BYLAWS OF DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

ARTICLE I: AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE

Department of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) was originally established as the Army Air Forces Scientific Advisory Group in 1944 by General H.H. “Hap” Arnold with Dr. Theodore von Kármán as its first Chair. The Secretary of Defense, under the provision of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix) and 41 CFR §102-3.50(d), codified the role of the SAB as a Federal Advisory Committee to provide independent advice and recommendations on matters of science and technology relating to the Air Force mission. The SAB reports directly to the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force in performing its duties as detailed in its charter. SAB products, including its advice and recommendations, are intended primarily for senior leadership of the Department of the Air Force and the Department of Defense.

 

ARTICLE II: RULES OF CONSTRUCTION

Nothing in these Bylaws shall be construed to supersede the provisions of the public laws of the United States, or any Air Force or Department of Defense (DoD) regulation, directive, or instruction. Additionally, nothing in these Bylaws shall be construed to create liability for any SAB member for any action taken by the SAB or the Air Force.

 

ARTICLE III: COMPOSITION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE SAB

ARTICLE III, Section 1 – Parent Committee Members. In accordance with its charter, the SAB is a Board composed of no more than 20 members serving on its parent committee. Parent committee members may additionally serve on SAB subcommittees, task forces, working groups, and ad hoc panels as determined by the SAB Chair. They are recognized experts in the science and technology communities, and are drawn from industry, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, National Laboratories, other not-for-profit organizations, and academia, as well as those having the same qualifications who are retired or consult. Parent committee members may also include retired General Officers following completion of their military service, with a total of up to five such individuals being counted among all parent committee and subcommittee members. SAB members are nominated to the SAB by the Secretary of the Air Force, approved by the White House Liaison Office, and appointed by the Secretary of Defense under the authority of 5 U.S.C. §3109, and serve as Special Government Employees. Their affiliation with the Board will be renewed annually by the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Parent committee members have DV Code 4 status on the Department of Defense Order of Precedence list when serving in their SAB capacity, including travel to and from SAB activities. The SAB Chair serves as chair of the parent committee; the SAB Vice Chair serves as vice chair of the parent committee. Only parent committee members may participate in votes regarding approval of SAB products, with such votes being cast in person or by electronic means at the discretion of the SAB Chair. Only the parent committee, after deliberation and approval by such vote, can make findings and recommendations, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Board. Accordingly a parent committee member, or another SAB member designated by the SAB Chair, will be present whenever the SAB presents findings, recommendations, updates, or reports on behalf of the Board directly to the DoD or to any Federal officers or employees.

ARTICLE III, Section 2 – Subcommittee Members. Subcommittee members add essential technical subject matter expertise to the Board and may serve on the Board’s subcommittees, task forces, working groups, and ad hoc panels as determined by the SAB Chair. Subcommittee members are recognized experts in the science and technology communities, and are drawn from industry, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, National Laboratories, other not-for-profit organizations, and academia, as well as those having the same qualifications who are retired or consult. They may also include retired General Officers following completion of their military service, with total of up to five such individuals being counted among all parent committee and subcommittee members. It is generally expected that, after three years of service with the SAB as a subcommittee member, and based on sufficiently active participation in SAB activities, subcommittee members will be nominated to the SAB parent committee in the fourth year of their normal term of service with the SAB. Subcommittee members are appointed by the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense, even if the member in question is already a Board member, and will be renewed annually by the Secretary of Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Subcommittee members serve as Special Government Employees and have DV Code 4 status on the Department of Defense Order of Precedence list when serving in their SAB capacity, including travel to and from SAB activities.

 ARTICLE III, Section 3 – Consultants. Consultants provide additional technical subject matter expertise to the Board, and are appointed on a temporary as-needed basis to work on Board-related efforts. Consultants may serve on the Board’s task forces, working groups, and ad hoc panels as determined by the SAB Chair, but not on the parent committee or on subcommittees. They are recognized experts in the science and technology communities, and are drawn from industry, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, National Laboratories, other not-for-profit organizations, and academia, as well as those having the same qualifications who are retired or consult, including retired General Officers following completion of their military service. Consultants are appointed by the Secretary of the Air Force under the authority of 5 U.S.C. §3109. When serving in their SAB capacity, including travel to and from SAB activities, they serve as Special Government Employees and have DV Code 4 status on the Department of Defense Order of Precedence list.

