Terms of Reference for the Participant Node Managers
Committee (Nodes)
Preamble:
Article 7.2 of the Rules of Procedure of the Governing Board states:
The Governing Board may establish and assign responsibilities to ad hoc or Standing
Committees and other subsidiary bodies as it may require. The Governing Board will set or
approve the terms of reference, guidelines and budgets for these committees and othersubsidiary bodies.
Article 7.3.4 establishes the Participant Node Mangers Committee as a Standing Committee:
The Participant Node Managers Committee will serve as a forum for sharing information
about the status and best practices of Participants' nodes, and as an advisory committeethat will make recommendations to the Governing Board, the Executive Committee, theScience Committee and the Secretariat concerning relevant issues for the nodes.
This Terms of Reference outlines the purpose, mandate and rules of procedure of I) theParticipant Node Managers Committee (NODES), II) the Nodes Steering Group (NSG) andIII) Regional Subcommittees.

I: The Participant Node Managers Committee
PurposeThe GBIF Governing Board established the Participant Node Managers Committee tofacilitate data publishing among Participants by providing a forum for the exchange ofexperiences, best practices and information. Additional purposes of the Committee are to:•••provide the Governing Board with advice on the challenges and practicalrequirements faced by Participant Nodes, and the ways in which the GBIF Work
Programme can help address them,promote the GBIF Participant Node concept to the international biodiversity
community as a unit providing services for data publishers and users of biodiversity
data, andprovide expertise and advice to the GBIF Secretariat in support of the delivery andimplementation of the GBIF Work Programme as well as participating in network
development (See also regional subcommittees).

1. Mandate

The Participant Node Managers Committee has the following responsibilities:
1.1. To identify and share best practices in developing and managing GBIF Participant
Nodes as a means for Participants to improve key aspects of data publishing and datause.
1.2. To identify barriers to data publishing and use experienced by Participants, determine
which are held in common, and suggest relevant solutions.

Approved by the Governing Board at GB24, Helsinki, Finland, September 2017

1.3. To explore, create and promote a range of different models for organising andachieving data publishing and use among Participants.
1.4. To encourage Participants to use their expertise to help each other directly indeveloping their Participant Nodes through exchange of knowledge, informal
partnerships, or longer term interactions.
1.5. To communicate the Nodes’ requirements to the Science Committee and Secretariat
for the development of GBIF standards and data-publishing technology (publishingsoftware, portals, search mechanisms, tools etc.) based on demand from data
publishers and users at the Participant level.
1.6. To help test and refine through feedback new versions of standards and datapublishing technology (publishing software, portals, search mechanisms, tools, etc.).
1.7. To create regular overviews and analyses of data publishing and Participant Nodedevelopment for the Governing Board, in order to help inform assessments of progress
and to inform planning.
1.8. To identify the priority needs of the Participant Nodes that are best addressed throughthe GBIF Work Programme, and where activity in individual Nodes can offer work thathelps achieve the goals set out in the Work Programme for data publishing and service
improvement.
1.9. To make recommendations that contribute to the setting of longer-term strategic
directions for the GBIF Work Programme.
1.10. To help observers and new Participants understand and achieve benefits available
from publishing data via GBIF and establishing a Node.

2. Members

2.1. Each Participant is entitled to have one representative on the Committee.
2.1.1. Each Participant will keep the Committee Chair and the Secretariat informed of
the name and contact details of its representative.
2.2. The Chair and the two Vice-Chairs of the Nodes Committee are elected by theGoverning Board according to Article 7.4 of the Rules of Procedure.
2.2.1. It is required that nominations for the Chair and the Vice-Chairs positions are
drawn from members of the Nodes Committee and recommended that they arepeople directly involved with active Nodes.

3. Rules of Procedure
3.1. Meetings

3.1.1. The Committee will normally meet at least once every second a year (TheGlobal Nodes Meeting).
3.1.2. Wherever feasible the meetings of the Committee will be organised back to backwith the annual Governing Board meeting.
3.1.3. Meetings will be planned at least three and ideally six months in advance toestablish agendas and to allow members to prepare materials for presentationand exchange of experiences.
3.1.4. Meetings may also be planned to coincide with GBIF training or other relevantactivities.

