Science, Technology and Innovation Board
Charter
1. Committee’s Official Designation: The committee shall be known as the Science, Technology, and Innovation Board (STIB).
2. Authority: The Secretary of War, in accordance with chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.) (commonly known as “the Federal Advisory Committee Act” or “FACA”) and title 41, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) § 102-3.50(d), established this discretionary advisory committee.
3. Objectives and Scope of Activities: The STIB shall provide independent advice and recommendations on matters supporting the Department of War’s (DoW’s) scientific, technological, and innovative enterprises, as set out in paragraph four below.
4. Description of Duties: The STIB work shall focus on matters concerning science, technology, innovation, manufacturing, acquisition processes, and other topics of special interest to the DoW, germane to DoW scientific, technological, and innovation matters, in response to specific, written tasks from the Secretary of War, the Deputy Secretary of War, or the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (USW(R&E)).
The STIB does not advise on individual DoW procurements but instead shall be concerned with the pressing and complex problems facing the DoW. No matter shall be assigned to the STIB for its consideration that would require any STIB member to participate personally and substantially in any actions related to procurements or place him or her in the position of acting as a contracting or procurement official.
5. Agency or Federal Officer Receiving the Advisory Committee’s Advice/Recommendations: The STIB reports to the Secretary of War or the Deputy Secretary of War (“the DoW Appointing Authority”) through the USW(R&E), who may act upon the STIB’s advice and recommendations in accordance with DoW policy and procedures.
6. Support: The DoW, through the Office of the USW(R&E), provides support for the STIB.
7. Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years: The estimated annual operating cost, to include travel, meetings, and contract support, will be $7,077,675. The estimated annual personnel costs to the DoW are 3.0 full-time equivalents at $514,675, which includes basic pay with cost-of-living allowance. Program element to support STIB contracts and travel costs is $6,563,000. The estimated reimbursement costs for STIB staff and members is $768,250.00.
8. Designated Federal Officer: The STIB’s Designated Federal Officer (DFO) shall be a full-time or permanent part-time DoW Federal civilian officer or employee, or active-duty member of the Armed Forces, designated in accordance with DoW policy and procedures.
The STIB’s DFO is required to attend all STIB and subcommittee meetings for the entirety of each meeting. However, in the absence of the STIB’s DFO, a properly approved Alternate DFO, duly designated to the STIB in accordance with DoW policy and procedures, shall attend the entirety of all STIB and subcommittee meetings.
The DFO, or the Alternate DFO, approves or calls all STIB and subcommittee meetings; prepares and approves all meeting agendas; and adjourns any meeting when the DFO, or the Alternate DFO, determines adjournment to be in the public’s interest or is required by governing regulations or DoW policy and procedures.
The DFO will fulfill the requirements under section 10(b) of the FACA and will maintain information on advisory committee activities and provide such information to the public as applicable. The DFO will 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 FACA and title 41, C.F.R. § 102-3 (the Final Rule).
9. Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings: The estimated number of meetings is four per year.
10. Duration: The duration of the advisory committee is continuing, subject to the Termination section below.
11. Termination: The STIB shall terminate upon completion of its mission or two years from the date this charter is filed, whichever is sooner, unless the DoW renews the STIB in accordance with the FACA, the Final Rule, and DoW policy and procedures.
12.Membership and Designation: The STIB shall be composed of no more than 40 members, who are eminent authorities in the fields of science, technology, innovation, and other matters germane to DoW scientific, technological, and innovation topics of special interest to the DoW.
The appointment of STIB members shall be approved by the DoW Appointing Authority for a term of service of one-to-four years, with annual renewals, in accordance with DoW policy and procedures. No member, unless approved by the DoW Appointing Authority, may serve more than two consecutive terms of service on the STIB, including its subcommittees, or serve on more than two DoW Federal advisory committees at one time. The DoW Appointing Authority shall appoint the STIB’s leadership from among the membership previously approved, in accordance with DoW policy and procedures, for a term of service of one-to-two years, with annual renewal, which shall not exceed the member’s approved STIB appointment.
