[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 13, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1622-1623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00526]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Charter Amendment of Department of Defense Federal Advisory 
Committees

AGENCY: Department of Defense.

ACTION: Charter amendment of Federal advisory committee.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense is publishing this notice to 
announce that it is amending the charter for the Uniform Formulary 
Beneficiary 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 amended 
pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 1074g(c) and in accordance with the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended) 
and 41 CFR 102-3.50(a).
    The Panel is a statutory Federal advisory committee that provides 
the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense, through 
the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)), 
the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (ASD(HA)), and 
the Director, Defense Health Agency (DHA), independent advice and 
recommendations on the development of the uniform formulary. The 
Secretary of Defense shall consider the comments of the Panel before 
implementing the uniform formulary or implementing changes to the 
uniform formulary.
    The Panel reports to the Secretary of Defense and/or the Deputy 
Secretary of Defense, through the USD(P&R), the ASD(HA), and the 
Director, DHA. The USD(P&R), or designated representative, may act upon 
the Panel's advice and recommendations.
    The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Office of the USD(P&R) 
and the DHA, provides support for the performance of the Panel's 
functions and ensures 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.
    Under the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 1074g(c)(2), the Panel shall be 
composed of no more than 15 members and shall include members that 
represent:
    a. Non-governmental organizations and associations that represent 
the views and interests of a large number of eligible covered 
beneficiaries;
    b. Contractors responsible for the TRICARE retail pharmacy program;
    c. Contractors responsible for the national mail-order pharmacy 
program; and
    d. TRICARE network providers.
    The Panel members will be appointed by the Secretary of Defense or 
the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and their

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appointments will be renewed on an annual basis in accordance with DoD 
policies and procedures. Panel members 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 pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.130(a). 
Panel members shall be appointed for a term of service of one-to-four 
years, and no member may serve more than two consecutive terms of 
service without Secretary of Defense or Deputy Secretary of Defense 
approval.
    Consistent with the Deputy Secretary of Defense policy, the 
USD(P&R) may appoint the Panel's Co-Chairs from among the Secretary of 
Defense approved panel membership and in doing so, shall determine the 
term of service for the Panel's Co-Chairs, which shall not exceed the 
member's approved term of service.
    All members of the Panel are appointed to provide advice on the 
basis of their best judgment without representing any particular points 
of view and in a manner that is free from conflict of interest.
    Panel members will serve without compensation except for 
reimbursement of travel and per diem as it pertains to official 
business of the Panel.
    DoD, when 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 USD(P&R), as the Panel's Sponsor.
    Such subcommittees will not work independently of the Panel and 
will report all of their recommendations and advice solely to the Panel 
for full and open 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, on behalf of the Panel, directly to the DoD or any Federal 
officer or employee.
    Each member, based upon his or her individual professional 
experience, provides his or her best judgment on the matters before the 
Panel, and he or she does so in a manner that is free from conflict of 
interest. All subcommittee members will be appointed by the Secretary 
of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense to a term of service of 
one-to-four years, with annual renewals, even if the individual is 
already a member of the Panel. Subcommittee members will not serve more 
than two consecutive terms of service, unless authorized by the 
Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Subcommittee 
members who are not full-time or permanent part-time Federal officers 
or employees will be appointed as an expert or consultant pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 3109, to serve as a SGE member. Subcommittee members who are 
full-time or permanent part-time Federal officers or employees will be 
appointed pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.130(a) to serve as an RGE member. 
With the exception of reimbursement of official travel and per diem 
related to the Panel or its subcommittees, subcommittee members will 
serve without compensation.
    All subcommittees operate under the provisions of FACA, the 
Sunshine Act, governing Federal statutes and regulations, and 
established DoD policies and procedures.
    The Panel's Designated Federal Officer (DFO) must be a full-time or 
permanent part-time DoD officer or employee, designated in accordance 
with established DoD policies and procedures. The Panel's 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 Panel's DFO, a properly approved 
Alternate DFO duly designated to the Panel according to established DoD 
policies and procedures, must attend the entire duration of all 
meetings of the Panel and any subcommittees.
    The DFO, or the Alternate DFO, calls all meetings of the Panel and 
its subcommittees; prepares and approves all meeting agendas; and 
adjourns 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 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: January 8, 2016.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register, Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2016-00526 Filed 1-12-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P