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3.1.5. In general, additional attendees (Nodes staff members etc.) from Participants
are welcome to attend Participant Nodes Committee meetings, but these
additional attendees should receive prior approval from the Chair as there may
be constraints on meeting capacity.
3.1.6. In order to transact business, a quorum for the Nodes Committee must bepresent. A quorum for a Nodes Committee meeting is defined as a total
attendance constituted by at least 50% of the Voting Participants, coming from atleast two-thirds of regions, plus either the Chair or one of the Vice-Chairs, andsome representation from other associated countries and organisations.
3.2

The Chair will dispatch a draft agenda with documents for the meeting of theParticipant Node Managers Committee no later than one week before an agreedmeeting date.

3.3. Ad hoc working groups.
3.3.1. If necessary, the Committee may develop ad hoc working groups, as long as
there are no cost implications for the GBIF core budget.
3.3.2 If the Committee wishes to establish an ad hoc working group whose activities
will have cost implications for the GBIF core budget, it may make a petition,including a statement of the rationale for the group and its projected costs, to theExecutive Secretary to provide the funding for the group. The group cannot start
its work until it receives such approval.
3.4. The Committee will strive to work by consensus in drafting its advice andrecommendations.
3.5. Records
3.5.1 The Secretariat will keep a record of each meeting of the Participant NodeManagers Committee and will circulate the record to the Committee members
shortly after the meeting.
3.5.2 The Secretariat will keep an electronic library of relevant documents andpresentations for the benefit of committee members.
3.6. The Chair will provide a report on the Committee’s activities and recommendations at
each Governing Board meeting. The Chair may also send additional reports to theGoverning Board when appropriate.
3.7. Costs of participation by Committee members
3.7.1. Whenever feasible, it is recommended that Node Managers be included inParticipant delegations to the Governing Board meetings.
3.7.2. Members of the Participant Node Managers Committee will cover their own
travel and accommodation costs to attend meetings of the committee.
3.7.3. Committee members from developing countries may apply to the GBIF
Supplementary Fund for financial support to offset the costs of participating inCommittee meetings.

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II: Terms of reference for the Nodes Steering Group (NSG)A small Nodes Steering Group has been established to ensure an effective planning andexecution of the mandate of the Participant Node Managers Committee and to act as aninterface between the Nodes and other parts of the GBIF Governance.

1. Composition

The NSG comprises the Nodes Committee Chair and Vice Chairs, and all Regional
Representatives (see Section III). The Chair and the Vice Chairs of the Nodes Committee
are the Chair and Vice-Chairs of the NSG. In order to transact business, a quorum of theNodes Steering Group must be present. A quorum for a Nodes Steering Group meeting isdefined as at least 50 per cent of regional Nodes representatives, or their deputies, plus
either the Chair or one of the Vice-chairs.

2. Mandate

The Nodes Steering Group (NSG) has the following responsibilities:•••••

Formulate specific recommendations to the relevant GBIF bodies (the Executive- and theScience Committee, the GBIF Secretariat, and the Nodes Committee themselves) basedon the feedback provided by Participant Nodes individually or collectively - including
priorities, needs, solutions, opportunities, suggestions.
Provide advice on the GBIF Work Programme to ensure it addresses effectively thepriorities identified by Participant Nodes, and that Participant Nodes are actively involved
in its planning and implementation.
Establish working/steering groups to be responsible for executing specific Nodes relatedparts of the Work Programme, in consultation with the Secretariat.
Communicate to the Nodes Committee members any recommendations or relevant
information from other GBIF bodies and groups.
NSG strives for consensus on decisions, and in principle all NSG members will be heard
in decision-making.

2.1. An annual meeting of the NSG will be scheduled as part of the GBIF mid-term
committee meetings.
2.2. As for meetings and a record of meetings see Participant Node Managers Committee
above (section 3.2 and 3.5).