STIB members who are not full-time or permanent part-time Federal civilian officers or employees, or active-duty members of the Uniformed Services, shall be appointed as experts or consultants pursuant to title 5, U.S.C. § 3109 to serve as special government employee (SGE) members. STIB members who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal civilian officers or employees, or active-duty members of the Uniformed Services, shall be designated pursuant to title 41, C.F.R. § 102-3.130(a) to serve as regular government employee (RGE) members.
Except for reimbursement for official STIB-related travel and per diem, STIB members serve without compensation.
13. Subcommittees: The DoW, when necessary and consistent with the STIB’s mission and DoW policy and procedures, may establish subcommittees, task forces, or working groups (“subcommittees”) to support the STIB. Establishment of subcommittees shall be based upon a written determination, to include terms of reference, by the DoW Appointing Authority or the USW(R&E), as the STIB’s DoW Sponsor. All subcommittees operate in accordance with the FACA; title 5, U.S.C. § 552b, also known as the “Government in the Sunshine Act” or “the Sunshine Act”; governing Federal statutes and regulations; and DoW policy and procedures. All subcommittees will terminate when the STIB does.
A subcommittee shall not work independently of the STIB and shall report all its recommendations and advice solely to the STIB for its thorough deliberation and discussion at a properly noticed and open STIB meeting, unless the meeting must be closed in accordance with one or more of the exemptions found in the Sunshine Act. A subcommittee has no authority to make decisions and recommendations, orally or in writing, on behalf of the STIB. Neither the subcommittee nor any of its members may provide updates or reports, orally or in writing, directly to the DoW or any Federal officer or employee or member of the Armed Forces. If a majority of STIB members are appointed to a particular subcommittee, then that subcommittee may be required to operate pursuant to the same FACA notice and openness requirements that govern the STIB’s operations.
Individual appointments to serve on STIB subcommittees, which are separate and distinct from appointments to the STIB itself, shall be approved by the DoW Appointing for a term of service of one-to-four years, with annual renewals, in accordance with DoW policy and procedures. No member shall serve more than two consecutive terms of service on a subcommittee, unless approved by the DoW Appointing Authority. The DoW Appointing Authority, or the Director of Administration and Management as appropriate, shall appoint subcommittee leadership from among the membership previously approved to serve on the subcommittee in accordance with DoW policy and procedures, for a leadership term of service of one-to-two years, with annual renewal, not to exceed the member’s approved subcommittee appointment.
Subcommittee members, who are not full-time or permanent part-time Federal civilian officers or employees, or active-duty members of the Uniformed Services, shall be appointed as experts or consultants pursuant to title 5, U.S.C. § 3109 to serve as SGE members. Subcommittee members who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal civilian officers or employees, or active-duty members of the Uniformed Services, shall be designated pursuant to title 41, C.F.R. § 102-3.130(a) to serve as RGE members. Each subcommittee member is appointed to exercise his or her own best judgment on behalf of the DoW, without representing any particular point of view, and to discuss and deliberate in a manner that is free from conflicts of interest. Except for reimbursement for official STIB- and subcommittee-related travel and per diem, subcommittee members serve without compensation.
The USW(R&E) has established two STIB permanent subcommittees. While the number of individuals appointed to each subcommittee may vary, as determined by the DoW Appointing Authority, no individual subcommittee shall have more than 15 members unless otherwise authorized by the DoW Appointing Authority. These subcommittees, when tasked in accordance with DoW policy and procedures, shall provide advice and recommendations to the STIB for its consideration as described for each respective subcommittee. Unless otherwise described, subcommittee membership requirements are the same as for the STIB:
1. Science, Technology, and Innovation Board Permanent Subcommittee on Strategic Options: Identify concepts, capabilities, strategies, and courses of action in the scientific and technical enterprises that inform decision-making and serve to rebalance intervention cost and benefit to ensure U.S. operational dominance.
