1031.11—Procedural safeguards.
(a)
Subject to the provisions of this subpart and budgetary and time constraints, Commission employees may be involved in voluntary standards activities that will further the objectives and programs of the Commission, are consistent with ongoing and anticipated Commission regulatory programs as set forth in the agency's operating plan, and are in accord with the Commission's policy statement on involvement in voluntary standards activities set forth in subpart A of this part.
(b)
Commission employees who are involved in the development of a voluntary standard and who later participate in an official evaluation of that standard for the Commission shall describe in any information, oral or written, presented to the Commission, the extent of their involvement in the development of the standard. Any evaluation or recommendation for Commission actions by such employee shall strive to be as objective as possible and be reviewed by higher-level Commission officials or employees prior to submission to the Commission.
(c)
Involvement of a Commission official or employee in a voluntary standards committee shall be predicated on an understanding by the voluntary standards group that such involvement by Commission officials and employees is on a non-voting basis.
(d)
In no case shall Commission employees or officials vote or otherwise formally indicate approval or disapproval of a voluntary standard during the course of a voluntary standard development process.
(e)
Commission employees and officials who are involved in the development of voluntary standards may not accept voluntary standards committee leadership positions, e.g., committee chairman or secretary. Subject to prior approval by the Executive Director, the Voluntary Standards Coordinator may accept leadership positions with the governing bodies of standards making entities.
(f)
Attendance of Commission personnel at voluntary standards meetings shall be noted in the public calendar and meeting summaries shall be submitted to the Office of the Secretary as required by the Commission's meetings policy, 16 CFR part 1012.