Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 163 / Thursday, August 24, 2023 / Notices 57939 

process to select quantum-resistant 

public-key cryptographic algorithms for 

standardization. These quantumresistant algorithms would augment the 

public-key cryptographic algorithms 

already contained in FIPS 186–5, Digital 

Signature Standard (DSS), as well as 

NIST Special Publication (SP) 800–56A 

Revision 3, Recommendation for PairWise Key-Establishment Schemes Using 

Discrete Logarithm Cryptography, and 

SP 800–56B Revision 2, 

Recommendation for Pair-Wise Key 

Establishment Using Integer 

Factorization Cryptography. 

NIST issued a public call for 

submissions to the Post-Quantum 

Cryptography (PQC) Standardization 

Process in December 2016. Prior to the 

November 2017 deadline, a total of 82 

candidate algorithms were submitted. 

Shortly thereafter, the 69 candidates 

that met both the submission 

requirements and the minimum 

acceptability criteria were accepted into 

the first round of the standardization 

process. Submission packages for the 

first-round candidates were posted 

online for public review and comment. 

After a year-long review of the 

candidates, NIST selected 26 algorithms 

to move on to the second round of 

evaluation in January 2019. These 

algorithms were viewed as the most 

promising candidates for eventual 

standardization, and were selected 

based on both internal analysis and 

public feedback. During the second 

round, there was continued evaluation 

by NIST and the broader cryptographic 

community. After consideration of these 

analyses and other public input 

received throughout the evaluation 

process, NIST selected seven finalists 

and eight alternates to move on to the 

third round in July 2020. 

The third round began in July 2020 

and continued for approximately 18 

months. During the third round, there 

was a more thorough analysis of the 

theoretical and empirical evidence used 

to justify the security of the candidates. 

There was also careful benchmarking of 

their performance using optimized 

implementations on a variety of 

software and hardware platforms. 

Similar to the first two rounds, NIST 

also held the (virtual) Third NIST PQC 

Standardization Conference in June 

2021. NIST summarized its decisions in 

a report at the end of each round; 

NISTIR 8240 for the first round, NISTIR 

8309 for the second round, and NISTIR 

8413 for the third round. These reports 

are available at https://csrc.nist.gov/ 

publications/ir. 

After three rounds of evaluation and 

analysis, NIST selected four algorithms 

it will standardize as a result of the PQC 

Standardization Process. The public-key 

encapsulation mechanism selected was 

CRYSTALS–KYBER, along with three 

digital signature schemes: CRYSTALS– 

Dilithium, FALCON, and SPHINCS+. It 

is intended that these algorithms will be 

capable of protecting sensitive U.S. 

Government information well into the 

foreseeable future, including after the 

advent of quantum computers. 

The draft of FIPS 203 specifies a 

cryptographic scheme called Module 

Learning with errors Key Encapsulation 

Mechanism, or MLWE–KEM, which is 

derived from the CRYSTALS–KYBER 

submission. A Key Encapsulation 

Mechanism (or KEM) is a particular type 

of key establishment scheme which can 

be used to establish a shared secret key 

between two parties communicating 

over a public channel. Current NISTapproved key establishment schemes 

are specified in SP 800–56A 

Recommendation for Pair-Wise KeyEstablishment Schemes Using Discrete 

Logarithm-Based Cryptography and SP 

800–56B, Recommendation for PairWise Key Establishment Schemes Using 

Integer Factorization Cryptography. 

The drafts of FIPS 204 and 205 each 

specify digital signature schemes, which 

are used to detect unauthorized 

modifications to data and to 

authenticate the identity of the 

signatory. FIPS 204 specifies the 

Module Learning with errors Digital 

Signature Algorithm, or ML–DSA, 

which is derived from CRYSTALSDilithium submission. FIPS 205 

specifies the Stateless Hash-based 

Digital Signature Algorithm, or SLH– 

DSA, derived from the SPHINCS+ 

submission. Current NIST-approved 

digital signature schemes are specified 

in FIPS 186–5, Digital Signature 

Standard and SP 800–208, 

Recommendation for Stateful Hashbased Signature Schemes. In the future, 

NIST intends to develop a FIPS 

specifying a digital signature algorithm 

derived from FALCON as an additional 

alternative to these standards. 

Authority: 40 U.S.C. 11331(f), 15 

U.S.C. 278g–3. 

Alicia Chambers, 

NIST Executive Secretariat. 

[FR Doc. 2023–18197 Filed 8–23–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology 

Proposed Voluntary Product Standard 

PS 1–22, Structural Plywood 

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards 

and Technology, Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of availability; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: The National Institute of 

Standards and Technology (NIST) is 

distributing for public comment a 

proposed revision of Voluntary Product 

Standard PS 1–22, Structural Plywood. 

The revisions to the standard were 

prepared by the Standard Review 

Committee and approved by the PS 1 

Standing Committee. PS 1–22 Structural 

Plywood establishes requirements for 

the principal types and grades of 

structural plywood and provides a basis 

for common understanding among 

producers, distributors, and users of the 

product. Interested parties are invited to 

review the proposed standard and 

submit comments to NIST. 

