Brinkman Report Setting Priorities for Large Facility Projects

Brinkman Report: Setting Priorities for Large Facility Projects Sponsored by the NSF Key Issues Raised in Report • • Transparency of process (next slide) Involvement of community (next slide) Roadmap (spurred by Orbach’s 20 -year plan) – NSF is not DOE (integration of R&E, community-driven, universitybased, transformational, riskier, cuts across more communities) – Need to maintain flexibility and responsiveness to community Role of Deputy Director of BFA for Large Facilities – “oversight of process” Oversight – Direct oversight within Directorates/Divisions (full time program officer) Role of NSB – Validation of process, input on process Design & development funds (~10% of construction) – Responsibility of Divisions/Directorates

Department of Energy • Office of Science (OS) provides 60% of the support for basic research in the Physical Sciences (3. 4 B$) • 10 National Laboratories + support for university groups • Facilities Plan – 53 considered, 23 in list – Developed with help of OS’s 6 Assoc Directors and 6 Advisory Cmtes – Final priorities determined by OS Director Orbach

The MREFC Approval Process • • • Divisonal/Directorate Review by NSF MREFC Committee Review by Director’s Review Board Approved by Director for consideration by the NSB Approved by the NSB for inclusion in “the queue” Approved by Director and NSB for inclusion in NSF’s budget request to the President • Approved for inclusion in the President’s budget request (currently working on FY 06) • Congress appropriates Funds • NSF (Director and NSB) approves award when appropriated funds are available

Did not address: lifecycle costs • Operations & maintenance (~10% / yr) • Major upgrades (~50%? ? ) eg, Adv. LIGO • Research (+5% / yr) Over the lifetime these amount to several times the construction costs and currently must come from Division/Directorates

NSF Response • Current process largely addresses points raised, two main items need attention • Transparency (need to articulate process) – Roadmap (need something that works for NSF) • Congress is anxious to hear NSF and NSB Responses • Both NSF and NSB working on response(s) to Congress for early Fall