Testimony and Statements

NSB 97-72
March 28, 1997

RESOLUTION APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD
AT ITS 342ND MEETING, MARCH 27-28, 1997, CONCERNING

NEW GENERAL CRITERIA FOR MERIT REVIEW OF PROPOSALS

 

WHEREAS competitive merit review, with peer evaluation, is the National Science Foundation's accepted method for informing its proposal decision processes; and

WHEREAS the Board requested that the general review criteria adopted by the Board in 1981 be re-examined in light of the Strategic Plan for NSF, as approved by the Board in October 1994; and

WHEREAS in October 1996 the Board received a discussion report of its Task Force on Merit Review (NSB/MR-96-15), and asked the Director to share that report with the Nation's research and education community for comments; and

WHEREAS comments received from the community have been fully considered, resulting in several improvements to the proposed criteria, which the Task Force has incorporated into its final report ( NSB/MR-97-05);

Now, therefore, be it RESOLVED that the National Science Board:

APPROVES the criteria set forth in the final report;

APPROVES their use for all proposals reviewed beginning October 1, 1997;

AUTHORIZES the Director, NSF, to proceed expeditiously with all steps necessary for complete implementation by that date; and

REQUESTS the Director to report to the Board at its meetings in August and November 1997 on the status of implementation and use of the new criteria.

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