fp21的动态

The U.S. Department of State invited public comment on its newly proposed R&D center, and fp21 and its friends were eager to help ensure this initiative is successful. Last week we convened 75 diplomats, policymakers, academics, and think tank leaders to brainstorm the newly proposed Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). The attached note serves as a summary of our discussion, and the public comment on behalf of the undersigned. We offered a number of suggestions: 1. How the State Department chooses to manage its new FFRDC is an essential question. The FFRDC must report to an office (or offices) of significant stature and influence. 2. The proposal suggests 3 lines of effort for the research: Diplomatic Innovation and Modernization (DIM), Global CyberTech Solutions (GCS), and Global Operations and Acquisitions (GOA).?We believe the wisest approach would be to have each function led by a different, relevant office at the Department. For instance, the the DIM function should be owned by a policy office at the State Department – perhaps Policy and Planning (S/P) or the Political Affairs undersecretariat (P). 3. That said, it was unclear that the three categories detailed above are ideal. We suggested instead the Department consider consolidating into two: a Policy Research center, and a Operations Research center. 4. Some FFRDCs managed by other agencies get to set their own research agendas, while others are tasked to take on specific questions from their host. The most effective model for the State Department would balance both of these approaches. Some independence should be granted for the FFRDC to take on big challenges that are not currently prioritized by leaders at the Department. But a mechanism should also be created for the FFRDC to solicit requests directly from their government agency and its staff. 5. Funding will be a key question. We hoped a dedicated budget line could be created for this research, and a diverse board of advisors should be composed to steer the research agenda and its resourcing. 6. We encouraged an inclusive design and implementation process that draws on the expertise and insights from a broad range of actors: career diplomats, political leadership, academic experts, policy-focused experts, and managerial/administrative experts.?Building trust and cooperation between actors will be essential to the FFRDC's success. There's a lot more detail in the full public comment. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/e7UETD2G