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Frequently Asked Questions

General | Forms | Accounting Information

The following questions are the ones most frequently posed to the Federal Research Division Marketing Office staff. If you have further questions, please contact the FRD Marketing Office at 202-707-9133 (or e-mail frds@loc.gov).

General

What is the Federal Research Division (FRD)?

FRD is the Library of Congress's fee-based research and analytical service. Its mission is to provide directed research and analytical products and services to agencies of the United States Government, authorized Federal contractors, and agencies of the government of the District of Columbia. Using Library of Congress collections and staff expertise to exploit these and other information resources worldwide, FRD has been responding to U.S. Government agencies' research and analytical needs since 1948.

How can my agency assign research tasks to FRD?

As a U.S. Government or a District of Columbia government agency, you can enter into an Interagency Agreement (IAA) with the Federal Research Division. The IAA will specify your agency's research and product requirements, the schedule of deliverables, and costs. Funds can be transferred under authority of the Library of Congress Fiscal Operations Improvement Act (2 U.S.C. 182c).

What are the advantages of using FRD's research and analytical capabilities?

FRD offers a variety of research skills across a wide range of disciplines in the social and the physical sciences. Its highly trained work force of professional researchers and analysts has an insider's access to the vast collections of the Library of Congress and the expertise to successfully exploit those collections and any other resources worldwide on your behalf.

What types of products does FRD offer?

FRD offers research and analytical products on a wide range of social and physical science topics and in a variety of formats. FRD can provide primary research materials, annotated bibliographies, glossaries, statistical summaries, surveys, databases, studies and reports, and books. Delivery is in hard-copy and/or electronic formats prepared according to client specifications.

Does FRD offer translation services?

FRD can translate from more than 30 foreign languages into English and also offers selected translation services from English into a variety of foreign languages.

What other foreign language services does FRD offer?

The FRD work force performs research in foreign languages the same way most American researchers perform research in English. This research involves extracting specific information and concepts to be used in analytical reports and preparing abstracts of the literature being reviewed.

What other benefits can be obtained from FRD research and analysis?

Benefits

What U.S. Government agencies have taken advantage of FRD services recently?

Clients

Where is FRD located?

FRD is located in the John Adams Building of the Library of Congress. The mailing address is Federal Research Division, 101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20540-4840. The John Adams Building is located on Second St SE, between Independence Ave. and East Capitol St. FRD's offices are on the fifth floor. Visitors should report to Room LA-5281. More information on location.

Forms

What forms are needed to establish a formal relationship with FRD?

The basic document establishing a relationship can be an Interagency Agreement (IAA) prepared by FRD, or a Memorandum of Agreement, Memorandum of Understanding, or other document with billable budget authorization information prepared by your agency.

Who has the authority to sign forms and the IAA?

The person who signs (authorizes) your IAA must be someone with budget authority within your agency, such as a comptroller or finance officer. Co-signers to the IAA should be the management official responsible for the organization for which FRD is performing work.

Budget, Accounting, and Billing Information

How are costs determined?

Costs estimates are developed as part of a proposal drawn up by FRD and/or based on a Statement of Work (SOW) provided by the requesting agency. Simply put, once the task is defined, an estimate is made of the number of staff hours needed to complete the project. FRD is 100 percent cost recovery and cannot, by law, make a profit. Only direct labor salaries and benefits, non-labor costs such as travel, fee-based on-line services, special subscriptions, etc., and overhead can be charged.

Can my agency's prior year funds be moved forward into current year accounts?

Yes. Funds transferred under the authority of the Library of Congress Fiscal Operations Improvement Act of 2000 (2 U.S.C. 182c) via a fully signed IAA or other fund-transfer document are placed in a revolving fund for use in subsequent fiscal years. An IAA must be signed by September 30 and must include a statement specifying the expiration date of the funding provided.

Can Federal contractors use FRD services?

Yes. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) allows Government contractors to use Government supply sources and related services. When it is in the Government's interest, and if supplies or services required in the performance of a Government contract are available from Government supply sources, contracting officers may authorize contractors to use these sources.

FAR 51.1 enables Government contractors performing research and data retrieval services to use the full range of services offered by the Federal Research Division (FRD) to entities of the Federal Government and the District of Columbia.

The details on how to set up a Federal Research Program for Government contractors are presented in FAR 51.1.

Can my agency be billed through the IPAC system?

Yes. Intergovernmental Payment and Collection (IPAC) system is the Library of Congress's preferred method of billing. To ensure that the IPAC system is used, please include your Agency Location Code (ALC) in the IAA.

For more information about FRD, please contact us at frds@loc.gov.

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  July 16, 2010
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