[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 5, Volume 3]
[Revised as of January 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 5CFR1701.8]

[Page 302]
 
                    TITLE 5--ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL
 
     CHAPTER VII--ADVISORY COMMISSION ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
 
PART 1701--ORGANIZATION AND PURPOSE--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1701.8  Activities of the Commission.

    The primary role of the Commission is to give advice. It issues no 
rules or regulations governing the general public, and the advice it 
gives is addressed to various levels of the American government, such as 
the Congress of the United States, and the States, counties, and cities. 
The advice it gives is contained in its recommendations and reports, and 
these in turn are based on research conducted by the Commission and its 
staff.
    (a) Selection of research topics--policy applied. The policy applied 
by the Commission in the choice of research topics is to select ones 
which will strengthen the federal system, and promote the power balance 
and fiscal balance among the various levels of government. Weight is 
given to new ways of dealing with practical intergovernmental problems. 
Routine and continual re-evaluation of the same topic will be avoided 
whenever possible.
    (b) Selection of research topics--criteria. The Commission, by vote 
of its members, selects all research projects and approves acceptance of 
all research grants. Its selections take into account the following 
general criteria:
    (1) Importance of the subject area,
    (2) Timeliness of the issues,
    (3) Utility to the governmental levels,
    (4) Compatability with the competence of the staff, and
    (5) Appropriateness for the Commission's composition and procedures.
    (c) Outside requests for research. The Commission undertakes 
research requested by the Congress and by executive agencies to the 
extent that its work program and resources allow. However, where such 
requests do not meet the Commission's research selection criteria or 
where undertaking the work would impede other important work in 
progress, the Commission will necessarily seek additional funding to 
expend its work capacity temporarily. The Commission does not make 
research grants to other outside parties on topics those parties have 
selected for study nor will it request appropriation for such studies.
    (d) Special funding of projects. ACIR will seek and accept grants 
for work on intergovernmental subjects that accord with the Commission's 
finding that the subject is of prime intergovernmental importance, if it 
is within the capacity of the staff--or outside scholars and consultants 
engaged for this purpose--to produce a study that meets the Commission's 
usual standards of quality.