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The FY 2002 Budget Request for Salaries
and Expenses (S&E) is $170.04 million, an increase of $9.50 million,
or 5.9 percent, over the FY 2001 Current Plan of $160.54 million.
The requested increase will cover costs for statutory pay
raises, space rental increases, and travel. In addition, the increase
will be used to improve the productivity of NSF's workforce through information
technology (IT) enhancements and create an Academy for training, education,
and development of staff at all levels. The requested level also supports
1,150 full-time equivalent (FTE) employment and provides for existing
administrative contractual services. Note that the Office of Inspector
General is described in a separate section of the justification.
(Millions of Dollars)
|
FY 2000 Actual |
FY 2001
Current Plan |
FY 2002 Request |
Change |
Amount |
Percent |
Personnel Compensation & Benefits |
105.21 |
113.35 |
117.51 |
4.16 |
3.7% |
General Operating Expenses |
44.07 |
47.19 |
52.53 |
5.34 |
11.3% |
Total, S&E |
$149.28 |
$160.54 |
$170.04 |
$9.50 |
5.9% |
The S&E appropriation includes funds for staff salaries,
benefits, travel, training, rent, advisory and assistance services, communications
and utilities expenses, supplies, equipment, and other operating expenses
necessary for management of the agency's research and education activities.
The FY 2002 S&E Budget Request provides support for the following
activities:
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Personnel Compensation and Benefits (PC&B):
Resources in this category provide funding for salaries and benefits
of federal employees. PC&B costs increased from $105.21 million
in FY 2000 to $113.35 million in FY 2001, and these costs are anticipated
to increase by $4.16 million, or 3.7 percent, totaling $117.51 million
in FY 2002. Within the proposed increase, PC&B will provide the
resources to maintain the current FTE level of 1,150, including comparability
and locality pay increases and higher benefits costs.
-
General Operating Expenses (GOE): Resources
in this category constitute the remainder of the S&E appropriation.
GOE funds the entire range of operating expenses and travel that are
necessary for the agency to administer its programs. GOE costs will
increase by $5.34 million, or 11.3 percent, totaling $52.53 million
in FY 2002.
Within the proposed increase, $4.33 million will provide
the resources to improve the agency's information systems technology -
enhance the information infrastructure, promote e-business opportunities,
and provide for increasing IT contractor costs. This increase also funds
rental payments to the General Services Administration for existing and
newly acquired space and other general operating expenses to administer
the agency's programs. In addition, an increase in travel funds by $1.01
million is necessary to continue supporting the merit review process and
to increase oversight as well as outreach travel.
Personnel Compensation and Benefits
Overall, PC&B is the single largest component of the
S&E appropriation. PC&B costs for FY 2002 amount to $117.51 million,
an increase of $4.16 million over the FY 2001 Current Plan.
(Millions of Dollars)
|
FY 2000 Actual |
FY 2001
Current Plan |
FY 2002 Request |
Change |
Amount |
Percent |
Personnel Compensation |
87.37 |
93.92 |
97.53 |
3.61 |
3.8% |
Personnel Benefits |
17.84 |
19.43 |
19.98 |
0.55 |
2.8% |
Total, PC&B |
$105.21 |
$113.35 |
$117.51 |
$4.16 |
3.7% |
Full-time Equivalent |
1,153 |
1,150 |
1,150 |
0 |
0.0% |
As part of the overall PC&B request, the components
relating to this increase are:
-
$2.80 million for comparability and locality pay increases;
-
$810,000 for within-grade increases, career ladder
promotions, senior executive service and general workforce performance
management system bonuses; and
-
$550,000 for benefits increases that include higher
agency contributions to the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS)
because a higher percentage of the NSF workforce is covered by FERS
than the Civil Service Retirement System plan.
Staffing
NSF has always prided itself on its talented, dedicated
workforce, including visiting scientists, engineers, and educators. However,
such a workforce is more challenging to maintain in a competitive job
market and as an older, experienced generation retires. In addition, the
use of new technology, which has helped fuel NSF's significant increase
in productivity the past few years, has developed to the point where a
shift in job design and workforce employment is taking place.
In recent years, as technology has automated simple functions,
NSF has transitioned obsolete clerical jobs to vital technical ones. In
order to continue serving and supporting a more complex portfolio, NSF
must augment those technical jobs with new kinds of expertise in systems
development, design, and deployment. It also means that NSF must continue
to dedicate resources to staff training each time a new system is developed
and implemented. Thus, management of more complex programs requires that
there be a richer mix of program staff with more than just scientific
expertise.
