I. PURPOSE

This directive provides instructions to Agency personnel on 1) how to make a suggestion for the Office of Public Health Science (OPHS) Science and Technology Seminar Series (STSS); 2) how the suggestions are reviewed, vetted, and approved; and 3) how to communicate with non-FSIS scientists from research, public, or private institutions and other government agencies to schedule presenters for approved seminars. FSIS has rewritten this directive in its entirety to reflect changes to the STSS process.

II. CANCELLATION

FSIS Directive 10,900.1, Inviting Non-FSIS Scientists for Office of Public Health Science (OPHS) Scientific Seminar Series Presentations, 4/22/08

III. BACKGROUND

The OPHS STSS fosters information exchange between FSIS personnel and professionals in public health, food science and technology, microbiology, chemistry, toxicology, risk assessment, infectious disease, epidemiology, veterinary medicine, and related sciences. Scientific and technological advancements provide opportunities for the Agency to improve its approach to protecting public health. The seminar series provides Agency scientists and policy makers with access to current science, cutting- edge technologies, and emerging scientific data to inform the development of effective food safety programs. The seminar series is not an opportunity for marketing or sales discussions. It does not constitute an Agency evaluation of any proprietary product, process, or procedure. The seminar series does not constitute FSIS acceptance, endorsement, or promotion of any proprietary or commercial product, procedure, process, or data that may be discussed. Demonstration of any product or procedure during this scheduled event will be solely for the purpose of explaining the science.

IV. LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

A. The STSS Coordinator resides in the OPHS Science Staff (SciS) and serves as the Executive Secretariat on the STSS Advisory Team, with the SciS Director as the Chair and Deputy Director as the Co-Chair. The STSS Advisory Team is comprised of the following representatives from within the Agency:

1. OPHS – Director and Deputy Director of SciS;
2. OPHS – Chief Scientist;
3. Office of Field Operations (OFO) – Veterinary Recruiting and Outreach Coordinator or designee;
4. Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD) – Issuances Staff and Risk Management and Innovations Staff Directors or designees; and
5. Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education (OPACE) – Congressional and Public Affairs Staff Director or designee.

B. Monthly, the STSS Advisory Team are to review the proposed seminar topics and speakers for appropriateness and recommend potential guest speakers and seminar topics for upcoming seminars.

C. The STSS Seminar Advisory Team are to take steps to ensure diversity of content in seminars.

D. Monthly, the STSS Advisory Team through the SciS Director or Deputy Director are to forward a list of recommended seminars for approval by the Office of the Administrator (OA) through the OPHS Assistant Administrator (AA) and Deputy Assistant Administrator (DAA).

E. Bi-annually, the STSS Coordinator is to contact the Data Coordination Committee (DCC) at DCC@fsis.usda.gov to present information on previous and upcoming seminars and remind employees to recommend seminar speakers to the seminar coordinator.

V. SELECTING TOPICS FOR SEMINARS

A. Topics for STSS should be relevant to current, emerging, or reemerging food safety issues or concern new laboratory technology or methods pertinent to the Agency.

B. FSIS employees who wish to suggest a topic or a speaker for the STSS should contact the STSS Coordinator at: fsisseminarcoordinator@fsis.usda.gov, or the OPHS SciS Director or Deputy Director. The STSS Coordinator is to contact the presenter for more information on the title of the seminar, a brief abstract, and biography of the speaker. The STSS Coordinator is to present the information provided by the presenter to the STSS Advisory Team at their monthly meeting for consideration before recommending a seminar to OA for approval. The STSS Advisory Team has the discretion to not recommend a proposed seminar to OA for approval.

C. Once the seminar has been approved by OA, the STSS Coordinator is to contact the presenter as described in Section VII. below.

VI. PROCEDURE

A. The STSS Coordinator conducts and schedules seminars to regularly occur on Wednesdays from 1:00–2:00 pm Eastern Time. The seminar format consists of a 45-minute presentation and approximately 15 minutes for questions. Any other time combination of one hour or a seminar longer than one hour is subject to the approval by the STSS Advisory Team. The seminar may be delivered in person or remotely via webinar.

