PROJECT BREAKDOWN

Mr. PRESTON. We will insert in the record at this point page 1156. (Page 1156 is as follows:)

The division program is being strengthened in all of its phases. Major increases are being allocated to the study of high frequency dielectrics required by industrial and military organizations which are increasing their use of the microwave portion of the radio spectrum, and for the development of new and improved radio standards. A recent survey of industrial needs indicate that the Bureau is falling far short of its responsibilities in this area.

NEW PROJECTS

Radio frequency measurement survey: This project will survey the needs of science and industry, in preparation for the opening of the new electronic calibration center. The survey will include an extensive literature search as well as discussions with scientists and engineers to discover gaps in the measurement program for which adequate techniques must be developed.

High frequency current standards: This new project is also being activated in preparation for the opening of the electronic calibration center. The effort will be to develop suitable high frequency current standards which are needed as bases for calibration of working standards.

Microwave field strength: Because of the increased use of frequencies above 300 megacycles by Government and industry, the need for field strength standards is becoming urgent. Above 1,000 megacycles, a knowledge of field strength is essential to the study of radio wave propagation in connection with microwave relay systems and radar.

Mr. PRESTON. Are there any questions on this item of "Expenses"? Mr. THOMAS. No questions.

Mr. ROONEY. No questions.

Mr. CLEVENGER. No questions.

Mr. Bow. No questions:

Mr. HORAN. No questions.

SUMMARY JUSTIFICATION DATA

Mr. PRESTON. We will take up the next item.

Page 131 in the committee print; page 1166 of the justification, and we will insert in the record at this point, pages 1166 through 1168. (Pages 1166 through 1168 are as follows:)

Deletion: "and construction of an electronic calibration center at a cost not to exceed $765,000;".

This authorization pertains to a nonrecurring item and has, therefore, been deleted from the proposed fiscal year 1957 language.

Addition: "purchase of six passenger motor vehicles for replacement only;". Language has been added to permit the Bureau to replace six passenger motor vehicles during fiscal year 1957. No vehicles will be replaced during 1956. By fiscal year 1957 all of the vehicles to be replaced will have exceeded either the age (6 years) or mileage (60,000 miles) standards for economic replacement.

Addition: "and, without regard to the cost limitation contained in that act, the construction of field station buildings at Anchorage, Alaska, and at Maui, Territory of Hawaii;".

Section 2 of 15 U. S. C. 286 of July, 1950 provides "That no improvement shall be made nor shall any building be constructed under this authority at a cost in excess of $25,000, unless specific provision is made therefor in the appropriation concerned". Specific provision is therefore provided in the proposed language to authorize the construction of two buildings, each at a cost exceeding the $25,000 cost limitation contained in that act.

1 Since all positions are charged to the Bureau's working capital fund, employment as of a given date and positions cannot be identified by supporting appropriations. The average number of positions and salary costs shown here do not include the portion of these factors which is in the applied administrative costs. A recent ruling of the Comptroller General to the Secretary of Commerce requires that indirect costs be applied to plant improvements and construction performed by force account labor, beginning with fiscal year 1957. The 1957 estimates include applied administrative costs of $17,800 for that portion of the work that is estimated to be performed by Bureau employees. The remainder of the applied administrative costs ($45,400 in 1957 and $10,200 in 1956) pertain to the construction of the pilot electronic data processing device in the "special equipment" program. Since this work is being performed by technical personnel in a technical division, it is being charged for its pro rata share of total administrative costs.

Mr. PRESTON. This is a request in the amount of $500,000, an increase over fiscal 1956 of $270,000.

ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL REQUESTED

Dr. Astin, will you discuss the proposed increases of 18 positions and $111,300?

Dr. ASTIN. Approximately $200,000 of this increase involves the continuation of work on this pilot data-processing device which we started this year. It is planned that a fair portion of the construction of this plant will be by our own staff, although major components, such as the memory that I mentioned earlier, consisting of several million of these tiny magnetic cores, will be purchased on contract. We will purchase as much of this machine as we can from private suppliers, but there will be a substantial portion of the effort from our own staff members, and the majority of these 18 new positions would be people involved in this activity.

Mr. PRESTON. In that one activity?

Dr. ASTIN. Yes, sir.

Mr. PRESTON. How long will this activity continue?

Dr. ASTIN. We expect that it will take approximately another 21⁄2 years to complete the machine. Perhaps 3 years. It is estimated that the total cost of this machine would be $950,000. This is our current best estimate. We have available for this year, $50,000. We are asking for $200,000 for the next year and we will come back in fiscal 1958 for most of the balance.

POSITION ESTIMATES AND THE NBS COST ACCOUNTING SYSTEM

Mr. PRESTON. What do you mean by the language on page 1168, footnote 1:

Since all positions are charged to the Bureau's working capital fund, employment as of a given date and positions cannot be identified by supporting appropriations.

Dr. ASTIN. That is correct, sir. It is a technical question, but maybe I better let my budget officer explain it. I think he is more familiar with it than I am.

Mr. BOLTON. All employment at the Bureau is charged to the working capital fund. Costs for technical work supported by our appropriations, or technical work performed for other Government agencies, and costs of construction supported by this appropriation are ascertained by charges to projects. A person may work one day on one project and the next day on another project. The time and cost of productive time is charged to the supporting accounts, but the position and total employment is carried on the working capital fund. There is no employment shown against our "Expenses" appropriation in the usual budgetary sense. We calculate the productive time and the productive labor costs by our cost accounting system within the working capital fund.

Mr. PRESTON. Of course, you would not have to employ the working capital system if it were not for the transfer of funds?

Mr. BOLTON. That is true, sir.

Mr. PRESTON. That is the reason we agreed to establish the working capital fund.

Mr. BOLTON. Yes, sir.

ESTIMATES FOR OTHER OBJECTS

Mr. PRESTON. Now, Doctor, I wish you would discuss the increase of $105,700 under the heading, "Other objects."

Dr. ASTIN. Well, these other objects would primarily be the purchase of electronic components which are needed for starting construction of this pilot data processing plant. Perhaps it might be simpler to talk about all of these things under "Plant and equipment," in terms of end project. That is, rather than under this heading.

For example, personnel services here and the other contractual services are largely related to the pilot data processing machine, whereas under this other summary, on page 1174, are planned structures which are related to the construction of buildings in our radio field sites. This is why I suggest it might be better if we talked about this in the other context. That is, the structure items shown on page 1174 are related to the request for $80,000 to construct a building at Anchorage, Alaska, and in Hawaii. In Hawaii, $30,000 and $50,000 in Alaska. These would be buildings for housing the radio work at those two stations and that portion of it that is classified as "Land and structures," is indicated on 1147 at $77,400.

The estimates for personnel services, the other contractual services, supplies and materials and equipment, are related to the total programs supported by this appropriation: the construction of the data processing machine, the general mechanical rehabilitation program of the Bureau, and the construction of minor structures needed by the technical program. These are all discussed on page 1169.

NEW BUILDINGS IN ALASKA AND HAWAII

Mr. PRESTON. We allowed you $15,000 the other day to acquire the land in Hawaii. How much do you plan to spend on the buildings?