Evaluation of the Supporting Infrastructure Provided for EPA In-House Research Activities

Information was provided on the adequacy of support provided by the Environmental Protection Agency for in-house research conducted by its Office of Research and Development. The specific issues examined were: (1) whether EPA procurement policies, procedures, and practices are flexible enough to allow timely acquisition of supplies, parts, scientific equipment, and services; (2) whether shops are available and properly staffed for repairing and calibrating instruments and for fabricating, when needed, unique experimental apparatus not readily available off the shelf; (3) whether adequate facilities are available for storage of supplies, parts, and equipment used in support of in-house research; and (4) whether in-house researchers are provided adequate laboratory technician support to complete research tasks without significant delays. The information presented was obtained primarily through detailed reviews at the four largest in-house research laboratories at Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and Cincinnati, Ohio, and through limited evaluations at four other laboratories at these locations.