42 U.S.C. § 1862s–1: Transparency and…

Summary

The Director of the Foundation must issue and update guidance for staff and people who take part in merit review. The law says the public must understand and trust federal support for basic research, that the Foundation has made progress on transparency, and that it should clearly explain the national interest for each awarded grant. Every public notice for a Foundation-funded project must say why federal money is justified by describing how the project follows the Foundation’s mission (National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.)) and meets the Foundation’s intellectual merit and broader impacts criteria, and must state the project’s research goals in plain language for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Title 42, §1862s–1

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Findings

(1)building the understanding of and confidence in investments in basic research is essential to public support for sustained, predictable Federal funding;

(2)the Foundation has improved transparency and accountability of the outcomes made through the merit review process, but additional transparency into individual grants is valuable in communicating and assuring the public value of federally funded research; and

(3)the Foundation should commit to transparency and accountability and to clear, consistent public communication regarding the national interest for each Foundation-awarded grant and cooperative agreement.

(b)Guidance

(1)In general

The Director of the Foundation shall issue and periodically update, as appropriate, policy guidance for both Foundation staff and other Foundation merit review process participants on the importance of transparency and accountability to the outcomes made through the merit review process.

(2)Requirements

The guidance under paragraph (1) shall require that each public notice of a Foundation-funded research project justify the expenditure of Federal funds by—

(A)describing how the project—

(i)reflects the statutory mission of the Foundation, as established in the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.); and

(ii)addresses the Foundation’s intellectual merit and broader impacts criteria; and

(B)clearly identifying the research goals of the project in a manner that can be easily understood by both technical and non-technical audiences.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The National Science Foundation Act of 1950, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(A)(i), is act May 10, 1950, ch. 171, 64 Stat. 149, which is classified generally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1861 of this title and Tables. Codification Section was enacted as part of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act, and not as part of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 which comprises this chapter. Section is comprised of section 102 of Pub. L. 114–329. Subsec. (c) of section 102 of Pub. L. 114–329 amended section 1862p–14 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Definitions For definitions of terms used in this section, see section 2 of Pub. L. 114–329, set out as a note under section 1862s of this title.

§1862s–1 Transparency and Accountability