Evaluating research efficiency in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency / Committee on Evaluating the Efficiency of Research and Development Programs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy, Policy and Global Affairs, Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, Division on Earth and Life Studies, National Research Council of the National Academies.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (U.S.). Committee on Evaluating the Efficiency of Research and Development Programs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Contributor:

Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy (U.S.)

National Research Council (U.S.). Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology.

National Academies Press (U.S.)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Environmental Protection Agency--Rules and practice.

United States.

United States. Environmental Protection Agency--Management--Evaluation.

United States. Government Performance and Results Act of 1993.

Research--United States--Evaluation.

Research.

Federal government--United States.

Federal government.

Administrative agencies--United States--Management--Evaluation.

Administrative agencies.

Science and state--United States.

Science and state.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (151 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academies Press, 2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

A new book from the National Research Council recommends changes in how the federal government evaluates the efficiency of research at EPA and other agencies. Assessing efficiency should be considered only one part of gauging a program's quality, relevance, and effectiveness. The efficiency of research processes and that of investments should be evaluated using different approaches. Investment efficiency should examine whether an agency's R&D portfolio, including the budget, is relevant, of high quality, matches the agency's strategic plan. These evaluations require panels of experts. In contrast, process efficiency should focus on "inputs" (the people, funds, and facilities dedicated to research) and "outputs" (the services, grants, publications, monitoring, and new techniques produced by research), as well as their timelines and should be evaluated using quantitative measures. The committee recommends that the efficiency of EPA's research programs be evaluated according to the same standards used at other agencies. To ensure this, OMB should train and oversee its budget examiners so that the PART questionnaire is implemented consistently and equitably across agencies.

Contents:

""Front Matter""; ""Preface""; ""Acknowledgment of Review Participants""; ""Contents""; ""Evaluating Research Efficiency in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency""; ""Summary""; ""1 Introduction: The Government Performance and Results Act, the Program Assessment Rating Tool, and the Environmental Protection Agency""; ""2 Efficiency Metrics Used by the Environmental Protection Agency and Other Federal Research and Development Programs""; ""3 Are the Efficiency Metrics Used by Federal Research and Development Programs Sufficient and Outcome-Based?""

""4 A Model for Evaluating Research and Development Programs""""5 Findings, Principles, and Recommendations""; ""Appendix A: Biographic Information on the Committee on Evaluating the Efficiency of Research and Development Programs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency""; ""Appendix B: Evaluating the Efficiency of Research and Development Programs at the Environmental Protection Agency: Workshop Summary""; ""Appendix C: Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) Questions""; ""Appendix D: The Environmental Protection Agency's Strategic and Multi-year Planning Process""

""Appendix E: Agency and Industry Efficiency Measures""""Appendix F: Draft Board of Scientific Counselors Handbook for Subcommittee Chairs: Draft Proposed Charge Questions for BOSC Reviews""; ""Appendix G: OMB's Research and Development Program Investment Criteria""; ""Appendix H: Charge to the BOSC Subcommittee on Safe Pesticides/Safe Products Research""; ""Appendix I: PART Guidance on Efficiency Measures""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9786611767310

9780309178198

0309178193

9781281767318

128176731X

9780309116855

0309116856

OCLC:

320324438