The work of most NQF consensus development projects is overseen by a steering committee. The steering committee shapes a project's scope, develops specific plans for the project, offers expert advice, ensures that input is obtained from relevant stakeholders, and makes recommendations to the NQF membership about standards that are proposed for endorsement.
Steering Committee
Nominations for a Steering Committee
As a consensus development project begins, NQF issues a call for nominations for the project’s steering committee. Within the consensus development process, the steering committee is analogous to the expert advisory committees typically convened by federal agencies to provide input and advice to the agency in the development of draft regulations, position statements, and other products.
Any interested party can electronically submit one or more nominations for the steering committee via a project-specific email address, which is included in the call for nomination notice. For a steering committee, the call for nominations is open for 30 days.
Selection of a Steering Committee
The members of a steering committee are selected to reflect both the diversity of key healthcare stakeholders and in accordance with NQF's Disclosure of Interest Policy. Members of a steering committee are selected based upon their expertise, their potential contribution to the project, and the need for input from a particular stakeholder perspective. Generally, a steering committee is composed of individuals affiliated with NQF member organizations, unless a necessary perspective or specific expertise is not available among NQF’s membership.
Technical Advisory Panel
Constituting a Technical Advisory Panel
Based upon the expertise present on a project steering committee, a technical advisory panel may also be formally seated. Members of a technical advisory panel are experts in their field and provide guidance to a steering committee around specific technical issues related to some or all of the consensus standards under review. At the direction of the steering committee, members of a technical advisory panel may be charged with reviewing the evidence supporting candidate consensus standards and/or completing other reviews requiring technical expertise.
Nominations for a Technical Advisory Panel
Members of a technical advisory panel are selected primarily for their content expertise and experience. Members are also selected based upon their potential contribution to the project and the need for input from a particular stakeholder perspective.
Comment on Proposed Committee Rosters
After the 30-day nomination period, the provisional roster(s) are made available for a review and comment period on the NQF website. NQF members and the public can electronically submit comments or concerns about the provisional candidates that will make up the committee. The review and comment period for the roster(s) are open for 14 days.
Once the comment period closes, the final committee roster is posted on the NQF website.
