"policy background" is an acceptable phrase to use in written English.
You can use it to refer to the research and information relevant to a particular policy. For example, "I read through the policy background to find out more about the issue."
At other times, respondents lacking policy background may hesitate to choose unconventional answers.
To cite one example, Mr. Bush has no foreign policy background, and he seemed befuddled and impatient with these questions.
If Dartmouth was sincerely concerned with Ashton's foreign policy background, why didn't he ask a substantive question?
His initial nomination was blocked by Republican senators who said that he did not have the necessary macroeconomic policy background.
Given her foreign policy background, strong views and personal ties to Mr. Obama, some believe her appointment will further consolidate foreign policy decision-making in the White House.
But Mr. Daschle said Mr. McDonough had a qualification that trumped his policy background: "He has an extraordinarily close relationship with the president".
Likewise, individuals with policy backgrounds can help others understand the vagaries of public policy.
We believed it was important for people with policy backgrounds to stay connected with those working in science and technology.
And on the other end, technology companies could do something as easy as adding more people with policy backgrounds and governmental understanding as consultants to ensure the governmental mentality is not entirely forgotten.
Our pragmatic approach was to engage a national guideline development forum attended by a panel of 70 people from academic and policy backgrounds and routine clinical settings.
We did not include experts with an explicit policy or insurance background or patients in order to minimalize conflict of interest during the face-to-face meeting of the second Delphi round [ 6].
