ADVISORY COMMISSION ON CONSOLIDATION AND CONVERSION OF DEFENSE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LABORATORIES

SEC. 246. ADVISORY COMMISSION ON CONSOLIDATION AND CONVERSION OF DEFENSE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LABORATORIES (a) Establishment.— There is established a commission to be known as the “Commission on the Consolidation and Conversion of Defense Research and Development Laboratories” (hereinafter in this section referred to as the “Commission”). (b) Duties.— (1) The Commission shall conduct a study to determine the feasibility and desirability of various means to improve the operation of laboratories of the Department of Defense. (2) In conducting the study described in this subsection, the Commission shall— (A) consider such means as— (i) conversion of some or all such laboratories to Government-owned, contractor-operated laboratories; (ii) modification of the missions and functions of some or all such laboratories; and 104 STAT. 1520 (iii) consolidation or closure of some or all such laboratories; and (B) determine— (i) the short-term costs and long-term cost savings that are likely to result from such consolidation, closure, or conversion; and (ii) a proposed schedule for each consolidation, closure, or conversion of a laboratory considered appropriate by the Commission. (c) Composition.— (1) The Commission shall be composed of 13 members, as follows: (A) The Director of Defense Research and Engineering who shall be the chairman of the Commission. (B) Six members appointed by the Secretary of Defense from among officers and employees of the Federal Government, including at least one director of a research and development laboratory of each military department. (C) Six members appointed by the Secretary from among persons in the private sector. (2) The Secretary of Defense shall make all appointments under subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (1) within 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. (3) Members shall be appointed for the life of the Commission. Any vacancy in the Commission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. (d) Meetings; Quorum.— (1) The Commission shall convene its first meeting within 15 days after the first date on which all members of the Commission have been appointed. Thereafter, the Commission shall meet at the discretion of its Chairman or at the call of a majority of its members. (2) Seven members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings. (e) Compensation of Members; Travel Expenses.— (1) Each member of the Commission who is not an officer or employee of the Federal Government shall be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for grade GS-18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, United States Code, for each day (including travel time) during which such member is engaged in the performance of the duties of the Commission. All members of the Commission who are officers or employees of the United States shall serve without compensation in addition to that received for their services as officers or employees of the United States. (2) The members of the Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of services for the Commission. (3) Any Federal Government employee may be detailed to the Commission without reimbursement, and such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege. (f) Report to Secretary.— Not later than September 30, 1991, the Commission shall submit to the Secretary a report containing the Commission’s recommendations regarding the matters considered and determined by the Commission pursuant to subsection (b). 104 STAT. 1521 (g) Report by Secretary.— Not later than 30 days after the date of the submission of the report pursuant to subsection (f), the Secretary shall transmit such report to each House of the Congress, together with any comments that the Secretary considers appropriate. (h) Termination.— The Commission shall terminate 90 days after the date on which the Commission submits its report to the Secretary pursuant to subsection (g).