3 FAM 1320
THE BOARD OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE
(CT:PER-1191; 06-12-2024)
(Office of Origin: GTM/PC)
3 FAM 1321 PURPOSE AND MEMBERSHIP
(CT:PER-924; 09-21-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture/USAGM/Labor)
(Approved by the Board of the Foreign Service on December 9, 1982)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)
a. Pursuant to section 210 of the Foreign Service Act (22 U.S.C. 3930), the President must establish a Board of the Foreign Service to advise the Secretary of State on matters relating to the Service, including furtherance of the objectives of maximum compatibility among agencies authorized by law to utilize the Foreign Service personnel system and compatibility between the Foreign Service personnel system and the other personnel systems of the U.S. Government.
b. The membership of the Board of the Foreign Service (hereinafter “the Board”) is defined in 22 U.S.C. 3930, as well as in Executive Order 12293 as amended in pertinent part by Executive Order 12363 and Executive Order 13118.
c. The Board of the Foreign Service must be chaired by an individual appointed by the President. There must be an Executive Secretary of the Board (hereinafter “Executive Secretary”) who will be responsible for administrative, technical, and related matters.
d. The Secretary of State must designate State Department members and no more than two alternate members for each member. At least three of the Department’s members must be career members of the Senior Foreign Service (SFS). All other agency heads must designate the members and no more than two alternate members for each member from their respective agencies and so inform the Chairperson of the Board in writing.
e. In accordance with Executive Order 12293, as amended, certain members should have the rank of Assistant Secretary or higher or occupy a position of comparable responsibility. In the case of agencies having more than one member on the Board, the additional member(s) should be a career member of the Senior Foreign Service and, if necessary, can be of lower rank. Alternates should be of the same rank as the member if possible. The alternates for the Senior Foreign Service members should also be career members of the Senior Foreign Service.
f. It is expected that all board members (or their alternates) will attend all meetings. However, if a Board member or alternate is unable to attend a meeting, the member or alternate (or the agency head if circumstances so warrant) must designate, in writing, an ad hoc alternate member for that meeting so as to maintain an appropriately balanced representation and voting. The level of representation and authority of the ad hoc alternate should be reasonably consistent with the criteria employed in the selection of regular alternates.
g. A copy of the letter of designation of an ad hoc alternate must be forwarded to the Chairperson of the Board through the Executive Secretary at or before the meeting to which it applies.
3 FAM 1322 MEETINGS
(CT:PER-1191; 06-12-2024)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture/USAGM/Labor)
(Approved by the Board of the Foreign Service on December 9, 1982)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)
a. The Chair will notify members of the Board when a meeting is scheduled. That notice will include information related to the date, time, place, and agenda of the meeting. Normally, a meeting will be held at least once a year at a time and place designated by the Chairperson. Special meetings may be held from time to time as circumstances warrant.
b. The Board may, at the discretion of its Chairperson, invite nonmembers of the Board to make verbal or written presentations on matters before the Board.
c. Meetings may be attended by the following persons only:
(1) Board members, alternates, or ad hoc alternates;
(2) One person to advise or assist each member, alternate, or ad hoc alternate on the subject matter. Such persons may not participate in the deliberations of the Board unless the principal first seeks and obtains appropriate recognition from the Chairperson;
(3) The Executive Secretary; and
(4) Legal counsel or others, as approved by or invited by the Chairperson. Authorization for others to attend the meeting must be obtained from the Chairperson through the Executive Secretary.
d. The Chairperson or, in the Chairperson’s absence, the Vice Chairperson (“Acting Chairperson”), must preside at all meetings of the Board. In the absence of both of them, the senior member or alternate attending should preside.
e. A quorum at a meeting of the Board must consist of 10 members (or alternates), at least seven of whom must be from the foreign affairs agencies.
f. A meeting of the Board can be convened only by the Chairperson or Acting Chairperson. The Chairperson will consider requests for meetings by an individual Board member or group of members, but the decision to call or not to call a meeting remains with the Chairperson. If three members of the Board request a meeting on a particular issue, however, the Chairperson will be obliged to schedule a meeting within 30 days of the date of the request, or within 30 days of the date of the third member’s request, should the three requests not be submitted simultaneously.
g. The Board will meet with the Secretary of State as needed to discuss matters relating to the Foreign Service and to offer advice as appropriate.
3 FAM 1323 AGENDA AND DOCUMENTATION
(CT:PER-1127; 05-16-2023)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture/USAGM/Labor)
(Approved by the Board of the Foreign Service on December 9, 1982)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)
a. A fixed agenda will be established for each meeting by the Chairperson and circulated in advance to each member of the Board, unless because of unforeseen circumstances an emergency meeting must be convened on an urgent matter. Members who wish to suggest agenda topics may do so at a Board meeting (for the agenda of a future meeting) or by a letter to the Chairperson, through the Executive Secretary. When possible, a brief period for free discussion of topics of interest or concern to members will be included as the last item on each agenda. The Board will not normally take action on matters introduced during this free discussion period, but may schedule them for full consideration at a later meeting.
b. Minutes of each meeting are circulated to the members. Appropriate parties will receive decisions, findings, recommendations, or advice from the Board in writing. Those individuals or agency representatives who are invited to appear before the Board will have access to the written record of that part of the meeting related to their appearance.
c. Position papers and other related documents that interested parties (if invited to do so by the Chairperson) or members of the Board wish to provide as a basis for discussion at a meeting should be submitted to the Executive Secretary in 20 copies at least 10 days prior to the date of the meeting so that the Executive Secretary may circulate the documents to the members in sufficient time for review. The 10-day rule for distribution of documents may be waived by the Executive Secretary if, in the Executive Secretary’s opinion, the situation so demands.
3 FAM 1324 VOTING AND DECISIONS
(CT:PER-1127; 05-16-2023)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture/USAGM/Labor)
(Approved by the Board of the Foreign Service on December 9, 1982)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)
a. Each Board member, including the Chairperson, alternate or ad hoc alternate, has one vote.
b. As a general rule, proxy voting will not be permitted. If someone participates in the major portion of the discussion and must leave shortly before the actual voting takes place, however, that person, at the Chairperson’s discretion, may leave their proxy vote with the Chairperson.
c. When a recommendation of the Board is to be conveyed to the head of a foreign affairs agency, the Executive Secretary will prepare for the Chairperson’s signature a memorandum to the head of the agency affected, transmitting the Board’s recommendation and seeking the comments of the agency head.
3 FAM 1325 MISCELLANEOUS
(CT:PER-1127; 05-16-2023)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture/USAGM/Labor)
(Approved by the Board of the Foreign Service on December 9, 1982)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees Only)
Each member of the Board should appoint a liaison officer of the Board member's choosing to serve as the member’s point of contact with the Executive Secretary on administrative, technical, or other matters related to the Board.
3 FAM 1326 THROUGH 1329 UNASSIGNED