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representative of the views of national science and engineering leadership.

Both the Director and the Deputy Director are appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, to a 6-year term and an unspecified term, respectively.

The National Science Foundation Act assigns policymaking functions for the Foundation to the National Science Board, within the framework of applicable policies set forth by the President and the Congress, and assigns the administration of the Foundation to the Director. By statute the Director of the Foundation is a member of the Board and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board.

The Board also has a broad, national policy responsibility to monitor and make recommendations to promote the health of U.S. science and engineering research and education.

The Foundation's Office of Inspector General is responsible for conducting and supervising audits, inspections, and investigations relating to the programs and operations of the Foundation, including allegations of misconduct in science.

Activities

The National Science Foundation initiates and supports fundamental, longterm, merit-selected research in all the scientific and engineering disciplines. This support is made through grants, contracts, and other agreements awarded to universities, colleges, academic consortia, and nonprofit and small business institutions. Most of this research is directed toward the resolution of scientific and engineering questions concerning fundamental life processes, natural laws and phenomena, fundamental processes influencing the human environment, and the forces affecting people as members of society as well as the behavior of society as a whole.

The Foundation encourages cooperative efforts by universities, industries, and government. It also promotes the application of research and development for better products and

services that improve the quality of life and stimulate economic growth.

The Foundation promotes the development of research talent through. support of undergraduate and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral researchers. It administers special programs to identify and encourage participation by groups underrepresented in science and technology and to strengthen research capability at smaller institutions, small businesses, undergraduate colleges, and universities. The Foundation supports major national and international science and engineering activities, including the U.S. Antarctic Program, the Ocean Drilling Program, global geoscience studies, and others. Cooperative scientific and engineering research activities support exchange programs for American and foreign scientists and engineers, execution of jointly designed research projects, participation in the activities of international science and engineering organizations, and travel to international conferences.

Support is provided through contracts and cooperative agreements with. national centers where large facilities are made available for use by qualified scientists and engineers. Among the types of centers supported by the Foundation are astronomy and atmospheric sciences, biological and engineering research, science and technology, supercomputers, and longterm ecological research sites.

The Foundation provides competitively awarded grants for repair, renovation, or, in exceptional cases, replacement of facilities used for research and research training at academic and nonprofit institutions.

The Foundation's science and engineering education activities include grants for research and development activities directed to model instructional materials for students and teachers and the application of advanced technologies to education. Grants also are available for teacher preparation and enhancement and informal science education activities. Funding is also provided for college science

instrumentation, course and curriculum

improvement, faculty and student activities, and minority resource centers. In addition, studies of the status of math, science, and engineering education are supported.

The National Science Foundation presents annually the Alan T. Waterman Award to an outstanding young scientist or engineer for support of research and study. Periodically the National Science Board presents the honorary Vannevar Bush Award to a person who, through public service activities in science and technology, has made an outstanding contribution toward the welfare of mankind and the Nation. The two awards are designed to encourage individuals to seek to achieve the Nation's objectives in scientific and engineering research and education. The Foundation also provides support for the President's Committee on the National Medal of Science.

Sources of Information

Board and Committee Minutes Summary minutes of the open meetings of the Board may be obtained from the National Science Board Office. Phone, 703-306-2000. Summary minutes of the Foundation's advisory groups may be obtained from the contacts listed in the notice of meetings published in the Federal Register. General information about the Foundation's advisory groups may be obtained from the Division of Human Resource Management, Room 315, Arlington, VA 22230. Phone, 703306-1181.

Contracts The Foundation publicizes contracting and subcontracting opportunities in the Commerce Business Daily and other appropriate publications. Organizations seeking to undertake

contract work for the Foundation should contact either the Division of Contracts, Policy, and Oversight (phone, 703-3061242) or the Division of Administrative Services (phone, 703-306-1122), National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230.

Employment Inquiries may be directed to the Division of Human Resource Management, National Science

Foundation, Room 315, Arlington, VA

22230. Phone, 703-306–1182, or, for the hearing impaired (TDD), 703-3060189. The Foundation's vacancy hotline numbers are 703-306-0080 or 1-800628-1487.

Fellowships Consult the NSF Guide to Programs and appropriate

announcements and brochures for postdoctoral fellowship opportunities that may be available through some Foundation divisions. Beginning graduate and minority graduate students wishing to apply for fellowships should contact the Directorate for Education and Human Resources. Phone, 703–306– 1694.

Freedom of Information Act Requests Requests for agency records should be submitted in accordance with the Foundation FOIA regulation at 45 CFR part 612. Such requests should be clearly identified with "FOIA REQUEST" and be addressed to the FOIA Officers, Office of General Counsel, National Science Foundation, Room 1265, Arlington, VA 22230. Phone, 703-3061060.

