Rules of Governance for P2RX

Approved 6/30/01
Amended 8/15/01

Background

The Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange ("P2RX") was established to ensure that stakeholders in all regions of the country have access to high quality information on pollution prevention.

P2RX is not a separate legal entity but is a confederation currently consisting of eight independent legal entities known as Regional Centers selected by USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency).

The purpose of P2RX is to promote pollution prevention (P2) and to provide referrals and support to technical assistance providers who assist their clients with P2 information. P2Rx aims to reduce duplication, enhance cooperation regionally and nationally, and maximize the effectiveness of the Regional Centers in serving both their constituencies and one another.

These Rules of Governance provide each Regional Center with what is minimally required of them as a member of the P2Rx as well what they can expect from the other Regional Centers.

The Responsibilities of Each Regional Center

Each Center is obligated, at a minimum, to honor the terms of the

a. Current Rules of Governance

b. Current Criteria for Regional Centers

c. Current Principles for P2Rx Funding

d. Future P2Rx agreements approved by P2Rx with USEPA or other Centers through the standards process (the standard process is described at http://www.p2rx.org/standards.htm)

Decisionmaking

All significant decisions of P2Rx shall be made by a vote of the Regional Centers. For a decision to pass, it must have a minimum of four (4) "yes" votes and no more than one "no" vote. (Abstentions do not count as either a "yes" or "no" vote.)

Any Regional Center may register its vote via telephone, letter, e-mail or fax. Each Center shall vote only once. No voting period shall remain open for more than 14 consecutive days.

Funding Opportunities

While each Center is part of the P2RX confederation, each Center remains an independent organization that may have interests that compete with other Centers. Therefore each Center agrees to address funding opportunities as follows.

(a) Applying for Funding

Any Center may create, or apply for, any funding it deems suitable. While each Center is encouraged to notify the other Centers of funding opportunities, no Center is obligated to provide this information.

(b) Fair Competition

Each Center shall promote its own strengths and refrain from disparaging another Center.

(c) Collaboration

Centers are encouraged to collaborate among themselves on funding opportunities either publicly or privately.

(d) "Team Opportunities"

Any Center may identify any funding opportunity and notify the P2RX team as a whole. This is known as a "Team Opportunity."

P2Rx Executive Committee

Composition

A three member Executive Committee, excluding the Center that provides the Program Manager (PM) function, shall be created. P2Rx Center Administrators will serve on this voluntary Executive Committee. Membership on this Committee will be reselected on an annual basis. In early October the PM will seek volunteers to serve on the Executive Committee and nominate the membership. This slate will be submitted to a vote of the P2Rx Centers. Selection of the members of this Executive Committee will be done in a manner that seeks to rotate the responsibility, provide some continuity, and to include varied representation. The term of office for members of the Executive Committee will begin in January.

The Executive Committee does not supervise the PM. Centers may communicate directly to the PM, and the PM may refer an issue to the Executive Committee for resolution or guidance.

Duties

1) Provide quick input and advice to the PM on performance, issues to be addressed, and act as a sounding board

2) Review proposals for funds that require a quick turnaround

3) Work with the PM to set up any needed work groups of the full P2Rx Centers

4) Communicate with the other P2Rx Centers and provide feedback to the PM on project timelines, resource requirements, and commitments to accomplish tasks on time

5) Address any conflicts between the Centers and the PM or USEPA

6) Work with the PM to determine which issues should be addressed by the full P2Rx group such as commitments of resources and changes in resource allocation.

7) Provide input on performance of the PM as requested by the PM's supervisor.
P2Rx Administrative Process Overview

The Administrative Process for the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) shall follow these guidelines.

1. When an internal or external contact suggests a new opportunity for P2Rx, it shall be presented to the P2Rx Program Manager.
2. The P2Rx Program Manager reviews the opportunity for feasibility and gathers sufficient information to clearly define the opportunity and to make a judgement on whether the opportunity should be pursued.
3. The Program Manager may make a judgement that the opportunity should not be pursued, and would make that judgement known to the Executive Committee.
4. The P2Rx Program Manager will inform the Executive Committee of the opportunity and seek the committee's approval.
5. The Executive Committee will vote to determine if the group wants to proceed with the opportunity. If it is a negative vote, the opportunity is screened out of the process.
6. If the Executive Committee rules that the opportunity should be pursued, the committee and the Program Manager ask for volunteers to serve on a subcommittee. This subcommittee will develop a white paper or template that outlines the resources, individual center activity requirements and a time frame for the opportunity.
7. The paper or template is presented to the P2Rx Administrative Group and recommended for adoption. The Administrative Group votes on the issue. Voting is done in the manner set forth elsewhere in the Rules of Governance for P2Rx.
8. If the opportunity does not receive enough votes, it is screened out of consideration.
9. If it is a positive vote, the opportunity is moved forward as an action item.
10. The work on this project is then completed and implemented by the P2Rx Centers.

Amendments

These Rules may be amended at any time by a vote according to the rules stated above in the section on Decisionmaking.

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