162 



RESPONSE FROM DR. JAMES FISCHER 



Questions Resulting from Hearing 



on 



Agricultural Research and Education Priorities 



Subcommittee on Department Operations and Nutrition 

 House Agriculture Committee 



March 25, 1993 



1. How much accountability is there for spending of formula funds? 



Formula funds are appropriated to individuEd state agricultural experiment stations by 

 distributing the total appropriation to states on the basis of a formula that is related to the 

 size of agriculture and number of farms in the state. 



Each project proposed for support by formula funds undergoes a merit review, peers within 

 the parent institution or externally. Each proposed project is reviewed and approved by the 

 individual SAES and CSRS, assuring and attesting to the national scope and relevance as 

 well as the quality of the project. Most often, there is joint funding of the project with state 

 and federal appropriations. 



Each project approved for federal formula funding is evaluated on an annual basis through 

 submission by the project scientist of a progress report to the SAES and USDA/CSRS. This 

 report also becomes a part of the Current Research Information System (CRIS), making it 

 available to other scientists across the country. At the completion of projects, a final report 

 is also submitted to USDA/CSRS for review, evaluation and storage in the CRIS. 



Individual projects are usually approved for a period of three to five years. Projects which 

 are proposed for renewal are reviewed at the SAES for progress towards achieving 

 established goals. Such projects eure also subject to renewing review by the USDA/CSRS. 

 Periodically, external institutional reviews at either the department or program level are 

 conducted under the aegis of USDA/CSRS to evaluate broader aspects of the formula fund 

 investment. 



In summary, accountability for spending of formula funds is based on initial merit review, 

 ongoing evaluation at the state and federal level, and review for accomplishments on 

 completion. Institutional reviews are done at about five year intervals to assess and advise 

 SAES directors on the status of departments or programs on a broader basis. 



