§ 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.