National Technical Information Service
Encyclopedia
The National Technical Information Service (NTIS) is an agency within the United States Department of CommerceUnited States Department of Commerce
The United States Department of Commerce is the Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with promoting economic growth. It was originally created as the United States Department of Commerce and Labor on February 14, 1903...
that serves as the U.S. government repository for research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
results and for other information produced by and for the government as well as a variety of public and private sources worldwide.
The NTIS serves the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as the largest central resource for government-funded scientific
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, technical
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
, engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, and business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
related information available today. For more than 60 years NTIS has assured businesses, universities, and the public timely access to approximately 3 million publications covering over 350 subject areas. The stated aim of the NTIS is to support the Department of Commerce mission to promote the nation's economic growth by providing access to information that stimulates innovation and discovery. (Public Law 102-245, Section 108 American Technology Preeminence Act of 1991).
NTIS is also recognized as an approved Office of Personnel Management e-training service provider of secure learning management systems and knowledge management solutions for U.S. Federal agencies.
(Dept. of Commerce)
NTIS Scope
Containing over 2.0 million bibliographic records, the NTIS Database is a significant resource for accessing the latest research sponsored by the United States and select foreign governments. The Database represents billions of dollars in research. Contents include research reports, computer products, software, video cassettes, audio cassettes and more. The complete electronic file dates back to 1964. On average, NTIS has added over 60,000 new records per year to the Database over the past ten years. Most records include abstracts. It also contains a comprehensive collection of nuclear research, beginning with the Manhattan projectManhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
, and the latest government sponsored research. NTIS covers a wide spectrum of subject areas.
NTIS Operations
NTIS is provides information dissemination of its collection of approximately 3 million U.S. Federal Government technical reports and provides dissemination services for other U.S. Federal Government agencies. NTIS provides a variety of dissemination services for other agencies with the specialized resources, systems, equipment, financial infrastructure and personnel expertise needed to produce and disseminate their information products on a large scale. Access subject specific information, retrieve information that is difficult to obtain from other sources, and identify valuable research reports, computer products, video cassettes, audio cassettes, and software.NTIS Statutory Authorities
NTIS' basic authority to operate a permanent clearinghouse of scientific and technical information is codified as chapter 23 of Title 15 of the United States Code (15 U.S.C. 1151-1157). This chapter also established NTIS' authority to charge fees for its products and services and to recover all costs through such fees "to the extent feasible."This authority was restated in the National Technical Information Act of 1988, codified at 15 U.S.C. 3704b. That Act gave NTIS the authority to enter into joint ventures and declared the Clearinghouse to be a permanent Federal function that could not be eliminated or privatized without Congressional approval.
That Act was amended by the American Technology Preeminence Act of 1992 (Public Law 102-245) which:
- required all costs associated with bibliographic control to be recovered by fees,
- required agencies to make copies of their scientific and technical reports available to NTIS, and
- directed NTIS to focus on developing new electronic methods and media for disseminating information.
Another statute having a profound impact on NTIS is the Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations Act for FY 1993 (Public Law 102-395) which established NTIS Revolving Fund and gave it the authority to use that Fund without further approval by Congress.
In addition, section 1526 of Title 15 of the United States Code authorizes NTIS to accept payments in advance for services to be provided to other agencies.
See also
- Defense Technical Information CenterDefense Technical Information CenterThe Defense Technical Information Center is the premier repository for research and engineering information for the United States Department of Defense. DTIC's Suite of Services is available to DoD personnel, defense contractors, potential defense contractors, federal government personnel and...
- Government Printing OfficeUnited States Government Printing OfficeThe United States Government Printing Office is an agency of the legislative branch of the United States federal government. The office prints documents produced by and for the federal government, including the Supreme Court, the Congress, the Executive Office of the President, executive...
- National Archives and Records AdministrationNational Archives and Records AdministrationThe National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...