HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING AND COMMUNICATION INITIATIVE.

SEC. 217. HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING AND COMMUNICATION INITIATIVE. (a) Independent Study.—Within 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, shall request the National Research Council (NRC) to conduct a comprehensive study of the inter-agency High Performance Computing and Communications Initiative (HPCCI). (b) Matters To Be Included.—The study shall address (at a minimum) the following aspects of the High Performance Computing and Communications Initiative: (1) The basic underlying rationale for the program, including the appropriate balance between Federal efforts and private sector efforts. (2) The appropriateness of the goals and directions of the program. (3) The balance between various elements of the program. (4) The likelihood that the various goals of the program will be achieved. (5) The effectiveness of the mechanisms for obtaining the views of industry and the views of users for the planning and implementation of the program. (6) The management and coordination of the program. (7) The relationship of the program to other Federal support of high performance computing and communications, including acquisition of high performance computers by Federal departments and agencies in support of the mission needs of such departments and agencies. (c) Cooperation With Study.—The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall direct all relevant Federal agencies to cooperate fully with the National Research Council in all aspects of this study. The heads of Federal agencies receiving the directive shall cooperate in accordance with the provisions of the directive. (d) Funding.—The Secretary shall make available from funds available for the High Performance Computing and Communications Program of the Department of Defense amounts not to exceed $500,000 for the National Research Council to conduct the study under subsection (a). (e) Reports.—The Secretary of Defense shall include in an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences that provides for the study, a requirement that the National Research Council submit an interim report and a final report on the results of the study to the Secretary of Defense and to the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. The interim report shall 107 STAT. 1589be submitted not later than July 1, 1994, and the final report shall be submitted not later than February 1, 1995. Promptly after receiving the reports, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall submit the reports to Congress and may submit with the reports such additional comments as the Director considers appropriate. The reports shall be submitted to Congress in unclassified form with classified annexes as necessary.