Status of NBS Equipment Modernization Program
O A survey of NBS equipment conducted in 1971 concluded that 40 percent of the items in the inventory were more than 10 years old. Additionally, much of the inventory, regardless of age, was behind the state-of-the art for precision measurement work.
The study also reported that NBS investment for general equipment was far below comparable laboratories in industry and other government agencies. Most other laboratories invest between $3,850 and $5,000 per professional staff member. NBS investment in 1971 was at the level of $1,440 per professional staff member.
As a result of this study, a budget initiative was approved to provide $3 million a year for 5 years to modernize and upgrade the NBS equipment inventory.
NBS equipment is purchased through investment of its Working Capital Fund. Money is appropriated to the Fund, invested by NBS in equipment, and the costs are then recovered through depreciation charges to the benefiting programs over the useful lifetime of the equipment (8 years on the average). Although for fiscal reasons the NBS program is behind schedule, a total of $7,090,000 in new funds will have been appropriated to NBS for new equipment by the end of 1977 ($12 million was the planned figure). This new money, when added to funds available from depreciation of existing equipment has provided a total of $17,395,000 for investment in new equipment over the last four years. In 1977, a total of $5,168,000 will be available for investment in equipment, $2,085,000 from new appropriations, and $3,083,000 from depreciation of existing equipment.
The amounts available for each of the last four years are shown in the following table:
1974 actual.
1975 actual..... 1976 estimate.
In 1977 an increase of $163,000 is also requested in direct appropriations for additional depreciation costs resulting from last year's increase of $500,000 in the modernization program.
The NBS Visiting Committee has been extremely interested in the progress of the modernization program and has repeatedly remarked favorably on it in its reports to
Proposed NBS Acquisition of NIKE Missile Site at Gaithersburg
In June, 1975, NBS initiated action to use a portion (10.6 acres) of a 13.7 acre NIKE missile site adjacent to the NBS facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The site was declared to be excess real property by the Army in December 1974. Although the initial proposal was to use the site for one year, NBS has since asked to acquire the 10.6 acre launcher portion of the site. on a permanent basis.
A potential conflict over NBS acquisition of the site has developed. The City of Gaithersburg has indicated that it would like to purchase the site for a community center and public works depot.
In November, Congressman Gude and Senators Beall and Mathias wrote to the Secretary asking for reconsideration of the NBS proposal. In their letter they proposed that the site be sold to the City of Gaithersburg for $360,000, in exchange for which the City would loan the site to NBS, rent free, for a negotiable period of time.
2. Planned NBS Use of the Site:
O NBS hopes to use the site, and the buildings located on it, for planned expansion of the fire research program. According to NBS, the program has long range commitments from other agencies for work, on a reimbursable basis, involving: Smoke and toxic gas movement;
Effects of heating and air conditioning systems on fire detection and smoke movement; and Automatic sprinkler performance evaluation.
The Bureau has also indicated that acquisition of the NIKE site will save the cost of constructing similar facilities on the NBS property or elsewhere. However, there are as yet no firm plans for constructing such facilities, irrespec- tive of the outcome of the decision on the NIKE site.
Other reasons cited by NBS include:
The fact that NBS lost 20 percent of its large scale laboratory space for fire
research when the Bureau was moved from its old site at Van Ness Street.
The need for the additional space on a long term basis in order to complete the program satisfactorily.
O NBS still desires to occupy the site, although options have been considered. A response to the Congressmen has been sent, along with supporting material.
In the meantime, NBS has obtained a one year permit for use of the site. This permit expires September 30, 1976.
Tentative oral notice of approval for NBS to obtain permanent rights was received from GSA on April 22, 1976.
Plans for Implementation of NBS Responsibilities Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act
NBS Responsibilities Under the Act
Three parts of the New Energy Policy and Conservation Act (P.L. 94-163 of December 22, 1975) specifically involve NBS:
Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other than Automobiles
As directed by the Administrator of the Federal Energy Administration (FEA), NBS will develop test procedures for the determination of (a) estimated annual operating costs of the covered products (principally appliances); and (b) at least one other measure of energy consumption of products which the FEA Administrator determines is likely to help consumers in making purchase decisions.
FEA may publish the test procedures developed by NBS.
FEA is authorized to allocate amounts not exceeding $1,100,000 in 1976 and $700,000 in each of 1977 and 1978 to NBS to carry out this requirement.
