2019-26921. Solicitation of Nominations for Appointment to the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC)

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking nominations for membership on CLIAC. CLIAC, consisting of 20 members including the Chair, represents a diverse membership across laboratory specialties, professional roles (laboratory management, technical specialists, physicians, nurses) and practice settings (academic, clinical, public health), and includes a consumer representative. In addition, the Committee includes three ex officio members (or designees), including the Director, CDC; the Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); and the Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A nonvoting representative from the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) serves as the industry liaison. The Designated Federal Officer or their designee and the Executive Secretary are present at all meetings to ensure meetings are within applicable statutory, regulatory and HHS General Administration manual directives.

DATES:

Nominations for membership on CLIAC must be received no later than March 1, 2020. Packages received after this time will not be considered for the current membership cycle.

ADDRESSES:

All nominations should be mailed to Nancy Anderson, MMSc, MT(ASCP), CLIAC Secretary, Senior Advisor for Clinical Laboratories, Division of Laboratory Systems, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services, Office of Public Health Scientific Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop V24-3, Atlanta, Georgia 30329-4027; telephone [phone]; or via email at [e-mail] or faxed to [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Heather Stang, MS, Deputy Branch Chief, Quality and Safety Systems Branch, Division of Laboratory Systems, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services, Office of Public Health Scientific Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop V24-3, Atlanta, Georgia 30329-4027; telephone: [phone]; email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Nominations are being sought for individuals who have expertise and qualifications necessary to contribute to the accomplishments of the committee's objectives. Nominees will be selected based on expertise in the fields of microbiology (including bacteriology, mycobacteriology, mycology, parasitology, and virology), immunology (including histocompatibility), chemistry, hematology, pathology (including histopathology and cytology), or genetic testing (including cytogenetics); from representatives in the fields of medical technology, public health, and clinical practice; and from consumer representatives. Federal employees will not be considered for membership. Members may be invited to serve for up to four-year terms.

Selection of members are based on candidates' qualifications to contribute to the accomplishment of CLIAC objectives (https://www.cdc.gov/​cliac/​).

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services policy stipulates that committee membership be balanced in terms of points of view represented, and the committee's function. Appointments shall be made without discrimination on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, HIV status, disability, and cultural, religious, or socioeconomic status. Nominees must be U.S. citizens, and cannot be full-time employees of the U.S. Government. Current participation on federal workgroups or prior experience serving on a federal advisory committee does not disqualify a candidate; however, HHS policy is to avoid excessive individual service on advisory committees and multiple committee memberships. Committee members are Special Government Employees (SGEs), requiring the filing of financial disclosure reports at the beginning and annually during their terms. CDC reviews potential candidates for CLIAC membership each year and provides a slate of nominees for consideration to the Secretary of HHS for final selection. HHS notifies selected candidates of their appointment near the start of the term in July, or as soon as the HHS selection process is completed. Note that the need for different expertise varies from year to year and a candidate who is not selected in one year may be reconsidered in a subsequent year. SGE nominees must be U.S. citizens, and cannot be full-time employees of the U.S. Government. Candidates should submit the following items:

Current curriculum vitae, including complete contact information (telephone numbers, mailing address, email address).

At least one letter of recommendation from person(s) not employed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Candidates may submit letter(s) from current HHS employees if they wish, but at least one letter must be submitted by a person not employed by an HHS agency (e.g., CDC, NIH, FDA, etc.).

Nominations may be submitted by the candidate him- or herself, or by the person/organization recommending the candidate.

The Director, Strategic Business Initiatives Unit, Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has been delegated the authority to sign Federal Register notices pertaining to announcements of meetings and other committee management activities for both CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

Kalwant Smagh,

Director, Strategic Business Initiatives Unit, Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.