Grants Individuals or organizations who plan to submit grant proposals should refer to the NSF Guide to Programs, Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 94-2), and appropriate program brochures and announcements that may be obtained as indicated in the Publications section below. Office of Inspector General General inquiries may be directed to the Office of Inspector General, National Science Foundation, Room 1135, Arlington, VA 22230. Phone, 703-306–2100. Privacy Act Requests Requests for personal records should be submitted in accordance with the Foundation Privacy Act regulation at 45 CFR, part 613. Such requests should be clearly identified with "PRIVACY ACT REQUEST" and be addressed to the Privacy Act Officer, National Science Foundation, Room 485, Arlington, VA 22230. Phone, 703306-1243.

Publications The National Science Board assesses the status and health of science and its various disciplines, including such matters as human and material resources, in reports submitted

to the President for submission to the Congress. The most recent report is Science and Engineering Indicators, 1996 (NSB-96-21).

The National Science Foundation issues brochures that announce and describe new programs, critical dates, and application procedures for competitions. Single copies of these brochures, including Publications of the National Science Foundation, can be ordered in a variety of ways: phone, 703-306-1130; fax, 703-644-4278; Email, pubs@nsf.gov, or by writing to: National Science Foundation, Forms and Publications, Room P15, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230. These brochures are also available

electronically on the World Wide Web: NSF Home Page; the Internet; on Gopher; or the Science and Technology Information System (STIS). For more information about accessing NSF publications electronically, request the flier Getting NSF Information and Publications, (NSF-95–64).

Other Foundation publications include: the Grant Policy Manual (NSF95-26), which contains comprehensive statements of Foundation grant administration policy, procedures, and guidance; Guide to Programs, which

summarizes information about support programs; the quarterly Antarctic Journal of the United States and its annual review issue; and the NSF Annual Report. These publications are available. from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.

Reading Room A collection of Foundation policy documents and staff instructions, as well as current indexes, are available to the public for inspection and copying during regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, in the National Science Foundation Library, Room 225,

Arlington, VA 22230. Phone, 703–306– 0658.

Small Business Activities The Office of Small Business Research and Development provides information on opportunities for Foundation support to small businesses with strong research capabilities in science and technology. Phone, 703-306-1330. The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization oversees agency compliance with the provisions of the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended (15 U.S.C. 631, 661, 683). Phone, 703-306-1330.

For further information, contact the National Science Foundation Information Center, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Second Floor, Arlington, VA 22230. Phone, 703–306–1234. TDD, 703–306-0189. E-mail, info@nsf.gov.

NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

490 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Washington, DC 20594

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[For the National Transportation Safety Board statement of organization, see the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, Part 800]

The National Transportation Safety Board seeks to ensure that all types of transportation in the United States are conducted safely. The Board investigates accidents, conducts studies, and makes recommendations to Government agencies, the transportation industry, and others on safety measures and practices.

The National Transportation Safety Board was established in 1967 and made totally independent on April 1, 1975, by the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 (49 U.S.C. app. 1901).

The Safety Board consists of five members appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate for 5-year terms. The President designates two of these members as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board for 2-year terms. The designation of the Chairman is made with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Activities

Accident Investigation The Board is responsible for investigating, determining probable cause, making safety recommendations, and reporting the facts and circumstances of:

—U.S. civil aviation and certain public-use aircraft accidents;

-railroad accidents in which there is a fatality or substantial property damage, or that involve a passenger train;

-pipeline accidents in which there is a fatality, substantial property damage, or significant injury to the environment; -highway accidents, including railroad grade-crossing accidents, that the Board selects in cooperation with the States;

-major marine casualties, and marine accidents involving a public vessel and a nonpublic vessel, in accordance with regulations prescribed jointly by the Board and the U.S. Coast Guard; and

-other transportation accidents that are catastrophic, involve problems of a recurring character, or otherwise should be investigated in the judgment of the Board.

Safety Problem Identification In addition, the Board makes recommendations on matters pertaining to transportation safety and is a catalyst. for transportation accident prevention by conducting safety studies and special investigations, assessing techniques of accident investigation and publishing recommended procedures for these investigations, establishing regulatory requirements for reporting accidents, evaluating the transportation safety consciousness and efficacy of other Government agencies in the prevention of accidents, evaluating the adequacy of safeguards and procedures concerning the transportation of hazardous materials and the performance of other

Government agencies charged with ensuring the safe transportation of such materials, and reporting annually to the Congress on its activities.

Certificate, Civil Penalty, or License
Appeal The Board also reviews on

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