The Office of Personnel Management will provide the National Science Foundation (NSF), data tapes containing information on workers employed by the Federal government as of September 30, l987 and the accompanying documentation of the requested variables. This project is designed to gain a better understanding of the employment characteristics of Federal scientists, engineers, and technicians. The data collected will be used to (l) develop current profiles on the Federal scientific and technical workforce and to (2) supplement a historical time series which began in l954. The Federal goverment is the largest single employer of scientists, engineers and technicians. The importance of these personnel is reflected in their participation in critical activities such as defense, agriculture, environmental protection, and the management of basic research. These data will provide more insight on the factors affecting the supply and demand of these employees. This project is part of NSF's Congressional authorization to provide a central clearinghouse for the collection, interpretation, and analysis of data on the availability of and the current projected need for scientific and technical resources in the United States.