The NSF FY 2002 staffing level remains equal to the FY
2001 Current Plan level of 1,150 FTE.
General Operating Expenses
General Operating Expenses (GOE) fund a broad range of
operations necessary for the Foundation to administer its programs. The
FY 2002 request for GOE is $52.53 million, an increase of $5.34 million
from the FY 2001 level of $47.19 million. The largest single component
of GOE is space rental, which will increase to $17.2 million based on
GSA's negotiated leasing cost for FY 2002. To enhance the productivity
of the NSF staff, the request will fund information technology initiatives
designed to improve proposal and award processing, initiate an Academy
to facilitate employee development and training, and provide travel funds
for staff to effectively administer programs.
The request also provides for the management and maintenance
of the operational components of the FastLane Project. This project was
designed to reengineer all business interactions between NSF and the science
and engineering research and education communities. FastLane streamlines
and automates operations involved in the submission and review of research
proposals, issuance of grants, cash management, and post-award administration.
Currently FastLane is used for 99.8% of proposal submissions. To maintain
the system, NSF must continue to support and enhance FastLane operations
and maintenance infrastructure, expand the Help Desk hours, and provide
continued training to NSF's personnel in its use. The required infrastructure
includes high-speed servers, storage, and memory. Most importantly, the
infrastructure requires significant investments in system security and
contracts to maintain and enhance the FastLane programs.
(Millions of Dollars)
|
FY 2000 Actual |
FY 2001
Current Plan |
FY 2002 Request |
Change |
Amount |
Percent |
Travel |
4.00 |
3.99 |
5.00 |
1.01 |
25.3% |
Space Rental |
14.81 |
16.56 |
17.20 |
0.64 |
3.9% |
Information Infrastructure |
11.75 |
13.53 |
15.53 |
2.00 |
14.8% |
Other General Operating Expenses |
13.51 |
13.11 |
14.80 |
1.69 |
12.9% |
Total, GOE |
$44.07 |
$47.19 |
$52.53 |
$5.34 |
11.3% |
Travel
The Foundation's science, engineering, and education research
programs continue to emphasize more complex, interrelated sets of activities.
The activities require NSF staff to interact and engage a broader, and
often new, range of participants. These communities and constituencies
often require assistance from and coordination with NSF staff in order
to ensure compliance with the Foundation's administrative and programmatic
requirements in proposing and carrying out their awards. This interaction
and coordination takes many forms. It includes increased pre-award outreach
to inform new communities of the NSF role in providing research funding;
pre-proposal advice, complex pre-award negotiation; and requires attendance
at society meetings, site visits, and workshops.
The travel funded in the Salaries and Expenses account
will continue to provide travel for staff to inform researchers across
the nation about NSF's programs; site visits to manage and oversee projects
and facilities; and attendance at symposia, conferences, and meetings
to maintain a presence with new and emerging disciplines and partnerships.
In addition, funding is requested for increased oversight activities,
especially for new grantees, and for enhanced outreach activities associated
with FastLane, travel for the National Science Board, and the Office of
the Director to participate at conferences and meetings for science policy
planning.
Budgeted at $5.0 million in FY 2002, Travel increases by
$1.01 million from the FY 2001 level of $3.99 million. An increase in
travel in FY 2002 is necessary to continue to support the merit review
process while increasing the ability for oversight and outreach travel.
Good management is critical to the success of the research and education
activities that we support, and proper and sufficient oversight is vital
to the process. This requested amount also will assist in assuring both
a reliable merit review process and the oversight recommended by the agency's
Inspector General. Inspector General reports continue to cite the lack
of travel funds for oversight of NSF awards as a major management challenge.
In addition, management reviews call for more oversight travel.
Space Rental
Budgeted at $16.56 million in FY 2001, physical infrastructure
costs increase by $640,000 in FY 2002 to a total of $17.20 million. These
costs include charges by GSA for the Foundation's headquarters location
in Arlington, Virginia, two floors of space in an adjacent building, and
an additional 1,600 square feet of space in the headquarters building
will be acquired by the end of FY 2001 to alleviate severe space problems.
