Attachment A 

U.S. Department of Commerce 

National Institute of Standards and Technology 

CHARTER 

NIST Blue Ribbon Commission on Management and Safety – II 

Committee’s Official Designation (Title): NIST Blue Ribbon Commission on 

Management and Safety – II. 

Authority: In accordance with the duties imposed by law upon the Department of 

Commerce and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C., App.), the Secretary of 

Commerce hereby charters the NIST Blue Ribbon Commission on Management and 

Safety - II. 

Objectives and Scope of Activities: The NIST Blue Ribbon Commission on 

Management and Safety – II will assess NIST’s progress in addressing the findings of the 

first NIST Blue Ribbon Commission and identify additional opportunities to strengthen 

management and safety at NIST. In particular, the Commission will assess NIST’s 

progress in: (a) Making safety a core value at NIST; (b) Integrating safety with the 

conduct of operations in a meaningful way across organizational units; (c) Benchmarking 

safety protocols and performance against similar organizations with strong safety 

cultures; (d) Addressing a serious lack of resources for safety; and (e) Engaging a staff 

that is eager, willing, and ready to embrace a safety culture. The Commission will submit 

one or more written reports on its findings. 

Description of Duties: The Commission will function solely as an advisory body, in 

accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. 

Agency or Official to Whom the Commission Reports: The Commission shall report 

to the Director of NIST. 

Support: The NIST Director’s Office shall provide staff support for the Commission. 

Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years: Aggregate operating costs for 

the Commission are anticipated to be less than $100,000, which includes .25 staff years 

of support. 

Designated Federal Officer: The Designated Federal Officer will be the NIST Chief of 

Staff. The DFO will: (a) approve or call all Commission meetings; (b) prepare and 

approve all meeting agendas; (c) attend all Commission meetings; (d) adjourn any 

Commission meeting when the DFO determines adjournment to be in the public interest; 

and (e) chair Commission meetings when directed to do so by the Director of NIST. 

Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings: It is estimated that the Commission 

will convene approximately three times over a 90 day period. 
Attachment A 

Duration: It is anticipated that the Commission will carry out its activities over the 

period of one year. While it is anticipated that the meetings of the Commission will be 

held over a period of 90 days, additional time will be required to prepare and submit 

reports, and to allow for follow-on requirements from NIST. 

Termination: This charter shall terminate one year from the date of the filing of this 

charter with the appropriate U.S. Senate and House of Representative Oversight 

Committees, unless earlier terminated or renewed by proper authority. 

Membership and Designation: The Director shall appoint the members of the 

Commission. The Commission will have up to eight members. Each member will be 

either a member of the first Blue Ribbon Commission or a current member of the NIST 

Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology. Each member will be a qualified expert 

with public or private sector experience in one or more of the following areas: (a) 

Management and organizational structure; (b) Training and human resources operations; 

(c) Laboratory management and safety; (d) Hazardous materials safety; (e) Emergency 

medical response; (f) Environmental safety; (g) Environmental remediation; and (h) 

Security for hazardous materials. 

Each member will serve for the duration of the Commission. Members shall serve as 

Special Government Employees (SGEs) and will be subject to the ethics standards 

applicable to SGEs. Members will not be compensated, but will, upon request, be 

allowed travel expenses in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 5701 et seq., while attending 

meetings of the Commission or of its subcommittees, task forces or working groups, or 

while otherwise performing duties at the request of the chairperson, while away from 

their homes or a regular place of business. 

The Commission will be led by a Chair and, in the absence of the Chair, a Vice Chair, 

each appointed by the NIST Director for the duration of the Commission. 

Subcommittees: The NIST Director may establish subcommittees, task forces, and 

working groups, consisting of Commission members, as the NIST Director may deem 

necessary, subject to the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and the 

Department of Commerce Committee Management Handbook. 

Recordkeeping: The records of the Commission, formally and informally established 

subcommittees, or other task forces or working groups of the Commission, shall be 

handled in accordance with General Records Schedule 26, Item 2, or other approved 

agency records disposition schedules. These records shall be available for public 

inspection and copying, subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552. The 

DFO will oversee recordkeeping and appropriate filings. 

Filing Date: