PLANT AND FACILITIES-SUPPLEMENTAL ESTIMATE, 1962 With one or two minor exceptions, the proposed program expansion for Washington divisions to be financed by supplemental RTS appropriations can be accommodated in present space. Moreover, while the total program growth required over the next 4 years will exceed the capacity of the Gaithersburg facilities, the plans for 1963 and 1964 are geared to the limits imposed by those facilities. The situation at Boulder, Colo., is quite different. The Boulder divisions have all outgrown their present quarters. Space is now being rented for several office-type activities pending the completion of the sixth wing of the original building, but that wing will not provide sufficient space to accommodate presently planned programs and the activities in rented quarters. Meanwhile, it is quite evident that the Central Radio Propagation Laboratory must continue to grow, although probably not at the pace required for the Radio Standards Laboratory. In order to house the proposed additional staff and equipment for the Radio Standards Laboratory the following actions are planned or proposed: 1. Accelerate construction of the warehouse and Cryogenics Building addition so as to permit some reassignment of space. 2. Modify a frame warehouse-type structure on the Boulder site to accomodate some of the shop activities. 3. Accelerate construction of a special purpose laboratory at Boulder that will release some space in the main building and that can in part be used temporarily by the Radio Standards Laboratory or other units pending completion of a new Radio Standards building. 4. Initiate detailed planning and design work on a new Radio Standards building so that construction can be scheduled for fiscal year 1964. The latter two items require supplemental appropriations. Construction of the high-energy physics building A small research group in the Central Radio Propagation Laboratory at Boulder has been actively engaged for some time in preliminary research in plasma physics. The objective of the program is to conduct investigations in the laboratory which parallel the natural plasma phenomena in the Exosphere and interplanetary space. The experimental program centers around the study of interactions between the particles of the plasma and electromagnetic waves traveling through the plasma and the study of the interactions between a moving plasma and a magnetic field. Problems on modes of propagation and mechanisms of radiation of electromagnetic waves by plasmas are typical of this program. The experimentation to date has utilized shockwaves produced by a lowenergy condensor bank of 20,000 joule capacity. While this has permitted useful preliminary work, the program will soon be seriously hampered if a highenergy source is not available. The Bureau is therefore planning to include in its 1963 budget a request for a megajoule condensor bank as well as a building to house the program. It is not desirable to continue to conduct the program indefinitely in the main laboratory building even with only the low-energy source and it would be impossible to do so with the high-energy source. Since the high-energy physics building is of relatively simple design and requires no special construction features, it appears to be a building that could be designed and erected quickly. It would, therefore, be the quickest way to alleviate the tight space situation at the Boulder Laboratories enough to assure that the planned expansion of the Radio Standards program could be accommodated pending completion of a major facility addition. The proposed building will provide 27,500 square feet of floor area, of which about 15,000 will house the plasma physics program and 12,500 square feet will ultimately house several central facilities, such as photographic and printing shops and central drafting facilities, which do not require the more costly laboratory space. Whether these units will be moved into the new building immediately and their present space used as temporary expansion area for Radio Standards programs, or whether the new building will be used for the temporary expansion, will depend on the relative cost of the two alternatives and the exigencies of the situation at the time. In either event, the high-energy physics building will serve to permit some Radio Standards expansion prior to completion of the Radio Standards building. The estimated costs of the high energy physics building are as follows: The building would consist of two wings (50.6 by 160 feet), a connecting area between them (40.6 by 40 feet), a basement below the connecting area, and a ground floor below one of the two wings. The building and the cost estimates have been scaled down from estimates received June 13, 1961, from the PBS regional office. Design of radio standards building The major expansion required for the Radio Standards Laboratory can only be undertaken if adequate research facilities are to be provided also. The need for a major new building at the Boulder site has been anticipated for some time and has been reflected in the Bureau's advance facility planning for several years. Recently the Bureau has engaged an architect to study the program needs of the Boulder divisions and to prepare a comprehensive plan for the development of the Boulder site. The preliminary results of his study indicate that the new Radio Standards Building should become the major building and focal point for the site. While further study is desirable and the plans are still very general, much can be gained by going forward with the design stage of the project at this time. If design funds are provided in a supplemental appropriation, the architect should be able to carry the program far enough during fiscal year 1962 to provide firm construction cost estimates for inclusion in the 1964 budget. Based on recent experience with the design stage of major research facilities, it is unlikely that construction funds could be used before 1964. This schedule, however, is based on the availablity of the design funds in fiscal year 1962 so that a minimum of 18 months will be available for planning, detailed design, and review of the drawings and specifications. The supplemental budget proposes an appropriation of $780,000 for the design of the new building. This is based on the following estimate for the total program: