AUDIT REPORT USAID/BRAZIL DEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH PROJECT NO. 512-11-690-300.8 AND DEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNICAL RESEARCH (CHEMISTRY) PROJECT NO. 512-11-660-263.11(3/1-4/30/7

EVALUATION BASED ON DOCUMENTS AND INTERVIEWS. PROJECT PURPOSES ARE BEING ACHIEVED THROUGH ASSISTANCE FROM OUTSIDE AGENCIES (NAS,US ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION,US UNIVERSITIES)CONTRACTED BY AID TO PROVIDE SERVICES,RESEARCH IN ATOMIC ENERGY & CHEMISTRY,WORKSHOPS,ETC. THROUGH SUCH ACTIVITIES CONSELHO NACIONAL DE PASQUISA (CNPQ) IS BEING STREGTHENED. CNPQ IS STIMULATING BRAZIL"S SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMS IN EDUCATN & RESEARCH; ESTABLISHING SCIENTIFIC CENTERS FOR FEDERAL RESEARCH; IMPLEMENTING LOANS; AND DEVELOPING POST-GRADUATE COURSES IN NUCLEAR POWER,ECONOMICS,AND TECHNOLOGY. PROJECT ACTIVITIES HAVE ALSO RESULTED IN THE DEVELOPMT OF BRAZIL"S NATL SCIENCE POLICY; THE PUBLICATN OF RESEARCH & TECHNICAL PAPERS; RESEARCH ACTIVITIES IN 5 FIELDS OF CHEMISTRY; AND ESTABLISHMT OF A JOINT NAS-CNPQ STUDY GROUP TO DETERMINE IMPROVEMT IN INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH,AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS,NORMS,AND STANDARDS & TESTS. WHILE ACCOMPLISHMTS ARE EVIDENT,IN MOST CASES IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE TO WHAT EXTEND PROJECT OBJECTIVES HAVE BEEN MET. MISSION HAS NEITHER HAD MUCH CONTROL OVER PROJECT ACTIVITIES,NOR RECEIVED ADEQUATE REPORTS CONCERNING TRNG AND/OR RESEARCH ACTIVITIES,EQUIPMT PROCUREMT,OR TRAVEL ARRANGEMTS. DUE TO THIS POOR AGENCY FEEDBACK IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO FORMULATE RECOMMENDATNS. FURTHER,PROJECT DELAYS RESULTED SINCE BRAZILIAN PUBLIC & PRIVATE SECTOR HAVE SHOWN LITTLE SUPPORT OF A PROGRAM STRESSING THEORETICAL RATHER THAN APPLIED RESEARCH. PROJECT GOALS & TARGETS SHOULD BE DEFINED & REVISED TO MEET NEEDS. TEAM RECOMMENDS BRAZIL INSTIT OF ATOMIC ENERGY INFORM MISSION OF TECHNICAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY NUCLEAR TEAMS AND SUPPLY USAID/B WITH COPIES OF THE 2 PRELIMINARY REPORTS WHICH HAVE BEEN PRODUCED. NAS AND/OR CNPQ SHOULD ALSO SUPPLY MISSION WITH INFORMATION CONCERNING TRAVEL,TRAINING PROGRAMS,COMMODITY PROCUREMENT,AND SEMI-ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORTS. FINALLY,USAID/B SHOULD PREPARE PAR & OTHER REQUIRED REPORTS,AS WELL AS ENSURE THAT ITS STAFF COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS.