U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY

NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE

CHARTER

1. Committee's Official Designation (Title). National Construction Safety Team 

Advisory Committee.

2. Authority. In accordance with the requirements of Section 11 of the National Construction 

Safety Team Act (P. L. 107-231), hereinafter referred to as the Act, the Secretary of 

Commerce hereby recharters the National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee, 

hereinafter referred to as the Committee, in accordance with the provisions of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C. App. 

3. Objectives and Scope of Activities.

The Committee will act in the public interest to:

a. Advise the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on 

carrying out the Act by:

- Providing advice on the functions of National Construction Safety Teams, hereinafter 

referred to as Teams, as described in section 2(b)(2) of the Act.

- Providing advice on the composition of Teams under section 3 of the Act.

- Providing advice on the exercise of authorities enumerated in sections 4 and 5 of the Act.

- Providing such other advice as necessary to enable the Director of NIST to carry out the 

Act.

b. Review the procedures developed under section 2(c)(1) of the Act.

c. Review the reports issued under section 8 of the Act.

d. Function solely as an advisory body, in accordance with the provisions of FACA.

4. Description of Duties. The Committee shall advise the Director of NIST on carrying out 

the Act and review the procedures developed for conducting investigations and the reports 

issued documenting investigations. On January 1 of each year, the Committee shall transmit 

to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and to 

the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report that 

includes: (1) an evaluation of Team activities, along with recommendations to improve the 

operation and effectiveness of Teams and (2) an assessment of the implementation of the 

recommendations of Teams and of the Committee.
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5. Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports. The Committee shall report to 

the Director of NIST.

6. Support. The Engineering Laboratory (EL) within NIST shall provide support for the 

Committee.

7. Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years. The annual cost of operating the 

Committee is estimated not to exceed $60,000, which includes 0.3 work years of staff 

support.

8. Designated Federal Officer. The Designated Federal Officer (DFO) will be the Director 

of the EL (or his or her designee). The alternate DFO shall also be designated by the Director 

of EL. The DFO will approve or call all of the Committee’s and subcommittees’ meetings, 

prepare and approve all meeting agendas, attend all Committee and subcommittee meetings, 

adjourn any meeting when the DFO determines adjournment to be in the public interest, and 

chair meetings when directed to do so by the official to whom the Committee reports.

9. Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings. The Committee shall meet at least once 

per year. Additional meetings may be called whenever requested by the NIST Director or the 

DFO; such meetings may be in the form of telephone conference calls and/or 

videoconferences. The Committee shall not act in the absence of a quorum, which shall 

consist of a simple majority of the members of the Committee not having a conflict of interest 

in the matter being considered by the Committee, except that, if the number of members on 

the Committee is even, half will suffice.

10. Duration. Continuing

11. Termination. This charter shall terminate four years from the date of its filing with the 

appropriate U.S. Senate and House of Representatives Oversight Committees unless earlier 

terminated or renewed by proper authority.

12. Membership and Designation.

a. The Director of NIST shall appoint the members of the Committee. Members shall be 

selected on a clear, standardized basis, in accordance with applicable Department of 

Commerce guidance. Members shall be selected on the basis of established records of 

distinguished service in their professional community and their knowledge of issues affecting 

the National Construction Safety Teams. Members shall reflect the wide diversity of technical 

disciplines and competencies involved in the National Construction Safety Teams 

investigations. Members will be drawn from industry and other communities having an 

interest in the National Construction Safety Teams investigations, such as, but not limited to, 

universities, state and local government bodies, non-profit research institutions, and other 

Federal agencies and laboratories.

b. Members shall serve as Special Government Employees (SGEs) and will be subject to the 

ethics standards applicable to SGEs. Members serve at the discretion of the Director of NIST.
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c. The Committee shall consist of no less than 4 and no more than 12 members. The term of 

office of each member of the Committee shall be three years, except that vacancy 

appointments shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term of the vacancy and that 

members shall have staggered terms such that the Committee will have approximately onethird new or reappointed members each year. Members who are not able to fulfill the duties 

and responsibilities of the Committee will have their membership terminated.

d. Any person who has completed two consecutive full terms of service on the Committee shall 

be ineligible for appointment for a third term during the one-year period following the 

expiration of the second term.

e. The Director of NIST shall appoint the Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson from among 

the members of the Committee. The Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson's tenure shall be 

three years and can be modified at the discretion of the Director of NIST. The Vice 

Chairperson shall perform the duties of the Chairperson in his or her absence. In case a 

vacancy occurs in the position of the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson, the NIST Director shall 

select a member to fill such a vacancy; the Vice Chairperson will succeed the Chairperson in 

the interim until the Director's selection of a member to fill the Chairperson vacancy.

f. Members of the Committee shall not be compensated for their services but may, upon 

request, be allowed travel and per diem expenses in accordance with 5 U.S.C. § 5703.

g. Members shall not reference or otherwise utilize their membership on the Committee in 

connection with public statements made in their personal capacities without a disclaimer that 

the views expressed are their own and do not represent the views of the Committee, NIST, or 

the Department of Commerce.

13. Subcommittees. NIST may establish subcommittees from among the members as may be 

necessary, subject to the provisions of FACA, and its implementing regulations, and applicable 

Department of Commerce guidance. Any subcommittees established must report back to the 

Committee and must not provide advice and work products directly to the agency.

14. Recordkeeping. The records of the Committee, formally and informally established 

subcommittees, or other subgroups of the Committee, shall be handled in accordance with 

General Records Schedule 6.2 or other approved agency records disposition schedule. 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.

_________________________________________ ______________________

Chief Financial Officer and Filing Date

Assistant Secretary for Administration

THOMAS GILMAN Digitally signed by THOMAS 

GILMAN 

Date: 2020.10.04 10:48:20 -04'00'