Updated rule modernizes Federal Advisory Committee Management processes

April 18, 2024

Amendments streamline the path for public awareness and access  

WASHINGTON – The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced a final rule amending the Federal Management Regulation for Federal Advisory Committee Management to help modernize its process and procedures. The regulation, last updated in 2001, will help enhance the performance of about 1,000 federal advisory committees in the executive branch by:

• Helping ensure that regulations concerning Federal Advisory Committee Management are user-friendly.
• Clarifying and updating the responsibilities for key management and operational roles to help oversee the program and to help agencies implement the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).
• Increasing transparency, equity, access, and inclusion across advisory committee processes and procedures.
• Implementing process improvements with respect to advisory committee charters and agency administrative guidelines.

“We are continuing this Administration’s focus on transparency by updating and modernizing this rule to make the creation and operation of federal advisory committees more inclusive and accessible to the public,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “This is another way we can expand the expertise available to federal agencies – especially from individuals with relevant professional or lived experiences and those from affected communities – so we can leverage new insights to enhance federal policies and management decisions.”

For more than 50 years, federal advisory committees have served as a useful tool for furnishing expert advice, ideas, and diverse opinions to the federal government. As part of a widely inclusive process, the amendments reflect many suggestions for improvements from other federal agencies, stakeholders, and the public.

“By getting inputs from other federal agencies and the public, this update shows how government can be more inclusive both in how we revise and implement policy, and in how we move forward in delivering good, participatory government for the people we serve,” said GSA Office of Government-wide Policy Associate Administrator Krystal Brumfield. “We recognize that advancing equitable approaches to public participation and community engagement leads to better outcomes for everyone and we will continue to uncover new opportunities to improve.”

The Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, 5 U.S.C. chapter 10, (codified at 5 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), governs the establishment, operation, and termination of federal advisory committees. FACA defines what constitutes a federal advisory committee and provides general procedures for the executive branch to operate these committees. Importantly, FACA helps to ensure that Congress and the public are kept informed regarding the number, purpose, membership, activities, and cost of advisory committees. FACA is a formalized process for establishing, operating, overseeing, and terminating these advisory bodies, and it also created the Committee Management Secretariat, a GSA office that provides oversight of the FACA program, works with executive branch agencies and departments regarding compliance with the Act, reports on executive branch activities under the Act, and updates the FACA regulation. 

For more information on the FACA program, visit GSA’s FACA website. 

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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $100 billion in products and services via federal contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.