[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81297-81298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32671]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Charter Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory 
Committees

AGENCY: Department of Defense.

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 Secretary of the Navy 
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 in 
accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 (5 
U.S.C., Appendix, as amended) and 41 CFR 102-3.50(d).
    The Panel is a discretionary Federal advisory committee that 
provides the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense, 
through the Secretary of the Navy, independent advice and 
recommendations on critical matters concerning the Department of the 
Navy.
    The Panel's focus will include Department of the Navy 
administration and management, recruitment and training, equipment 
acquisition and maintenance, military and civilian manpower systems, 
basing and support infrastructure, and logistical support. The Panel 
will also focus on research and development matters confronting the 
U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps and on matters pertaining to 
preserving the history and heritage of the Naval Services.
    The Panel shall be composed of no more than 15 members. The members 
will be eminent authorities in the fields of science, research, 
finance, history, engineering, business, and industry.
    The appointment of Panel members will be authorized by the 
Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and 
administratively certified by the Secretary of the Navy, for a term of 
service of one-to-four years, and their appointments will be renewed on 
an annual basis in accordance with DoD policies and procedures. Members 
of the Panel who are not full-time or permanent part-time Federal 
officers or employees will be appointed as experts or consultants 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109 to serve as special government employee (SGE) 
members. Panel members who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal 
officers or employees will serve as regular government employee (RGE) 
members. No member, unless authorized by the Secretary of Defense, may 
serve more than two consecutive terms of service on the Panel, to 
include its subcommittees, or serve on more than two DoD federal 
advisory committees at one time.
    All members of the Panel are appointed to provide advice on behalf 
of the Government on the basis of their best judgment without 
representing any particular point of view and in a manner that is free 
from conflict of interest.
    Except for reimbursement of official Panel-related travel and per 
diem, Panel members serve without compensation.
    The Secretary of the Navy has the delegated authority to appoint 
the Panel's Chair from among the membership previously authorized by 
the Secretary of Defense or Deputy Secretary of Defense.
    The DoD, as necessary and consistent with the Panel's mission and 
DoD policies and procedures, may establish subcommittees, task forces, 
or working groups 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 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 solely to the Panel 
for full deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees, task forces, or 
working groups have no authority to make decisions and recommendations, 
verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Panel. No subcommittee or any 
of its members can update or report, verbally or in writing, directly 
to the DoD or any Federal officers or employees. If a majority of Panel 
members are appointed to a particular subcommittee, then that 
subcommittee may be required to operate pursuant to the same notice and 
openness requirements of FACA which govern the Panel's operations.
    Pursuant to Secretary of Defense policy, the Secretary of the Navy 
is authorized to administratively certify the appointment of 
subcommittee members if the Secretary of Defense or

[[Page 81298]]

the Deputy Secretary of Defense has previously authorized the 
individual's appointment to the Panel or another DoD advisory 
committee. If the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of 
Defense has not previously authorized the appointment of the individual 
to the Panel or another DoD advisory committee, then the individual's 
subcommittee appointment must first be authorized by the Secretary of 
Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense and subsequently 
administratively certified by the Secretary of the Navy.
    Subcommittee members, with the approval of the Secretary of 
Defense, will be appointed for a term of service of one-to-four years, 
subject to annual renewals; however, no member shall serve more than 
two consecutive terms of service on the subcommittee. Subcommittee 
members, if not full-time or part-time Federal officers or employees, 
will be appointed as experts or consultants pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109 
to serve as SGE members. Subcommittee members who are full-time or 
permanent part-time Federal officers or employees will serve as RGE 
members. With the exception of reimbursement for travel and per diem as 
it pertains to official travel related to the Panel or its 
subcommittees, Panel subcommittee members shall serve without 
compensation.
    The Secretary of Defense authorizes the Secretary of the Navy to 
appoint the chair and vice chair of any appropriately approved 
subcommittees from among the subcommittee membership previously 
authorized by the Secretary of Defense or Deputy Secretary of Defense.
    Each subcommittee 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.
    All subcommittees operate under the provisions of the FACA, the 
Sunshine Act, governing Federal statutes and regulations, and 
established DoD policies and procedures.
    Currently, DoD has approved the following two permanent 
subcommittees to the Panel:
    (a) The Naval Research Advisory Committee shall be composed of not 
more than seven members and shall provide independent advice and 
recommendations on scientific, technical, research, and development 
matters confronting the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps. Pursuant 
to 10 U.S.C. 5024(a), the subcommittee shall consist of civilians 
preeminent in the fields of science, research, and development work, 
and one member must be from the field of medicine. The estimated number 
of meetings is four per year.
    (b) The Secretary of the Navy's Advisory Subcommittee on Naval 
History shall be composed of not more than 15 members and shall provide 
independent advice and recommendations on matters pertaining to 
preserving the heritage and legacy of the Naval Services and 
disseminating their rich history to the Service and the American 
public. Advisory topics may include professional standards, methods, 
program priorities, cooperative relationships in Marine Corps and 
Navy's historical research and publication programs, museums, archives, 
archeology, libraries, manuscript collections, rare book collections, 
art collections, preservation, and curatorial activities. The 
subcommittee shall consist of civilians who have broad managerial 
experience, vision, and understanding in one or more of the following 
areas: Military and maritime history, archives, museology, art, library 
science, and information technology. The estimated number of meetings 
is one per year.
    The Panel's Designated Federal Officer (DFO), pursuant to DoD 
policy, shall be a full-time or permanent part-time DoD employee, and 
will be appointed in accordance with established DoD policies and 
procedures.
    The Panel's DFO is required to be in attendance at all Panel and 
subcommittee meetings for the duration of each and every meeting. 
However, in the absence of the Panel's DFO, a properly approved 
Alternate DFO, duly appointed to the Panel according to DoD policies 
and procedures, will attend the entire duration of all of the Panel or 
subcommittee meeting.
    The DFO, or the Alternate DFO, will call all of the Panel and its 
subcommittee meetings; prepare and approve all meeting agendas; 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; and chair meetings when directed to do so 
by the official to whom the Panel reports.
    Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or 
interested organizations may submit written statements to 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 the Panel.
    All written statements shall be submitted to the DFO for the Panel, 
and this individual will ensure that the written statements are 
provided to the membership for their consideration. Contact information 
for the Panel's 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 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: December 22, 2015.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2015-32671 Filed 12-28-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P