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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Inspector General
At a Glance
19-P-0123
April 18, 2019
Why We Did This Project
We conducted this audit to
determine whether the Office
of Research and
Development's (ORD's)
support of regional research
programs helps accomplish the
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's (EPA's) mission. We
also examined whether results
of regional science initiatives
impact the agency's decision-
making.
Our audit focused on two
regional research programs:
1.	Regional Applied Research
Effort (RARE).
2.	Regional Sustainability and
Environmental Sciences
(RESES).
ORD has Regional Science
Liaisons (RSLs) within each
region who participate on
Regional Science Councils that
help identify RARE and RESES
projects. In 2015, ORD's Office
of Science Policy developed
the Regional Science Program
(RSP) Tracker database to
monitor RARE projects.
This report addresses the
following:
• Improving EPA research
programs.
Address inquiries to our public
affairs office at (202) 566-2391 or
OIG WEBCOMMENTS@epa.oiq.
List of OIG reports.
Regional Research Programs Address Agency Needs
but Could Benefit from Enhanced Project Tracking
What We Found
For the eight RARE and two RESES projects we
sampled, regional staff said that ORD's support
helped accomplish the agency's mission by
addressing the regions' high-priority, near-term
research needs. Additionally, regional and ORD
staff described positive impacts that these
projects had on agency operations and/or decision
benefits that their offices gained by participating in
Updates to the RSP tracking
system would improve how
ORD documents and
communicates the benefits
of regional research
programs.
-making, as well as other
regional research programs.
While interviewees expressed overall satisfaction with regional research
programs, we found that ORD could better document project progress, outputs
and impacts. Specifically, the RSP Tracker neither included RESES projects, nor
consistently included start and end dates, project outputs, or significant project
events for all RARE projects. The incomplete data stemmed from turnover among
RSL staff, as well as the 2015 adoption of the RSP Tracker, which featured
additional data fields not present for older projects. According to ORD, in 2018,
the office began steps to clarify RSL roles, including revisiting a 2015
memorandum of understanding between ORD and the regions, developing an
RSL implementation plan, and updating RARE guidelines. ORD said that it is also
updating the RSP Tracker to include RESES projects and RARE project dates.
Recommendations and Planned Agency Corrective Actions
We recommend that the Assistant Administrator for Research and Development
complete data entry of all RESES projects into the RSP Tracker; verify and
update information for RARE projects in the RSP Tracker; and update the RSP
Tracker to improve project tracking by documenting timelines, significant outputs
and how results were used in agency decision-making. We also recommend that
ORD require RSLs to use the RSP Tracker, increase awareness of the RSP
Tracker among regional staff and regularly hold events for RSLs to share best
practices. ORD concurred with all recommendations. One recommendation is
completed. All other recommendations are resolved with corrective actions
pending. The agency plans to complete all corrective actions by October 1, 2020.
Noteworthy Achievements
Prior to our audit, ORD launched a program evaluation—which it plans to
complete in fiscal year 2019—on RESES project accomplishments and impacts.
We also noted several effective practices relating to Regional Science Councils.
Lastly, in September 2018, RSLs met to discuss challenges, goals, best practices
and successes in their regions. One product resulting from that meeting was the
development of an implementation workgroup focused on using the identified
lessons learned to improve internal processes.

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