AIP FYI #26: FY 2004 NSF Request: Major Research Equipment; US Polar Programs

MAJOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION:

The Bush Administration is requesting an increase in the FY 2004 Major
Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) budget of 60.2%, or
$76.1 million, as compared to the FY 2003 request. The $202.3 million
request is 75.4% higher than the account’s FY 2002 budget. As previously
explained, the FY 2003 appropriations bill for the National Science
Foundation has not been enacted.

Considerable congressional attention was devoted to this program last year,
and the new authorization law for the foundation set forth a number of new
requirements. The budget request provides detailed information regarding
this account, running 54 pages long. Below are selections from the budget
request document, as well as funding numbers for “first priority” and
“second priority” projects. Please see
http//:www.nsf.gov/bfa/bud/fy2004/toc.htm for additional information; this
section begins on page 359.

The document states:

“The MREFC Account supports the implementation of major research facilities
and equipment that provide unique capabilities at the frontiers of science
and engineering. Implementation projects supported by this account are
intended to extend the boundaries of technology and open new avenues for
discovery for the science and engineering community. Initial concept and
development, and follow on operations and maintenance costs of the
facilities are provided through the Research and Related Activities
(R&RA).”

“Among Federal agencies, NSF plays a major role in providing the academic
(non-medical) research community with access to forefront instrumentation
and facilities. In recent years, NSF has received an increased number of
requests for major research facilities and equipment from the S&E community.
Many of these requests have been rated outstanding by research peers,
program staff, management and policy officials, and the National Science
Board. NSF’s request for the MREFC Account fully funds the ongoing projects
and the remaining three projects approved for funding by the National
Science Board [NSB], but not yet funded, and positions the agency to meet
the future needs and opportunities of the research community.

“Once a project has been submitted for MREFC funding, it must undergo a
multi-phase review and approval process. The process begins with a review by
the MREFC Panel, which makes recommendations to the NSF Director with
attention to criteria such as scientific merit, importance, readiness and
cost-benefit. The Director then selects candidates for National Science
Board (NSB) consideration. The NSB then approves, or not, projects for
inclusion in future budget requests and establishes priorities. The Director
selects from the group of NSB-approved projects those appropriate for
inclusion in a budget request to OMB, and after discussion with OMB, to the
Congress.

” In order for a project to be considered for MREFC funding, NSF requires
that it represent an exceptional opportunity that enables research and
education. In addition, the project should be transformative in nature, in
that it should have the potential to shift the paradigm in scientific
understanding and/or infrastructure technology. NSF believes that all the
projects included in this Budget Request meet these criteria.

“As a general framework for priority-setting, NSF assigned priority to
projects based on the following criteria:

“First Priority: Ongoing Projects – Projects where outyear funding for the
full project has already been included in a Budget Request to Congress, and
projects that have received initial funding for startup

“Second Priority: NSB-Approved New Starts – New projects that have received
NSB approval for inclusion in a budget request but which have not yet been
included in a budget request or received funding.

“NSF believes that the highest priority within the MREFC Account must be
the current projects. To that end, highest priority in FY 2004 is to
continue to request funding for:” (All figures in Millions)

ALMA Construction: FY04 request – $50.8; FY03 request – $30.0; FY02 actual
– $12.5
Earthscope: FY04 request – $45.0; FY03 request – $35.0
HIAPER Aircraft – FY04 request – $25.5; FY02 actual – $35.0
IceCube Neutrino Observatory: FY04 request – $60.0; FY02 actual – $10.1
Network for Earthquake Eng.: FY04 request – $8.0; FY03 request:$13.6; FY02
– $24.4
NEON: FY04 request: $12.0; FY03 request – $12.0
South Pole Station: FY04 request – $1.0; FY03 request – $6.0; FY02 actual –
$15.6

The document also states: “In addition, three new starts are requested in
FY 2005 and FY 2006. In priority order, these are: Scientific Ocean
Drilling in FY 2005; Rare Symmetry Violating Processes in FY 2006: and Ocean
Observatories in FY 2006.”

The NSF is not requesting FY 2004 funding for the Large Hadron Collider
since the foundation’s contribution should be fulfilled with FY 2003
funding.

U.S. POLAR RESEARCH PROGRAMS:

The Bush Administration is requesting an increase in the FY 2004 U.S. Polar
Research Programs budget of 11.1%, or $26.1 million, as compared to the FY
2003 request. The $261.9 million request is13.6% higher than the activity’s
FY 2002 budget. As previously explained, the FY 2003 appropriations bill
for the National Science Foundation has not been enacted.

There are five components to this program. Details on each can be found
beginning on page 321 in the budget submission to Congress at
http//:www.nsf.gov/bfa/bud/fy2004/toc.htm :

Arctic Research Program: The FY 2004 request of $40.8 million is 7.7%, or
$2.9 million, over the FY 2003 request. This is an increase of 13.6%, or
$4.9 million, over the FY 2002 budget.

Arctic Research Support and Logistics: The FY 2004 request of $29.0 million
is 11.5%, or $3.0 million, over the FY 2003 request. This is an increase of
5.1%, or $1.4 million, over the FY 2002 budget.

Arctic Research Commission: The FY 2004 request of $1.2 million is 10.2%,
or $0.1 million, over the FY 2003 request. This is an increase of 16.7%, or
$0.2 million, over the FY 2002 budget.

Antarctic Research Grants Program: The FY 2004 request of $44.2 million is
9.3%, or $3.8 million, over the FY 2003 request. This is an increase of
10.9%, or $4.3 million, over the FY 2002 budget.

Antarctic Operations and Science Support: The FY 2004 request of $146.7
million is 12.5%, or $16.3 million, over the FY 2003 request. This is an
increase of 16.3%, or $20.6 million, over the FY 2002 budget.

Richard M. Jones

Media and Government Relations Division

The American Institute of Physics

fyi@aip.org

(301) 209-3094