Interagency ADR Working Group Steering Committee
GOVERNANCE DOCUMENT
August 7, 2000

I. Mission of the Steering Committee

The Steering Committee serves as the central forum for the advancement of ADR in the Federal government by coordinating multi‑agency ADR initiatives, promoting best practices for federal ADR, conducting discourse and disseminating information regarding federal policy on ADR, and providing policy recommendations to the Federal ADR Council.

II. Relationship of the Steering Committee to Working Group Sections and the Federal ADR Council

Working Group Sections. The educational, networking, and developmental needs of federal agencies are best dealt with and should be the responsibility of the existing Sections, and not the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee should assist the Sections through the sharing of information and coordination of efforts as needed, but shall not exert any authority or direction over the activities of the Sections.

Federal ADR Council. The Federal ADR Council is the appropriate forum for specific statements on federal ADR policy and government‑wide positions on ADR practice. Therefore, the Steering Committee should not hold itself out as a "spokesperson" for the Administration or take positions as a unified independent coalition of agencies. The Steering Committee shall support the efforts and goals of the Federal ADR Council by providing expertise and producing products as requested by the Council and deemed appropriate by the Steering Committee, and by making policy recommendations to the Council.

III. Membership of the Steering Committee

A. Scope of Membership: Subject to the criteria and process noted below, all federal agencies, department, and commissions (hereinafter "agencies") are eligible to appoint one member to the Steering Committee.

B. Initial Members: The following actively involved current members of the Steering Committee, as of June 28, 2000, constitute the Initial Members of the Steering Committee and require no further action to continue their membership:

David Batson, EPA
Robert Baum, Interior
Jonathan Breul, OMB
Cathy Costantino, FDIC
Howard Gadlin, NIH
Doug Gallegos, EEOC
Phyllis Hanfling, Energy
Eileen Hoffman, FMCS
Carole Houk, Navy
Judy Kaleta, Transportation
Neil Kaufman, HHS
Fern Kaufman, FLRA
Chris Kopocis, Defense
Jeff Knishkowy, Agriculture
Jody Lee, State
Martha McClellan, FDIC
Joe McDade, Air Force
Leah Meltzer, SEC
Rick Miles, FERC
Julia Roig, OSC
Jeff Senger, Justice
Pat Sheridan, Veterans
Rich Walters, FAA
Kim Brown, Postal (Workplace Section)
Tony Palladino, FAA (Contracts Section)
Pete Steenland, Justice (ADR Council Liaison/Claims Section)
Bob Ward, EPA (CES Section)

Future Section chairs will have automatic membership on the Steering Committee, or they can designate someone to serve in their place.

C. New Members: Agencies that do not have representation on the Steering Committee may appoint one person to the membership of the Steering Committee upon a showing, made by the designated Dispute Resolution Specialist of the assigning agency, to the Steering Committee that the person assigned has substantial programmatic responsibility for an agency‑wide federal ADR program and, preferably, substantial expertise in ADR.

D. Attendance at Steering Committee Meetings: Meetings of the Steering Committee shall be limited in attendance to Steering Committee members or their designated alternates.

E. Responsibility of Members: As a requirement of membership on the Steering Committee, each member shall maintain an active involvement in Steering Committee activities by regularly attending Steering Committee meetings and actively participating in at least one affiliated organization, such as a Subcommittee of the Steering Committee or one of the Sections.

F. Chair and Communications Director: The initial chair of the Steering Committee will be Jody Lee, to serve for a term of six months. Jeff Senger will coordinate communications with outside organizations on behalf of the Steering Committee.

IV. Steering Committee Membership Subcommittee

The Membership Subcommittee will serve as the point of contact for and review showings by agencies regarding the appointment of new members, and make appropriate recommendations to the Steering Committee on the appropriateness of such appointments. It will serve as the point of contact for information on the membership rules for members and potential member agencies, as required. It will make recommendations to the Steering Committee on revisions to the Membership Rules as deemed prudent. It will meet on a periodic basis and advise the Steering Committee of membership issues as they arise. If necessary in the future to preserve the smooth functioning of the Steering Committee, the Membership Subcommittee may recommend that a limit be placed on the number of Steering Committee members.

V. Steering Committee Decision‑Making Process

Full and open discussion of opinions and views between members being critical to the effective operation of the Steering Committee, all members are encouraged to fully participate in Steering Committee deliberations unencumbered by agency affiliation.

At such times as it is required for the Steering Committee to decide on a course of action or approve a product, the Steering Committee members shall, in a regularly scheduled meeting, reach an agreement through obtaining a consensus of Steering Committee members. A consensus in this regard is defined as obtaining an agreement that all members or alternates in attendance at the meeting "can live with," with the option at any time for a member to abstain from participating in the consensus process. In any effort to reach a consensus of the Steering Committee, members that are staff of the same agency should speak with one voice regarding their position on the matter under discussion.

If in attempting to reach an agreement on approval of a product for submission to the Federal ADR Council the Steering Committee is unable to reach a consensus of its membership after substantial good faith effort toward that end, the Steering Committee may present the product to the Federal ADR Council with a written statement of the differing views of Steering Committee members on the product.

VI. Responsibility for Steering Committee Products

The Steering Committee shall review and approve any product produced by a member, Team or Subcommittee of the Steering Committee prior to it being forwarded to the Federal ADR Council or other body.