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Effective Date: 5/12/75

Series: Departmental Management

Part 308: Committee Management

Chapter 3: Interagency Committees

Originating Office: Immediate Office of the Secretary

3.1 Purpose. This chapter prescribes standards and criteria for interagency committees created by the Department, or interagency committees in which the Department participates.

3.2 Definition. As defined in 308 DM l.2C, the term Ainteragency committee@ means a committee made up of full-time officers or employees of two or more departments or agencies of the Federal government, which is expected to be in existence more than twelve months.

3.3 Authority.

A Establishment, Change, Abolishment. The authority to establish, change or abolish an interagency committee created by this Department is vested in the Secretarial officers noted in 308 DM l.4B.

B. Participation. The authorizing official noted in the preceding paragraph is also the approving official for any requests for Interior Department participation in the interagency committees of other Departments and agencies.

3.4 Types of Interagency Committees.

A. Standing Committees are committees created to perform a continuing function which might require continuation beyond the initial term. Such committees are established under and subject to the procedures set forth in this chapter.

B. Ad Hoc Committees are temporary committees established to serve a specific purpose or situation. Such committees are not expected to last beyond a year, and are not permitted to continue for additional terms. Ad hoc interagency committees, which are established to provide advice or coordination on programs or matters of significant public interest, should be subject to the procedures in this chapter. Records on all ad hoc interagency committees, whether or not established under the provisions of this chapter, will be maintained (308 DM 3.13) to be available for any required reports.

C. Field Coordinating or Liaison Groups are interagency work groups in the field which carry out some coordinating or liaison functions. If such field groups carry on formal, continuing functions which might require continuation beyond a one-year term, they should be regarded as Astanding@ committees, and should be established and subject to the formal procedures in this chapter. If such field groups are informal in nature and not expected to last beyond a year, they need not be formally established in accordance with the procedures in this chapter, but should be reported to the bureau or office committee management officer (308 DM 3.13) to provide an appropriate record of the interagency relationship.

3.5 General Criteria. In addition to the general policies specified in 308 DM 1.1, the following criteria apply when considering the proposed establishment of an interagency committee:

A. Interagency committees will not be used to administer or conduct a function which is the assigned responsibility of an organizational entity of the Department.

B. Before proposing to establish an interagency committee, the proposing official should determine that the functions cannot be performed by existing organizations or individuals within the Federal service, or by an interagency committee already in existence, or by enlarging the mission of an existing interagency committee.

3.6 Management. The management of any interagency committee created by the Department will be the responsibility of the pertinent Departmental official primarily concerned with the committee=s activities. The responsible official is designated within the committee=s charter (see 308 DM 3.8B(2)). Management actions include selection of Departmental members, invitations to other participating departments or agencies, schedules of meetings, preparation of required reports, recordkeeping, and other actions prescribed within this chapter.

3.7 Committee Expenses. If payment of expenses for a committee is not expressly dealt with in a statute or other authoritative document pertaining to that committee, the following factors should be considered in any determination of the legitimacy of committee expenses:

A. No part of the public moneys, or of any appropriation made by Congress, may be used for the payment of compensation or expenses of any commission, council, board or other similar body unless its creation is authorized by law (31 U.S.C. 673).

B. Appropriated funds may be used for the payment of expenses incurred by interagency committees composed in whole or in part of Government employees (31 U.S.C. 691).

C. Unless specified to the contrary by Presidential directive, statute, or committee charter, the department or agency establishing a committee shall be responsible for providing support services for the committee=s activities. Where more than one department or agency establishes a committee, only one of those departments or agencies shall be responsible for support services at any one time.

3.8 Proposals to Create an Interagency Committee.

A. Proposals. A proposal to create an interagency committee may be initiated by any Departmental official who determines a requirement exists for the establishment of such a committee.

B. Format. Proposals to establish interagency committees will include the following items:

(1) A memorandum to the authorizing official (308 DM l.4B) requesting establishment of the committee. The memorandum should include a description of the need and purpose of the committee, alternative actions that were considered, a discussion of the criteria and determinations made as specified in 308 DM 3.5, and any other information which would be useful for proper consideration.

