Panel:
Diverse Perspectives on Evidence Act Implementation for Federal Research, Development, and Innovation Investments
(Innovations in Science and Technology)
*Names in bold indicate Presenter
Investing in science and technology (S&T) research, development, and innovation (RDI) is essential for national economic progress and competitiveness. The U.S. dedicates more federal spending toward S&T RDI investments than any other country. The Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (P.L.115-435) enacted on January 14, 2019 (Evidence Act) calls for greater evidence and accountability of federal investments. With $118.1 billion projected to be spent in Fiscal Year 2019 alone on federal RDI investments across more than 20 agencies, the implementation of this law has great potential to systematically enhance evidence use and data access and install data privacy and security safeguards in the federal government. This panel will present multiple perspectives on opportunities the Evidence Act provides for evaluation practices, data governance, and use strategies in the federal government. The panel will include 1) a research and evaluation contractor’s perspective on generating RDI evidence, 2) an academic researcher’s perspective on conceptual issues underlying the implementation of the act, and 3) a federal agency perspective on the practical implications of this act for the federal data and evidence landscape. In particular, these diverse perspectives offer insights into how implementing this act could inform a comprehensive framework for managing and evaluating federal S&T RDI investments. This diverse panel will discuss how implementing the Evidence Act will have cascading effects across various sectors.
