Our Mission
OFACP’s mission is to develop policy and to provide guidance and resources to the public, advisory committee members, the Congress, the President, and those managing Federal advisory committees at the NIH, HHS, and other Federal agencies. As a leader in the advisory committee management community of the Federal Government, OFACP is committed to supporting the NIH mission by managing and promoting the highest quality administration of the laws, regulations, and policies governing Federal advisory committees.
Key Personnel
Claire L. Harris, Director, OFACP
Claire Harris is the Director of the Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. She oversees the NIH Federal Advisory Committee program and provides policy guidance and resources to a number of internal and external stakeholders. Prior to joining OFACP she worked in committee management at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and at the National Cancer Institute. Claire has over 30 years’ experience in the Federal advisory committee arena.
Patti Brandt Hansberger, Deputy Director, OFACP
Before starting in OFACP at the end of 2019 as a senior advisor, Patti was a senior program analyst in the NIH Director’s Office of Legislative Policy and Analysis where she participated in the planning and development of NIH policies and programs with legislative implications for NIH’s public health mission. Patti was appointed as the OFACP Deputy Director in December of 2022, where she continues to serve in an advisory role and assists the OFACP Director with her responsibilities in the direction, planning, and management of the Federal advisory committee program at NIH.
Roles
Committee management at NIH resides at the NIH Office of the Director (OD) level in the Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy and the Institute or Center (IC) level with the Committee Management Office (CMO). OFACP is responsible for the oversight of all NIH Federal advisory committees under the auspices of the FACA.
OFACP:
- Develops and implements NIH policies and procedures;
- Disseminates information to the public and NIH advisory committee members;
- Prepares reports and statistical data analysis; coordinates and evaluates NIH reports required by OMB, GSA, the Congress, and the President;
- Coordinates Department and Federal agency policies and activities;
- Establishes and ensures the appropriate utilization and management of all NIH advisory committees;
- Analyzes new, existing, and proposed legislation;
- Provides guidance and training to IC CMOs and NIH staff;
- Conducts annual reviews of advisory committee accomplishments, costs, benefits and performance;
- Assure that the interests and affiliations of advisory committee members are reviewed for conformance with applicable conflict of interest statutes; and
- Ensures appropriate management and internal controls are in place.
At the IC level, each IC has a CMO or uses the resources of a service center, to support the committee management function within the Institute or Center.
The IC CMO:
- Coordinates all IC committee management activities and serves as liaison official between the IC and the Office of Federal Advisory Committee policy;
- Prepares nomination and appointment documentation for membership to committees;
- Furnishes staff guidance, assistance, and leadership to IC officials in the various facets of advisory committee activities;
- Establishes necessary controls and procedures within each IC to ensure compliance with FACA, applicable regulations, NIH and Department policy;
- Maintains charter and membership records, as well as other required reports; and
- Coordinates or prepares several annual reports.