The National Coordinating Office for Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) — the ~$3 billion, 14 agency program that constitutes the federal effort in IT research and development — is looking for comment by the end of September on its draft plan for advanced networking research and development. Here’s the notice:

We are seeking your help in revising the Draft Federal Plan for Advanced Networking Research and Development.  This document was developed to provide guidance to Federal agency networking programs on networking research priorities over the next 7-8 years.  We seek your views on priority areas of networking research and development.  Could you, or someone knowledgeable of networking needs in your organization, please review the draft plan and provide us with comments by September 30, 2007?
 
 In January 2007, Dr. John Marburger, Director of OSTP, charged the NSTC Committee on Technology to establish the Interagency Task Force on Advanced Networking (ITFAN).  The Charge and Terms of Reference directed ITFAN to develop an interagency Federal Plan for Advanced Networking Research and Development to provide input to the FY 2009 Federal budget planning cycle. A Draft Interim Report was delivered May 15.
 
To finalize this report we are seeking inputs from the wide spectrum of the networking research and development communities including university, Federal laboratory, and commercial researchers and developers.  The final report will provide input to the Federal agencies for the FY 2010 and beyond Federal budget planning cycles.  The report including the Charge, Terms of Reference, and findings can be found at the Web site:
www.nitrd.gov/advancednetworkingplan
 
or at:
www.nitrd.gov under “What’s New’, “Solicitation for comment …”
 
In addition to providing the Draft Interim Report, this Web site provides guidance and formats for providing comments.
 
Please provide, by September 30, 2007, your comments, suggestions, and additions on the information and networking research priorities to finalize this report.  Your comments and perspective are important to provide a broad understanding and perspective on future networking needs and priorities.

If you’ve got something to say about the federal government’s approach to networking research, this is your chance….