3. Cost implications

3.1. Whenever meetings of the Nodes Steering Group are held in conjunction with theannual Governing Board meeting and related events, the travel, hotel and per diem
costs are to be paid by the Participant from which the group member’s comes.
3.2. Whenever NSG meets intersessionally, the group members’ costs for participating inthese meetings will be covered by the Secretariat.

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The Participant Node Managers Committee shall establish Regional Sub-committees toencourage and strengthen regional collaboration and information exchange amongParticipants.

1. Regions

The composition and names of the regions shall be determined by the Participant NodeManagers Committee, and may be adjusted according to circumstances based on therecommendation of the Nodes Steering Group,

2. Mandate

The Regional Sub-committees have the following responsibilities:
••
•
•
•

Serve as a platform for communication, coordination and collaboration among GBIF
Participant Nodes at the regional level.
Capture and compile feedback from Participant Nodes at the regional level on Work
Programme priorities, needs, implementation plans and opportunities, among others.
Present and discuss regionally compiled feedback with the Nodes Steering Group, aswell as any other issues raised by Nodes as part of their regional interactions.
Play a pivotal role in promoting and facilitating regional collaboration and capacity
building.
Appoint a Regional Representative, and deputy, to the Nodes Steering Group preferablyfrom among its Voting Participant members.

2.1. Only Node Managers as official members of the Nodes Committee are eligible to beappointed as Regional Representatives or their deputies.
2.2. Regional Representatives, and their deputy, to the Nodes Steering Group are
appointed for an initial two-year period, extendable for a further two years.
2.3. Each Regional Sub-committee elects its Regional Representative and deputy
according to a recommended process set forward in the operational guidelines by theNSG

3. Members of the Regional Subcommittees
3.1.

3.2.

3.3.
3.4.

Each Regional Subcommittee is composed of all Participant Node Managers fromthe respective regions as defined in the process described at III (1).
For Participant Node Managers from Associate Participant Organizations,membership of a Regional Subcommittee will be determined by a) the geographic
focus of activities of the Participant, b) the headquarters of the organization and/or c)
the self-identification of the Node Manager with a particular region. Membership of aregional subcommittee is not obligatory for Associate Participant Organizations.
Participant Node Managers Committee members can request the GBIF Secretariat
and the Nodes Committee Chair to assign them to an alternative Regional
Subcommittee. Any such change shall be approved by the Nodes Steering Group.
Participant Node Managers Committee members can also request to be involved asobservers in other Regional Subcommittees than that of their primary affiliation. Suchrequests should be submitted to the relevant Regional Representative(s) and theNodes Committee Chair with copy to the GBIF Secretariat .

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4. Rules procedure and reporting

Each Regional Subcommittee will decide on its own internal structure and rules of procedure(taking into account the articles below and the operational guidelines set forward by theNSG) consistent with the goals and mission of GBIF.
4.1. The Regional Sub-committees, through their Regional Representatives, are required tokeep the GBIF Secretariat and the Nodes Committee Chair informed of their activities;
likewise, they are required to submit the reports from any Subcommittee meetings,workshops, or training events offered to Nodes – if of general interest – or theSecretariat.
4.2. In particular, the Regional Representatives are expected to prepare and present anannual report to assist In preparation of the Nodes Committee Chair’s report to theGoverning Board.

5. Responsibilities of the Regional Representative and deputy

The main objective of the Regional Representative is to serve as a liaison between theNodes Steering Group, the GBIF Secretariat, and their respective Regional Subcommittee.
Regional Representatives are expected to:••••help with the coordination of regional-level activities,ensure the flow of information and communication between the region and the other
GBIF bodies and groups, andplay a key role in promoting GBIF regionally and engaging the Participants in theimplementation of the GBIF Work Programme.
The deputy can on request support the regional representatives in performing thetasks, and could replace the regional representatives in NSG meeting and activities ifrequired.

6. Costs implications
6.1. For the years in between global meetings of the Nodes Committee, and dependent on
budget availability, the GBIF Secretariat will issue a call to provide partial financial
support for the organisation of meetings of the Regional Subcommittees.

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