[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 138 (Friday, July 18, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41995-41996]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-16883]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees
AGENCY: DoD.
ACTION: Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Defense is publishing this notice to
announce that it is renewing the charter for the Uniform Formulary
Beneficiary Advisory Panel (``the Panel'').
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Advisory Committee
Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-692-5952.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Panel's charter is being renewed under
the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 1074g(c), the Federal Advisory Committee
Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. Appendix, as amended), the Government in the
Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b) (``the Sunshine Act''), and 41 CFR
102-3.50(a).
The Panel is a non-discretionary Federal advisory committee that
shall provide the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of
Defense, through the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and
Readiness (USD(P&R)), the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health
Affairs (ASD(HA)), and the Director, Defense Health Agency, independent
advice and recommendations on the development of the uniform formulary.
The Secretary of Defense shall consider the comments of the Panel
before implementing the uniform formulary or implementing changes to
the uniform formulary.
The Panel shall report to the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy
Secretary of Defense through the USD(P&R), the ASD(HA), and the
Director, Defense Health Agency. The USD(P&R) may act upon the Panel's
advice and recommendations.
The Department of Defense (DoD), through the office of the USD(P&R)
and the Defense Health Agency, shall provide support, as deemed
necessary, for the Panel's performance, and shall ensure compliance
with the requirements of the FACA, the Government in the Sunshine Act
of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended) (``the Sunshine Act''), governing
Federal statutes and regulations, and established DoD policies and
procedures.
The Panel, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 1074g(c)(2), shall be comprised of
no more than 15 members. The Panel shall include members that
represent:
a. Non-governmental organizations and associations that represent
the views and interests of a large number of eligible covered
beneficiaries;
b. Contractors responsible for the TRICARE retail pharmacy program;
c. Contractors responsible for the national mail-order pharmacy
program; and
d. TRICARE network providers.
Panel members shall be appointed by the Secretary of Defense or the
Deputy Secretary of Defense and their appointments shall be renewed on
an annual basis in accordance with DoD policies and procedures.
Individuals who are not full-time or permanent part-time Federal
employees shall be appointed as experts or consultants, pursuant to 5
U.S.C. Sec. 3109, to serve as special government employee (SGE)
members. Individuals who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal
employees shall be appointed, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.130(a), to serve
as regular government employee (RGE) members. Panel members shall serve
a term of service of one-to-four years, and no member may serve more
than two consecutive terms of service without the Secretary of Defense
or the Deputy Secretary of Defense approval. This same term of service
limitations also applies to any DoD authorized subcommittee.
All new members of the panel are appointed to provide advice on the
basis of their best judgment without representing any particular point
of view and a manner that is free from conflict of interest.
Panel members will serve without compensation except for
reimbursement of travel and per diem as it pertains to official
business of the Panel.
DoD, when necessary and consistent with the Panel's mission and DoD
policies and procedures, may establish subcommittees, task forces, or
working groups to support the Panel. Establishment of subcommittees
will be based upon a written determination, to include terms of
reference, by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of
Defense, or the USD(P&R), as the Panel's sponsor.
Such subcommittees shall not work independently of the chartered
Panel, and shall report all of their recommendations and advice solely
to the Panel for full and open deliberation and discussion.
Subcommittees, task forces, or working groups have no authority to make
decisions and recommendations, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the
Panel. No subcommittee or any of its members can update or report,
verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Panel, directly to the DoD or
any Federal officer or employee.
The Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense will
appoint subcommittee members to a term of service of one-to-four years,
with annual renewals, even if the member in question is already a
member of the Panel. Subcommittee members shall not serve more than two
consecutive terms of service unless authorized by the Secretary of
Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense.
Subcommittee members, if not full-time or permanent part-time
Federal employees, will be appointed as experts or consultants pursuant
to 5 U.S.C. 3109 to serve as SGE members. Subcommittee
[[Page 41996]]
members, who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal employees,
shall be appointed pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.130(a) to serve as RGE
members. With the exception of reimbursement of official travel and per
diem related to the Panel or its subcommittees, subcommittee members
shall serve without compensation.
All subcommittees operate under the provisions of FACA, the
Sunshine Act, governing Federal statutes and regulations, and
established DoD policies and procedures.
The Panel's Designated Federal Officer (DFO) shall be a full-time
or permanent part-time DoD employee and shall be appointed in
accordance with established DoD policies and procedures.
The Panel's DFO is required to be in attendance at all meetings of
the Panel and any subcommittees for the entire duration of each and
every meeting. However, in the absence of the Panel's DFO, a properly
approved Alternate DFO, duly appointed to the Panel according to
established DoD policies and procedures, shall attend the entire
duration of all meetings of the Panel and its subcommittees.
The DFO, or the Alternate DFO, shall call all meetings of the Panel
and its subcommittees; prepare and approve all meeting agendas; and
adjourn any meeting when the DFO, or the Alternate DFO, determines
adjournment to be in the public interest or required by governing
regulations or DoD policies and procedures.
Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or
interested organizations may submit written statements to Uniform
Formulary Beneficiary Advisory Panel membership about the Panel's
mission and functions. Written statements may be submitted at any time
or in response to the stated agenda of planned meeting of the Uniform
Formulary Beneficiary Advisory Panel.
All written statements shall be submitted to the DFO for the
Uniform Formulary Beneficiary Advisory Panel, and this individual will
ensure that the written statements are provided to the membership for
their consideration. Contact information for the Uniform Formulary
Beneficiary Advisory Panel DFO can be obtained from the GSA's FACA
Database--http://www.facadatabase.gov/.
The DFO, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150, will announce planned
meetings of the Uniform Formulary Beneficiary Advisory Panel. The DFO,
at that time, may provide additional guidance on the submission of
written statements that are in response to the stated agenda for the
planned meeting in question.
Dated: July 14, 2014.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2014-16883 Filed 7-17-14; 8:45 am]
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