2. Science, Technology, and Innovation Board Permanent Subcommittee on National Security Innovation: Examine and advise on DoW innovation pathways and pipelines; emerging and disruptive technologies; commercial sector best practices in innovation strategy, management, processes, architectures, organizational behavior and design, human capital, decision-making, and scaling; and ways to leverage the U.S. innovation ecosystem in support of national security.
14. Recordkeeping: The records of the STIB and its subcommittees shall be managed in accordance with General Records Schedule 6.2, Federal Advisory Committee Records, or other approved agency records disposition schedule, and the appropriate DoW policy and procedures. These records shall be available for public inspection and copying, subject to title 5, U.S.C. § 552.
15. Filing Date: February 25, 2026.
Science, Technology and Innovation Board
Membership Balance Plan (MBP)
Agency: Department of War (DoW)
1. Authority: The Secretary of War, in accordance with chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code (United States Code (U.S.C.) (commonly known as “the Federal Advisory Committee Act” or “FACA”) and title 41, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) § 102-3.50(d), established the Science, Technology, and Innovation Board (STIB) as a discretionary advisory committee.
2. Mission/Function: The STIB provides independent advice and recommendations on matters concerning scientific and technical enterprises and shall focus on science, technology, innovation, manufacturing, acquisition processes, and other topics of special interest to the DoW, germane to DoW scientific, technological, and innovation matters, in response to specific, written tasks from the Secretary of War and the Deputy Secretary of War (“the DoW Appointing Authority”) or the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (USW(R&E)).
3. Points of View: The STIB shall be composed of no more than 40 members, who are eminent authorities in the fields of science, technology, innovation, manufacturing, acquisition processes, and other matters of special interest to the DoW, germane to DoW scientific, technological, and innovation matters. Membership will consist of talented private and public sector leaders possessing a multiplicity of experience, background, and thought in support of the STIB’s mission. In selecting members, the DoW seeks to capitalize on talented, innovative private and public sector leaders to provide the broadest knowledge and expertise base in STIB membership.
The DoW, in evaluating candidates for the STIB, considers the candidate’s educational and professional experience concerning the subject matters anticipated to be tasked to the STIB. The DoW has found that viewing the complex issues facing the DoW through a multidisciplinary advisory committee provides the DoW and, more importantly, the American public with a broader understanding of the issues on which subsequent policy decisions are based. Membership shall be fairly balanced to provide a variety of background, experience, and thought in support of the STIB’s mission. The STIB’s membership balance is not static, and the DoW Appointing Authority may change the membership based upon work assigned to the STIB by the DoW Appointing Authority or the USW(R&E), as the STIB’s Sponsor.
Each STIB member, based upon their individual experience and expertise, exercises their own best judgment concerning matters before the STIB, does not represent any particular point of view, and discusses and deliberates in a manner that is free from conflicts of interest. STIB members who are not full-time or permanent part-time Federal civilian officers or employees, or active-duty members of the Uniformed Services, shall be appointed as experts or consultants pursuant to title 5, U.S.C. § 3109 to serve as special government employee members. STIB members who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal civilian officers or employees, or active-duty members of the Uniformed Services, shall be designated pursuant to title 41, C.F.R. § 102-3.130(a) to serve as regular government employee members. The DoW, unless otherwise provided by statute or Presidential directive, does not use representative members on DoW-established or -supported advisory committees.
4. Other Balance Factors: N/A.
5. Candidate Identification Process: The identification and selection processes are designed to promote multiplicity in background, experience, and thought. The DoW, in selecting potential candidates for the STIB, reviews the education and professional credentials of individuals and bases its selection on this review and the subject matters to be handled by the STIB. Initially, the USW(R&E) requests recommendations for potential candidates from the STIB’s professional staff and senior DoW career and political officials. Potential candidates for appointment may come from talented private and public sector leaders possessing a multiplicity in background, experience, and thought in support of the STIB mission.
