Principles for managing federal advisory committees
Agencies should apply the following key principles when managing their advisory committees:
Practice openness
Agencies should seek to be as transparent and timely as possible when providing public access to advisory committee activities and materials. This includes:
- Minimizing closed or partially closed meetings to the extent possible
- Opening subcommittee meetings to the public where appropriate
- Creating public-facing websites to help the public understand advisory committee programs
- Using multiple notification methods to reach stakeholders
Seek feedback
Agencies should continually seek feedback from advisory committee members and the public regarding the committee’s activities. At regular intervals, agencies should communicate to members how their advice has affected agency programs and decision-making and make this information available to the public.
Provide adequate support and access
Before establishing an advisory committee, agencies should identify requirements and ensure adequate resources are available, including meeting space, technology, staff support, access to key decision-makers, and member access to meetings.
Practice fiscal restraint
Agencies should actively minimize costs associated with advisory committees and maintain transparency about all expenditures through detailed record-keeping and annual reporting.
For complete guidance on these principles, see § 102-3.95 of the FACA Final Rule.
Resources
Management documents
Policy guidance
The FACA Digest
The FACA Digest [XLSX - 1 MB] contains case briefs, summaries, and other relevant research information on more than 200 federal cases, OLC opinions, and other decisions on FACA issues since 1974. Using the pull-down menus and the search box, you can search the spreadsheet to find relevant materials.