ARTICLE III, Section 4 – Additional Participants. The SAB Chair may invite the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Commander to propose one or more AFRL participants for certain SAB activities, such as for ad hoc panels formed to conduct studies, to add relevant AFRL expertise. Similarly, in coordination with the SAB Military Director, one or more general officer or civilian equivalents from the Air Force or other Service or Agency may be invited to participate in certain SAB activities, such as on ad hoc panels formed to conduct studies, to add additional operational or other expertise. Further, at the discretion of the SAB Chair, the Air Force Chief Scientist and his or her Military Assistant may also be invited to participate in certain SAB functions.

ARTICLE III, Section 5 – Subcommittees.  The SAB has four standing subcommittees that support the Board;

(1)   a Vehicle Systems subcommittee, (2) an Information Systems subcommittee, (3) a Defense Systems  subcommittee,  and  (4)  a  Basic  Sciences  subcommittee.  Subcommittees  may be established by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of the Air Force, based on advice from the SAB Chair and written terms of reference for each subcommittee. Each subcommittee is chaired by a parent committee member designated by the SAB Chair. Duties of subcommittee chairs are defined by the SAB Chair. Subcommittees each include up to 15 participants. The SAB Chair and the SAB Vice Chair are ex officio members of all subcommittees, subject to security access constraints or conflict of interest constraints, and do not count against the total number of subcommittee participants. Subcommittees report recommendations and advice solely to the Board for deliberation and vote by parent committee members regarding approval. Subcommittees have no authority to make decisions or recommendations, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Board. Except when designated to do so by the SAB Chair on behalf of the parent committee, no subcommittee or any of its members can update or report, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Board, directly to the DoD or any Federal officers or employees.

ARTICLE III, Section 6 – Task Forces and Working Groups. The SAB Chair may from time to time form standing task forces and/or working groups as deemed necessary for the SAB to effectively perform its mission, and designates parent committee members, subcommittee members, consultants, and/or additional participants to serve on such task forces or working groups. Task forces and working groups may be dissolved at the discretion of the SAB Chair as needed or when their role is deemed completed. The SAB Chair and SAB Vice Chair are ex officio members of all task forces and working groups, subject to security access constraints or conflict of interest constraints. Such task forces and working groups do not work independently of the Board. They report their recommendations and advice solely to the Board for deliberation and vote by parent committee members regarding approval. Task forces and working groups have no authority to make decisions or recommendations, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Board. Except when designated to do so by the SAB Chair on behalf of the parent committee, no task force or working group, or any of their members, can update or report, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Board, directly to the DoD or any Federal officers or employees.

ARTICLE III, Section 7 – Ad Hoc Panels. The SAB Chair may also from time to time form temporary ad hoc panels, for example to conduct studies or to conduct science and technology reviews, as deemed necessary for the SAB to effectively perform its mission, and designates parent committee members, subcommittee members, consultants, and/or additional participants to serve on such panels. Such panels may be dissolved at the discretion of the SAB Chair as needed or when their role is deemed completed. The SAB Chair and SAB Vice Chair are ex officio members of all such panels, subject to security access constraints or conflict of interest constraints. Such panels do not work independently of the Board. They report their recommendations and advice solely to the Board for deliberation and vote regarding approval by parent committee members. Accordingly, panels have no authority to make decisions or recommendations, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Board. Except when designated to do so by the SAB Chair on behalf of the parent committee, no panel, or any of its members, can update or report, verbally or in writing, on behalf of the Board, directly to the DoD or any Federal officers or employees.

ARTICLE III, Section 8 – S&T Reviews Chair. The S&T Reviews Chair serves to plan, organize, and execute the conduct of SAB science and technology (S&T) reviews of AFRL Technical Directorates and other AFRL S&T programs in coordination with the SAB Chair and the SAB Vice Chair.  The S&T Reviews Chair is designated by the SAB Chair from among the parent committee and subcommittee members, and typically serves in this role for a period of one year. It is generally expected that the S&T Reviews Vice Chair from the prior year will become the S&T Reviews Chair in the following year.

ARTICLE III, Section 9 – S&T Reviews Vice Chair. The S&T Reviews Vice Chair supports the S&T Reviews Chair in planning, organizing, and executing the conduct of SAB reviews of Air Force Research Laboratory Technical Directorates. The S&T Reviews Vice Chair is designated by the SAB Chair from among the parent committee and subcommittee members, and typically serves in this role for a period of one year. It is generally expected that, after serving in this role for one year, the S&T Reviews Vice Chair will become the S&T Reviews Chair in the following year.

