1. OPC-SAT Procedures Documents
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
OPC-SAT Working Procedures
Clarifies Member Responsibilities and Working Modes of the OPC-SAT
Review and Endorsement of OPC-SAT Products
Describes Procedures for Review and Endorsement of OPC-SAT Sub-Group Work
OPC-SAT Appointment Procedures and Leadership Structure
Codifies Appointment and Reappointment Procedures and Leadership Structure for OPC-SAT
Emily to start off – lay groundwork for why we did what we did. Then turn over to Steve Murray.
We are now in an exciting time, where demand for the OPC-SAT continues to increase. Thus we realized it was time to formalize OPC-SAT Working Procedures that clarify the responsibilities and functions of the OPC-SAT, and how the OPC-SAT works. Or to borrow a phrase from the document: the work modes of the OPC-SAT. The audiences for this document are primarily the OPC, and the OPC-SAT itself, as well as other state agencies that might want to engage the OPC-SAT. The document is also a playbook for Ocean Science Trust to use in administering the OPC-SAT.

2. Working Procedures Responsibilities of the OPC-SAT:
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Responsibilities of the OPC-SAT:
Expectations of OPC-SAT Members
Functions of the OPC-SAT
Identifying Emerging Environmental Challenges and Scientific Issues
Providing Advice and Translating Scientific Knowledge
Evaluating the Scientific and Technical Merit of Proposals, Projects, and Documents
Serving as a Conduit to the Broader Scientific Community
The document has two primary sections: The responsibilities of the OPC-SAT; and the Working Procedures, or Work Modes of the OPC-SAT. Starting with the responsibilities:
Expectations of OPC-SAT members communicates the time commitments involved with being a productive member of the team. This is useful for both current and prospective OPC-SAT members.
The leadership structure – as in the Executive Committee, and what is expected as part of Executive Committee members.
And then the functions of the OPC-SAT, which clarifies what sorts of functions the OPC-SAT is appropriate to engage on, including identifying emerging science, translating knowledge, conducting scientific and technical review, and serving as a conduit to the broader scientific community.

3. Working Procedures Work Modes of the OPC-SAT: 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Expert Taskforces (3 types):
Working Groups (e.g., Climate & Fisheries; Sea Level Rise)
Review Teams (e.g., Abalone Density Methods)
Standing Committees (e.g., OPC Strategic Plan Topical Areas)
Advisory Committees (e.g., Fisheries Peer Review Guidance)
Expert Panels (e.g., The West Coast OAH Panel).
Individual OPC-SAT Member Engagement
Then the document lays out procedures related to executing on those functions. We have 4 main work modes: Expert Taskforces, Advisory Committees, Expert Panels, and Individual OPC-SAT member engagement.
Expert Taskforces refer to smaller groups (<10), including Working Groups, which are engaged to develop a product on a specific issue; Review Teams to conduct scientific and technical review; and Standing Committees on broader topics in need of longer-term and less defined engagement and advice.
Then Advisory Committees, which refer to convening a team of experts to advice on project or specific issue, but do not produce a written product. They provide verbal advice, and potentially provide feedback on a product that is not ours.
Expert Panels reference fulfilling needs like the West Coast OAH Panel – where the OPC-SAT plays a significant role in launching it, but the Panel is more independent from the OPC-SAT compared to an Expert Taskforce.
Then lastly, individual OPC-SAT member engagement, which can be a SAT member working with Ocean Science Trust on a variety of activities such as writing a proposal, organizing an event or workshop, or serving on some kind of panel.

