FACACLASSIC

Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

Details on agency responses to committee recommendations can be found under the Performance Measures section for each committee in the fields “Agency Feedback” and “Agency Feedback Comment.”

HHS - 804 - Board of Scientific Counselors, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences - Authorized by Law

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Board of Scientific Counselors, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences	Agency Name	Department of Health and Human Services
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	804
Original Establishment Date	11/20/1985	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	http://www.niehs.nih.gov/about/boards/bsc/index...
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	10
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Deputy Scientific Director
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix
Current Charter Date	12/1/1986	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	PAUL
Date Of Renewal Charter		Designated Federal Officer Middle Name	W
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	DOETSCH
Exempt From Renewal*	Yes	Designated Federal Officer Suffix	PHD
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(984) 287-3643
Establishment Authority*	Authorized by Law	Designated Federal Officer Fax*
Specific Establishment Authority*	42 U.S.C. 282(b)(16)	Designated Federal Officer Email*	paul.doetsch@nih.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	11/20/1985
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Other Committee

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The Board assesses the quality of the Institute’s intramural research program and evaluates productivity and performance of principal investigators and other staff scientists, necessary functions for the operation of a highly effective intramural research program. The Board is composed of scientific and technical experts. The Board provides indispensable evaluation and advisory functions in the science management of the intramural research program. Besides the formal meetings for peer review of each laboratory, the chairman and individual Board members are frequently consulted for advice on staff appointments, scientific needs and program development. The Board’s reviews and responses from the Scientific Director are also made available to the National Advisory Environmental Health Sciences Council.
How is membership balanced?*	The Board consists of approximately 10 members who are outstanding authorities knowledgeable in the specialized fields of environmental health sciences, for example, environmental carcinogenesis, molecular biology, and reproductive development. The advisory role of the Board is scientific and substantive. The Board, through periodic visits to the laboratories, assesses the research in progress and evaluates productivity and performance of staff scientists, laboratory/branch chiefs and the Scientific Director.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The Board holds approximately two to three meetings each year for these peer reviews of intramural laboratories on a rotating basis as required by the PHS Act. The Board met on December 1-3, 2024 to provide advice on staff appointment, program development, review of the organization, and conduct of research in the Neurobiology Laboratory & Comparative Medicine Branch . The Board met for the second time on May 4-6, 2025 to provide advice on staff appointment and program development and review the organization and conduct of research in the Review of the Neurobiology Laboratory & Comparative Medicine Branch. The committee made a total of 3 recommendations in FY25.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The Board is composed of recognized basic and applied research authorities in areas highly relevant to the environmental health sciences from outside the NIH in order to secure unbiased, through and objective evaluation of intramural research programs.
Why close or partially close meetings?	Portions of both Board meetings were closed for the review, discussion, and evaluation of individual programs and projects conducted by the Institute, including consideration of personnel qualifications and performance, the competence of individual investigators, and similar items, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Section 552b(c)(6) of the Government in the Sunshine Act permits the closing of meetings where discussion could reveal personal information, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
Recommendation Remarks	Committee Function - Other: Peer review of intramural research laboratories and personnel. DFO and Committee Decision Maker positions are held by the same individual based on the assignment of responsibilities within the Division of Intramural Research, NIEHS. This committee did not produce any reports this fiscal year. Members: One new member joined the committee in FY25, Dr. Carlos Camargo. Dr. Jose Luchsinger and Dr. Frances Leslie were terminated 5/7/2025.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	Yes	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	No	Action Reallocate Resources	Yes
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	Yes	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	No	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	No	Action Comment	The Scientific Director evaluated the major Board recommendations regarding headcount, resources, and space alterations for each investigator. In addition, each investigator, in consultation with the Lab/Branch Chief and the Scientific Director, composed a response and actions to be taken as a result of the Board’s specific scientific or clinical critique. The entire set of action items that the SD proposes were reported to the DDIR for concurrence.
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	The research conducted in these laboratories are aimed at prevention of environmental diseases.	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	NIH supported basic and clinical research accomplishments often take many years to unfold into new diagnostic tests and new ways to treat and prevent diseases.	Grants Review Comment	Although grant reviews are included in the duties of this Board, there were no grant reviews performed during this fiscal year.
Number Of Recommendations*	134	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	In FY2025, the BSC made three recommendations regarding each investigator under review, and often recommendations are also made regarding the overview of the Lab or Branch. Technical commentaries by peer reviewers are usually more numerous and detailed. The Scientific Director evaluated the major Board recommendations regarding headcount, resources, and space alterations for each investigator. In addition, each investigator, in consultation with the Lab/Branch Chief and the Scientific Director, composed a response and actions to be taken as a result of the Board’s specific scientific or clinical critique. The entire set of action items that the SD proposes were reported to the DDIR for concurrence.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	0.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	Information on the research funded by NIH is available through the RePORT (Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool) website. RePORT provides access to reports, data, and analyses of NIH research activities that advance the mission of the NIH, including information on NIH expenditures, strategic plans, reports on NIH funding, and reports on the organization and people involved in NIH research and research training. The RePORT website is located at http://report.nih.gov.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	0.00%	Access Publications	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	Information on the research funded by NIH is available through the RePORT (Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool) website. RePORT provides access to reports, data, and analyses of NIH research activities that advance the mission of the NIH, including information on NIH expenditures, strategic plans, reports on NIH funding, and reports on the organization and people involved in NIH research and research training. The RePORT website is located at http://report.nih.gov.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	The point of contact for information is the Designated Federal Officer at (984) 287-3643.
Agency Feedback Comment*	Information resulting from closed Board of Scientific Counselors meetings is subject to the Freedom of Information Act. The public can view information on NIH Intramural Research Reports found on the NIH Intramural Research Sourcebook website located at https://oir.nih.gov/sourcebook/intramural-research-communications-resources/annual-reports-bibliographies/.	Narrative Description*	Section 402(b)(9) of the Public Health Service Act states that “the Director, NIH...shall assure that research at...the National Institutes of Health is subject to review in accordance with section 492.” Section 492(b) states that the “Director of NIH shall establish procedures for periodic technical and scientific peer review of research at the National Institutes of Health. The mission of the Board of Scientific Counselors is to assess the quality of the Institute’s intramural research programs and to evaluate the productivity and performance of intramural scientists and shall also, as requested by the Director, NIH, undertake peer review of extramural funding applications as required by section 492 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended.”

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$4,200.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$4,200.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$0.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$0.00	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$0.00
4. Payments to Consultants*	$10,800.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$10,800.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$5,045.00	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$5,045.00
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$0.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$0.00	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$0.00
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$17,503.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$17,503.00
10. Other Costs	$5,323.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$5,323.00
11. Total Costs	$42,871.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$42,871.00
Date Cost Last Modified	4/3/2025 10:38 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	1.10
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	1.10	Est Cost Remarks	Draft estimated costs, final data will be updated later.
Cost Remarks	Added costs for December 2024 ESBSC Meeting. Draft costs, final data will be updated later.

Interest Areas

Category Area Environment Environmental Issues Medicine Health and Health Research

Custom Links

Committee Level Reports