ARTICLE III, Section 10 – S&T Review Panel Chairs. S&T Review Panel Chairs lead ad hoc panels that conduct science and technology reviews of individual AFRL Technical Directorates and other AFRL S&T programs. Review Panel Chairs are responsible for planning, organizing, and executing such reviews in coordination with the S&T Reviews Chair, the S&T Reviews Vice Chair, the SAB Chair, and the SAB Vice Chair, and in coordination with relevant AFRL or other personnel. S&T Review Panel Chairs are designated by the SAB Chair from among the parent committee and subcommittee members.

ARTICLE III, Section 11 – S&T Review Panel Vice Chairs. S&T Review Panel Vice Chairs support their corresponding S&T Review Panel Chair in planning, organizing, and executing science and technology reviews of individual Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Technical Directorates, AFRL classified programs, or other S&T programs. S&T Review Panel Vice Chairs are designated by the SAB Chair from among the parent committee and subcommittee members.

ARTICLE III, Section 12 – Study Panel Chairs. Study Panel Chairs lead ad hoc panels, working groups, or task forces created for the specific purpose of conducting a SAB study in accordance with written terms of reference that define the study. Study Panel Chairs plan, organize, and execute studies conducted by the SAB, under guidance from the Executive Committee and in coordination with the SAB Chair and the SAB Vice Chair. Study Panel Chairs are designated by the SAB Chair from among the parent committee and subcommittee members.

ARTICLE III, Section 13 – Study Panel Vice Chairs. Study Panel Vice Chairs support their corresponding Study Panel Chair in planning, organizing, and executing studies conducted by the SAB, under guidance from the Executive Committee and in coordination with the SAB Chair and the SAB Vice Chair. Study Panel Vice Chairs are designated by the SAB Chair from among the parent committee and subcommittee members.

ARTICLE III, Section 14 – Executive Committee. The Executive Committee consists of the SAB Chair, the SAB Vice Chair, and, at the discretion of the SAB Chair, up to three additional parent or subcommittee members designated from time to time by the SAB Chair. The Air Force Chief Scientist and the SAB Military Director serve as additional ex officio members of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee provides guidance and assistance to the SAB Chair and the SAB Vice Chair concerning SAB activities, including but not limited to evaluation of potential study topics, evaluation of new member nominations, assisting the SAB Chair in managing SAB studies and S&T reviews, and in maintaining the quality and relevance of SAB activities and products for the benefit of the Air Force. 

ARTICLE III, Section 15 – SAB Chair. The SAB Chair is appointed by the Secretary of the Air Force from among the parent committee and subcommittee members, with advice from the outgoing SAB Chair. In addition to other roles and functions outlined in these Bylaws, the SAB Chair also serves as chair of the Executive Committee and chair of the parent committee. The SAB Chair is supported by the SAB Vice Chair and works in consultation with him or her, and is further supported by the Executive Committee, the parent committee and subcommittees, any task forces, working groups, and ad hoc panels, and by the SAB Secretariat.  The SAB Chair has ultimate responsibility  for maintaining  the  quality and  relevance of  all  SAB activities  and products, and shall perform all functions outlined in these Bylaws in a manner that seeks to maximize the quality and relevance of all SAB activities and products for the benefit of the Air Force.

ARTICLE III, Section 16 – SAB Vice Chair. The SAB Vice Chair is appointed by the Secretary of the Air Force from among the parent committee and subcommittee members, with advice from the SAB Chair. In addition to other roles and functions outlined in these Bylaws, the SAB Vice Chair takes on the duties of the SAB Chair during such times when the SAB Chair states his or her unavailability, and takes on other duties as agreed with the SAB Chair. The SAB Vice Chair also serves as vice chair of the Executive Committee and as vice chair of the parent committee, in addition to other roles and functions outlined in these Bylaws. 

ARTICLE III, Section 17 – SAB Military Director. The Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), serves as the SAB Military Director. The SAB Military Director, who also serves as an ex officio member of the Executive Committee, assists the SAB Chair in matters of policy and operation, receives requests for Board assistance from Air Force Major Commands and other entities, and monitors all actions by the Air Force to implement Board recommendations. In addition, the SAB Military Director makes recommendations to the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force regarding who should receive, review, and act on Board reports.

