Notice2024-26635
Innovation Fund Advisory Committee
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 15, 2024
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Telecommunications and Information Administration
Abstract
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is seeking applications from persons interested in serving on the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund Advisory Committee (hereinafter "the IFAC" or "the Committee") for a two-year term. The IFAC will advise the Secretary and the NTIA Administrator on the administration of the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 221 (Friday, November 15, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 221 (Friday, November 15, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90267-90269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-26635]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Innovation Fund Advisory Committee
AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Call for applications to serve on the Innovation Fund Advisory
Committee.
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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA) is seeking applications from persons interested in serving on
the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund Advisory Committee
(hereinafter ``the IFAC'' or ``the Committee'') for a two-year term.
The IFAC will advise the Secretary and the NTIA Administrator on the
administration of the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund.
DATES: To be considered for calendar year 2025 appointments,
applications must be postmarked or electronically transmitted on or
before December 16, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Persons may submit applications, with the information
specified below, to Richard Upchurch, Designated Federal Officer, by
email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d9909f989a99b7adb0b8f7beb6af"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="367f7077757658425f5718515940">[email protected]</span></a> or by U.S. mail or commercial delivery service
to Office of Public Safety Communications, National Telecommunications
and Information Administration, 1401 Constitution Ave. NW, Room X,
Washington, DC 20230.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Upchurch, Designated Federal
Officer, at (202) 617-6592 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#36444346555e4344555e7658425f5718515940"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d0a2a5a0b3b8a5a2b3b890bea4b9b1feb7bfa6">[email protected]</span></a>. Please direct media
inquiries to NTIA's Office of Public Affairs at (202) 482-7002 or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#651517001616250b110c044b020a13"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="92e2e0f7e1e1d2fce6fbf3bcf5fde4">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation
Fund Advisory Committee is chartered by the Department of Commerce
under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (FACA), 5 U.S.C.
1001 et seq., and pursuant to Section 105(b) of the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act, as
amended, 47 U.S.C. 904(b). The Committee is authorized under Section
[[Page 90268]]
9202(a)(1) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, Public Law 116-283, codified as
47 U.S.C. 906(a)(1) (FY21 NDAA).
The FY21 NDAA requires the Secretary of Commerce, acting through
the NTIA Administrator, and in consultation with the Under Secretary of
Commerce for Standards and Technology, to establish a Federal advisory
committee, composed of government and private sector experts, to advise
the Secretary and the NTIA Administrator on the administration of the
Innovation Fund. The Innovation Fund is a $1.5 billion competitive
grants program authorized under the FY21 NDAA to support the following:
(i) Promoting and deploying technology, including software,
hardware, and microprocessing technology, that will enhance
competitiveness in the fifth-generation (commonly known as ``5G'') and
successor wireless technology supply chains that use open and
interoperable interface radio access networks.
(ii) Accelerating commercial deployments of open interface
standards-based compatible, interoperable equipment, such as equipment
developed pursuant to the standards set forth by organizations such as
the O-RAN Alliance, the Telecom Infra Project, 3GPP, the Open-RAN
Software Community, or any successor organizations.
(iii) Promoting and deploying compatibility of new 5G equipment
with future open standards-based, interoperable equipment.
(iv) Managing integration of multi-vendor network environments.
(v) Identifying objective criteria to define equipment as compliant
with open standards for multi-vendor network equipment
interoperability.
(vi) Promoting and deploying security features enhancing the
integrity and availability of equipment in multi-vendor networks.
(vii) Promoting and deploying network function virtualization to
facilitate multi-vendor interoperability and a more diverse vendor
market.
The IFAC will function solely as an advisory body, in accordance
with the provisions of the FACA. In particular, the IFAC shall advise
the Secretary and the NTIA Administrator on the administration of the
Innovation Fund and technology developments to help inform (i) the
strategic direction of the Innovation Fund, and (ii) efforts of the
Federal Government to promote a more secure, diverse, sustainable, and
competitive supply chain. Additional information about the IFAC and its
activities may be found on the IFAC web page at <a href="https://www.ntia.gov/committees-and-working-groups/innovation-fund-advisory-committee">https://www.ntia.gov/committees-and-working-groups/innovation-fund-advisory-committee</a>.
