The Advisory Committee Management Division is responsible for providing management oversight of all of NASA’s external independent advisory groups, and ensures that NASA’s advisory committees operate in full compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the Government in the Sunshine Act, and related Federal statutes, regulations, and policies. The division provides direct staff and administrative support for the two long-standing senior advisory committees to the NASA Administrator–the NASA Advisory Council (NAC) and the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP)–as well as for a new Presidential Advisory Committee, the National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) Advisory Board, chartered in 2007. It also serves as the designated Agency liaison with the Committee Management Secretariat of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). In addition, the division ensures that NASA advisory committee members and staff receive FACA training and that annual reports on NASA’s advisory committee operations are submitted to GSA.

With the establishment of NASA in 1958, the tradition of seeking independent judgment and guidance from scientific and technical experts in academia, industry, and other Government agencies started by NASA’s predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), has continued up to the present day. For nearly 50 years, NASA has turned to accomplished citizens and world-class experts for independent guidance on major programmatic and policy issues related to the U.S. civil space program. The Agency has sponsored numerous advisory committees covering the breadth and depth of Agency programs and activities, including aeronautics, space technology, space science, Earth science, human spaceflight, and exploration. These advisory committees are formally chartered under the law, have specific goals, objectives, and operating principles, have formally appointed members, and have specified durations for their work.

For further information or questions, contact P. Diane Rausch (diane.rausch@nasa.gov), Director of the Advisory Committee Management Division.

< Back to OER Home page