ARTICLE III, Section 18 – SAB Secretariat. The SAB Military Director appoints a permanent Secretariat and an Executive Director to head the Secretariat. The Secretariat provides liaison between the SAB and the Air Force, provides management and administrative support to the SAB to ensure its effective use and efficient operation, and ensures that all SAB activities comply with applicable laws, regulations, and directives. The responsibilities of the Secretariat Executive Director or his or her designated representative include:

  • Facilitating all SAB activities including, but not limited to, logistics and travel, report and outbrief preparation, publication, and distribution, planning and execution of board and information gathering meetings, and new member and study topic solicitation and staffing.
  • Assisting the SAB in arranging meetings and developing agendas for all Board activities.
  • Providing advance notice in the Federal Register for Board meetings, as required.
  • Maintaining minutes and other appropriate records of all Board meetings, as required.
  • Issuing travel authorizations for members and consultants as needed.
  • Preparing, submitting, and maintaining records on all travel, including reimbursement for travel expenses and per diem amounts in accordance with relevant travel policies.
  • Maintaining records on all members and consultants.
  • Assisting the Board in editing, publishing, and maintaining reports generated by the SAB, routing reports to the appropriate agencies for security review before publication, and incorporating comments and classification markings as required.
  • Tracking responses to all recommendations made by the SAB as the result of studies, S&T reviews, or other activities, as required
  • Working with the SAB Military Director to issue annual calls for nomination of new SAB members and consultants, and for nomination of SAB study topics.
  • Processing all appointment and reappointment documentation.
  • Ensuring timely submission of Chair, Vice Chair, member, and consultant appointment or reappointment documentation through the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force to the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the White House for approval, as appropriate.
  • Assisting the SAB in maintaining close liaison with all Air Force activities to ensure their understanding of the Board and its capabilities, so that the Board functions effectively at all levels of the Air Force.
  • Assisting with coordination of direction from the Secretary of the Air Force, the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) [SAF/AQ], and the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Administrative Assistant) [SAF/AA].
  • Providing a point of contact in Headquarters Air Force (HAF) for interactions between the SAB and Congress, the Secretary of the Air Force, the Air Force Chief of Staff, other HAF offices, Air Force Major Commands, laboratories, acquisition program offices, the Department of Defense, other U.S. Government agencies, industry, and academia.
  • Ensuring adherence to pertinent public laws and to all requirements of Department of Defense and Air Force policies, regulations, instructions, and the like, pertaining to the establishment, composition, operation, and reconstitution of the Board
  • Providing the Designated Federal Officer for Air Force SAB activities to ensure compliance with Federal Advisory Committee (FAC) laws and regulations as well as OSD and Air Force FAC policies and instructions.

ARTICLE III, Section 19 - Designated Federal Officer (DFO). The Executive Director of the SAB Secretariat is the DFO required by section 10 (e), Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. Appendix, 10(e)), and shall have the duties and responsibilities imposed by sections 10 (e) and (f), FACA (5 U.S.C. Appendix, 10 (e) and (f)). The SAB Secretariat Executive Director will appoint alternate DFOs from within the Secretariat, as required by DoD policy. As part of those duties, the SAB Secretariat Executive Director, or designated alternate, shall attend all Board Meetings of the SAB. The SAB Secretariat Executive Director is also responsible for approving meetings of the SAB, including the meeting agenda and minutes.

 

ARTICLE IV: POWERS AND DUTIES

ARTICLE IV, Section 1 – Operating Authorities.  The SAB operates as a Federal Advisory Committee under a charter that is renewed periodically under the provisions of 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(d), as implemented in DODI 5105.4, DOD Federal Advisory Committee Management Program, as supplemented by the Air Force.

ARTICLE IV, Section 2 – Duties. In accordance with its charter, the SAB shall provide independent advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Air Force, to include the Secretary of the Air Force’s senior leadership, as determined by the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, and in so doing shall:

  1. Conduct studies on topics deemed critical by the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
  2. Recommend application of technology to improve Department of the Air Force capabilities.
  3. Provide an independent review of the quality and relevance of the Department of the Air Force science and technology program.

Generally, the Board exists to provide independent external advice and recommendations to the Department of the Air Force senior leadership on matters of science and technology relating to the Air Force mission.

ARTICLE IV, Section 3 – Limitations. The Board is not established to advise on individual Department of Defense or Department of the Air Force procurements, but instead shall be concerned with pressing and complex technology and business management issues facing the Department of the Air Force in the areas referenced above.

