Federal Research

The Advanced Technology Program, run by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is meant to help U.S. businesses rapidly commercialize major new scientific discoveries and technologies and refine manufacturing technologies. The program's goals are to improve the competitive position of U.S. businesses, give preference to discoveries and technologies that have great economic potential, and avoid providing undue advantages to specific companies. Since 1991, NIST has funded 60 projects proposed by individual or joint ventures. The administration has proposed boosting program funding to $200 million in fiscal year 1997--a 194-percent increase over the year before. This report provides information on (1) program awardees' indirect cost rates, (2) completed projects, and (3) NIST's plans to evaluate the program's effectiveness.

GAO found that: (1) ATP assists U.S. businesses in applying new technology to improve their competitive position; (2) significant funding increases for ATP have been proposed for fiscal years 1994 through 1997; (3) NIST has provided indirect cost reimbursement for 20 of the 98 businesses participating in ATP at rates ranging from 5 percent to over 250 percent; (4) ATP staff have initiated an evaluation of ATP with a short-term focus on improving the program's efficiency and effectiveness; and (5) ATP staff cannot evaluate the long-term effectiveness of ATP until more projects have been completed.