Panel Chosen to Judge SSC Bids

WASHINGTON—The National Academy of Sciences has assembled its blue-ribbon panel to assess proposals for the Superconducting Supercollider. And participants promise that the group will take a balanced—if not completely disinterested—look at the suitability of what are expected to be dozens of proposals to land the multibillion dollar construction and research project. "Short of getting Martians, there was no way to avoid bringing in people who might be affected by the ultimate

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"Short of getting Martians, there was no way to avoid bringing in people who might be affected by the ultimate decision on sitting," asserted Bill Spindeil, an NAS staffer for the panel. "They can be an advocate for the SSC, but we made sure that no one on the panel is involved in any state's effort to submit a proposal."

Unless Congress decides to intervene, proposals are due by August 3 to the Department of Energy. After a preliminary screening to ensure that the submission meets mini mum eligibility standards, DOE officials will forward the proposals to a 20-member group chaired by Ed ward A. Frieman. The director of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography in La Jolla, Calif., Frieman is a former head of DOE's Office of Energy Research, which will oversee construction and operation of the SSC.

The panel has been asked to con duct a technical evaluation of ...

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