 

ARTICLE V: OFFICERS

ARTICLE V, Section 1 – SAB Chair and Vice Chair. The SAB Chair and the SAB Vice Chair are the only permanent officer positions of the SAB.

ARTICLE V, Section 2 – Terms. Terms of the SAB Chair and Vice Chair shall normally be three years, beginning on the first day of October and ending on the last day of September. It is desirable that the terms of the Chair and Vice Chair begin and end in different years, so that only one of them begins a new term in any given year. The SAB Chair, upon completion of his or her term, serves as a member of the parent committee and/or subcommittees for three additional years or, consistent with the SAB charter, until he or she has served two consecutive four-year terms as a parent committee and/or subcommittee member, whichever limit applies first. The SAB Vice Chair, upon completion of his or her term, serves as a member of the parent committee and/or subcommittees for one additional year or for the completion of his or her previously appointed four-year term as a parent committee or subcommittee member, whichever is longer.

ARTICLE V, Section 3 – Duties. In addition to roles, functions, and responsibilities of the SAB Chair and the SAB Vice Chair outlined elsewhere in these Bylaws, the SAB Chair works in consultation with the SAB Vice Chair to convene and chair meetings of the SAB and the Executive Committee. The SAB Chair also works in consultation with the SAB Vice Chair to designate the leadership of subcommittees, task forces, working groups, and ad hoc panels, and designates or approves the composition of all such entities. The SAB Chair, in consultation with the SAB Vice Chair and the Executive Committee, is responsible for evaluation and recommendation of potential SAB study topics, and for evaluation and recommendation of potential new parent committee members, subcommittee members, and consultants.  With advice from the SAB Vice Chair and the Executive Committee, the SAB Chair also has ultimate responsibility for any and all other functions not listed herein that are necessary to maximize the quality and relevance of SAB activities and products for the benefit of the Air Force. The SAB Chair, in consultation with the Executive Committee, additionally recommends candidates for the SAB Vice Chair and the next SAB Chair to the Secretary of the Air Force.

 

ARTICLE VI: MEMBER AND CONSULTANT OBLIGATIONS

ARTICLE VI, Section 1 – Member and Consultant Qualifications. Parent committee, subcommittee members, and consultants are recognized experts in the science and technology communities, and are drawn from industry, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, National Laboratories, other not-for-profit organizations, and academia, as well as those having the same qualifications who are retired or consult. They must be U.S. citizens and cleared or able to be cleared to at least DoD Secret level. Parent committee members, subcommittee members, and consultants shall not be active duty members of the military, employees of the Federal Government, nor functioning as employees of the Federal Government under the Interagency Personnel Act or any similar mechanism.

ARTICLE VI, Section 2 – Nomination, Selection, and Appointment. The SAB Secretariat coordinates with the SAB Military Director to annually issue a call for new member nominations. Anyone may nominate any individual for consideration as a potential SAB member. The SAB Chair, SAB Vice Chair, S&T Reviews Chair, and S&T Reviews Vice Chair, with advice and counsel from the Executive Committee, will prioritize and recommend new parent committee and subcommittee member finalists and alternates to the SAB Military Director for consideration by the Secretary of the Air Force. SAB members are nominated by the Secretary of the Air Force, approved by the White House Liaison Office, and appointed by the Secretary of Defense, and consultants shall be appointed by the Secretary of the Air Force, in accordance with the authority of 5 U.S.C. §3109, and serve as Special Government Employees.

ARTICLE VI, Section 3 – Commitment and Service. In general, parent committee and subcommittee members are appointed to four-year terms that must be renewed on an annual basis. SAB parent committee and subcommittee members are expected to serve on a subcommittee throughout the four years of their appointment. In accordance with the SAB charter, no parent committee member or subcommittee member, unless authorized by the Secretary of the Defense or the Deputy Secretary of Defense, may serve more than two consecutive four-year terms of service with the SAB. Generally, only the SAB Chair and the SAB Vice Chair will be considered for an extension of their initial four-year term of service. New SAB participants will typically first be appointed to one of the SAB subcommittees. Subcommittee members are generally expected to be recommended by the SAB Chair for appointment to the parent committee and to serve on the parent committee in their fourth year of participation with the SAB or earlier. Parent committee members, subcommittee members, and consultants are expected to be active participants in Board meetings and in other SAB activities as requested by the SAB Chair. Leaves of absence or other exceptions will be addressed by the SAB Chair. The SAB Chair may request that members or consultants resign, or may dismiss them, if in his or her judgment they are insufficiently effective or not sufficiently active participants in SAB activities. Upon completion of a parent committee or subcommittee member’s service with the SAB, they cannot serve on the parent committee or any subcommittee of the SAB for a period of at least one full year.

