General Notes
This report is volume 60 of the Federal Funds series of detailed statistical tables. It presents data collected by the Survey of Federal Funds for Research and Development for FYs 2010–12. In April 2011 the survey was sent to all federal agencies identified as conducting R&D programs, and 27 agencies reported R&D funding levels. The basis for reporting is determined by fiscal year:
- FY 2010 data are completed transactions.
- FY 2011 data are estimates of congressional appropriation actions and apportionment and reprogramming decisions.
- FY 2012 data are estimates of administration budget proposals not yet acted on.
Subsequent volumes in this series will show authorization, appropriation, deferral, and apportionment actions completed after these data were collected.
The data tables provide R&D totals as outlays and obligations. Obligations data are sorted as follows:
- Character of work (basic research, applied research, development, and R&D plant)
- Federal agency
- Field of science or engineering (for research but not for development)
- Geographical area
- Performer
Each year agencies report obligations or outlays incurred or expected to be incurred in that year, no matter when the agencies' funds were authorized, appropriated, or received. Agencies report R&D funding whether or not their budgets itemize funds for research, development, and R&D plant.
Because many agency R&D programs are not identified as budget line items, agency officials must identify R&D and R&D plant activities within broader programs. Accuracy of the data depends on how well federal respondents meet these survey requirements. During the survey cycle for FYs 2010–12, it was discovered that the Department of the Air Force (AF) incorrectly reported their FY 2009 data. AF slightly overreported basic and applied research, overreported advanced technology development, and substantially underreported major system development. AF has corrected their FY 2009 data. The revised figures affect AF, Department of Defense, and all agencies' totals for basic and applied research, development, and R&D. Totals for other agencies and for R&D plant were not affected.
For trend comparisons, use only the historical data for FYs 1991–2012 in tables 89–124 of this report. These tables incorporate changes agencies have made to prior-year data to reflect program reclassifications. Do not use data published earlier.