Under the Committee's charter, the IFAC shall consist of not less
than ten (10) and generally not more than twenty-five (25) members.
Membership balance is not static and may change, depending on the work
of the Committee. Members of the IFAC who are not Federal officers or
employees and are appointed for their individual perspectives or view
point will be appointed to serve as Representatives. Members of the
IFAC who are not Federal officers or employees and are appointed for
their individual expertise and experience will serve as Special
Government Employees (SGEs) as the term is defined in 18 U.S.C. 202.
SGEs are subject to conflict of interest laws and regulations,
including (but not limited to) the obligation to annually file a New
Entrant Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) and
complete ethics training. Members of the IFAC who are Federal officers
or employees will be appointed pursuant to 41 CFR 102.3.130(d) to serve
as Regular Government Employees (RGEs). Members will be individually
advised of the capacity in which they will serve through their
appointment letters.
Members who are not Federal officers or employees will serve
without compensation, and NTIA will not reimburse members for travel or
per diem expenses. The IFAC will meet at least two times each year, as
determined by the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) in consultation with
the Chair or Co-Chairs. Additional meetings may be called at the
discretion of the Chair or Co-Chairs subject to the approval of the
DFO. It is anticipated that the inaugural meeting of the IFAC will be
held in person, with the remaining meetings conducted virtually.
No member may be a registered federal lobbyist pursuant to the
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (codified at 2 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).\1\
No member may be an agent of a foreign principal required to register
pursuant to the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended
(codified at 22 U.S.C. 611 et seq.).
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\1\ See Office of Management and Budget, Revised Guidance on
Appointment of Lobbyists to Federal Advisory Committees, Boards, and
Commissions, 79 FR 47482 (Aug. 13, 2014).
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Members of the IFAC shall be appointed by the NTIA Administrator.
NTIA currently seeks applicants for a two-year term that will commence
in approximately Spring 2025 and continue for two years, subject to the
renewal of the Committee's charter or its termination by proper
authority.
In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended
(FACA) 5 U.S.C. 1001 et seq., the Committee's membership will be fairly
balanced in terms of the points of view represented by members and the
functions to be performed. Accordingly, to ensure that private and
public sector members represent a broad range of expertise and
perspectives, candidates from a variety of professional fields will be
considered, including associations, standards organizations, academic
and research institutions, laboratories, companies of various sizes and
expertise, nonprofit and civil society entities, and consortiums, in
addition to government agencies. Members will be highly qualified to
provide advice and information on technology developments, research and
development, lab testing, interoperability, integration, certification
and standards, network function virtualization, commercial deployments,
security, and/or economic competitiveness related to open and
interoperable 5G and future generation communication networks. In
particular, NTIA seeks technical experts with strong open and
interoperable network deployment experience, familiarity with 5G and
successor wireless technologies, or expertise with specific
applications of wireless technologies.
During their service on the IFAC, non-Federal government members
may not be applicants for Innovation Fund grants, have a financial
interest in applicants for Innovation Fund grants, or be employed by
applicants for Innovation Fund grants; represented entities cannot be
applicants for Innovation Fund grants or have a financial interest in
applicants for Innovation Fund grants. (Widely diversified paid
memberships do not constitute a financial interest).
Each application must include the applicant's full name, address,
telephone number, and email address, along with a summary of the
applicant's qualifications that identifies, with specificity, how his
or her education, training, experience, expertise, or other factors
would support the IFAC's work and how his or her participation would
help achieve the balance factors described above. Each application must
also include a detailed resume or curriculum vitae. To be considered
for a calendar year 2025 appointment, expressions of interest must be
electronically transmitted on or before December 16, 2024.
[[Page 90269]]
Dated: November 8, 2024.
Stephanie Weiner,
Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-26635 Filed 11-14-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-10-P
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