ARTICLE VI, Section 4 – Service in Other Roles. Parent committee members, subcommittee members, and consultants shall disclose to the SAB Chair and to the Executive Director of the SAB Secretariat any service they are performing or considering to perform on other boards, panels, or other bodies that could in any way potentially impact, influence, limit, or otherwise affect their service with the SAB.

ARTICLE VI, Section 5 – Ethical Obligations and Conflict of Interest. Parent committee members, subcommittee members, and consultants must adhere to all ethical obligations and conflict of interest requirements imposed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act and other applicable DoD and Air Force requirements. They are appointed to provide advice on behalf of the government on the basis of their best judgment without representing any particular point of view and in a manner that is free from conflict of interest. Additionally, such SAB participants who are being considered for employment within the Department of Defense or elsewhere in the Federal government may not attend Board meetings during their interview and selection process.

ARTICLE VI, Section 6 – Compensation. All officers, parent committee members, subcommittee members, and consultants shall serve without compensation, with the exception of reimbursement for travel expenses and per diem amounts in accord with relevant travel policies.

 

ARTICLE VII: MEETINGS, QUORUM, PROCEDURES, AND VOTING

ARTICLE VII, Section 1 – Board Meetings. The SAB shall hold full Board Meetings at a frequency commensurate with its mission and other considerations. Board Meetings are attended by parent committee members, and, as deemed necessary by the SAB Chair, may also be attended by appropriate subcommittee members, consultants, and additional participants. Typically, at a Fall Board Meeting, the SAB welcomes new members and consultants, recognizes departing members and consultants, and hears from senior Air Force and other national leaders to gain their perspectives on current issues facing the Air Force. At a Winter Board Meeting, the SAB typically deliberates and votes on the products of S&T reviews, hears overview briefings from Air Force and other leaders on that year’s SAB study topics, and formally initiates SAB studies. At a Spring Board Meeting, the SAB typically visits an operational Air Force base to gain additional operational insights, and continues work on its studies. At the SAB’s Summer Session, work on studies is typically completed, study products are developed, and parent committee members deliberate and vote on approval of results reported by the studies. Other business may also be conducted at these Board Meetings, at the discretion of the SAB Chair. A quorum to conduct business at Board Meetings shall consist of a majority of current parent committee members, present in person or by electronic means at the discretion of the SAB Chair. When security access considerations restrict some parent committee members from participating in a specific activity, or when some have recused themselves under Article VII, Section 4 (Ethics and Conflict of Interest), a quorum shall be the majority of parent committee members who have not recused themselves and who have the appropriate security accesses to conduct the needed business.

ARTICLE VII, Section 2 – Other Meetings. The SAB Chair may from time to time organize occasional smaller meetings needed for the SAB to perform various functions associated with its mission, including for example meetings of the parent committee, subcommittees, task forces, working groups, or ad hoc panels formed to perform these functions.  Such meetings may include any parent committee members, subcommittee members, consultants, or additional participants who the SAB Chair deems necessary for the purpose of the meeting. No quorum is needed at such occasional meetings.

ARTICLE VII, Section 3 – SAB Studies. The SAB Secretariat coordinates with the SAB Military Director to annually issue an Air Force call for potential SAB study topics, and collects and provides the resulting study topic nominations to the SAB Chair. The Executive Committee, usually during the Summer Session, organizes and evaluates all nominated study topics, which may include aggregating, refining, expanding, or otherwise modifying them as needed to maximize their likely benefit to the Air Force, and eliminating topics it determines are of insufficient benefit to the Air Force or are inappropriate for the SAB. The Executive Committee thereby arrives at a set of recommended potential SAB studies and develops draft terms of reference for each, which are subsequently provided to Air Force Major Commands for comment and priority ranking. Based on comments and rankings received, and considerations including the Board’s capacity to simultaneously staff combinations of these SAB studies, the Executive Committee identifies a set of typically three recommended SAB studies, as well as a list of potential alternate studies, and refines the draft terms of reference for each if needed. The draft terms of reference for the recommended and potential alternate studies are presented to the Secretary of the Air Force, who selects the studies to be conducted by the SAB, and may add to or replace any of them with other topics, and approves final terms of reference for each study. The SAB Chair subsequently designates Study Chairs and Study Vice Chairs to lead ad hoc panels, working groups, or task forces formed to conduct these studies, and designates parent committee members, subcommittee members, and consultants to serve on them. Where appropriate, the SAB Chair may also coordinate one or more AFRL participants and/or one or more General Officers from relevant Air Force Major Commands or other organizations to participate in each study. Studies are subsequently conducted under oversight of the Executive Committee, and results, findings, and recommendations are reported to the SAB parent committee in the form of an outbrief for deliberation and vote regarding approval and adoption as described in these Bylaws. The outbrief is then presented on request to Air Force senior leaders and relevant organizations. A report is also produced detailing the approved results, findings, and recommendations, which after security review is distributed to Air Force senior leaders and relevant organizations.  

