Federal Advisory Committee Management

The Office of Secretarial Boards and Councils (AB) provides management support for the creation, direction, and termination of advisory committees and Departmental compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and its implementing regulations. These functions include identifying issues that require the attention of Department officials and the Office of the Secretary; coordinating with DOE program offices, the Office of General Counsel, the Office of the Executive Secretariat, and the White House Liaison on approval of advisory committee membership; advising on DOE advisory committee procedures and the DOE Advisory Management Program Manual, DOE M 515.1-1; and facilitating a FACA community of practice to share best practices across all DOE advisory committees.

Federal Advisory Committee Act

The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (Public Law 92-463) establishes the policies and minimum requirements for Federal agencies to manage and administer advisory committees. Advisory committee membership must be fairly balanced in relation to the points-of-view represented and the functions to be performed.

Congress enacted the FACA to formally recognize the merits of seeking the advice and assistance of our Nation's citizens. Congress sought to assure that Federal advisory committees would provide advice that is relevant, objective, and open to the public.

Congress, in addition, intended that advisory committees would act promptly to complete their work and comply with reasonable cost controls and recordkeeping requirements.

DOE’s Federal Advisory Committees

The Department of Energy advisory committees are managed in accordance with the FACA. The Department currently provides management support to more than 20 Federal advisory committees, involving over 900 members.

Most DOE advisory committee members are appointed as special Government employees or representative members, representing a specific group or viewpoint. Individuals are selected because of their expertise in a particular discipline and to represent the users, industries, and organizations in the public and private sectors that could be directly affected by the work of the committee.

As a Departmental policy, advisory committee members serve without compensation; however, members may be reimbursed in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations for authorized travel and per diem expenses that are incurred while attending committee meetings.

For further information:

Additional information on the Department’s Federal Advisory Committees can be found on the General Services Administration’s FACA Database at: https://facadatabase.gov/. Click on the “Agency” icon, scroll down to the “Department of Energy,” and select the appropriate committee.

DOE Advisory Committees include:

21st Century Energy Workforce Advisory Board (EWAB)

Advisory Committee for Nuclear Security (ACNS)

Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee (ASCAC)

Appliance Standard and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee (ASRAC)

Basic Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (BESAC)

Biological and Environmental Research Advisory Committee (BERAC)

Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration Federal Lands Permitting Task Force (CCUS – Federal)

Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration Non-Federal Lands Permitting Task Force (CCUS – Non-Federal)

DOE/NSF Nuclear Science Advisory Committee (NSAC)

Electric Vehicle Working Group (EVWG)

Electricity Advisory Committee (EAC)