Intergovernmental, Intragovernmental GSA and Extra-governmental Committees

Purpose: 

This policy updates guidance for managing GSA controlled intergovernmental and certain intragovernmental committees, and GSA staff membership on extra-governmental committees. For instructions and guidelines pertaining to GSA committees that fall under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, refer to ADM 5420.40E. 

Background:

In November of 2020, the Committee Management Coordinator function was transferred from the Office of Administrative Services (OAS) to the Office of Government-wide Policy (OGP) under the purview of the Committee Management Officer within OGP. This policy is being updated to reflect the organizational change in the Committee Management Coordinator function and clarify the guidance for intergovernmental, intragovernmental committees, and GSA staff membership on extra-governmental committees. This policy’s history is documented below:

1. ADM P 5420.40D, CHGE 1, Committee Management, December 9, 1994 (revalidated June 12, 2013), provided instructions and guidelines for establishing, managing, and terminating intergovernmental and intragovernmental committees, as well as committees that fall under the provisions FACA.
2. OAD P 5420.1, CHGE 11, Central Office Committee Handbook, December 15, 2008, provided instructions and guidelines for establishing and terminating intergovernmental and intragovernmental committees in the Central Office and consolidated all committee charters under one internal directive. A separate Order (ADM 5420.40E) was issued pertaining to committees that fall under the provisions of FACA, as amended.
3. OAS 5420.1, Intergovernmental, Intragovernmental GSA and Extra-governmental Committees, November 9, 2015, provided updated guidance for managing intergovernmental, intragovernmental and extra-governmental committees. 

Applicability:

• This policy applies to all GSA organizations except for the Office of Inspector General and the independent office of the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals.
• For the purposes of this policy, an intragovernmental committee is a committee composed wholly of GSA employees that is either established at the direction of the GSA Administrator or is legally authorized, or required, to be established by GSA.
• This policy does not apply to those intragovernmental committees established solely at the direction of a Service, Staff Office, or Region. For those committees, it is at the discretion of the Head of the Service or Staff Office, or the Regional Administrator sponsoring the intragovernmental committee to create the processes for establishing and operating it. 

Cancelation:

This directive cancels and supersedes OAS 5420.1, Intergovernmental, Intragovernmental GSA and Extra-governmental Committees, dated November 9, 2015. 

Summary of Changes:

The following changes have been made to the Order:

1. All references to the Committee Management Coordinator functionality residing in the Office of Administrative Services have been changed to the Office of Government-wide Policy (OGP). 
2. The title has been changed from Intergovernmental, Intragovernmental GSA and Extra-governmental Committees to GSA Intergovernmental and Intragovernmental Committees and GSA Membership on Extra-governmental Committees.
3. The Order number has been changed to OGP 5420.1A by the Internal Directives Team. 
4. Clarification has been added to reflect this policy relates only to GSA controlled intergovernmental committees and intragovernmental committees that are either established at the direction of the GSA Administrator or are legally authorized or required to be established by GSA. 
5. The required sections of the committee charter (see paragraph 12) have been updated. 
6. The charter templates have been removed.