[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 24 (Monday, February 6, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5779-5780]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2579]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees

AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 7903, the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act of 1972, (5 U.S.C. Appendix), the Government in the 
Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b), and 41 CFR 102-3.50(a), the 
Department of Defense gives notice that it is renewing the charter for 
the Ocean Research Advisory Panel (hereafter referred to as ``the 
Panel'').
    The Panel is a statutory federal advisory committee that shall 
provide the National Ocean Research Leadership Council (hereafter 
referred to as ``the Council'') with independent scientific advice and 
recommendations. The Panel shall: (a) Provide advice on policies and 
procedures to implement the National Oceanographic Partnership Program; 
(b) provide advice on selection of partnership projects and allocations 
of funds for partnership projects for implementation under the program; 
(c) provide advice on matters relating to national oceanographic data 
and requirements; and (d) fulfill any additional responsibilities that 
the Committee considers appropriate.
    The Panel shall report to the National Ocean Research Leadership 
Council.
    The Panel shall consist of no less than 10 and no more than 18 
members, representing the National Academy of Sciences, the National 
Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, ocean industries, 
State Governments, academia and others including individuals who are 
eminent in the

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fields of marine science, marine policy or related fields including 
ocean resource management.
    Panel Members, shall be appointed by the Chairman and their 
appointments shall be renewed on an annual basis by the Secretary of 
Defense. The panel Membership shall select the Chairperson and Vice-
Chairpersons of the Panel for renewable one-year terms. In addition, 
the Secretary of Defense may invite other distinguished Government 
officers to serve as non-voting observers of the Panel, and appoint 
consultants, with special expertise, to assist the Panel on an ad hoc 
basis. Non-voting observers and those non-voting experts and 
consultants appointed by the Secretary of Defense shall not count 
toward the Panel's total membership. Panel Members who are not full-
time or permanent part-time federal officers or employees, shall be 
appointed to serve as experts and consultants under the authority of 5 
U.S.C. 3109 and shall serve as special government employee members. 
With the exception of travel and per diem for official Panel related 
travel, Panel members shall serve without compensation.
    The Secretary of Defense may approve the appointment of Panel 
members for one to four year terms of service; however, no member, 
unless authorized by the Secretary of Defense, may serve more than two 
consecutive terms of service. This same term of service limitation also 
applies to any DoD authorized subcommittees.
    Each Panel member is appointed to provide advice on behalf of the 
government on the basis of his or her best judgment without 
representing any particular point of view and in a manner that is free 
from conflict of interest.
    The Department, when necessary, and consistent with the Panel's 
mission and DoD policies and procedures, may establish subcommittees 
deemed necessary to support the Panel. Establishment of subcommittees 
will be based upon a written determination, to include terms of 
reference, by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense 
or the advisory committee's sponsor. Such subcommittees shall not work 
independently of the chartered Panel, and shall report all their 
recommendations and advice to the Panel for full deliberation and 
discussion. Subcommittees have no authority to make decisions on behalf 
of the chartered Panel; nor can any subcommittee or its members update 
or report directly to the DoD or any Federal officers or employees.
    All subcommittee members shall be appointed in the same manner as 
the Panel members; that is, the Secretary of Defense shall appoint 
subcommittee members even if the member in question is already a Panel 
member. Subcommittee members, with the approval of the Secretary of 
Defense, may serve a term of service on the subcommittee of one to four 
years; however, no member shall serve more than two consecutive terms 
of service on the subcommittee. Subcommittee members, if not full-time 
or part-time government employees, shall be appointed to serve as 
experts and consultants under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 3109, and shall 
serve as special government employees, whose appointments must be 
renewed by the Secretary of Defense on an annual basis. With the 
exception of travel and per diem for official Panel related travel, 
subcommittee members shall serve without compensation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Deputy Advisory Committee 
Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-692-5952.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Panel shall meet at the call of the 
Panel's Designated Federal Officer, in consultation with the Panel's 
Chairperson. The estimated number of Panel meetings is two per year. In 
addition, the Designated Federal Officer is required to be in 
attendance at all Panel and subcommittee meetings for the entire 
duration of each and every meeting; however, in the absence of the 
Designated Federal Officer, the Alternate Designated Federal Officer 
shall attend the entire duration of the Panel or subcommittee meeting.
    Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or 
interested organizations may submit written statements to Ocean 
Research Advisory Panel's membership about the Panel's mission and 
functions. Written statements may be submitted at any time or in 
response to the stated agenda of planned meeting of Ocean Research 
Advisory Panel. All written statements shall be submitted to the 
Designated Federal Officer for the Ocean Research Advisory Panel, and 
this individual will ensure that the written statements are provided to 
the membership for their consideration. Contact information for the 
Ocean Research Advisory Panel Designated Federal Officer can be 
obtained from the GSA's FACA Database--https://www.fido.gov/facadatabase/public.asp.
    The Designated Federal Officer, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150, will 
announce planned meetings of the Ocean Research Advisory Panel. The 
Designated Federal Officer, at that time, may provide additional 
guidance on the submission of written statements that are in response 
to the stated agenda for the planned meeting in question.

    Dated: February 1, 2012.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2012-2579 Filed 2-3-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P