US Federal Research and Development Infrastructure: A Foundation for the Nation's Global Scientific Leadership and Economic and National Security

Consistent with Section 1007 of the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Act, the National Science and Technology Council has produced this report identifying and prioritizing the deficiencies in research facilities and major instrumentation located at federal laboratories and national user facilities at academic institutions that are widely accessible for use by researchers in the United States. It is an assessment of issues facing the United States’ research and development infrastructure (RDI) and their impact on the nation’s status as a global leader in S&T. It aims be a tool for agencies to assess and address RDI concerns based on individual needs and resources. The assessment identifies four major issues affecting U.S. RDI: aging and inadequate research infrastructure; cascading impacts from substandard facilities; a widening gap in global S&T outcomes; and challenges in recruiting and retaining top talent. This assessment also offers four opportunities for agencies to meet future S&T needs: strategic planning, identifying gaps, benchmarking, and interagency collaboration.