Open Government Federal Advisory Committee

Membership balancing plan [PDF - 68 KB] includes a balanced mix of regular government employees from the federal government and special government employees from civil society, academia, and industry.

U.S. Open Government Federal Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public, and may be conducted virtually or in person. Registration using our meeting registration form is required for all attendance regardless if in person or virtual. All registrants will be asked to provide their name, affiliation, and email address.

• Registration for attending the in-person meeting is required no later than 3 days prior to the next meeting. Public attendance at the meeting is limited to the available space.
• Registration for attending the meeting virtually is required no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern, the day before a meeting.
• After registration, individuals will receive meeting and access information, or additional information about in-person attendance via email.

Please submit any public comments you may have prior to the meeting using the public comment form.

Upcoming meetings

• Oct18

  Administrative meeting (Number 01)

  The Committee is hosting its first administrative meeting, which will focus on onboarding of the OG FAC members. This meeting is open to the public via webcast and will be recorded.

  • Virtual  |  1 p.m.–3:30 p.m. EDT
  • Registration is required to receive access information for the virtual meeting.
  • • Written public comments will be provided to OG FAC members in advance of the meeting if received by COB, Friday, October 11. Written comments may be sent to ogfac@gsa.gov. We request that all written comments include the relevant meeting date in the email subject line.

    • Federal Registry notice
    • We will post the final meeting agenda and materials on this page before October 18.
• Oct23

  Public meeting (Number 01)

  The public is invited to our first public meeting. This meeting will review the OG FAC charter, purpose, and goals and begin the Committee’s work. The meeting will be in hybrid format (both in-person and virtual) and will be recorded.

  • Hybrid  |  1 p.m.–3:30 p.m. EDT
  • Registration is required for virtual attendees to receive access information for the meeting. Registration is requested for in-person attendance. Note: If you plan to attend in person, you will be required to undergo security screening upon entering the building where the meeting will take place.
  • • Written public comments will be provided to OG FAC members in advance of the meeting if received by COB, Wednesday, October 16. Written comments may be sent to ogfac@gsa.gov. We request that all written comments include the relevant meeting date in the email subject line.

    • Federal Registry notice
    • We will post the final meeting agenda and materials on this page before October 23.

Accessibility statement

2024

• May10

  Open Government Federal Advisory Committee Public Q&A 

  This session answered questions related to the Open Government Federal Advisory Committee.

  Virtual  |  1 p.m.–2:30 p.m. ET

  • • Video recording
    • Agenda [PDF - 67 KB]
    • Meeting slides [PDF - 689 KB]

    • Meeting overview and notes [PDF - 288 KB]
    • Meeting Q&A [PDF - 137 KB]
    • Summary fact sheet [PDF - 91 KB]

Accessibility statement

Open Government Federal Advisory Committee Charter  

1. Committee’s Official Designation. Open Government Federal Advisory Committee (OG FAC).  

2. Authority. The OG FAC is a discretionary advisory committee being established by the Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) under agency authority in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, (5 USC 10).  

3. Objectives and Scope of Activities. GSA’s Open Government Secretariat supports ensuring a more transparent, responsive, and inclusive Federal Government. This is done by providing channels for members of the public to regularly engage with their government.  The OG FAC will advise GSA in its endeavor to increase the public’s access to data, to better advance equity, engage the public in the regulatory process, make government records more accessible, and seek expert advice on open government themes such as Access to Information, Anti-Corruption, Civic Space, Climate and Environment, Digital Governance, Fiscal Openness, Gender and Inclusion, Justice, Media Freedom, Public Participation, and improving the delivery of government services and benefits.

4. Description of Duties. The OG FAC will serve as an advisory body to GSA on GSA Open Government Initiatives including GSA’s creation, implementation, and monitoring of U.S. Open Government National Action Plans (NAP)s and commitment themes.  The initial focus for the OG FAC will be to provide advice to GSA on the development of NAP 6, Open Government Policy, and Public Engagement. The OG FAC will advise GSA’s Administrator on emerging open government issues, challenges, and opportunities to support GSA’s Open Government Secretariat. 

5. Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports. The OG FAC will advise the Administrator of the General Services Administration.  

6. Support. Support for the OG FAC will be provided by GSA’s Office of Government-wide Policy, Open Government Secretariat.  

7. Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years. The estimated annual fiscal year costs to operate the OG FAC is approximately $550,000.  The estimated full-time equivalent staff is 2.5.

8. Designated Federal Officer. GSA will designate a permanent full-time or part- time Federal staff member of the Office of Government-wide Policy, to serve as the Designated Federal Officer (DFO), as well as an alternate DFO. The DFO will schedule, approve or call all meetings of the OG FAC and its subcommittees, prepare and approve all meeting agendas, attend all committee and subcommittee meetings, adjourn any meeting when the DFO determines adjournment to be in the public’s best interest, and chair meetings when directed to do so by the GSA Administrator. 

9. Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings. The OG FAC will meet approximately four (4) times per fiscal year.  

10. Duration. The need for the OG FAC is expected to be continuing with charter renewals.  

11. Termination. The OG FAC will terminate 2 years from the date of the charter filing, unless renewed prior to expiration. However, GSA will assess the need for this committee annually.  

12. Membership and Designation. The OG FAC shall be composed of no less than ten (10) and no more than twenty (20) Federal and non-Federal members, with a strong background and expertise in such areas as policy, management, academia, technology, law, State, federal, local and tribal governments, independent associations or councils, and appropriate industry sectors. All members will be appointed by the GSA Administrator. Members will serve one (1) to three (3) year terms. No member will serve for more than six (6) consecutive years. Members will be designated as Regular Government Employees (RGEs), Representative members, or Special Government Employees (SGEs), as appropriate.  

13. Subcommittees. GSA may establish subcommittees, task forces, or working groups as necessary to support the work of the OG FAC. All subcommittee members, which may be existing OG FAC members, shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Administrator, or the Administrator’s designee. Subcommittees may not work independently of the OG FAC and must present their work to the OG FAC for full deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees have no authority to make decisions on behalf of the OG FAC and may not report directly to the Federal Government or any other entity. Subcommittees are subject to all requirements of FACA, including, but not limited to, open meetings, advance public notice, meeting minutes, and recordkeeping.  

14. Recordkeeping. The records of the committee, or subgroups of the committee, shall be handled in accordance with General Records Schedule 6.2 and other approved agency records disposition schedules. These records shall be available for public inspection and copying, subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552.  

15. Filing Date: 7/15/2024  
    Digitally signed by GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan - 6/17/2024

Supporting documents

• Notice of intent to establish a federal advisory committee and call for nominations (4/26/2024)
• Notice of establishment of a federal advisory committee (6/28/2024)