Toward Better Utilization of Scientific and Engineering Talent: a Program for Action; Report (1964) / Chapter Skim
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UTILIZATION AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
UTILIZATION AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Pages 12-22
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From page 12... ...
In addition, the federal government is the largest supplier of information about scientists and engineers, and about the activities, such as research and development, in which they engage. As the initiator of major national programs, over the past 15 years the government has determined the deployment of hundreds of thousands of scientists and engineers.
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From page 13... ...
Indeed, meaningful studies probably could not have been made, partly because the information on which to base them was not available. Common sense suggests that there should be a careful calculation of the requirements for scientific and engineering manpower that will flow from each major decision of the federal government.
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From page 14... ...
In support of this objective, extensive and continuing analysis is needed to ensure that information related to scientific and engineering manpower is both adequate and useful for making major decisions in all sectors, and especially in the federal government. Another task of Executive leadership should be to strengthen research in the field of scientific and engineering manpower.
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From page 15... ...
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, for example, as required by statute, has actively sought and organized information on the numbers and kinds of scientific and engineering personnel that are involved in its programs, including those employed by its contractors. The Department of Defense has very little information of this kind.
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From page 16... ...
4 The Department of Defense, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Federal Aviation Agency, the Atomic Energy Commission, and other agencies with major technological programs should continue to place great emphasis on improving the management of major projects by assigning to these projects identifiably top-quality managers with both technical and administrative skills, and giving them authority, responsibility, and resources necessary for successful completion of projects. We particularly commend measures already taken to give both military and civilian personnel special training in project management; to form project teams that cut across conventional organizational lines; to use formal management techniques for the better coordination of complex programs; and to increase the technical competence of government project-management teams by encouraging them to draw on the resources of industrial contractors, non-profit companies, and universities.
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From page 17... ...
One of the several advantages of multi-phase contracting is that it tends to reduce the number of prospective contractors submitting major proposals for a development program, thus reducing the investment of scientific and engineering talent in the preparation of proposals. Sin development programs, the use of fixed-price and incentive contracts instead of cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts is to be commended.
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From page 18... ...
Significant reductions in waste of money as well as manpower can be achieved if responsible government organizations are alert to the desirability of terminating or drastically modifying projects, or even entire programs, whenever there is convincing evidence of probable failure. Carefully considered action to terminate or redirect a program under such conditions is more often a sign of strength than a sign of weakness in the government's research and development management, and should be so interpreted by Congress and the public.
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From page 19... ...
The Committee recognizes that these objectives are difficult to achieve, and hastens to express its view that programs designed to minimize dislocation should not involve coercive methods that would curtail the freedom of individuals or encroach upon the proper prerogatives of responsible free enterprise. 9 Federal support of contractor-initiated technical effort by government industrial contractors should be maintained at a substantial level.
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From page 20... ...
TABLE 1 COMPARISON OF TOP GOVERNMENT CAREER SALARIES WITH THOSE IN PRIVATE BUSINESS FOR COMPARABLE WORK CORRESPONDING LEVELS IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PRIVATE BUSINESS GS-16 $16,000-$18,000 $20,000-$30,000 GS-17 $18,000-$20,000 ? 27,500-$37,500 GS-18 $20,000 $32,500-$45,000 Source: THE COMPETITION FOB QUALITY.
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From page 21... ...
S Civil Service Commission should take the lead in working with government departments and agencies to improve the working environment of scientists and engineers employed by the federal government.
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From page 22... ...
In maintaining these major concentrations of manpower, the government has a special responsibility to appraise them in terms of both their contributions to urgent government needs and their impact on the over-all utilization of scientists and engineers, taking into consideration the needs of the private sector of the economy. New ways to manage and house the large research laboratories of the federal government are needed.
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