ABSTRACT
One aspect of red tape is the requirement to submit reports of various kinds to the sponsoring agency. According to the respondents to the Engler and Martino survey, reporting requirements are increasing. The main observation that would tend to make funded research "less fun" is the trend toward more and more red tape that goes with the increased accountability. The main impediment to effective research is the "red tape" and unreasonable delays in contract/grant awards. The easiest part of the process to control is the expenditure of funds. Thus if scientists accept federal money, they must accept federal red tape and reporting with it. One participant in the program described the red tape as coming from "bureaucratic accretion." There is every reason to expect that it will "accrete" again. Relief from the red tape comes only when the system is on the verge of grinding to a halt, but, after the relief, the red tape starts accumulating again.
