MDB, Inc. Recent Work

EPA Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Performance Measurement Development

MDB is working directly with the EPA OEI Quality Staff to improve the overall Agency approach to measuring its progress in meeting its quality assurance management goals. MDB reviewed historical policy and program measurement efforts to draft innovative approaches to the existing measurement system. These creative approaches documented the headquarters, research laboratories, and regional offices' successes as well as areas needing improvement. The results of the review of Agency quality plans and the detailed interviews with program, research, and regional office managers and senior quality staff assisted in the development of the FY 2007 performance measures for the agency quality system. MDB continues to support the enhancements to the 2008 Quality System performance measurement system.

EPA National Center for Environmental Research (NCER)

EPA NCER has contracted with MDB to provide planning and onsite support for peer review meetings, fielding and answering calls and e-mails related to the Grants and Fellowships Hotline, and providing maintenance tasks in support of the Peer Reviewer Panelist Information System (PRPIS) Registry database. Members of the MDB team manage administrative and logistical support for peer review of grant and fellowship applications and SBIR proposals submitted to EPA. Staff members also serve as and train NCER Grants and Fellowships Hotline Operators, as well as maintain the PRPIS to identify appropriate peer reviewers for panels.

Communications and Information Transfer for the NIEHS Superfund Basic Research Program - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

MDB provides contract support to NIEHS to design and integrate multiple information technology applications to facilitate communication/translation of research findings from a diverse university-based grant program to federal agencies (primarily EPA and ATSDR), state and local agencies as well as industry and community organizations. MDB's critical core responsibility is to screen research results generated by the grantees for program relevance and to design and implement strategies to capture and communicate knowledge to the appropriate audiences. This is accomplished through a variety of vehicles:

National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety and Health Training - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

MDB is now in its eighth year operating the National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety and Health Training for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Worker Education and Training Program (WETP). Through the National Clearinghouse, MDB provides support for the NIEHS WETP awardees through four main tasks:

NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program

MDB developed a strategic communications plan for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) in order to set a reasonable course for communications and outreach activities for the CRCP that support NOAA in meeting its vision and mission through its Cross Cutting Priorities for the 21st Century. Most importantly, this plan defines the overarching goals, specific objectives, and substance of communications and outreach activities for the CRCP on both a short-term and long-term basis.

Report on EPA's ORD Contributions at Four Superfund Sites

The project highlighted the real world contributions of EPA's researchers to clean up decisions at several Superfund sites around the country. MDB staff worked directly with EPA's information systems, scientific staff, and regional technical staff. The result was a insightful summary of the application of research services and products at four sites ranging from New England to the Rocky Mountains.