Table B-7. Review of PHMSA RD&T Program*
| Investment Criterion | Program Evidence |
|---|---|
| Relevance | • All RD&T supports DOT's safety strategic objective. |
| • Planning workshops held by the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) provide stakeholder input on RD&T gaps and priorities. | |
| • An OPS Blue Ribbon Panel comments on program priorities and performance measures. | |
| Quality | • To the extent possible, PHMSA awards research contracts and grants through a competitive, merit-based process. |
| • Retrospective quality review is provided through the OPS Blue Ribbon Panel and customer outreach. | |
| Performance | • The RD&T budget aligns program activities with specific performance goals. |
| • The budget identifies sources of data for measuring success or failure in achieving the goals. | |
| • All goals support broader DOT objectives. | |
| • RD&T performance is retrospectively documented in DOT's annual Performance and Accountability Report. |
*PHMSA was part of the former RSPA when this review for FY 2005 was conducted.