4. Working Procedures Procedures for OPC-SAT Work Modes:
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Procedures for OPC-SAT Work Modes:
Formation Procedures
Work Scope
Work Products
Membership
Review Processes
Products Requiring Full OPC-SAT Endorsement
Then the document also lays out procedures related to each of these work modes, including:
Process steps for convening and administering Expert Taskforces, Advisory Committees, and Expert Panels.
Then the process steps for reviewing and endorsing OPC-SAT products.
Now products from various Taskforces of the OPC-SAT undergo internal review within the group, and often external peer review. But, we have also developed an additional step, which is allowing the full OPC-SAT to offer comment on and endorse such products before they are final.
Note: Procedures are Summarized in Table 1 of Working Procedures Document

5. Review and Endorsement
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Review: (Taskforce & Panel Work Products)
Internal Review
External Review
Full OPC-SAT Endorsement: (Taskforce Products)
Standards of Quality (Scientific Accuracy, Process Integrity, Product Consistency)
Full OPC-SAT Endorsement
Meets Standards of Quality
2-4 Members Provide Thorough Review – Emphasis on Scientific Accuracy
Issues Identified by OPC-SAT During Call for Endorsement Addressed
Then the document lays out procedures related to executing on those functions. We have 4 main work modes: Expert Taskforces, Advisory Committees, Expert Panels, and Individual OPC-SAT member engagement.
Expert Taskforces refer to smaller groups (<10), including Working Groups, which are engaged to develop a product on a specific issue; Review Teams to conduct scientific and technical review; and Standing Committees on broader topics in need of longer-term and less defined engagement and advice.
Then Advisory Committees, which refer to convening a team of experts to advice on project or specific issue, but do not produce a written product. They provide verbal advice, and potentially provide feedback on a product that is not ours.
Expert Panels reference fulfilling needs like the West Coast OAH Panel – where the OPC-SAT plays a significant role in launching it, but the Panel is more independent from the OPC-SAT compared to an Expert Taskforce.
Then lastly, individual OPC-SAT member engagement, which can be a SAT member working with Ocean Science Trust on a variety of activities such as writing a proposal, organizing an event or workshop, or serving on some kind of panel.
Note: Advisory Committee Work is Neither Reviewed nor Endorsed

6. Appointment Procedures and Leadership Structure
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Filling OPC-SAT Vacancies
Criteria for Candidates and Nomination Procedures
Selection Process
Member Terms and Term Renewal
Initial 3-Year Term and Renewal for Subsequent 2-Year Terms
Expectations for Renewal
OPC-SAT Executive Committee
Leadership Structure
Eligibility for OPC-SAT EC
Which leads to the first of our discussion items. Through developing the Working Procedures, it’s brought up issues we need to further discuss:
OPC-SAT endorsement: We want every OPC-SAT member to have the opportunity to weigh in on a product coming out of a Taskforce especially before it is finalized. But, we do not want the process to be burdensome. We propose to put every product out to endorsement by all OPC-SAT members, but to tap 3 or 4 members that were not on that Taskforce to give a product a thorough read and recommend (or not) endorsement. Thus, members that are swamped, or do not have expertise in the topic of a given product can be informed by a colleague.
Terms for OPC-SAT membership: Currently, when a new member joins, they are on a 3 year term, but can re-up for 2 years at a time. Do we want to impose a limit? Our goal is to maintain some amount of institutional memory, while also recruiting new talent.

7. Discussion Items Endorsement Procedures Member Terms and Term Renewal
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Endorsement Procedures
Meets Standards of Quality
2-4 Members Provide Thorough Review – Emphasis on Scientific Accuracy
Member Terms and Term Renewal
Expectations for Renewal
OPC-SAT Executive Committee
Eligibility for OPC-SAT EC
Which leads to the first of our discussion items. Through developing the Working Procedures, it’s brought up issues we need to further discuss:
OPC-SAT endorsement: We want every OPC-SAT member to have the opportunity to weigh in on a product coming out of a Taskforce especially before it is finalized. But, we do not want the process to be burdensome. We propose to put every product out to endorsement by all OPC-SAT members, but to tap 3 or 4 members that were not on that Taskforce to give a product a thorough read and recommend (or not) endorsement. Thus, members that are swamped, or do not have expertise in the topic of a given product can be informed by a colleague.
Terms for OPC-SAT membership: Currently, when a new member joins, they are on a 3 year term, but can re-up for 2 years at a time. Do we want to impose a limit? Our goal is to maintain some amount of institutional memory, while also recruiting new talent.