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Decadal Science Strategy Surveys Report of a Workshop (2007) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix C Excerpts from Presentation by Jon Morse, Office of Science and Technology Policy
Pages 62-64

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From page 62...
... C Excerpts from Presentation by Jon Morse, Office of Science and Technology Policy The Role of NRC Decadal Surveys in Prioritizing Federal Funding for Science & Technology Jon Morse Physical Sciences and Engineering Office of Science and Technology Policy Executive Office of the President 
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From page 63...
...  APPENDIX C Beneficial Aspects of NRC Decadal Surveys • Community-based documents that provide consensus views of frontier science opportunities for maintaining the nation's scientific leadership • Provides for each field a single, well-respected source for community priorities and the scientific motivations to the agencies, OMB, OSTP, and the Congress • Limits the range of activities to consider for funding --  estimates, technical risk assessments, and technology roadmaps Cost aid in budget planning Issues and Concerns with NRC Decadal Surveys • Prioritizing specific projects can become static and inflexible, making it nearly impossible to account for project setbacks, new discoveries, chang ing budgetary circumstances, etc. • Technical risks are often not well known or stated clearly • Cost estimates have often been inaccurate -- Project cost estimates are too low and do not reflect total life-cycle costs • Recommended project portfolios cannot fit in any realistic budget sce nario (unrealistic expectations)
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From page 64...
... is not useful for policy and budget planning Suggested Improvements • Establish science and project priorities in the broad context of past, pres ent, and future projects and changing conditions • New initiatives, upgrades and/or recapitalizations • Establish relative priority amongst new initiatives, projects currently under development (e.g., from previous surveys) , operating projects, R&A, PI-led projects, and technology/R&D investment needs • Prioritize across all initiatives vs.
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Key Terms

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  • taxpayer investment
  • cost estimates
  • communicating societal
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  • change priorities
  • move forward
  • establish relative
  • scientific opportunities
  • key information

  • senior review
  • international support
  • suggested improvements
  • broad context
  • relative priority

  • project overruns
  • decadal survey
  • budget projections
  • managing expectations
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  • subsequent senior
  • consider multiple
  • budget profiles
  • changing conditions
  • priority amongst


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