October 3, 2000

Honorable Jacob J. Lew
Director
Office of Management and Budget
OEOB, Room 252
Washington, DC 20503

Dear Mr. Lew:

It is with great pleasure that I forward the NSF GPRA Strategic Plan for FY 2001-2006, as required by the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA).

The last fifty years have been a remarkable journey for NSF and for science and engineering in the United States. Our investments -- in creative people, in innovative ideas, and in cutting-edge research and education tools -- have led to science and engineering achievements that have literally transformed society. NSF-supported activities have played a key role in advancing the microelectronics industry, in leading to a better understanding of the structure and properties of DNA, in developing information-communications technologies, such as the Internet, and in revolutionizing our knowledge of the cosmos and humanity's place in it. NSF-supported researchers have been awarded over one hundred Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, physiology, economics, and other fields. These are just a few of the many excellent examples of NSF-supported research and education activities that have had a profound effect on society.

In the 21^st century, NSF remains committed to ensuring the health and vitality of the U.S. science and engineering enterprise. We face daunting challenges and rich opportunities: responding to emerging developments at the frontiers of science and engineering, broadening participation by all members and regions of our nation, strengthening the connections between scientific discovery and technological innovation, modernizing the nation’s research and education infrastructure, and positioning the United States to benefit from global investments in science, engineering and technology.

As we at NSF contemplate these challenges and opportunities, we realize that there is always a frontier to pursue. We always must keep improving the science and engineering (S&E) enterprise, providing fresh ideas and a continued, fundamental commitment. We will need to discard outmoded concepts, try new approaches, and take appropriate risks. That is the very nature of science and engineering. The journey is demanding, exciting, and a bit precarious, but in the end, it pays enormous dividends for society.

The enclosed NSF GPRA Strategic Plan for FY 2001-2006 provides NSF with a powerful, dynamic roadmap to continue this important journey. The plan emphasizes outcome goals for our investments in people, ideas and tools, and describes the three core strategies -- developing intellectual capital, integrating research and education, and promoting partnerships -- that, together with our core values, guide NSF in pursuing these goals.

In developing this strategic plan, NSF efforts were greatly enhanced by the National Science Board, the broad science and engineering community, and those who are concerned about the vitality of U.S. science and engineering, including the Office of Management and Budget and the Congress. These valuable and valued interactions are described in the enclosure.