[LTER-luq] FW: From E&ENews PM -- SCIENCE: House overwhelmingly passes NSF reform bill

Wed Jun 15 11:25:39 MDT 2016

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Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2016 1:20 PM
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Subject: From E&ENews PM -- SCIENCE: House overwhelmingly passes NSF reform bill

House overwhelmingly passes NSF reform bill

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SCIENCE:
House overwhelmingly passes NSF reform bill

Christa Marshall<http://www.eenews.net/staff/Christa_Marshall>, E&E reporter

Published: Tuesday, June 14, 2016

The House overwhelmingly passed legislation today to reform management of large research projects at the National Science Foundation after lawmakers criticized a massive planned ecology network on the House floor.

That project, the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), provided much of the impetus for the bill after reports surfaced of taxpayer funds being used on lobbying, alcohol and parties. NEON is a planned continental-scale observational network tied to 81 terrestrial and aquatic data sites to monitor everything from land-use changes to invasive species.

The legislation, H.R. 5049<http://www.eenews.net/assets/2016/04/27/document_pm_02.pdf>, from Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), passed 412-9 under suspension of the rules.

It would require numerous changes to NSF's management of large research projects, including requiring that a senior agency official have oversight over the large facilities office, new cost analyses of projects and new project audits during construction. That will help detect problems "while something can still be done," said Loudermilk. The bill ensures taxpayer funds are "spent with accountability," he said.

The legislation also would increase NSF control over dispensed funds and codify NSF regulations blocking the use of funds for things like lavish parties.

A Loudermilk spokeswoman said the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee may draft legislation with similar language.

The legislation stemmed from multiple House Science, Space and Technology Committee hearings that considered cost overruns and delays with NEON. The network is under construction in 20 ecologically distinct domains across the United States, including Alaska and Puerto Rico.

In response to committee hearings and separate audits from NSF's inspector general, the National Academy of Public Administration was tasked with conducting an eight-month independent review of NSF's use of cooperative financing agreements to support large projects like research vessels, ground-based telescopes and NEON (E&E Daily<http://www.eenews.net/eedaily/stories/1060031861>, Feb. 5).

The academy called for 13 chief reforms, such as the agency changing its formal language so that award recipients are clear they must follow guidance from the Government Accountability Office. On the House floor, Science, Space and Technology Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) said the bill was needed to ensure all reforms are implemented.

Committee ranking member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) said she supported the legislation but with "some reservation."

"The devil is always in the details, and I hope that discussion will continue on some of the details if this legislation continues to move forward. The fact is, every other federal agency is held to governmentwide standards and policies for contracting. In this bill, we are creating a different set of rules with less flexibility for the National Science Foundation, even though the foundation's record overall has been a very good one and even though the foundation has taken many aggressive steps already to rectify deficiencies where they did exist," Johnson said.

NSF also said after the bill's markup that it has "serious concerns" with the measure, which it said was unnecessary and would inhibit its ability to attract competitive facility managers.

"NSF already has rigorous oversight, reporting and control processes regarding its major facilities, and is currently implementing internal standard operating guidance to further clarify and codify these processes. Further, NSF abides by existing regulations that provide consistency across the federal government," the agency said.

NSF announced in April that the Battelle Memorial Institute -- a nonprofit research organization -- would complete the construction, commissioning and initial operations of NEON. Among other changes, Battelle replaced NEON's former board of directors. Currently, the project is in a 90-day transition period where Battelle and NSF negotiate final costs to construct and operate the project.

Despite the congressional opposition, NEON has many supporters who say its data will provide critical information on the environment. It is the first life science project to be constructed solely with NSF funding slated for large facilities.

After the Battelle announcement, James Olds, assistant director for the NSF biological directorate, praised NEON as a "visionary project ... that will allow scientists to take the pulse of our planet and help forecast its future."

"The quality of Battelle's technical and management approach will ensure NEON will meet the evolving needs of the research communities it serves," he said.

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