data collection and analysis. Sophisticated equip- 

 ment is now a prerequisite for significant re- 

 search advances in most fields of science. The 

 excellent instrumentation available in the 

 United States is generally regarded as a prime 

 factor contributing to the leading position of 

 American science. Since the requirements for 

 instrumentation are constantly changing with 

 progress in science, a continuing investment is 

 necessary to maintain the quality of this basic 

 tool. 



The Federal Government is a prime source of 

 support for research equipment and facilities. 

 This includes basic laboratory equipment, as well 

 as major equipment such as wind tunnels, 

 accelerators, reactors, radio telescopes, etc., 

 which are used for more than a single project, 

 and R&D plant capital grants that fund the 

 construction and maintenance of major R&D 

 facilities. 



Research Equipment 



A major source of laboratory apparatus for 

 universities and colleges has been the Federal 

 system of research grants, which have often in- 

 cluded funds for laboratory equipment as part of 

 the grants. Funds for research apparatus from 

 this source declined in recent years, even though 

 the overall grant funds increased. The extent of 

 the decline is suggested by figure 59 which 

 depicts the proportion of total project grant 

 funds allocated for permanent research equip- 

 ment. The data presented here are fragmentary 

 in that only the National Science Foundation 

 (NSF) and a part of the National Institutes of 

 Health are included;"^ they are, however, major 

 sources of research equipment funds and prob- 

 ably typify the situation in general. 



This figure shows that as a proportion of total 

 project grant funds, support for the purchase of 

 permanent laboratory equipment declined by 

 one-half — from nearly 12 percent to 6 per- 

 cent — between 1966 and 1971. Funds for re- 

 search grants, on the other hand, increased by 

 about 15 percent over the same period. 



In the case of the NSF, the reduced support for 

 research equipment appears to have been 

 absorbed largely by an upward shift in indirect 



Figure 59 



Proportion of NSF and NIH'^' Research 

 Project Grant Funds Allocated for 

 Permanent Laboratory Equipment, FY 1966-71 



(Percent) 

 12 



Fiscal year 



(a) National Institute of General Medical Sciences and National Heart and Lung 

 Diseases 



SOURCE National Science Foundation. 



costs, as shown in figure 60." Salaries and wages, 

 as a fraction of total grant funds, changed little 

 during the period. 



R&D Plant and Equipment 



The Federal Government has been a prime 

 source of support for major research equipment 

 and R&D plant capital. However, Federal obliga- 

 tions to universities and colleges for new and im- 

 proved R&D plant declined after the mid-1960's. 



" National Institute of General Medical Sciences and 

 National Heart and Lung Institute 



" The higher proportion of NSF grant funds for research 

 equipment in figure 60, over that shown in figure 5", is due 

 to the inclusion of funds for both permanent and expendable 

 equipment m figure 60. 



72 



