I UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
y WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
May 15,2001
EP A-S AB-RS AC-COM-01 -002
OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR
SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD
Honorable Christine Todd Whitman
Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
Subject: Science Advisory Board (SAB) Commentary on National
Program Directors in ORD for Managing Large Crosscutting
Programs
Dear Governor Whitman:
On March 7, 2001, the Research Strategies Advisory Committee (RSAC) of the
Science Advisory Board met in Washington, D.C. and completed a consultation on the topic of
the National Program Directors (NPDs) in the Office of Research and Development (ORD).
The ORD only recently has selected and appointed NPDs to manage large cross-cutting
research programs. We listened to the prepared presentations from four National Program
Directors and made inquiries about the strengths of this matrix management structure and areas
where improvements could be beneficial to the Agency. The four ORD programs covered in
our interactions were Particulate Matter Research, Drinking Water Research, Endocrine
Disrupters Research, and Global Change Research. We also received the recently completed
"Management Review of the Particulate Matter Research Program" by the Board of Scientific
Counselors for the Office of Research and Development.
Based on our discussion, the RSAC decided to prepare a commentary to provide our
assessment and advice regarding the National Program Directors in ORD. This commentary
offers specific recommendations including a strong endorsement for the continuing use of
National Program Directors and for strengthening some aspects of this management structure.
Key Findings
a) RSAC found that the management structure utilizing National Program
Directors with a lead executive, while fairly new, is well organized and efficient.
It appears to be working well and is offering the type of leadership and
coordination functions that are essential to successfully executing crosscutting
research programs in ORD.
b) RSAC noted that there were differences in the functioning of the National
Program Directors among different programs. For example, the Particulate
Matter Research Program by necessity requires NPD efforts to be mostly
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devoted to identifying research needs, to coordinating the research planning,
and to monitoring research carried out by contractors and participating research
groups. The NPD for Endocrine Disrupters, on the other hand, has to place
significantly more emphasis on coordination of national and international efforts.
This flexibility and tailoring of NPD activities is a good attribute that ORD
should continue to cultivate.
Recommendations
a) RSAC notes that even though there are a number of research programs in
ORD, all of them do not have National Program Directors. RSAC learned that
ORD management appoints National Program Directors only for a subset of
the programs. RSAC does understand that all programs may not require
National Program Directors. However, RSAC recommends that the Agency
establish a set of defined criteria and standards to implement a transparent
process to decide when a National Program Director is needed and when one
is not necessary.
b) RSAC also noted that the NPDs play a very critical and strategic role in
developing and following the ORD Research Strategy. This allows a focus for
ORD's efforts and a means to evaluate how responsive the results are to the
stated goals of the National Program Director management program. Because
the research planning process is quite complex and requires consensus building
RSAC recommends that additional staff support be provided for the NPDs and
be adequate for their assigned tasks.
c) RSAC observed that a dedicated budget for the National Program Directors
would be very helpful to bolstering the abilities of the NPDs to be more efficient
and successful in their positions. Overall, RSAC is very pleased to see the
institution of National Program Directors for a subset of ORD Programs.
RSAC also encourages ORD to continue with this matrix management structure
and fine tune the operations along the lines of our recommendations.
We appreciate the opportunity to comment on this program. The Research Strategies
Advisory Committee would be pleased to expand on any of these comments, and we look
forward to your response.
Sincerely,
/S/ /S/
Dr. William H. Glaze, Chair Dr. Raymond C. Loehr, Chair
EPA Science Advisory Board Research Strategies Advisory Committee EPA
Science Advisory Board
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NOTICE
This report has been written as part of the activities of the Science Advisory Board, a
public advisory group providing extramural scientific information and advice to the
Administrator and other officials of the Environmental Protection Agency. The Board is
structured to provide balanced, expert assessment of scientific matters related to problems
facing the Agency. This report has not been reviewed for approval by the Agency and, hence,
the contents of this report do not necessarily represent the views and policies of the
Environmental Protection Agency, nor of other agencies in the Executive Branch of the Federal
government, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute a
recommendation for use.
Distribution and Availability: This Science Advisory Board report is provided to the EPA
Administrator, senior Agency management, appropriate program staff, interested members of
the public, and is posted on the SAB website (www.epa.gov/sab). Information on its
availability is also provided in the SAB's monthly newsletter (Happenings at the Science
Advisory Board). Additional copies and further information are available from the SAB Staff
[US EPA Science Advisory Board (1400A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington,
DC 20460-0001; 202-564-4546].
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US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD
RESEARCH STRATEGIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MAY 1-2, 2001
1200 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW
ARIEL RIOS BUILDING NORTH ROOM 6013
WASHINGTON, DC
CHAIR
Dr. Raymond C. Loehr, Professor, University of Texas at Austin, Department of Civil
Engineering, Austin, TX
PAST CHAIR
Dr. William Randall Seeker, Senior Vice President, General Electric Energy and
Environmental Research Corp., Irvine, CA
MEMBERS
Dr. Richard J. Bull, President, MoBull Consulting, Kennewick, WA
Dr. Philip Hopke, Robert A. Plane Professor of Chemistry, Clarkson University, Department
of Chemical Engineering, Potsdam, NY
Dr. Maria Morandi, Associate Professor of Environmental Science, University of Texas
Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, Houston, TX
Dr. Ishwar Murarka, Chief Scientist and President, Ish Inc., Sunnyvale, CA
Dr. William Smith, Professor of Forest Biology, School of Forestry and Environmental
Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT
Dr. James Watson, Professor, Environmental Sciences and Engineering Department,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD STAFF
Dr. John "Jack" R. Fowle, III, Designated Federal Officer, US Environmental Protection
Agency, EPA Science Advisory Board (1400A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC 20460
Ms. Wanda R. Fields, Management Assistant, US Environmental Protection Agency, EPA
Science Advisory Board (1400A), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
20460
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