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1/22/2007 1:30:29 PM
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kennett.fussell@gsa.gov
Posts 29
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FACADatabase Task Force Charter
Official Designation: The Committee Management Secretariat Sponsored Interagency Task Force Charged with Redesigning, Implementing, and Testing the Revised Federal Advisory Committee Tracking and Management System Currently Titled the FACADatabase.
Authority: The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) assigns to the GSA and the agencies utilizing Federal Advisory Committees the responsibility to manage, track, and account for the work of those advisory committees in an open, transparent, and publicly available manner, with the essential details of advisory committee activities readily accessible to the rest of government, congress, and the interested public. FACA also requires that GSA and the agencies conduct an Annual Comprehensive Review (ACR) of the existing inventory of Federal Advisory Committees. The GSA Final Rule of 2001, derived from FACA, designated the FACADatabase as the government-wide, on-line, shared, interagency web application as the management and reporting system for making those essential Advisory Committee details known, and the facilitating vehicle for conducting and reporting the results of the ACR.
Objective and Scope of Activities: The current version of the FACADatabase is the first version of the interagency web application specified in the GSA Final Rule of 2001. The web application was developed and placed on-line in 1997 to initially serve as a data collection vehicle to facilitate the compilation of the “Annual Report of the President to Congress on Federal Advisory Committees” and the preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Review. The initial web application was developed with software that was consistent with current web technology for 1997, and was essentially an on-line substitute for the paper-form data-collection methodology of the previous 25 years.
From 1997 through 2001, when the GSA Final Rule was approved and published in the Federal Register, the web application was refined to include most of the management and tracking functionality required by the Committee Management Secretariat and the agency CMOs to conduct the work of committee administration from a high-level, government-wide perspective. In 1999, the Congress, via the Paperwork Reduction Act, discontinued the need for the Annual Report of the President. From that point in 1999, forward to September of 2006, while utilized primarily and formally to manage and deliver the ACR required by FACA, the focus of system improvement and refinement efforts shifted completely in the direction of committee management from the Designated Federal Official perspective.
This shift in emphasis derived from understanding that, while the reporting part of the system is devoted to responding to FACA’s emphasis on upper management’s, the congress’, and the public’s need to know, the data to meet the reporting need always is primarily provided by each committee’s DFO or a person(s) acting for the DFO. Any system, like the FACADatabase, which depends upon regular, complete, and accurate contributions or input from specific and particular agents, without providing useful return value or ongoing incentives to those agents to enter that data, is doomed to a constant, uphill struggle, if not certain failure. This is especially so when there is continuous turnover in those contributing agents, as there is among CMOs, GFOs, and DFOs, who commonly have to fulfill their FACA role as an other duty as assigned, beyond their primary position and responsibility.
This brings us to our current view of the on-line web application known as the FACADatabase, in place at the beginning of Fiscal Year 2007. The system is based on a technology and coding structure that was consistent with and responsive to the defined need and underlying reporting requirements of the legal and management structure in 1996. The system has added features and modules over a 10 year period as the needs were redefined, and as the underlying web technology changed and matured. However, technology can not be counted on to proceed in a straight line or to maintain compatibility with what has gone before. This system, based on 10 year old technology and an historical view of government, has been overtaken by changes in the functionality of the internet, by changes in laws, and by the evolution of management and information sharing among federal agencies.
The state-of-the-art in web technology and database software is different now than when the system was set up, and the underlying technology will not be supported, if even still in use 10 years from now. The system needs to be converted to current technology so that it will continue to function effectively into the next decade. The process of converting to a new database engine and up-to-date web software provides an opportunity to redesign the entire system in a thoroughly integrated fashion to address the management, information collection, and reporting needs of the entire FACA community. The work of this Task Force is to redesign and develop that system, version 2 of the FACADatabase.
Description of Duties: The Task Force will
Identify all of the various and individual constituencies of the FACA community, their roles and needs in data collection, data utilization, reporting requirements, management requirements, etc., etc.
Identify the system requirements of a system that addresses the needs of the identified constituencies.
Identify a complete set of business rules that needs to be codified into a system that addresses the needs of the identified constituencies.
Experiment with the system as it is developed to confirm that it is functional, usable, and meets the needs of the constituencies.
Test the system as it is developed to confirm that it works as designed and as needed.
Review and critique the documentation of the developed system and the Help Manuals written for the various levels of users of the system.
Official(s) to Whom the Task Force Reports: The Task Force reports to the Director and Deputy Director of the Committee Management Secretariat, and the CMOs of agencies with Federal Advisory Committees. All of these individuals have their delegated authority from the agency heads, to whom Congress has assigned full responsibility for the implementation of FACA.
Support Structure: The Committee Management Secretariat will provide the support structure for the Task Force. This support includes a Secretariat staff member as task force manager and establishment and funding of a development contract for the system.
Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years: The development contract is estimated to cost $200,000 a year. The Secretariat staff member is expected to spend approximately 25% of their work time on the work of the Task Force. Members of the Task Force will likely spend approximately 12 work days a year on the work of the Task Force.
Designated Federal Manager: The Committee Management Secretariat Committee Management Specialist responsible for the on-line system and the ACR will be the Designated Federal Manager (DFM) of the Task Force. This person will set the agenda, call the meetings, chair the meetings, prepare the minutes, and otherwise coordinate the work of the Task Force.
Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings: The meetings are expected to occur monthly, although they will not always be face to face during the work day. A significant number of meetings will occur via an on-line forum dedicated to the work of the task force.
Duration: The work of the task force is expected to take, at a minimum, two full years.
Membership Composition: The task force will be composed of no more than 20 members. The members will all be federal employees with the exception of the contractor winning the system development contract, who will function as a paid consultant to the task force. The members will be either CMOs, GFOs, or DFOs, who are active users of the system and formally appointed to those FACA roles within their agencies, or a Secretariat staff member. Members are invited to participate on the Task Force and are expected to participate for the life of the task force. If a member should find that they cannot continue to work with the Task Force through to the completion of the “new” system, they are asked to find a replacement with a similar role from the FACA federal community, and to both enroll them and bring them up to speed on the work of the Task Force. The membership will include CMOs, GFOs, and DFOs from both large cabinet agencies with many committees, to medium size agencies, to small, independent agencies with a few committees.
Officers: The task force will not have officers. The DFM will chair the meetings and it is not likely that a meeting will occur in the absence of the DFM. The contractor will function as the paid consultant to the Task Force.
Establishment: This Task Force was established as of September, 2006.
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1/23/2007 10:46:41 AM
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Maggie.Weber@gsa.gov
Posts 3
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Ken, I have reviewed the Draft Charter and I suggest streamlining it a bit. See below. Maggie
U.S. General Services Administration
Committee Management Secretariat
Interagency Committee on Federal Advisory Committee Management
FACA Database Task Force Subcommittee Charter
Official Designation: FACA Database Task Force.
Purpose: The Task Force is established to provide the GSA Committee Management Secretariat (Secretariat) and the Interagency Committee on Federal Advisory Committee Management (IAC) with advice and recommendations on how best to collect, interpret, evaluate, and disseminate information on Federal advisory committees. The Secretariat’s current internet-based reporting and business processing system (FACA Database), is based on 10 year old technology and an historical view of government, which has been overtaken by changes in the functionality of the internet, changes in laws, and the evolution of management and information sharing among federal agencies. The work of this Task Force is to redesign and develop that system, version 2 of the FACADatabase.
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Description of Duties: The Task Force will:
Identify all of the various and individual constituencies of the FACA community, their roles and needs in data collection, data utilization, reporting requirements, management requirements, etc.
Identify requirements of a system that address the needs of the constituencies.
Define a complete set of business rules that can be codified into a system that address the needs of the constituencies.
Conduct regular testing during the development stage to confirm that the system is functional, usable, and meets the needs of the constituencies.
Review and critique the documentation of the developed system and the Help Manuals written for the various levels of users of the system.
Official(s) to Whom the Task Force Reports: The Task Force reports to the Director and Deputy Director of the Secretariat, and the IAC.
Support Structure: The Secretariat will provide the support structure for the Task Force. The Secretariat’s Committee Management Specialist responsible for the on-line system and the Annual Comprehensive Review (ACR) will be the Designated Federal Manager (DFM) of the Task Force. This person will set the agenda, call the meetings, chair the meetings, prepare the minutes, construct the development contract and funding source for the proposed system, and otherwise coordinate the work of the Task Force.
Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years: The development contract is estimated to cost $200,000 a year. The DFM is expected to spend approximately 25% of their work time on Task Force duties. Members will spend approximately 12 work days per year on Task Force duties.
Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings: The meetings are expected to occur monthly, although they will not always be face to face during the work day. A significant number of meetings will occur via an on-line forum dedicated to the work of the task force.
Duration: The work of the task force is expected to take, at a minimum, two full years.
Membership Composition: The task force will be composed of no more than 20 members. The members will all be federal employees with the exception of the contractor winning the system development contract, who will function as a paid consultant to the task force. In general, the Task Force will consist of IAC members and ex officio members, as well as other FACA professionals. Membership composition is at the discretion of the Chair. Individuals that are invited to be members are expected to participate for the life of the task force. If a member anticipates or finds that they cannot continue to work with the Task Force through to the completion of the “new” system, it is expected that they will find a replacement with a similar role from the FACA Federal community, and to both enroll them and bring them up to speed on the work of the Task Force.
Establishment: This Task Force was established as of September, 2006.
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1/24/2007 2:07:00 PM
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plowitzk@arts.endow.gov
Posts 4
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I was also going to suggest some streamlining, but Maggie has done such a great job that I only have a few minor suggestions (and they really are minor):
1. Under "Description of Duties" -- instead of "Review and critique the documentation..." I would suggest "Review and recommend edits to the documentation..."