Information Infrastructure
Information infrastructure costs are budgeted at $15.53
million in FY 2002, increasing by $2.0 million from the FY 2001 level
of $13.53 million. This request continues the Foundation's major investment
in new technology to support improved business operations and to keep
pace with an increasingly complex workload. Reengineering activities throughout
NSF are focused on changing business practices to streamline operations
and improve efficiency. This investment has produced significant results,
including successful efforts to automate proposal and award processes
and the development of improved financial systems. Currently NSF electronically
disburses about $3 billion to researchers annually and another $121 million
to staff for salaries and travel reimbursements. Approximately 99% of
all NSF payments are done through electronic funds transfer. The requested
increase continues NSF's efforts to complete and extend the automation
and streamlining of proposal processing, award administration, and cash
management activities currently underway.
NSF's information infrastructure is characterized by powerful
central databases and file-servers as well as distributed desktop workstations
that support a wide range of automated administrative and programmatic
work processes. These processes include mission activities such as proposal
and award management, financial management, electronic mail, electronic
timekeeping and record-keeping systems, and data analysis. NSF is replacing
its large central mainframe computer with a client-server computing environment
that allows more processing to be performed at individual workstations
rather than on the mainframe. The migration is scheduled for completion
by the end of FY 2001.
In order to keep pace with technological advances and support
the new client-server based systems, the NSF technical infrastructure
(including desktop computers) must be upgraded on an on-going basis. NSF
pursues an active program of assessing emerging technologies to determine
their applicability to NSF operations and their potential to improve efficiency.
By using all available processing power, and by upgrading the processing
power available on the desktop, NSF staff will be able to take full advantage
of the benefits of new systems and applications as they become available.
Database and file servers to support enhanced client-server applications
will be installed to replace aging technology and provide an adequate
technical infrastructure for systems under development.
Other ongoing information infrastructure costs include
operation of a central computing facility; maintenance of hardware and
software; management of the NSF intranet and local area network; operation
of a customer service center; software development services to enhance
and maintain current applications; and electronic mail.
With the technological advances of the client server architecture
and the Internet, NSF has implemented FastLane for its external customers
and major client server applications including the Proposal and Reviewer
System and Awards System for its internal customers. In FY 2001, the Payroll
and Finance systems will be implemented in a client server environment,
thus completing the major effort of migrating our systems from the mainframe.
The completion of this effort is not an end, but a beginning. The years
of effort were designed to provide NSF with the ability to begin making
some fundamental changes in how we accomplish our work and how we interact
with our communities. We have worked for years and invested considerable
effort in making NSF a recognized IT leader in the government. We must
continue to enhance our current systems and develop new systems in a secure
and accessible environment to meet future demands as NSF continues its
growth. Some of our goals include: a completely paperless processing environment
at NSF; an integrated and comprehensive proposal processing environment;
better communications with our customers; any time, any place information
access and work environments; enhanced electronic publishing and information
dissemination capabilities; and continuing the upgrade of the Foundation's
desktop computer inventory.
Other General Operating Expenses
Budgeted at $14.8 million in FY 2002, other GOE increases
by $1.69 million from the FY 2001 level of $13.11 million. Funds in this
category cover charges for telephone services and postage, employee training,
equipment repair and maintenance, mail handling, printing and reproduction,
office supplies, and other administrative expenses. The increase will
cover anticipated contractual increases and other expenses for administrative
equipment and initial start-up costs for an Academy to enhance workforce
skills.
The table below shows the planned distribution of general
operating expenses by object class and is followed by brief detailed explanations
of each category.
(Thousands of Dollars)
|
FY 2000 Actual |
FY 2001 Current Plan |
FY 2002 Request |
Amount Change |
Travel & transportation of persons |
4,000 |
3,991 |
5,000 |
1,009 |
Transportation of things |
173 |
160 |
160 |
0 |
Rental payments to GSA |
14,805 |
16,564 |
17,200 |
636 |
Communications, utilities & misc.
charges |
3,028 |
2,971 |
3,225 |
254 |
Printing & reproduction |
488 |
446 |
447 |
1 |
Advisory & assistance services |
1,189 |
1,396 |
1,757 |
361 |
Other services |
3,959 |
4,803 |
5,405 |
602 |
Purchases of goods & services from
gov't. accounts |
1,638 |
998 |
1,000 |
2 |
Medical care |
204 |
413 |
414 |
1 |
Operations & maintenance of equipment |
4,713 |
5,809 |
6,405 |
596 |
Supplies & materials |
2,040 |
1,618 |
1,622 |
4 |
Equipment |
7,821 |
8,013 |
9,880 |
1,867 |
Reception & representation |
9 |
9 |
9 |
0 |
Total |
$44,067 |
$47,191 |
$52,524 |
$5,333 |
Description of categories:
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Travel and Transportation of Persons is discussed
at the beginning of the GOE section.
