Our Committee Management Secretariat offers two Federal Advisory Committee training courses:
- An online FACA Fundamentals course (FACA 101)
- An instructor-led FACA Management Training course (FACA 201)
The FACA 101 course is a fundamental course that can be taken by anyone with a .gov or .mil e-mail address, and is highly recommended for Federal officials who need a basic understanding of FACA or are interested in learning more about FACA. Successful completion of the FACA 101 course is a pre-requisite for enrolling in the FACA 201 course. The FACA 201 course is intended for Federal officials directly involved in managing Federal advisory committees, FACA and ethics legal staff, FACA support staff, and managers and decision makers involved in advisory committee management and/or operations. Enrollment in both courses is managed through an online registration process.
FACA Fundamentals course (FACA 101)
Overview/description
This online course provides an overview of FACA, and includes fundamental information regarding:
- The policies that apply to Federal advisory committees established within the executive branch
- How Federal advisory committees are established, renewed, re-established, and terminated
- How Federal advisory committees are managed
- Federal advisory committee meeting and record keeping procedures
- A brief description of some of the laws and other guidance that affects the establishment and management of Federal advisory committees.
There is no fee for this course.
Audience for this course
This course is intended for Federal personnel in the FACA community, including executive branch officials who are: currently involved with an established Federal advisory committee; seeking to establish or utilize a Federal advisory committee; or pursuing or already engaged in, a form of public involvement or consultation and want to avoid inadvertently violating the Act; and field personnel of Federal agencies who are increasingly involved with the public as part of their efforts to increase interaction and improve customer service.
Duration
There are six lessons in this online course. Each lesson will take 15–25 minutes to complete. You must complete each lesson in order to advance to the next lesson. You must also pass the end-of-course mandatory test with a score of 75% or above in order to complete the course and receive your certificate of completion.
Instructor-led FACA Management Training (FACA 201)
Overview/description
The FACA Management Training course curriculum consists of intensive interactive instruction in the origins of, the legal basis for, and the organizational, management and public environment involved in, the creation, operation, and maintenance of Federal advisory committees by executive branch departments and agencies. Originally designed as an in-person training, the training is now being offered virtually with select in-person sessions each year.
This FACA course is designed to provide a working knowledge of the prescribed laws, rules, and regulations governing the various processes and procedures involved in authorizing, establishing, chartering, operating, and terminating advisory committees. The course is taught by an interagency team of FACA subject matter experts who also engage students with their own FACA experiences and best practices. Class size is limited to no more than 40 students per class. There is no fee for this course.
Audience for this course
The course is intended for:
- Federal Committee Management Officers and their staff
- Designated Federal Officers
- FACA and ethics legal staff
- FACA support staff
- Managers and decision makers involved in advisory committee management and/or operations
The class agenda (subject to change) may also be downloaded for your reference.
2024 class dates and locations
The FACA management training classes will be held virtually except for the May 2024 Session. See details below.
- January 22-24, 2024
- March 18-20, 2024
- May 22-23, 2024
This session will be held in person in Washington, DC. Location specifics are included on the registration site.
- July 15-17, 2024
- September 16-18, 2024
- November 18-20, 2024
Duration: The training class is three half days, starting at 12:00 p.m. daily, and ending at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Prerequisite for this course
Successful completion of FACA 101 is required for all classes.
Recommended reading
Students planning to take this course are encouraged to visit Secretariat’s Advice and Guidance to find links to various documents and background materials that will aid in preparation, and make the class that much more relevant. Students are also urged to visit Secretariat’s Legislation and Regulation and familiarize themselves with the FACA statute and the FACA Final Rule.
Special accommodations
For information on arrangements for students needing special accommodations, please email details to Ms. Tabitha Dove at tabitha.dove@gsa.gov at least three weeks prior to the class date.
Cancellation policy
If your plans change and you cannot attend this course, please return to the FACA training portal, sign in using your email address, and un-enroll to free up your seat for someone else.
How to register for all FACA training courses
To register for a course please visit the FACA training portal. The GSA Federal Advisory Committee Act Training Portal has implemented a new Multi Factor Authentication requirement. You will need a Max.gov login to access this page. If you don’t have a Max.gov account please visit the Max.gov site and register. Users with a Max.gov account can login to the training portal by completing the following steps:
- From the training portal login page, select the FACA Students Login Here button.
- You will be taken to the Max.gov site. There are two options to login:
- Use your PIV/CAC card.
- Use your User ID and Password.
- Note: When logging into Max.gov using a User ID and Password, you will need to use an Authenticator app such as Google or Microsoft Authenticator.
- Once you login at Max.gov, you will be taken to your home page in the training portal.
- If you do NOT have an account in the training portal you will be taken to the registration page. Once you register, repeat steps 1 and 2.
Select this link for additional login instructions.
Note: For questions about your Max.gov account, contact Max Support: maxsupport@max.gov | Phone: 202-395-6860.
U.S. General Services Administration