2. Under "Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings" -- I suggest just one sentence: "Members are expected to convene monthly, although a significant number of meetings will occur in an online forum." I do have a question related to this, however. Do we mean that there will be online meetings IN ADDITION to the monthly meetings? That's not quite clear to me.
3. Under "Membership Composition" -- either use the plural ("If members cannot continue...") or use "he or she" rather than "they." (a grammatical quibble, I admit)
It's going to take me a while to get used to this kind of a forum -- and I have a question related to posting messages. Is it possible to view a previous post WHILE adding a comment? It would have been helpful to me to be able to see Maggie's version of the charter while making my own comments (and I didn't think to print it out before adding my own comments) and I'm new to this process, so I imagine that I have a lot to learn about how it can work.
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1/26/2007 9:19:12 AM
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Angel.Saumure@do.treas.gov
Posts 1
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I agree with the suggestions for streamlining the charter. Maggie has done a great job.
edited by Angel.Saumure@do.treas.gov on 1/26/2007
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3/9/2007 2:28:15 PM
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kennett.fussell@gsa.gov
Posts 29
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This may be the final posting for this topic and it incorporates the feedback and comments. If the Task Force agrees, we will print the charter and delete the topic from the forum.
U.S. General Services Administration
Committee Management Secretariat
Interagency Committee on Federal Advisory Committee Management
FACA Database Task Force Subcommittee Charter
Official Designation: FACA Database Task Force.
Purpose: The Task Force is established to provide the GSA Committee Management Secretariat (Secretariat) and the Interagency Committee on Federal Advisory Committee Management (IAC) with advice and recommendations on how best to collect, interpret, evaluate, and disseminate information on Federal advisory committees. The Secretariat’s current internet-based reporting and business processing system (FACA Database), is based on 10 year old technology and an historical view of government, which has been overtaken by changes in the functionality of the internet, changes in laws, and the evolution of management and information sharing among federal agencies. The work of this Task Force is to redesign and develop that system, version 2 of the FACADatabase.
Description of Duties: The Task Force will:
Identify all of the various and individual constituencies of the FACA community, their roles and needs in data collection, data utilization, reporting requirements, management requirements, etc.
Identify requirements of a system that address the needs of the constituencies.
Define a complete set of business rules that can be codified into a system that address the needs of the constituencies.
Conduct regular testing during the development stage to confirm that the system is functional, usable, and meets the needs of the constituencies.
Review and recommend edits to the documentation of the developed system and the Help Manuals written for the various levels of users of the system.
Devise a process for the Government-Wide Annual Comprehensive Review (ACR) that accommodates the FACA requirement for a yearly review without requiring that agencies perform and complete the review within the same restricted time frame.
Official(s) to Whom the Task Force Reports: The Task Force reports to the Director and Deputy Director of the Secretariat, and the IAC.
Support Structure: The Secretariat will provide the support structure for the Task Force. The Secretariat’s Committee Management Specialist responsible for the on-line system and the Annual Comprehensive Review (ACR) will be the Designated Federal Manager (DFM) of the Task Force. This person will set the agenda, call the meetings, chair the meetings, prepare the minutes, construct the development contract and funding source for the proposed system, and otherwise coordinate the work of the Task Force.
Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years: The development contract is estimated to cost $150,000 the first year, and $100,000 each of 2 subsequent years. The DFM is expected to spend approximately 25% of their work time on Task Force duties. Members will spend approximately 12 work days per year on Task Force duties.
Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings: The meetings are expected to occur monthly, although a significant number of meetings will occur via an on-line forum dedicated to the work of the task force.
Duration: The developmental work of the task force is expected to take, at a minimum, two full years, with a third year devoted to certification and implementation.
Membership Composition: The task force will be composed of no more than 20 members. The members will all be federal employees with the exception of the contractor winning the system development contract, who will function as a paid consultant to the task force. In general, the Task Force will consist of IAC members and ex officio members, as well as other FACA professionals. Membership composition is at the discretion of the Chair. Individuals that are invited to be members are expected to participate for the life of the task force. If members anticipate or find that they cannot continue to work with the Task Force through to the completion of the “new” system, it is expected that they will find a replacement with a similar role from the FACA Federal community, and to both enroll them and bring them up to speed on the work of the Task Force.
Establishment: This Task Force was established as of September, 2006.
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3/20/2007 11:13:13 AM
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hope_grey@fws.gov
Posts 1
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I agree with Maggie’s revisions and have only one suggestion: Purpose could be streamlined further by deleting everything after the first sentence. The background sentence is not necessary to understand the work of this committee and the last sentence is mostly a repeat of the first. If this material remains in the charter, suggest revising the last sentence to read: The Task Force will redesign the current system and develop version 2 of the FACA Database. This post was actually submitted on 2/6/07.
edited by hope_grey@fws.gov on 3/20/2007
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