B. The seminars are to include an “attendee disclaimer slide” as the second to last slide addressing FSIS’s role and all proprietary and confidential aspects of the presenting party, (See Attachment 2).

C. The STSS Coordinator is to request for the Presenter to provide their contact information on the first and last slide of the seminar.

VII. COORDINATION

A. The OPHS STSS Coordinator may receive from or send requests to scientists at research, public, or private institutions and other government agencies to discuss scientific information for the STSS.

B. Once a potential presenter is identified, the STSS Coordinator is to present the proposed seminar topic, presenter’s full name and title (including co-presenters), and a brief summary of the seminar to the STSS Advisory Team at their monthly meeting for vetting and recommendation to OA for approval.

C. Once approved by OA, the STSS Coordinator is to:

1. Contact the potential presenter by e-mail or phone to schedule and confirm a date. FSIS reserves the right to reschedule or cancel previously scheduled seminars.
2. Provide each presenter with the following via e-mail:
   1. Information on the seminar series as outlined in the Background (III) and Coordination (VII.C.3.) sections of this directive;
   2. Disclaimer form to be signed by anyone who is not an FSIS employee and returned by the presenter or any other guests participating in the seminar, (see Attachment 1);
   3. Directions to the FSIS office location if applicable; and
   4. Attendee disclaimer slide to add to the seminar, (see Attachment 2).
3. Request the presenter to send the following at least two weeks in advance of the seminar:
   1. The presenter or co-presenter’s full names and titles;
   2. A short biography of the presenter and any co-presenter;
   3. The exact title of the seminar; and
   4. A copy of the seminar.

D. If a seminar is not recommended to OA for approval by the STSS Advisory Team or if the seminar is not approved by OA, the STSS Coordinator is to contact the potential presenter to notify them of the Agency decision.

VIII. COMMUNICATION

A. The STSS Coordinator is to announce each seminar through the following mechanisms:

1. The FSIS Wednesday Newsline: The STSS Coordinator is to e-mail details on each seminar to OPACE Wednesday Newsline e-mail, Wednesdaynewsline@fsis.usda.gov by close of business (COB) on Tuesday the week before the seminar; and
2. InsideFSIS: The STSS Coordinator is to post the seminar portable document format (PDF) file and the recording on the FSIS intranet website, https://inside.fsis.usda.gov/fsis/emp/static/centerContent/fsisPage.jsp?keyword=OPHSScienceand TechnologySem6337. The previous years’ seminars are archived by their respective years.

B. The STSS Coordinator is to post the seminar (PDF) and the recording link on the OPHS SharePoint site, https://usdagcc.sharepoint.com/sites/fsis-ophs/FSIS%20Scientificseminarseries/default.aspx.

C. The STSS Coordinator is to update Inside FSIS and the OPHS SharePoint sites weekly.

D. If a seminar is canceled or rescheduled, the STSS Coordinator is to make the appropriate notifications to the presenter and Agency.

IX. RECORDINGS, TRANSCRIPTS, AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

A. The OPHS STSS are to be recorded, provided that the presenter has given her or his permission. The recordings allow more open-access opportunity to watch the webinars on a flexible schedule. However, the presenter has the right to request that their seminar not be recorded due to proprietary, confidential, or unpublished information within their presentation.

B. Transcripts are available upon request for the deaf or hard of hearing.

C. Continuing education credits for Public Health Veterinarians may be available for relevant seminars.

X. FOLLOW- UP

The STSS Coordinator is to contact the presenter by e-mail within 30 days after his or her seminar with a thank you letter signed by the OPHS Assistant Administrator.

XI. CONTACT INFORMATION

The FSIS STSS Coordinator schedules all seminars and can be contacted by e-mail, fsisseminarcoordinator@fsis.usda.gov for questions pertaining to the seminar series.

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