Science, Technology and Innovation Board

GENERAL GUIDANCE

General Guidance

Operations

Staffing

  • The STIB operates with a federal staff that administers the Board. The federal officials serve the Board as Designated or Alternate Designated Federal Officers (DFO/ADFO). A DFO/ADFO presence at Board meetings is required under FACA.
  • The STIB federal officials are supported by a team of contractors who will assist the Board in various activities. Please be cognizant that only a DFO or an ADFO may task staff. Members are not allowed to task STIB staff directly. Accordingly, if you have a recommendation or request, please contact both the Executive Director and DFO, Ms. Elizabeth (Betsy) Kowalski and the Deputy Director/ Senior Advisor, Mr. Mike Orloff, with tasking requests or recommendations that will be taken under advisement.

Member Responsibilities

Foreign Travel (Personal and/or non-STIB related business)

PRE-TRAVEL

  • Cleared employees must report their foreign travel to their FSO or assigned designee 30 days before travel occurs. This includes providing a complete travel itinerary, passport data, names and associations of foreign national traveling companions, planned contacts with foreign governments/companies/citizens, and emergency contact information.
  • The FSO or designee then submits this unofficial foreign travel report into the Defense Information System for Security (DISS) using the provided data. The FSO determines if travel is to a country listed in the Director of National Intelligence’s Worldwide Threat Assessment, which may require coordination with a DCSA Counterintelligence Special Agent (CISA) for a pre-travel briefing. FSOs also provide Department of State travel advisories and the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) “Safe Travels” resource.

POST-TRAVEL

If any of the following occur, the FSO or designee must be notified as soon as possible upon return, and a report must be submitted into DISS.

  • Contact with foreign intelligence entities or any unusual/suspicious occurrences during travel. 
  • Deviations from the original submitted travel itinerary (must be reported within five business days of return).
  • Unplanned contacts with foreign governments, companies, or citizens.
  • Any foreign legal or customs incidents encountered.

You can find the full checklist documents directly on the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) website.

Foreign Travel (Board business)

  • Official foreign travel for STIB is governed by DoW regulations and is considered official business.
  • All personnel must comply with the DoW Foreign Clearance Guide (FCG), which outlines the specific entry and clearance requirements for the destination country.
  • Travel requests and clearances must be processed through the Aircraft and Personnel Automated Clearance System (APACS).
  • Travelers are required to use an official ‘no-fee’ passport and obtain any necessary visas as specified in the FCG.
  • All travel arrangements, including airfare and lodging, must be made through the Defense Travel System (DTS), and all expenses must be paid for using the Government Travel Charge Card (GTCC).

It is imperative to complete any mandatory pre-travel training and review all relevant security and health advisories for the destination.

NEED TO FIX….This is giving information but not specifics on “how-to.”

Time Tracking

  • Start keeping track of your time and use the official form (DD2525), where possible. As an unpaid SGE/RGE, you only need to track days/hours you are actively engaged in STIB work. Do not track travel time.

Annual Ethics Requirements

1. What are the essential things I need to know about Ethics/Administrative compliance?

You are required to update your ethics documentation every calendar year.
You must attend an ethics training within the same calendar of your swearing in and every year thereafter.

You must submit updated forms whenever there is a change in financial interests, primary address, employment.

2. How/when do I get annual ethics training?

  • The STIB will coordinate at least one in-person and one virtual annual ethics training each year. You will be advised of the dates as soon as they are scheduled.
  • Some ethics trainings can occur during Board meetings, and as such, only Board members will be invited to join. However, alternate opportunities for training will be made available to non-Board members.
  • If you are unable to attend an ethics training that has been coordinated, please reach out to our office immediately (pentagon.ousd-r-e.mbx.stib-office@mail.mil) to let us know.

3. How/when do I provide updated ethics documentation?

  • STIB staff will reach out approximately 3 months in advance of your swear-in anniversary date with a reminder to complete your documentation
  • Documentation can be located below and on the FORMS page.

4. How will I know when and how to complete my documentation?

  • You will get your initial tasking email to submit your documentation and one reminder email.
  • Once you receive a reminder to update your information, you will have 14 days to complete.
  • Your DoD SAFE link will expire 14 days after your tasking email. If you require a new link, reach out to the staff on your initial email chain to request a new link.

5. What forms do I need for my annual ethics review package and where can I find them?

  • You must submit the following:
    • Confirmation there are no updates OR an updated STIB Bio Form.  WHAT IS THIS?
    • Confirmation there are no updates OR an updated RESUME (NOT bio) THIS AND THE ONE ABOVE ARE NOT CLEAR
    • SD436, Conditions of Employment for Experts and Consultants  NEED TO LINK
    • Cautionary Guidance and Disqualification Statement
      • There are 2 different versions; please complete for either SGEs or RGEs NEED TO LINK
      • Both are available in this portal in the FORMS section NEED TO LINK
    • An Ethics Guide for Special Government Employees, Including Consultants and Experts (such as advisory committee members) NEED TO LINK
    • SD830: Confidential Conflict-of-Interest Statement for OSD Advisory Committee Members NEED TO LINK
    • DD2525: Confidential Conflict-of-Interest Statement for OSD Advisory Committee Members  NOTE: DD2525 is Certification of Hours Worked in Service Year for Expert or Consultant (updated 20240730) I don’t think it belongs here.
  • All forms can also be found on the FORMS page.

6. What happens if I don’t complete this process in time?

  • You will be unable to attend meetings, vote on products, or participate in deliberation of any kind until you are in compliance status.

7. What should I do if it’s the last year of my term?

  • You will not receive an email to renew and no further action will be required.