Code of Federal Regulations Title 41. Public Contracts and Property Management § 41.105–54.201 Proposals for establishing advisory committees

(a) The Administrator approves the establishment of all GSA Federal Advisory Committees.

(b) When it is decided that it is necessary to establish a committee, the appropriate Head of the Service or Staff Office (HSSO) must consider the functions of similar committees in GSA to ensure that no duplication of effort will occur.

(c) The HSSO proposes the establishment of a Central Office or regional advisory committee within the scope of assigned program responsibilities. In doing so, the HSSO assures that advisory committees are established only if they are essential to the conduct of agency business. Advisory committees are established only if there is a compelling need for the committees, the committees have a truly balanced membership, and the committees conduct their business as openly as possible under the law and their mandate. Each proposal is submitted to the GSA Committee Management Officer for review and coordination and includes:

(d) Subcommittees that do not function independently of the full or parent advisory committee need not follow the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section. However, they are subject to all other requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

(e) The requirements of paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section apply to any subcommittee of a chartered committee, whether its members are drawn in whole or in part from the full or parent advisory committee, that functions independently of the parent advisory committee, such as by making recommendations directly to a GSA official rather than for consideration by the chartered advisory committee.