Frequently Asked Questions
General | Forms |
Accounting Information
The following questions are the ones most frequently posed to the
Federal Research Division Marketing Office staff. If you have further
questions, please contact the FRD Marketing Office at 202-707-9133
(or e-mail frds@loc.gov).
General
What is the Federal Research Division (FRD)?
FRD is the Library of Congress's fee-based research and analytical
service. Its mission is to provide directed research and analytical
products and services to agencies of the United States Government,
authorized Federal contractors, and agencies of the government of
the District of Columbia. Using Library of Congress collections
and staff expertise to exploit these and other information resources
worldwide, FRD has been responding to U.S. Government agencies'
research and analytical needs since 1948.
How can my agency assign research tasks to FRD?
As a U.S. Government or a District of Columbia government agency,
you can enter into an Interagency
Agreement (IAA) with the Federal Research Division. The IAA
will specify your agency's research and product requirements, the
schedule of deliverables, and costs. Funds can be transferred under
authority of the Library of
Congress Fiscal Operations Improvement Act (2 U.S.C. 182c).
What are the advantages of using FRD's research and analytical
capabilities?
FRD offers a variety of research skills across a wide range of
disciplines in the social and the physical sciences. Its highly
trained work force of professional researchers and analysts has
an insider's access to the vast collections of the Library of Congress
and the expertise to successfully exploit those collections and
any other resources worldwide on your behalf.
What types of products does FRD offer?
FRD offers research and analytical products on a wide range of social
and physical science topics and in a variety of formats. FRD can provide
primary research materials, annotated bibliographies, glossaries,
statistical summaries, surveys, databases, studies and reports, and
books. Delivery is in hard-copy and/or electronic formats prepared
according to client specifications.
Does FRD offer translation services?
FRD can translate from more than 30 foreign
languages into English and also offers selected translation
services from English into a variety of foreign languages.
What other foreign language services does FRD offer?
The FRD work force performs research in foreign languages the same
way most American researchers perform research in English. This
research involves extracting specific information and concepts to
be used in analytical reports and preparing abstracts of the literature
being reviewed.
What other benefits can be obtained from FRD research and analysis?
Benefits
What U.S. Government agencies have taken advantage of FRD services
recently?
Clients
Where is FRD located?
FRD is located in the John Adams Building of the Library of Congress.
The mailing address is Federal Research Division, 101 Independence
Ave SE, Washington, DC 20540-4840. The John Adams Building is located
on Second St SE, between Independence Ave. and East Capitol St. FRD's
offices are on the fifth floor. Visitors should report to Room LA-5281.
More information on location.
Forms
What forms are needed to establish a formal relationship with
FRD?
The basic document establishing a relationship can be an Interagency
Agreement (IAA) prepared by FRD, or a Memorandum of Agreement,
Memorandum of Understanding, or other document with billable budget
authorization information prepared by your agency.
Who has the authority to sign forms and the IAA?
The person who signs (authorizes) your IAA must be someone with budget
authority within your agency, such as a comptroller or finance officer.
Co-signers to the IAA should be the management official responsible
for the organization for which FRD is performing work.
Budget, Accounting, and Billing Information
How are costs determined?
Costs estimates are developed as part of a proposal drawn up by FRD
and/or based on a Statement of Work (SOW) provided by the requesting
agency. Simply put, once the task is defined, an estimate is made
of the number of staff hours needed to complete the project. FRD is
100 percent cost recovery and cannot, by law, make a profit. Only
direct labor salaries and benefits, non-labor costs such as travel,
fee-based on-line services, special subscriptions, etc., and overhead
can be charged.
Can my agency's prior year funds be moved forward into current
year accounts?
Yes. Funds transferred under the authority of the Library
of Congress Fiscal Operations Improvement Act of 2000 (2 U.S.C.
182c) via a fully signed IAA or other fund-transfer document
are placed in a revolving fund for use in subsequent fiscal years.
An IAA must be signed by September 30 and must include a statement
specifying the expiration date of the funding provided.
Can Federal contractors use FRD services?
Yes. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) allows Government
contractors to use Government supply sources and related services.
When it is in the Government's interest, and if supplies or services
required in the performance of a Government contract are available
from Government supply sources, contracting officers may authorize
contractors to use these sources.
FAR 51.1 enables Government contractors performing research and
data retrieval services to use the full range of services offered
by the Federal Research Division (FRD) to entities of the Federal
Government and the District of Columbia.
The details on how to set up a Federal Research Program for Government
contractors are presented in FAR
51.1.
Can my agency's government credit card be used to obtain FRD
services?
Yes. FRD accepts Visa and MasterCard payments up to $5,000. In conjunction
with credit card payments, a simplified IAA also is required. For
additional details, E-mail smed@loc.gov.
Can my agency be billed through the IPAC system?
Yes. Intergovernmental Payment and Collection (IPAC) system is
the Library of Congress's preferred method of billing. To ensure
that the IPAC system is used, please include your Agency Location
Code (ALC) in the IAA.
For more information about FRD, please contact us at frds@loc.gov.
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