1. Committee’s Official Designation (Title):
Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid (ACVFA).
2. Authority:
The ACVFA was initially established May 14, 1946, by President S. Truman in a letter to the Secretary of State. The committee is currently established under the general authority of the USAID Administrator, and its charter is renewed in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972 as amended, 5 U.S.C., Chapter 10.
3. Objectives and Scope of Activities:
ACVFA will serve as a focal point for relations between the U.S. government and private and voluntary organizations active in the fields of relief, rehabilitation, and development abroad. It ensures that the voluntary sector plays a vital and dynamic role in the formulation and execution of foreign assistance programs.
4. Description of Duties:
The committee will:
a) Consult with, provide information to, and advise the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other U.S. government agencies, as appropriate, on matters and issues needing attention across a wide spectrum of development and humanitarian issues related to foreign assistance on which the U.S. government and private and voluntary organizations interact.
b) Provide information and counsel to the community of private and voluntary organizations working abroad in relief, rehabilitation, and development on issues of concern regarding their relations with USAID and other U.S. government agencies.
c) Foster public interest in the field of voluntary foreign aid and the activities of private and voluntary organizations.
5. Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports:
The committee will report to the USAID Administrator.
6. Support:
Financial and administrative support to the ACVFA is provided by USAID’s Office of the Administrator and the Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs.
7. Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years:
The estimated annual operating cost, including travel expenses for members and meeting costs but excluding staff support, is $150,000. The estimated annual staff support is one full-time equivalent person at an estimated annual cost of $209,000.
8. Designated Federal Officer:
The agency head must designate a federal officer or employee who must be either full-time or permanent part-time, to be the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) for each advisory committee and its subcommittees. The DFO for the ACVFA is the Executive Director of the ACVFA, who will be a full-time federal employee. An alternate DFO appointed in accordance with Agency procedures will perform the duties of the DFO in the DFO’s absence. The DFO must:
a) Ensure the advisory committee activities comply with the Act, FACA Final Rule, the Agency’s agency administrative procedures, and any other applicable laws and regulations;
b) Approve or call all meetings of the advisory committee or subcommittee;
c) Approve the agenda for meetings;
d) Attend all advisory committee and subcommittee meetings for their duration;
e) Fulfill the requirements under § 10(b) of the Act (codified at 5 U.S.C. 1009(b));
f) Adjourn any meeting when the DFO determines it to be in the public interest;
g) Chair any meeting when so directed by the Administrator;
h) Maintain information on advisory committee activities and provide such information to the public, as applicable;
i) Ensure advisory committee members and subcommittee members, as applicable, receive the appropriate training (e.g., FACA overview, ethics training) for efficient operation and compliance with the Act and FACA Final Rule; and
j) Ensure that a public-facing website is created and maintained for the advisory committee according to 41 CFR § 102-3.120(b).
9. Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings:
It is expected that the ACVFA will hold a minimum of one committee meeting annually. Its subcommittees will meet as determined necessary.
10. Duration:
The need for this committee is continuing, subject to the termination section below.
11. Termination:
This charter will be in effect for two years from the date it is filed with Congress. After this period, the charter may be renewed as authorized in accordance with Section 14 of the FACA.
12. Membership and Designation:
The ACVFA will comprise no fewer than 15 and no more than 30 members appointed by the USAID Administrator as representatives of a balanced cross section of nongovernmental entities including private and voluntary organizations, cooperatives, foundations, private firms, professional societies, universities, and other sources as the Administrator sees fit. Members serve in a representative, not an individual, capacity and therefore are not subject to conflict of interest statutes. The Administrator selects one member to serve as Board Chair. ACVFA members shall serve without compensation for their services.
13. Subcommittees:
The ACVFA or the USAID Administrator may appoint subcommittees as necessary. These subcommittees shall report back to the ACVFA and shall not provide advice or work products directly to the Agency.
14. Recordkeeping:
The records of this committee and all formally and informally established subcommittees 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, and will be posted on the ACVFA webpage.
15. Filing Date:
September 23, 2024
Approved:
Samantha Power
Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development