Industrial Energy Conservation: Under this section, the administrator of FEA is directed to establish and maintain in consultation with the Secretary and the Administrator of ERDA, a program to promote American industrial efficiency and establish voluntary energy efficiency improvement targets for at least the 10 most energy consumptive industries.
No specific funding authorization is included for carrying out this part of the Act.
Title V, Part E. - Other Federal Energy Measures: This part directs NBS to develop test procedures for determining the equivalency of previously used oil and new oil. NBS is to report these procedures to the Federal Trade Commission. No specific funding authorizations are included in the Act for this purpose.
NBS programs affected by the Act:
Prior to enactment of P.L. 94-163 NBS was conducting a voluntary appliance labeling and efficiency standards effort as part of the President's energy conservation program. In 1976, $2,220,000 is available for this work, including the remainder of a $1,000,000 supple- mental appropriation received in 1975. In 1977, the budget provides $1,270,000 for appliance labeling and efficiency standards.
O There is no ongoing NBS program for evaluating used oil.
As a result of the Act the NBS effort has been redirected in cooperation with FEA which now has overall responsibility for the program.
Existing base funds and an additional $940,000 from FEA will enable NBS to provide technical support to FEA primarily in the following two areas:
Test method development;
Research on efficiency levels and targets.
NBS is preparing to carryout the following new programs under the Act.
Development of procedures for evaluating used oil (on a reimbursable basis from FTC).
Consultation with FEA on promotion of industrial energy standards and on the establishment of
energy efficiency targets for the 10 most energy consumptive industries.
No cost estimates for the additional programs have been prepared.
Plans for Implementation of the Metric Conversion Act of 1975
The Metric Conversion Act, P.L. 94-168, enacted December 23, 1975, provides that the policy of the United States shall be to coordinate and plan for a voluntary changeover to the metric system of weights and measures. The Act also establishes an independent U.S. Metric Board to coordinate the conversion. The Board will consist of 17 members, all from the private sector.
Although the Department has no direct responsibility in implementing this legislation, Section 11 provides that Commerce may be called upon for administrative support (i.e., budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, personnel, and procurement) by the Board. The Department would be reimbursed by the Board for such services.
Impact on Departmental Operations:
O The National Bureau of Standards has consulted GSA regarding procedures for handling administrative details of such independent boards prior to their receiving appropriations and staff. It is possible that they will be called upon for assistance because of their ongoing responsibilities with maintaining the national measurement system, coordinating metrication with state weights and measures officials, and their international coordination through the National Conference on Weights and Measures.
NBS also has a small (approximately $130,000) Metric Informa- tion Office already in existence. No decision has yet been made as to whether this office will be eliminated once the Board starts functioning.
O There will be a need to convert some Department operations (e.g. NOAA maps and charts) to metric units now that a policy has been established. However, the extent of the changes, and their likely costs, have not yet been identified.
Status of Computer Data Standards Program at NBS
O This program is the single source of Federal ADP standards and is required by the "Brooks Act"
(P.L. 89-306) which authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to recommend government-wide standards for computers and information processing activities. May 16, 1974 GAO report entitled "Emphasis needed on Government's Efforts to Standardize Data Elements and Codes for Computer Systems" stated that standardized data elements and codes "could help reduce high costs of Federal computer operations by eliminating unnecessary duplication and incompatibilities in collecting, process- ing, and disseminating data.
GAO further concluded that the Secretary of Commerce should determine where standards would be most beneficial and established standardization priorities.
The Secretary of Commerce, according to GAO, should also issue policy on theory and terminology and provide for preparation of guidelines, methodology, and criteria to be followed by Agencies in their standardiza- tion efforts.
In order to carryout its assigned responsibilities, NBS will produce required Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) and guidelines in the following areas:
NBS will develop practices and procedures for use
by other Federal agencies in producing higher quality software.
NBS will develop methodology for testing and evaluating existing computer programs.
During 1977, NBS plans to complete the development of 15 additional FIPS and guidelines which will include the following:
four data standards (codes for cities, towns and places, water bodies, and sudivisions and countries) two standards for computer magnetic storage media one standard on use of computer system benchmarking techniques
one standard or guideline for print quality of optical character recognition characters.
Computer software will be developed to automatically measure the quality factors in COBOL and FORTRAN applications.
A software simulator will be developed for use in evaluating performance of computer programs.
Technical specifications will be produced for use by other Federal agencies in procuring software products.
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