faculty effort reporting
and 4) require all agencies to include indirect costs in the
budget that is subject to peer review. In addition, the
Packard-Bromley report recommends that reimbursement for
depreciation of facilities and equipment be based on much
shorter useful lifetimes. Sources at OMB confirm that
Circular A-21 is being revised to incorporate the OSTP
recommendations, but not the shortened depreciation times
recommended by Packard-Bromley--that would have had the
effect of increasing the cost reimbursement to universities.
3. RESTRICTIVE CLAUSES IN RESEARCH AWARDS have increased in
recent years. Concern has centered on clauses restricting
the dissemination of the results of the research or barring
participation of foreign nationals. There is, however, a
curious new clause in DoE grants whose implications are less
clear. DoE rules for special research grants specify that
they shall never be intentionally used to fund classified
activities. However, the new clause states that "if the
grantee believes any information developed or acquired may be
classifiable, the grantee shall not provide the potentially
classifiable information to anyone except the Director of
Classification and shall protect such information as if it
were classified until notified by DoE that a determination
has been made that it does not require such handling." The
Special Research Grants Program of the DoE was created out of
concern for the effect of Competititon In Contracting
legislation (PL 98-72) on unsolicited proposals.
Robert L. Park (202) 429-1946
American Physical Society THAT'S ALL 1/31/86