(2) A proposed charter for the committee containing the items prescribed in 308 DM 2.8A and 308 DM 2.8B.

3.9 Tenure and Termination.

A. Interagency standing committees should be terminated as soon as practicable, and ordinarily not later than the end of the second year after its establishment. However, if the authorizing official determines that the continuation of an Interior interagency committee beyond two years is necessary, its life may be extended for an additional two year period or for a shorter time.

B. Statements supporting the continuation of interagency standing committees created by Interior will be prepared by the responsible bureau or office and submitted to the authorizing official for final determination.

C. A proposal to abolish a committee should be sent to the authorizing official and should include recommendations for disposition of the committee records.

3.10 Participation in Committees of Other Agencies.

A. Proposals for Departmental participation in interagency committees established by other Federal agencies should be prepared for the approval of the authorized official listed in 308 DM 1.4B. The proposal should contain among other things, the name of the committee; the committee= s functions; the sponsoring agency; name, title and organization of proposed Departmental member; and estimated annual dollar cost to the Department for participation in the committee.

B. Departmental representatives on interagency committees shall be regular employees of the Department. Service on interagency committees shall be considered as part of an employee=s regular duties, and no employee will receive any additional compensation for such committee service over and above his regular compensation as an employee.

C. Proposals to terminate Departmental representation on an interagency committee created by another agency should include only enough information to justify the withdrawal, and are addressed to the authorizing official.

3.11 Selection and Conduct of Departmental Members. Selection of a Department employee as a committee member shall be based on the individual=s ability to provide information relating to the business of the committee. The employee selected for service on an interagency committee shall present the official view, rather than his personal view, on all problems under consideration. He shall defend this position in such committee deliberations. However, he may make concessions provided they are within the framework of his instructions or are subject to further review. He shall be responsible for keeping the interested officials of the Department informed on actions taken by the committee.

3.12 Assistance to Departmental Representatives.

A. Certain interagency committees are created to deal with matters affecting various bureaus or offices within the Department. The official authorized to designate the Department representative may choose to supply him with persons to act as advisers. Those designated as advisers, acting either individually or as an advisory group, would be responsible for providing technical assistance or policy matter guidance to the representative.

B. A Departmental representative may find that the activities of an interagency committee call for skills beyond his field of competence. When this situation becomes apparent, appropriate assistance should be requested.

C. The provision of assistance should be considered and, if appropriate, initiated concurrently with the appointment of Departmental employee to serve on such a committee. Thereafter, the question of the necessity for assistance to the Departmental representative should be considered at the time of periodic committee review.

D. Departmental representatives on interagency committees shall keep those persons designated as advisers informed of committees actions, including those relating to the agenda, minutes of meetings, and published reports.

3.13 Records and Reports.

A. Records. To provide a base for reports that may be required periodically by the Office of the Secretary or other agencies, bureau/office committee management officers will be responsible for maintaining the following record-keeping items for assigned interagency committees:

(1) Department-created Interagency Committees. Copy of committee=s charter; current list of all members including titles and organizations; copies of or references to all published and unpublished works of the committee; minutes of all meetings; information on subcommittees; data regarding staffing and funding if applicable; and Departmental costs associated with the committee including total annual manhours expended and total dollar cost (including manhour costs); and associated papers.

(2) Department Participation in Other Agencv Committees. Name of committee; committee=s functions; sponsoring agency; name, title and organization of the committee=s executive secretary; name, title, and organization of Departmental representative; other agencies represented; total annual manhours expended and total dollar cost (including member costs) to the bureau/office for participation in the committee; and all associated papers regarding Departmental approval of participation and changes.

B Reports. The Assistant Secretary - Program Development and Budget, through the Department=s Committee Management Officer, will require various reports from time to time for periodic reviews and any external reporting requirements. Specific requirements and items to be reported are not described in this chapter as the provisions may change from time to time. The reports will also be used as a basis for measuring bureau/office effectiveness in managing interagency committee activity and participation.

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5/12/75 #3515

Replaces 5/12/75 #1759