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Transportation of Things consists of household
moves associated with bringing new scientists and engineers on board.
No increase in this account is planned in FY 2002.
-
Rental Payments to GSA, which increase by $636,000
in FY 2002, includes the rent charged by GSA for NSF's facility in
Arlington, Virginia and two floors in an adjacent building. The FY
2002 increase is required to fund GSA's estimate of an increase in
the rate paid by NSF for currently occupied space, plus additional
space that will be leased at the end of FY 2001 in the headquarters
building to alleviate severe space problems.
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Communications, Utilities, and Miscellaneous Charges
include all costs for telephone lines and services, both local and
long distance, postage, and rental charges for leased copiers. These
costs increase by $254,000 in FY 2002, to fund enhancements (i.e.,
wireless, computer telephone integration) to NSF's telephone system
that was acquired in FY 2000. With the enhancements, NSF will have
a state-of-the-art system that will be substantially easier to administer
and will provide improved functionality to staff.
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Printing and Reproduction include contract costs
of composition and printing of NSF's publications, announcements and
forms; and printing of stationery and specialty items. The increase
represents restoration of funding to FY 2001 level before rescission.
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Advisory and Assistance Services include training
for all Foundation staff, contracts for position classifications,
security investigations, and related services. These costs increase
by $361,000 in FY 2002 to fund initial costs of an Academy that is
being designed to provide professional development for staff in order
to build a workforce with the competencies to meet future challenges.
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Other Services includes warehousing and supply
services, mail handling, addressing services, equipment repair and
maintenance, carpet installation and repair, renovation costs, furniture
repair, contract support for conference room services, and miscellaneous
administrative contracts. These costs increase by $602,000 in FY 2002
for next generation video-conferencing in support of the e-business
GPRA goal to facilitate an internal paperless process.
-
Purchases of Goods and Services from Government
Accounts include reimbursable services purchased from GSA. These
costs primarily include guard services and off-hours heating and air
conditioning support. The increase represents restoration of funding
to FY 2001 level before rescission.
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Medical Care includes costs associated with
the health services contract, providing limited on-site medical services
to the agency's staff. The increase represents restoration of funding
to FY 2001 level before rescission.
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Operations and Maintenance of Equipment includes
management and operation of the central computer facility 24 hours/day,
365 days/year; operation of the customer service center and FastLane
help desk; maintenance of database server hardware and related peripherals;
software licensing fees; data communications infrastructure and network
systems support; electronic mail support; and remote access (e.g.,
Internet and World Wide Web). The increase of $596,000 planned for
FY 2002 will cover anticipated contractual increases, including sharp
increases in IT labor rates, and provide funding for the operation
and maintenance of FastLane; implementation of Office 2000 and Windows
2000; increased e-mail resources; and increased funding for security.
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Supplies and Materials include office supplies,
library supplies, paper and supplies for the NSF central computer
facility, and miscellaneous supplies. The increase represents restoration
of funding to FY 2001 level before rescission.
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Equipment costs include new and replacement
computing equipment, desktop computers, data communications equipment,
video teleconferencing equipment, office furniture, file cabinets,
and support equipment such as copiers and audio-visual equipment.
Also included are software development costs associated with developing
and maintaining central application systems that support proposal,
award, financial, and administrative activities. These costs increase
in FY 2002 by approximately $1.87 million to support the following
activities: better integration between NSF's internal systems and
FastLane; improved system performance by utilizing new or improved
programming tools; programming associated with electronic signatures;
programming associated with accessibility and security; continue to
upgrade and increase the speed of NSF's LAN; e-mail hardware and software
upgrades; upgrade servers for FastLane and the new client server systems;
acquire disk storage units and tape backup to support electronic records;
upgrade and increase the speed of the firewall; prototype an IPTV
initiative; training room upgrades; and introduction of smart card
technology.
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Reception and Representation expenses do not
increase over the FY 2001 level.
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