--setting overall policy and direction within guidelines
established by the White House,

--directing operations of the Management Office,

--overseeing individual task forces that Executive Committee
members chair,

--serving an "outreach" function to the public and executive/
legislative branches,

--providing periodic progress reports to the White House, and
--preparing the final Survey report to the President.

According to Survey officials, Chairman Grace also chose most
Executive Committee members and directed the research effort.

The overall purpose of the Executive Committee is to advise both Chairman Grace and the President on managerial improvements that the Government should implement. Most Executive Committee members also serve as task force cochairs. Most task forces have two or more cochairs from the Executive Committee. In this role, these Executive Committee members recruit staff for their task force; guide the direction of task force work; communicate task force progress to the Chairman and Management Office; coordinate task force activities with other cochairs; review and analyze task force recommendations; and prepare the final report.

The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) generally requires publicized, open meetings. However, neither DOC nor Survey officials can state when the full Executive Committee will meet. These officials cited problems in scheduling an agreeable meeting time for all 150 Executive Committee members. Thus, they foresee smaller groups of members scheduling meetings. DOC officials stated that these groups will conform to DOC's guidance on advisory committee subcommittees. Survey Management Office

The Director of the Management Office acts for the Chairman on a daily basis. The formal duties of the Management Office are

to

--guide, coordinate, and monitor performance of the task
forces;

--act as a liaison to the White House, Office of Management
and Budget (OMB), and others as appropriate;

--provide administrative support to the Executive Committee
and task forces; and

--review, edit, and submit, for the Chairman's review and
approval, the final report to the President.

The Management Office has a Director, Deputy Director, administrative support staff, and 12 desk officers. Desk officers usually oversee two or three task forces and facilitate communication and coordination among task forces and the Management Office.

During hearings on September 15, the Survey witness identified a chief operating officer who oversees the entire Survey effort.

Foundation for the Survey

As a

The Foundation handles the Survey's financial matters. nonprofit corporation, the Foundation was established to solicit contributions from private companies to support the Survey. The contributions cover expenses for personnel, office space, supplies, and equipment. The Foundation has a Board of Trustees and six corporate officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, and Controller.

The Survey filed the Foundation's articles of incorporation as a nonprofit organization on March 25, 1982. The Internal Revenue Service determined on April 15, 1982, that this Foundation met the requirements for a federally tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code.

The Foundation's main function is to assist the Survey and its Executive Committee. This includes:

--Creating a Board of Trustees to manage the Foundation and to control the receipt, deposit, investment, and disbursement of its assets.

--Providing the Survey with expert services, facilities, staff, and other support for which the Foundation pays. --Establishing controls to prevent its agents from inappropriately disclosing information that they obtain from reviewing Federal agencies.

The Foundation also serves as a joint contractor with DOC to support the Executive Committee. A foundation official told us that at the conclusion of the Survey work, all documentation that supports the final reports will be transmitted to DOC for its archives. This step closes out the Survey effort and is scheduled to occur in late 1982 or early 1983.

Task forces

Thirty-five task forces have been established to examine executive branch management. Twenty-two of these task forces examine agencies while 13 study functions that cut across agency lines. A project manager leads each task force. Task force members volunteer from the private sector and serve as agents of the Foundation according to top Survey officials. The size of task forces varies according to the agency or issue under review and the availability of staff from the private sector. Survey officials told us that task force staffs are very fluid-members come and go according to needed specialties.

According to an early September 1982 survey list of task force membership, there were about 1,000 members. The following shows the number of members on each task force.

The project manager, as a full-time, on-site member, plans and directs the task force's work, and also assists the cochairs in recruiting members. The project manager also prepares a detailed work plan that outlines the issues and the approach for the task force.

According to senior Survey officials, task forces are to identify potential savings and managerial improvements that can be achieved through executive order, executive action, or congressional legislation.

SOURCE OF FUNDING

Under Executive Order 12369, the President's Private Sector Survey is to be funded by private sector contributions which may include money, personnel, supplies, and equipment. Federal agencies also provide space and other resources (equipment and supplies for example) to the Survey's on-site task forces. (See Agency Perspectives" for more detail.)

The Foundation officer told us that the Foundation solicited funds from the Fortune 500 firms and about 45 major insurance, accounting, and consulting firms. The Foundation sent a letter that requested a specific amount based on the firm's annual profits. For example, the Foundation requested $15,000 if the firm's profits exceeded $50 million and $7,500 if profits fell below $50 million. Firms, of course, could send more or less.

The Foundation followed this letter with a mailgram and then a phone call if a firm did not reply. As of August 18, 1982, 176 of the 545 firms contributed or pledged money. The Foundation's assets on July 31, 1982, totaled $1.4 million. Overall, the Foundation received by September 1982 $1.8 million of the expected $3.2 million in contributions.

Upon receiving funds, the Foundation deposits them in a bank account and invests any surplus funds. Disbursement occurs under the authority of the Management Office's Director within budget allocations. While the Foundation does not expect any surplus assets at its dissolution, its Board of Trustees will act on such assets.

LEGAL PROVISIONS ON ADVISORY
COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The Survey's Executive Committee is a federally chartered advisory committee and, as such, the Committee must adhere to FACA. DOC oversees the Executive Committee. Federal statutes authorize DOC to conduct special surveys and joint projects and to accept gratuitous service. The following discusses these provisions and Survey activities that relate to them.

FACA provisions

FACA mandates certain actions regarding advisory committee meetings and the availability of information. FACA requires a designated Federal employee to oversee these meeting-oriented provisions. These provisions address (1) timely public notice, (2) agenda-setting, (3) detailed minutes, (4) convening and adjourning meetings, and (5) open meetings.

FACA also dictates that the Congress and the public should be informed about advisory committees. Based on this mandate, FACA requires

--the Congress to continually review the purpose and activities of advisory committees;

--the executive branch to report annually, based on a comprehensive review, to the Congress on advisory committee activities;

--each advisory committee to only operate under the authority of an active charter which contains extensive information on the committee;

--the advisory committees' records, reports, work papers, etc. to be available for public inspection unless the President or agency head specifically justifies otherwise based on 5 U.S.C. 552(b); and

--agencies to grant access to GAO on records that deal with funds for and activities of advisory committees.

Department of Commerce--advisory

Committee management regulations

The following summary identifies key provisions of DOC's guidance.

--A Committee Control Officer oversees a specific committee and

(1) keeps informed about the committee,

(2) maintains committee records and files reports,

(3) calls and adjourns meetings,

(4) approves the agenda, and

(5) attends each meeting.

--A committee may only advise; it cannot assume responsibilities for operational duties unless a statute or the President authorizes it.

--DOC generally makes committee records available to the pub-
lic at one location.

--Each committee must operate through an active charter.
--An advisory committee may use subcommittees/task forces if
(1) the charter authorizes the use of such and

(2) a DOC official approves them in writing.