U.S. Department of Transportation
Date of this Version
2007
Abstract
The purpose of this document is to report findings from the research peer reviews held March 27-29, 2007 for PHMSA’s Pipeline Safety Research and Development Program. The findings and recommendations in this report derive from the scoring and comments collected from the peer review panelists.
Department of Transportation (DOT) Operating Agencies (OA) are required to develop and execute a systematic process for peer review plan for all influential and highly influential information the OA plans to disseminate in the foreseeable future.
Through the Information Quality Act1, Congress directed Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to “provide policy and procedural guidance to Federal agencies for ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of information, (including statistical information) disseminated by Federal agencies.” A resulting OMB Bulletin, titled “Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review,” was issued prescribing required procedures for Federal programs.
The Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) produced procedures governing modal implementation of this OMB Bulletin. These procedures, as well as the OMB Bulletin, serve as the basis and justification for the PHMSA Pipeline Safety R&D Program peer reviews.
The purpose of peer reviews is to uncover any technical problems or unsolved issues in a scientific work product with technically competent and independent, objective experts. Peer review of a major scientific work product that will have the imprimatur of the Federal Government needs to be incorporated into the upfront planning of any action based in the work product. This includes obtaining the proper resources commitments (reviewers and funds), then establishing realistic schedules.
Comments
Published by the Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (2007) 32 p.