§ 102-3.95 - What principles apply to the management of advisory committees?

§ 102-3.95 What principles apply to the management of advisory committees?

Agencies are encouraged to apply the following principles to the management of their advisory committees:

(a) Provide adequate support and access. Before establishing an advisory committee, agencies should identify requirements and assure ensure that adequate resources are available to support anticipated activities. Considerations related to support could include office work and meeting space, necessary technology, supplies and equipment (e.g., adequate virtual meeting capabilities), Federal staff support, and access to key decisionmakers, and member access to meetings (e.g., travel reimbursement). These considerations should also include support for access to communication modes that are inclusive of individuals with limited English proficiency or individuals with disabilities (

b) Focus on mission. Advisory committee members and staff should be fully aware of the advisory committee's mission, limitations, if any, on its duties, and the agency's goals and objectives. In general, the more specific an advisory committee's tasks and the more focused its activities are, the higher the likelihood will be that the advisory committee will fulfill its mission.

(c) Follow plans and procedures. Advisory committee members and their agency sponsors should work together to assure that a plan and necessary procedures covering implementation are in place to support an advisory committee's mission. In particular, agencies should be clear regarding what functions an advisory committee can perform legally and those that it cannot perform.

(d) Practice openness. In addition to achieving the minimum standards of public access established by the Act and this part, agencies should seek to be as inclusive as possible. For example, agencies may wish to explore the use of the Internet to post advisory committee information and seek broader input from the public.

(e) Seek feedback. Agencies continually should

e.g., adequate virtual meeting capabilities). These considerations should also include whether there are physical barriers to attending in-person meetings.

(b) Practice openness. Agencies should seek to be as transparent, equitable, inclusive, accessible, and timely as possible when providing public access to advisory committee activities and materials. Agencies should minimize, to the extent possible, closing or partially closing meetings, and are encouraged where appropriate to open subcommittee meetings to the public. Agencies should also create public facing websites at both the agency and advisory committee level to help the public understand an agency's advisory committee program, and use additional notification methods, as appropriate, to reach advisory committee stakeholders, pursuant to sec. 10 of the Act (codified at 5 U.S.C. 1009). Such websites must be in compliance with E.O. 13166, relevant sections of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, 29 U.S.C. 794, and the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (IDEA). Section 3(e) of 21st Century IDEA requires any public Federal agency website created after December 2018 to be in compliance with the website standards of the Technology Transformation Services of the General Services Administration. IDEA, Public Law 115-336, 132 Stat. 5025.

(c) Promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity. Once the Federal advisory committee is formed, committee chairs and DFOs should foster a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion by encouraging engagement, participation, and expression from all committee members and any members with dissenting opinions, as applicable.

(d) Seek feedback. Agencies should continually seek feedback from advisory committee members and the public regarding the

effectiveness of the

advisory committee's activities. At regular intervals, agencies should communicate to the members how their advice has affected agency programs and

decisionmaking

decision making and make this information available to the public.