Feature Slides

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About the NITRD Program

The Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) Program is the Nation’s primary source of federally funded work on advanced information technologies (IT) in computing, networking, and software. The multiagency NITRD Program seeks to provide the research and development (R&D) foundations for assuring continued U.S. technological leadership and meeting the needs of the Federal Government for advanced information technologies. The NITRD Program also seeks to accelerate development and deployment of advanced information technologies in order to maintain world leadership in science and engineering, enhance national defense and national and homeland security, improve U.S. productivity and economic competitiveness, protect the environment, and improve the health, education, and quality of life of all Americans.

Now in its 25th year, the NITRD Program is one of the oldest and largest of the formal Federal programs that engage multiple agencies in coordination activities. As required by the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (P.L. 102-194), the Next Generation Internet Research Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-305), and the America COMPETES (Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science) Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-69), the NITRD Program provides a framework and mechanisms for coordination among the Federal agencies that support advanced IT R&D and report IT research budgets in the NITRD crosscut. Many other agencies with IT interests also participate in NITRD activities.

Highlights of the NITRD Program over the past year include:

• Review of the NITRD Program: In August 2015, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released the Report to the President and Congress Ensuring Leadership in Federally Funded Research and Development in Information Technology. The report provides the PCAST’s findings from its biennial review of the NITRD Program and recommendations on modernizing the Program’s R&D investment portfolio and coordination process. Activities are currently underway in response to the PCAST’s recommendations on NITRD coordination.


• Changes to Program Component Areas: Beginning with the FY 2017 budget cycle, the NITRD Program is transitioning its eight Program Component Areas (PCAs) to a new set of 10 PCAs. These changes reflect the IT R&D priorities and focus areas on which the NITRD Program’s future direction is being set. Implementing these changes necessitates updates in NITRD budget reporting in order to track and measure PCA funding levels. The PCA changes are detailed here.


• Cybersecurity R&D Strategy: With leadership from the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), NITRD agencies completed the Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development Strategic Plan: Ensuring Prosperity and National Security. The Plan was released by the NSTC and delivered to Congress as mandated by the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-274).


• National Strategic Computing Initiative: In July 2015, the President issued Executive Order 13702 to create the National Strategic Computing Initiative (NSCI). The 2017 Budget supports NSCI investments through many agencies, with major investments from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). NITRD agencies will continue to coordinate their high-end computing research activities through the High End Computing Interagency Working Group (HEC IWG), while aligning with the national-level computing strategy of the NSCI.


• Big Data R&D Strategy: The Administration released The Federal Big Data R&D Strategic Plan in May 2016. The Plan highlights emerging Big Data capabilities and provides guidance for developing or expanding Federal Big Data research and development (R&D)plans.


• Privacy R&D Strategy: In 2014 OSTP tasked the NITRD Cybersecurity R&D SSG to define a privacy research framework by soliciting broad inputs from academia, government, and industry and, building on those inputs, to develop a draft National Privacy Research Strategy. The strategy is expected to be released in 2016.


• NITRD Membership: This past year, the NITRD Program welcomed the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ) as a new member.

• About the NITRD Subcommittee
• NITRD Subcommittee Charter
• NITRD Organization Chart
• Program Component Area (PCA) Definitions
• NITRD Groups
• NITRD Subcommittee and Group Chairs
• NITRD Subcommittee Representatives and Alternates
• NITRD Member Agencies
• Agency Participation in the NITRD Program (NITRD Dashboard)
• Membership in the NITRD Program
• NITRD Program 2012 Strategic Plan
• NITRD Testimony
• NITRD 20th Anniversary Symposium
• NCO Staff