Unless otherwise provided by law, advisory committee members serve at the pleasure of the Commission and their terms are at the sole discretion of the Commission.

Except where otherwise provided by law, the Commission may accept the gratuitous services of an NRC advisory committee member, staff member, or consultant who agrees in advance to serve without compensation.

Subject to the provisions of paragraph (c)(2) of this section, if the Commission determines that compensation of a member of an NRC advisory committee is appropriate, the amount that will be paid shall be fixed by the Chairman of the Commission at a rate that is the daily equivalent of a rate in NRC's General Grade Salary Schedule, unless the member is appointed as a consultant and compensated at a rate applicable to NRC consultants.

In determining an appropriate rate of pay for a member of an NRC advisory committee, the Chairman of the Commission shall give consideration to the significance, scope, and technical complexity of the matters with which the advisory committee is concerned and the qualifications required of the committee member; provided that the Chairman may not set the rate of pay for an NRC advisory committee member higher than the daily equivalent rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule under 5 U.S.C. 5315, unless a higher rate is expressly allowed by another statute. The Chairman may authorize a rate of basic pay in excess of the maximum rate of basic pay established for NRC's General Grade Salary Schedule. This maximum rate includes an applicable locality payment. The Commission may pay advisory committee members on either an hourly or a daily rate basis. The Commission may not provide additional compensation in any form, such as bonuses or premium pay. The Chairman may not delegate the responsibility for making a determination that a higher rate of pay than that established by NRC's General Grade Salary Schedule is necessary and justified for an NRC advisory committee member, and such a determination must be reviewed annually.

Each NRC advisory committee staff member may be paid at a rate that is the daily equivalent of a rate in NRC's General Grade Salary Schedule in which the staff member's position would appropriately be placed.

A staff member of an NRC advisory committee may not be paid at a rate higher than the daily equivalent of the maximum rate for a GG-15 under NRC's General Grade Salary Schedule, unless the Chairman of the Commission determines that the staff member's position would appropriately be placed at a grade higher than GG-15, provided that in establishing rates of compensation, the Chairman shall comply with any applicable statutes, regulations, Executive Orders, and administrative guidelines. The Commission may provide advisory committee staff members with additional compensation, such as bonuses or premium pay, as long as the aggregate compensation does not exceed the rate of pay for Executive Schedule level IV.

A Federal employee may serve as a staff member of an NRC advisory committee only with the knowledge of the advisory committee's Designated Federal Officer or alternate and the approval of the employee's direct supervisor. A staff member who is not otherwise a Federal employee shall be appointed in accordance with applicable agency procedures, following consultation with the advisory committee.

Subject to the limitations in paragraph (e)(2) of this section, the following factors shall be considered in determining an appropriate rate of pay for a consultant to an NRC advisory committee:

The qualifications required of the consultant, and

The significance, scope, and technical complexity of the work for which his services are required;

The rate of pay for an NRC advisory committee consultant may not be higher than the maximum rate of basic pay established by NRC's General Salary Schedule (that is, the GG-15, step 10 rate, excluding locality pay or any other supplement), unless a higher rate is expressly allowed by another statute. The appointment and compensation of NRC experts and consultants must be in conformance with applicable regulations issued by the United States Office of Personnel Management (see 5 CFR part 304).

A member or staff member of an NRC advisory committee engaged in the performance of duties away from his or her home or regular place of business may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703, title 5, United States Code, for persons employed intermittently in the Government service.

Nothing in this section shall:

Prevent any full-time Federal employee who provides services to an NRC advisory committee from receiving compensation at a rate at which he or she would otherwise be compensated as a full-time Federal employee;

Prevent any individual who provides services to an NRC advisory committee, and who immediately before providing such services was a full-time Federal employee, from receiving compensation at a rate at which he or she was compensated as a full-time Federal employee; or

Affect a rate of pay or a limitation on a rate of pay that is specifically established by law or a rate of pay established under the NRC's General Grade Salary Schedule and evaluation system.