Once potential candidates are identified, the Designated Federal Officer (DFO), in consultation with the STIB’s staff, reviews the credentials of each individual and narrows the list of potential candidates. The list of candidates, once finalized by the DFO, is reviewed by the USW(R&E) in consultation with the Special Assistant to the Secretary of War for White House Liaison. The USW(R&E), in his or her review, strives to achieve a balance between the professional credentials of the individuals and the near-term subjects to be reviewed by the STIB to achieve a membership that is varied and all encompassing, both in terms of points of view to be represented and the functions to be performed by the STIB.
Before formal nomination to the DoW Appointing Authority, the list of potential nominees is reviewed by the Office of the General Counsel of the Department of War and the Advisory Committee Management Officer for the Department of War (DoW ACMO) to ensure compliance with Federal and DoW governance requirements, including compliance with the STIB’s charter and membership balance plan. Following this review, the Director of Administration and Management forwards the DoW Appointment Approval Instrument, which is prepared by the DoW ACMO, to the DoW Appointing Authority for appointment consideration. Following approval by the DoW Appointing Authority, the candidates must complete appointment paperwork and training, to include any financial disclosure or other ethics requirements stipulated by the Office of Government Ethics for advisory committee members.
Authority to invite or appoint individuals to serve on the STIB rests solely with the DoW Appointing Authority. All STIB appointments are for a term of service of one-to-four years, with annual renewals. No member, unless approved by the DoW Appointing Authority, may serve more than two consecutive terms of service on the STIB, including its subcommittees. Membership vacancies for the STIB will be filled in the same manner as described above.
6. Subcommittee Appointments: The DoW, as necessary and consistent with the STIB’s mission and DoW policy and procedures, may establish subcommittees, task forces, or working groups (“subcommittees”) to support the STIB.
Individuals considered for appointment to any STIB subcommittee may come from the STIB itself or from new nominees, as recommended by the USW(R&E) and based upon the subject matters under consideration. Pursuant to DoW policy and procedures, the USW(R&E) shall follow the procedures described above in section 5 to nominate new members for appointment to a subcommittee.
Subcommittee members shall be appointed for a term of service of one-to-four years, with annual renewals; however, no member shall serve more than two consecutive terms of service on a subcommittee, unless approved by the DoW Appointing Authority.
The USW(R&E) has established two STIB permanent subcommittees. While the number of individuals appointed to each permanent subcommittee may vary, as determined by the DoW Appointing Authority, no individual subcommittee shall have more than 15 members. These subcommittees, when tasked in accordance with DoW policy and procedures, shall provide advice and recommendations to the STIB as described for each respective subcommittee:
1. Science, Technology, and Innovation Board Permanent Subcommittee on Strategic Options: Identify concepts, capabilities, strategies, and courses of action in the scientific and technical enterprises that inform decision-making and serve to rebalance intervention cost and benefit to ensure U.S. operational dominance.
2. Science, Technology, and Innovation Board Permanent Subcommittee on National Security Innovation: Examine and advise on DoW innovation pathways and pipelines; emerging and disruptive technologies; commercial sector best practices in innovation strategy, management, processes, architectures, organizational behavior and design, human capital, decision-making, and scaling; and ways to leverage the U.S. innovation ecosystem in support of national security.
7. Other: As nominees are considered for appointment to the STIB, the DoW adheres to the Office of Management and Budget’s Revised Guidance on Appointment of Lobbyists to Federal Advisory Committees, Boards, and Commissions (79 Federal Register 47482; August 13, 2014); the rules and regulations issued by the Office of Government Ethics; the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy Memorandum, “Scientific Integrity,” dated December 17, 2010; and section 7 of the Presidential Memorandum, “Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking,” dated January 27, 2021.
8. Date Prepared: February 25, 2026.