(a) What are the policies and responsibilities governing the sanctuary system? It will be the policies and responsibilities of the sanctuary system to:

(1) Appoint a Board of Directors (BOD) responsible for the overall governance and direction of the Sanctuary. The BOD shall designate the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who is responsible for the management and oversight of the daily operations of the sanctuary and the performance of other delegated tasks. Subcontractors, if applicable, shall be governed by the policies that are developed by the Board of Directors of the primary contractor.

(2) Direct the BOD to:

(i) Ensure that chimpanzees accepted into the sanctuary are not discharged;

(ii) Develop guidelines for accepting chimpanzees not owned by the Federal Government into the sanctuary if the conditions are met as outlined in 42 U.S.C. 287;

(iii) Ensure that the Board of Directors of the primary contractor consists of no more than thirteen (13) individuals, and that the conditions governing the terms of the Board members are in compliance with the CHIMP Act;

(iv) Include individuals with the following expertise and experience as set forth in the CHIMP Act;

(A) At least one veterinarian who is qualified in veterinary care of nonhuman primates. These qualifications may be met through postdoctoral training, experience, or both;

(B) Individual(s) with expertise and experience in zoological science and with knowledge in behavioral primatology;

(C) Individual(s) with experience in the animal protection field;

(D) Individual(s) with experience and expertise in the field of business and management of nonprofit organizations;

(E) Individual(s) knowledgeable and experienced in accrediting programs of animal care;

(F) Individual(s) with experience and expertise in containing biohazards;

(v) Ensure that a member of the Board of Directors serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors, who may be elected or appointed by the Board from among the individuals identified in paragraphs (a) (1) (iv) (A) through (F) of this section;

(vi) Ensure that no member of the board shall have been fined for, or signed a consent decree for, any violation of the Animal Welfare Act;

(vii) Create a safe and species-appropriate physical and social environment for the lifetime care of chimpanzees;

(viii) Comply with all applicable provisions of the animal welfare regulations and other federal, state and local laws, regulations, and policies;

(ix) Achieve accreditations from appropriate accrediting bodies within a reasonable time frame mutually agreed upon by the Contractor and ORIP/DPCPSI;

(x) Prohibit any invasive research on the resident chimpanzees, but permit noninvasive studies (Definitions for the terms invasive and non-invasive are set forth in § 9.2 of this part.);

(xi) Prohibit exhibition of chimpanzees in the sanctuary (This policy does not prohibit educational activities that may involve limited viewing of chimpanzees in their environment and that are designed to promote an understanding of chimpanzee behavior, well-being, or importance to the ecological system that does not adversely affect the chimpanzees' routine.);

(xii) Staff the organization with people with appropriate experience; and

(xiii) Authorize the establishment of a Sanctuary Chimpanzee Care Committee (SCCC) that is appointed by and reports to the CEO or President of the company or corporationThe SCCC is responsible for overseeing the chimpanzee care program and operations to ensure the health and well-being of the chimpanzees and the occupational safety of the staff are being addressed. The Committee must consist of no fewer than five people who must include:

(A) A chair (person) knowledgeable of the needs of chimpanzees;

(B) A veterinarian with chimpanzee care experience;

(C) A behaviorist with experience in chimpanzee behavior;

(D) A member of the chimpanzee care staff; and

(E) Member or members from the community, including at least one with affiliation or employment with an animal protection organization as defined in § 9.2 of this part.

(F) The SCCC will:

(1) Oversee and evaluate the chimpanzee care and socialization program;

(2) Review and approve proposed education programs. No program should be approved that might interfere with the chimpanzees' well-being or routine activities;

(3) Conduct a formal review of the program on a semiannual basis and submit reports to the Sanctuary Director. The reports must be available for review by the USDA and NIH representatives during site visits;

(4) Establish a mechanism for receipt and review of concerns involving the care of chimpanzees and resolving such concerns;

(5) Review all noninvasive study proposals. The SCCC membership may require additional qualified individuals to perform the functions of an Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) if and when the need arises. The contractor may establish a separate ACUC. The ACUC must be established in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Animal Welfare Act regulations, the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and these standards of care;

(6) Review all euthanasia events. Euthanasia events performed for medical or humane reasons must be based upon sound professional veterinary judgment that conforms to current veterinary medical practices and must be in the best interest of the chimpanzee. Euthanasia performed for emergency reasons without advance review by the SCCC shall be reviewed by the SCCC as soon as possible after the event to ensure compliance with established policy;

(7) Establish procedures to prevent any reproduction in the colony through appropriate permanent birth control, preferably by vasectomy of all sexually mature male chimpanzees in the sanctuary; and

(8) Develop procedures for maintaining chimpanzees that are seropositive for or harboring infectious agents or previously have been exposed to infectious agents (whether experimentally induced or naturally occurring) that will allow them to be accepted by the sanctuary and properly housed. The procedures must be submitted to NCRR/NIH for approval.

(b) Who is responsible for developing or revising sanctuary policies? (1) The Sanctuary Contractor is responsible for developing, revising, and implementing policies affecting the sanctuary.

(2) The federal agency (ORIP/DPCPSI/NIH) designated by the Secretary must concur with any changes that substantially change existing policies. The Secretary, or designee, will determine if a policy change will have a substantial impact upon current policy after consultation with the Sanctuary Contractor.