Construction___ Design_... Field supervision_. PBS cost- Total____ $15, 230, 000 600, 000 120.000 250,000 16, 200, 000 75285-61-9 This estimate does not include the cost of furnishings and occupancy of the building. The $780,000 requested for 1962 will finance the design cost and part of the PBS cost. The details of this facility are still subject to considerable change, but they will be firmed up during the early stages of the design effort. The present thinking concerning the nature and purpose of these facilities is presented in the following paragraphs. Construction estimates The proposed building would provide laboratory space for 750 scientists and assistants, machine and instrument shops, technical library, auditorium and lecture rooms, cafeteria, and administrative offices. It is estimated to provide 337,000 net square feet and almost 475,000 gross square feet. The tentative construction estimates are as follows: Shielded area ( 50 percent of laboratory space=148,000 sq. ft. at $35) Balance (475,000 square feet less 148,000 equals 327,000 square feet at $27.90). Elevators- Paving, curbs, and gutters.. Utility connections__ Contingencies (5 percent). $5, 158, 000 9,123,000 131, 000 83.000 13,000 722,000 15, 230, 000 Total estimated construction cost__ These construction estimates are based on estimates from the Public Buildings Service and reflect the best estimates that the Bureau can make at this time concerning the research program requirements 5 years hence. Extensive data are available to show the rapid rate of growth throughout the world in the use of electronic devices. These uses create added demand for the radio standards, measurements, and instrumentation services of NBS. The more recent data show an urgent need for an early major increase of the order of tripling or quintupling-in the research and services associated with the national standards in the field of radio and electronics. With the present rate of expansion in science and technology, it seems reasonable to expect that the U.S. requirements for radio standards, measurements, and calibrations 5 to 10 years hence will be 10 or more times what is now available. During the past 7 years, the staff of the Radio Standards Division has increased from 60 to 248, with an increased allocation of laboratory space of 16,500 square feet. Now the laboratories and offices are very crowded, at a time when major additional expansion must be planned. It is essential, therefore, that additional space be provided soon through the early construction of the high energy physics building and that a major new laboratory be planned for occupancy within 4 or 5 years. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL SERVICES (House hearings, pp. 273–289) 1962 appropriation_. 1962 supplemental request, H. Doc. 217. House committee allowance__. House committee reduction from 1962 supplemental estimate---- $22, 000, 000 4, 200, 000 0 4, 200, 000 4, 200, 000 AMENDMENT REQUESTED On page 3, after line 14 of H.R. 9169, insert the following: "NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS "RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL SERVICES "For an additional amount for 'Research and technical services', $4,200,000, of which not to exceed $1,400,000 shall be available for payment to the 'Working capital fund', National Bureau of Standards, for additional capital." HOUSE REPORT National Bureau of Standards.-The request of $4,200,000 to accelerate research programs and $1,500,000 for additional plant and facilities is not recommended at this time. The committee suggests that the matter be considered in the next regular annular budget." JUSTIFICATION The House committee disallowed this request in its entirety with the suggestion that the matter be considered in the next regular annual budget. However, the urgent need for this increase leads us to recommend that the entire amount requested by the President be restored. Three basic factors prompt this recommendation: 1. The supplemental appropriation is required to mount research efforts needed to fill critical gaps in the Bureau's ability to provide precise and accurate measurement standards for our military and space technology. The gaps exist now. The military and space programs are now being adversely affected by those gaps. 2. The very military and space programs that are in need of these unique NBS services are now being accelerated and expanded: space vehicle development, missile and rocket technology, and military and space electronic instrumentation. As a result, the gaps in our national measurement standards will become larger and more critical. 3. Adequate response to these demands upon NBS requires the recruitment of additional scientists and engineers. Delaying the budget increase until next summer will in many cases mean a delay of more than a year in initiating research action that is already overdue. The nature of the demands upon the National Bureau of Standards and the plans for response to the demands have been described in detail in the budget justifications provided to the committee. The supplemental budget will permit initial steps now to meet currently pressing problems. That these are complex technical problems makes them no less critical to our national welfare; that they require intensive research effort for several years makes them no less urgent. It is extremely important that the full amount requested by the President be approved by the Congress. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS PLANT AND FACILITIES (House hearings, pp. 273-289) 1962 appropriation. 1962 supplemental request, H. Doc. 217- House committee allowance__. House committee reduction from 1962 supplemental estimate.. AMENDMENT REQUESTED On page 3, after line 14 of H.R. 9169, insert the following: "PLANT AND FACILITIES $10, 000, 000 1, 500, 000 0 1,500, 000 1, 500, 000 "For an additional amount for 'Plant and facilities' for construction of a high energy physics laboratory and design of a radio standards laboratory at Boulder, Colorado; $1,500,000 to remain available until expended." HOUSE REPORT "National Bureau of Standards.-The request of $4,200,000 to accelerate research programs and $1,500,000 for additional plant and facilities is not recommended at this time. The committee suggests that the matter be considered in the next regular annual budget." |