223—50.4 (303) Project review and selection.
	 50.4(1) Staff review. Applications shall be reviewed by society staff to ensure compliance with the program’s administrative rules and guidelines. All applications meeting the requirements shall be forwarded to the review and selection panel. Ineligible applications shall not be considered.
	 50.4(2) Review panel. A review and selection panel, hereinafter referred to as the review panel, comprised of ten members appointed by the administrator, shall review and evaluate project applications and shall develop funding recommendations to be forwarded to the state historical society board of trustees for approval.
The review panel shall be comprised of the following members:
	  1. 	 Panel chairperson, appointed by the administrator.
	  2. 	 Five citizens, each with a background in archaeology, history, architectural history, architecture, museum studies, Iowa heritage, or a closely related field. Citizens serving on the committee shall be selected from a wide geographic area.
	  3. 	 One member of the society’s board of trustees.
	  4. 	 One staff representative selected by the administrator of the Iowa division of tourism, Iowa department of economic development.
	  5. 	 One staff representative selected by the administrator of the Iowa division of parks, recreation and preserves, Iowa department of natural resources.
	  6. 	 One staff representative selected by the administrator of the division of project planning, Iowa department of transportation.
	 50.4(3) Final review and selection of grants. The society’s board of trustees shall review the recommendations of the review panel and shall make recommendations to the administrator. The administrator shall make final funding decisions.
	 50.4(4) Conflict of interest. If a project is submitted by an eligible sponsor, one of whose members or employees is on the review panel, that panelist shall not participate in discussion and shall not vote on that particular project.