Beyond Appropriations: Building a Defensible RDT and E Program

Individual federal research programs often get lost "in the weeds" of agency summaries and budget requests, and thus don’t receive attention from agency and department management or oversight from the Executive Office of the President. As a result, there is little systematic pressure to ensure that programs support broader goals or maximize the results of their research. The Trump administration can shake up this culture by encouraging managers to take a broader perspective on strategic alignment, external coordination, and knowledge dissemination—making their programs more "defensible." Doing so will not only provide greater benefits to the nation, but will also expand the impact of each individual program.

Note: Transition of power after a Presidential election is complicated; preparing the federal government for a seamless shift to a new administration is crucial to continuing important work on behalf of the American people. MITRE will inform this transition by sharing our insights and experiences with those involved in transition planning and with leaders in the next administration. Our recommendations derive from the ongoing, practical guidance we provide our federal agency sponsors as they face critical national challenges.

This paper is part of a collection provided to our government sponsors; it supports MITRE’s focus on assisting new administration and career civil service leaders through the transition and beyond to achieve results that matter. To view all the papers in the collection, use the "Federal Transition" link in Topics, above.