Surface Transportation Environmental Research: A Long-Term Strategy -- Special Report 268 (2002)
Chapter: Appendix B: Matrix of Cooperative Research Programs
APPENDIX B
MATRIX OF COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS
|
Program |
Core Partners |
Strategic Focus |
Solicitation and Evaluation of Research Proposals |
Evaluation of Research Product |
|
Health Effects Institute (HEI) |
Automotive industry and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) |
Priorities are guided by a5-year strategic plan. Plan is reviewed and updated annually |
The Research Committee identifies program areas and openly solicits proposals. Proposals are reviewed for scientific quality and overall integration into the research program. Board of Directors reviews recommended proposals for procedure, independence, and quality of the selection process |
The Health Review Committee evaluates all HEI-funded studies on the basis of scientific quality and the study’s contribution to unresolved scientific questions. Each draft final report is peer-reviewed by scientists with appropriate technical expertise |
|
EPA’s Science to Achieve Results program (STAR) |
EPA. Partnerships areformed with other agencies for particular projects |
Strategic plan establishes priorities for research and development using a risk-based process |
Competition for Request for Applications (RFAs) is announced through the Federal Register, the Internet, universities, and so forth. RFAs are awarded after an external peer review and an internal relevancy review (merit review) |
No evaluation of final research product |
|
National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) |
State departments of transportation, Transportation Research Board (TRB), and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) |
Priorities are set on anannual basis by the primary customers of the program—state departments of transportation |
Problem statements aresolicited from individual states and AASHTO standing committees. Problem statements are selected by a merit-based review. Research proposals are selected for funding on the basis of an expert panel review |
No formal evaluation of final research product. If panel review committees are not satisfied with the work of the researcher, the final report will not be published |
|
Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) |
TRB, American Public Transportation |
Priorities are set on an annual basis by the pri |
Problem statements are openly solicited and are |
No formal evaluation of final research product. If panel |
|
Program |
Core Partners |
Strategic Focus |
Solicitation and Evaluation of Research Proposals |
Evaluation of Research Product |
|
|
Association (APTA), Federal Transit Administration |
mary customers of the program—transit operators |
selected on the basis of a merit-based review. Research proposals are selected for funding on the basis of an expert panel review |
review committees are not satisfied with the work of the researcher, the final report will not be published |
|
Program |
Research Dissemination |
Funding Sources |
Competence and Independence of Staff |
Stakeholder Involvement |
|
HEI |
Research reports are distributed to EPA, industry sponsors, the scientific community, public interest groups, and appropriate libraries. A one-page statement is written for nonscientists |
EPA and the automotive industry |
HEI employs a small, highly skilled technical staff. A firewall is established between staff serving as liaisons to the Research Committee (proposal selection) and staff serving as liaisons to the |
HEI’s Board of Directors consists of public and private figures in science and policy. HEI routinely consults with interested parties on the development of the HEI strategic plan and in determining |
|
|
summarizing the key findings of the report |
|
Review Committee (project evaluation) |
research priorities. Stakeholders also have the opportunity to attend annual workshops, where research results are presented |
|
STAR |
Final reports are distributed via the National Technical Information Service and the EPA website. Summaries of reports are provided in both scientific and nonscientific formats |
EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) contributes about $110 million; federal partners contribute about $20 million |
Through ORD’s intramural and technical support program, ORD scientists are assigned to areas of highest risk/priority. A firewall is established between staff who administer the independent peer review and staff who write or select RFAs |
The STAR program follows the federal guidelines for public comment and involvement. In addition, stakeholders are invited to workshops to hear updates on research in progress. Finally, stakeholder partici- pation is solicited in the writing of RFAs when STAR forms a partnership with a private entity |
|
Program |
Research Dissemination |
Funding Sources |
Competence and Independence of Staff |
Stakeholder Involvement |
|
NCHRP |
Final reports are published and distributed via the TRB website, and copies of the reports are mailed to the program subscribers |
State departments of transportation. The program is voluntarily funded from a percentage of the federal-aid highway funds of the state departments of transportation. These funds are projected for several years, providing a consistent funding base |
NCHRP hires staff experienced in the areas of research undertaken by the program. No firewall is established between staff selecting and administering the program |
The AASHTO Standing Committee on Research determines the priorities for the program. The Federal Highway Administration is provided an opportunity to propose projects. Expert panels are selected to conduct merit reviews of the problem statements |
|
TCRP |
Funding is set aside for TCRP to contract with APTA to distribute and market research reports |
Funding is specifically earmarked for TCRP through the appropriation process. Funding has not kept pace with inflation and has recently been subject to earmarks |
TCRP hires staff experienced in the areas of research undertaken by the program. No firewall is established between staff selecting and administering the program |
The Transit Development Corporation’s Board of Directors serves as the Board of Directors for TCRP. Expert panels are selected to conduct merit reviews of the problem statements |
