[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 80 (Friday, April 25, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22955-22956]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09401]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees

AGENCY: DoD.

ACTION: Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense is publishing this notice to 
announce that it is renewing the charter for the Ocean Research 
Advisory Panel (``the Panel'').

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This committee's charter is being renewed 
under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 
U.S.C. Appendix, as amended), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 
1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b) (``the Sunshine Act''), and 41 CFR 102-3.50(d).
    The Panel is a nondiscretionary Federal advisory committee that 
shall provide independent scientific advice and recommendations to the 
National Ocean Research Leadership Council (``the Council''). The 
Council operates as the National Ocean Council (NOC) as directed by 
Executive Order 13547. The NOC Deputy-level Committee (``the 
Committee'') has assumed the statutory responsibilities of the Council. 
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 
allocation of funds for partnership projects for implementation under 
the program.
    c. Provide advice on matters relating to national oceanographic 
data requirements.
    d. Fulfill any additional responsibilities that the Committee 
considers appropriate.
    Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 7903(b), the Panel shall report to the 
Committee.
    The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Secretary of the Navy 
and

[[Page 22956]]

the Office of Naval Research, shall provide support as deemed necessary 
for the Panel's performance and functions and shall ensure compliance 
with the requirements of the FACA, the Government in the Sunshine Act 
of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended) (``the Sunshine Act''), governing 
Federal statutes and regulations, and established DoD policies and 
procedures.
    Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 7903(a), the Panel shall consist of not less 
than 10 and not more than 18 members, representing the following:
    a. One member who will represent the National Academy of Sciences.
    b. One member who will represent the National Academy of 
Engineering.
    c. One member who will represent the Institute of Medicine.
    d. Members selected from among individuals who will represent the 
views on ocean industries, State Governments, academia, and such other 
views as the Chairs of the Committee consider appropriate.
    e. Members selected from individuals who are eminent in the fields 
of marine science, marine policy, or related fields.
    Panel members shall be appointed by the Chairs of the Committee and 
approved by the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of 
Defense. These appointments shall be renewed on an annual basis.
    Panel members who are not full-time or permanent part-time Federal 
officers or employees, shall be appointed to serve as experts and 
consultants, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109, to serve as special government 
employee (SGE) members. Those individuals who are full-time or 
permanent part-time Federal officers or employees shall be appointed as 
regular government employee (RGE) members. With the exception of 
reimbursement for official Panel-related travel and per diem, Panel 
members shall serve without compensation.
    The Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense shall 
approve the appointment of Panel members for a term of service of one-
to-four years; 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 Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense shall 
select the Chair and the Vice Chair of the Panel for a term of service 
of one-to-four years from among the Panel's approved membership; such 
appointment shall not extend past the members approved term of service. 
In addition, the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of 
Defense may invite other distinguished government officers to serve as 
non-voting observers of the Panel, and appoint non-voting consultants, 
with special expertise, to assist the Panel on an ad hoc basis. These 
non-voting observers and those non-voting experts and consultants 
appointed by the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of 
Defense shall not count toward the Panel's total membership. The 
Department, when necessary, and consistent with the Panel's mission and 
DoD policies and procedures, may establish subcommittees, task forces, 
or working groups as deemed necessary to support the Panel. 
Establishment of subcommittees will be based upon written 
determination, to include terms of reference, by the Secretary of 
Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of the Navy, 
as the DoD Sponsor.
    Such subcommittees shall not work independently of the Panel, and 
shall report all their recommendations and advice to the Panel for full 
deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees have no authority to make 
recommendations and decisions, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the 
Panel; nor can any subcommittee or its members update or report 
directly to the DoD or any Federal officers or employees.
    The Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense shall 
appoint subcommittee members even if the individual is already a Panel 
member. Subcommittee members, with the approval of the Secretary of 
Defense or the Deputy 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 
without approval by the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of 
Defense.
    Subcommittee members, if not full-time or part-time government 
employees, shall be appointed to serve as experts and consultants, 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109, to serve as SGE members, whose appointments 
must be renewed by the Secretary of Defense, on an annual basis. Those 
individuals who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal officers 
or employees shall serve as RGE members, subject to annual renewals. 
With the exception of reimbursement for official Panel-related travel 
and per diem, subcommittee members shall serve without compensation. 
All subcommittees operate under the provisions of FACA, the Sunshine 
Act, governing Federal statutes and regulations, and governing DoD 
policies and procedures.
    The Designated Federal Officer (DFO), pursuant to DoD policy, shall 
be a full-time or permanent part-time DoD employee, and shall be 
appointed in accordance with established DoD policies and procedures.
    In addition, the DFO is required to be in attendance at all 
meetings of the Panel and any subcommittees, for the entire duration of 
each and every meeting; however, in the absence of the DFO, a properly 
approved Alternate DFO, duly appointed to the Panel according to 
established DoD policies and procedures, shall attend the entire 
duration of all meetings of the Panel or its subcommittees.
    The DFO or the Alternate DFO, shall call all meetings of the Panel 
and its subcommittees; prepare and approve all meeting agendas; and 
adjourn any meeting when the DFO, or the Alternate DFO, determines 
adjournment to be in the public interest or required by governing 
regulations or DoD policies and procedures.
    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 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 DFO 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 DFO can be obtained from the GSA's FACA Database--http://www.facadatabase.gov/.
    The DFO, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150, will announce planned 
meetings of the Ocean Research Advisory Panel. The DFO, 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: April 22, 2014.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2014-09401 Filed 4-24-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P