Overall Scope
A Public Assistance Reporting Information System (PARIS) Board of Directors, hereafter known as the Board, is established consisting of a key technical support representative from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) (ex-officio non-voting member) and State Technical and Program representatives. State(s) is defined herein as the United States' states, territories, and the District of Columbia. The state representatives support a wide variety of activities and services in technical support of a number of federal programs including an information exchange system designed by ACF to provide State Public Assistance Agencies (SPAAs) with information from federal and state benefit payment systems. The resulting computer match information is based on data from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense and other States participating in the PARIS quarterly match; additional data sources may be offered to the PARIS community in the future. The match information is used by the SPAA to further validate the eligibility of public assistance clients and identify possible erroneous or duplicate public assistance payments.
Purpose
The purpose of the Board is to foster a federal-state partnership approach to the technical support activities for PARIS SPAAs. The Board's focus is on providing support to SPAAs by disseminating information, processes, techniques and activities, which maximize the technical abilities of systems and staff performing PARIS related activities.
Functions
By utilizing their expertise and technical knowledge, the Board performs tasks on behalf of the PARIS Project by providing:
- Reviews of tasks, planning, preparation and technical support
- Acceptance testing and validation of tasks generated
- Feedback and recommendations on upgrades accomplished or improvements planned
- Direction,focus, and leadership on future endeavors
- Providing voice and direction to SPAA technology matters
- A technical network of SPAA systems professionals nationwide to support expansion of information and knowledge related to current and future technology
The Board is not expected to provide consensus recommendations to the Administration for Children and Families.
Board Membership
The Board shall consist of representatives from the following entities:
- State Technical Support Organizations to ACF programs (9 persons)
- ACF Representation (1 person)
At any time, any current Board member may nominate a new member to be added to the Board. The new member is added upon approval of ACF and a majority of the existing members.
Attendance
To serve on the Board, Directors and Officers must attend meetings on a regular basis. This includes the annual training conference and planning meetings. A Board member, upon three unexcused absences from meetings during the year, will be automatically removed from the Board unless that member requests that the Board reconsider his/her removal and the Board approves the request for reinstatement to the Board.
Resources
ACF provides administrative and policy direction for the Board.
Board Communication
The Board is in constant e-mail communication, has monthly telephone conferences and meets periodically to facilitate its mission and responsibilities.
Board Selection Process
Upon Board vacancies, or an identified need for additional Board membership, a Board Nominating Committee will be created to identify the best candidate. The chosen candidate will require approval of ACF and a majority of the existing members.
Criteria and Procedures for Board Candidate Selection for the Board of Directors
It is the desire of the PARIS Project to select individuals for nomination to the Board who, if elected, will best serve the interests of the Project and its Federal-State partners. The following Criteria and Procedures for Board Candidate Selection are not intended to be exclusive or exhaustive, but rather representative of the scope of delegation by the Board of Directors of PARIS to its Board Nominating Committee. Certain criteria should be met by all candidates for Board selection, while only a portion of the Board need meet other criteria.
I. Criteria for all Candidates
Among those characteristics to be sought in each candidate, being mindful of the overall Board composition, are the following:
- Integrity and a commitment to ethical behavior.
- Commitment to the advancement of payment integrity and understanding of components of SPAA technology and data.
- Personal maturity and leadership skills in industry, education, the professions, or government.
- Independence of thought and willingness to deal directly with difficult issues.
- Fulfillment of the broadest definition of diversity, seeking diversity of thought.
- Broad governmental and/or professional experience, with an understanding of the complexities of governmental organizations.
II. Criteria for a Portion of Candidates
Among those characteristics that may be sought in individual board candidates, as needed to fulfill certain functions on the Board from time to time, are the following:
- Significant accomplishments in utilizing PARIS data to maintain program integrity and detect/deter improper payments.
- Unique technical skills and knowledge set for data management.
- Experience in project management.
III. Procedures to be used in Board Candidate Selection
The Board Nominating Committee will include the following among its procedures to be used in the selection of candidates for the Board:
- Evaluate qualifications under Section I, and any specific needs under Section II, prior to commencement of the recruitment process.
- Develop a selection process specific to a candidate search to be led by the Chairman of the Board Nominating Committee.
- Receive recommendations from other existing members of the Board of Directors and other sources, including self-nominated candidates, and submit such potential candidates for review under the foregoing specific selection process.
- Evaluate the quality of experience and achievement of the prospective candidate.
- Review the prospective candidate's current or past membership on other boards.
- Determine that the candidate has the ability, and the willingness, to spend the necessary time required to function effectively as a member.
- Determine that the candidate has a genuine interest in representing PARIS and the interests of the members overall.
- Written commitment from the candidate’s management that the individual will be afforded the time and energy to fulfill the PARIS objectives.
Charter will be reviewed as needed. Revised Charter Date: 11/20/2023