ARTICLE VII, Section 4 – S&T Reviews. The SAB conducts reviews of the AFRL science and technology portfolio annually as directed by the Secretary of the Air Force. Typically, five such S&T reviews are conducted each year, with each review addressing the portfolio of an AFRL Technical Directorate or other program area, so that each Technical Directorate or other program area is typically reviewed every other year. Generally, about half of the science and technology portfolio of each Technical Directorate and program area are reviewed every other year, so that essentially the entire AFRL science and technology portfolio is reviewed every four years. The SAB Chair designates S&T Review Panel Chairs and S&T Review Panel Vice Chairs to lead ad hoc panels, working groups, or task forces formed to conduct these reviews, and designates parent committee members, subcommittee members, and consultants to serve on them. S&T reviews are subsequently conducted, and results, findings, and recommendations are reported to the SAB parent committee in the form of an outbrief for deliberation and vote regarding approval and adoption as described in these Bylaws. A report is also produced detailing the approved results, findings, and  recommendations. The resulting  outbrief and  report are  provided to leadership of the Technical Directorate, AFRL, Air Force Materiel Command, Headquarters Air Force, and to other relevant organizations.

ARTICLE VII, Section 5 – Deliberation, Approval, and Adoption. All proposed results, findings and recommendations shall be deliberated by the SAB before undergoing a vote regarding approval and adoption by the parent committee members. Subcommittee members, consultants, and other SAB participants may be present in these deliberations and participate in the deliberations, but do not participate in voting. Results, findings, and recommendations are adopted by the SAB upon a majority vote for approval by those parent committee members who are present in person or by electronic means at the discretion of the SAB Chair.

ARTICLE VII, Section 6 – Communicating Results of SAB Activities. Final results of SAB activities may be communicated outside the Board after deliberation and approval by vote of the parent committee. Communication of draft results as may be necessary from time to time must be accompanied by a declaration that they have not been fully deliberated or approved by the Board and are therefore not final. All communications whether in draft or final form must be approved by the SAB Chair. SAB results are communicated at the request of Air Force organizations, or where appropriate other Department of Defense organizations or other U.S. Government organizations, upon coordination with the SAB Secretariat. Communication of SAB results at workshops or conferences, or to the media, is generally not permitted; exceptions may be made by the SAB Chair. SAB results are communicated by the Chair or Vice Chair of the relevant subcommittee, task force, working group, or panel, or else by another parent committee member or subcommittee member designated by the SAB Chair. When practical a parent committee member will be present whenever SAB results are presented.

ARTICLE VII, Section 7 – Participation by the Public. All Board meetings shall be conducted consistent with relevant Federal and Air Force guidelines, and accordingly shall be open to the public subject to security classification guidelines and other limitations on public releaseability of information. Public comments received in written form by the Secretariat at least seven days in advance of a Board meeting will be read at the meeting.

 

ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS

Upon adoption by assent of at least two-thirds of all current parent committee members, present in person or by electronic means at the discretion of the SAB Chair, these Bylaws of the SAB supersede and replace any and all prior Bylaws of the SAB. Amendments or changes to these Bylaws may be proposed to the SAB Chair, in writing, by any parent committee member as an Agenda item at any scheduled Board meeting not less than 30 days prior to the meeting. The assent of at least two-thirds of all parent committee members, present in person or by electronic means at the discretion of the SAB Chair, is necessary to amend or change these Bylaws.

Approved and adopted on 10 Nov 2014 by unanimous vote of the Parent Committee.