– 5 –
across agencies in policies and practices around scientific integrity. While agency scientific integrity
policies and practices may vary with agency-specific missions, statutes, and regulations, the Report noted
several areas where consistency across the Federal government would further strengthen scientific integrity
and protect government science. Specifically, the Report identifies approaches to bolster the ability of
Federal agencies to protect government science focusing on the following categories: strengthening
scientific integrity policies, making scientific integrity everyone’s responsibility, implementing good
practices, addressing emerging themes, institutionalizing scientific integrity, and identifying next steps for
enhancing scientific integrity. The NSTC presents this agency guidance, translating these good practices
and areas in need of improvement identified by the report into a framework. This framework will support
the continuation of the improvement of scientific integrity policies and practices across the Federal
government.
The 2021 Presidential Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and
Evidence-Based Policymaking
2
(PM 2021) charges OSTP and NSTC to (1) review agency scientific
integrity policies and consider whether they prevent political interference in the conduct, management,
communication, and use of science, and identify effective practices for improving their implementation
(resulting in the Report) and (2) to develop a framework for regular assessment and iterative improvement
of agency scientific integrity policies and practices. This Framework includes key resources for agencies to
use as they develop or update their scientific integrity policies, monitor and measure agency
implementation, and work to improve their policies, practices, and culture. The Framework reflects input
from the Scientific Integrity Task Force (presently per the publication of this document, the NSTC
Scientific Integrity Framework Interagency Working Group, or SIF-IWG; and formerly the NSTC
Scientific Integrity Fast-Track Action Committee, or SI-FTAC), other key Federal officials, and the public.
To facilitate regular assessment, iterative improvement, and a scientific integrity community of practice for
Federal agencies, the NSTC has established the Subcommittee on Scientific Integrity (the Subcommittee).
The Subcommittee is comprised of Federal agency Scientific Integrity Officers (SIOs) and is charged with
carrying out interagency functions related to scientific integrity, including recognition of agency progress
on fostering a vibrant culture of scientific integrity; assessment of agency scientific integrity policies and
practices; coordination and shared learning across SIOs; coordination with other relevant Councils such as
the Evaluation Officer Council, Chief Data Officer Council, and Interagency Council on Statistical Policy;
and, when appropriate, sharing of analysis or commentary on public allegations of scientific integrity
violations that cannot be suitably handled at an individual agency-, department-, or Executive Office of the
President component-level, such as allegations involving senior-level officials, political appointees, or SIOs
or allegations involving multiple agencies. The text of the Subcommittee Charter is provided in Appendix
E.
To assess agency scientific integrity policies and practices, as directed in the Presidential Memorandum,
OSTP will be guided by the roadmap of activities and outcomes to achieve an ideal state of scientific
integrity (Chapter 2) and the Model Scientific Integrity Policy (Chapter 4). Specifically, OSTP, working
through the Subcommittee, will use the following to assess agency scientific integrity policies and practices,
while allowing appropriate agency flexibility in policy provisions, metrics, and activities:
1. Critical Metrics for Assessment of:
a. Agency Activities (Chapter 3, Table 5) and
b. Short-Term and Intermediate Outcomes (Chapter 3, Table 6)
2. Critical Scientific Integrity Policy Features (Chapter 5, Table 7)
The goal of this Framework is to assist agencies across the entire Federal government as they take next
steps together to strengthen and institutionalize scientific integrity policy, practice, and culture and to fill
gaps in consistency across government as identified in the Report. The balance of this section describes the
2
Presidential Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based
Policy Making, January 27, 2021.