DATES: Written comments regarding the 

proposed revision, PS 1–22 Structural 

Plywood, should be submitted to the 

Standards Coordination Office, NIST, no 

later than September 25, 2023. Written 

comments should be submitted 

according to the instructions in the 

ADDRESSES section below. Submissions 

received after that date may not be 

considered. 

ADDRESSES: An electronic copy (an 

Adobe Acrobat File) of the proposed 

standard, PS 1–22, Structural Plywood, 

can be obtained at the following website 

https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/ 

voluntary-product-standards-program. 

This site also includes an electronic 

copy of PS 1–19 (the existing standard) 

and a summary of significant changes. 

Written comments on the proposed 

revision should be submitted to 

Nathalie Rioux, Standards Coordination 

Office, NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 

2100, Gaithersburg, MD 20899–2100. 

Electronic comments may be submitted 

to nrioux@nist.gov. 

Instructions: Attachments will be 

accepted in plain text, Microsoft Word, 

or Adobe PDF formats. Comments 

containing references, studies, research, 

and other empirical data that are not 

widely published should include copies 

or electronic links of the referenced 

materials. 

All submissions, including 

attachments and other supporting 

materials, will become part of the public 

record and subject to public disclosure. 

All comments responding to this 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
57940 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 163 / Thursday, August 24, 2023 / Notices 

document will be a matter of public 

record. Relevant comments will 

generally be available during and after 

the comment period closes on NIST’s 

website at https://www.nist.gov/ 

standardsgov/voluntary-productstandards-program. NIST will not 

accept comments accompanied by a 

request that part or all of the material be 

treated confidentially because of its 

business proprietary nature or for any 

other reason. Therefore, do not submit 

confidential business information or 

otherwise sensitive, protected, or 

personal information, such as account 

numbers, Social Security numbers, or 

names of other individuals. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Nathalie Rioux, Standards Coordination 

Office, National Institute of Standards 

and Technology, telephone: (240) 751– 

6225; email: nrioux@nist.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Proposed 

Voluntary Product Standard PS 1–22 

Structural Plywood establishes 

requirements, for those who choose to 

adhere to the standard, for the principal 

types and grades of structural plywood. 

This standard covers the wood species, 

veneer grading, adhesive bonds, panel 

construction and workmanship, 

dimensions and tolerances, marking, 

moisture content, and packing of 

plywood intended for construction and 

industrial uses. 

The proposed revision of the 

standard, PS 1–22, Structural Plywood, 

has been developed and is being 

processed in accordance with 

Department of Commerce provisions in 

Part 10, Title 15, of the Code of Federal 

Regulations, Procedures for the 

Development of Voluntary Product 

Standards, as amended (published June 

20, 1986). The Standing Committee for 

PS 1–22 is responsible for maintaining, 

revising, and interpreting the standard 

and is comprised of producers, 

distributors, users, and others with an 

interest in the standard. 

After reviewing the standard, the 

Committee determined that updates 

were needed to reflect current industry 

practices. The Committee held meetings 

to review the standard and make needed 

changes. 

The full Committee of 18 members 

voted on the revision, and it was 

approved by 94% of the Committee 

Members. The Committee submitted a 

report to NIST with the voting results 

and the draft revised standard. NIST has 

determined that the revised standard 

should be issued for public comment. 

Proposed Voluntary Product Standard 

PS 1–22 Structural Plywood includes 

the following revisions: 

1. Updated definitions to address 

Critical Section, Sound Knot, and Tight 

knot. 

2. For species classified by testing 

Section 5.2.4 clarified that species listed 

in Table 1 but grown in a different 

geographic region shall be qualified for 

use by performance testing. 

3. Clarified the requirements under 

Section 5.7.1 Exposure 1 and 5.7.2 

Exterior. 

4. Added calculations for planar shear 

strength Section 6.2.4 and shearthrough-the-thickness strength Section 

6.2.5. 

5. Added Categories 5/16 and 11/16 to 

Table 10, Table D1, and Table D2. 

6. Updated Section 7 Marking and 

Certification. This includes adding a 

Section on Accredited Certification 

Agency; revised Qualified Inspection 

and Testing Agency Section and added 

Section on Accredited Inspection 

Agency and Section on Accredited 

Testing Laboratory; added a Subsection 

on Subcontracting. 

7. Added Section 8 on Quality 

Assurance Requirements which 

included adding the following 

subsections Manufacturing Quality 

Program, Inspection and Test Program, 

Sampling and Corrective Action. 

The Standing Committee for PS 1–22 

and NIST will revise the standard 

accordingly. 

Alicia Chambers, 

NIST Executive Secretariat. 

[FR Doc. 2023–18257 Filed 8–23–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology 

[Docket Number: 230710–0163] 

Request for Information Regarding File 

Specification for Findable, Accessible, 

Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) 

Containerized Computational Software 

(FAIR–CCS) 

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards 

and Technology, Department of 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meetings; 

request for information. 

SUMMARY: The National Institute of 

Standards and Technology (NIST) is 

evaluating and improving the 

specification for achieving 

interoperability of containerized 

computational software. Adherence to a 

specification for Findable, Accessible, 

Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) 

Containerized Computational Software 

(FAIR–CCS) enables better reuse of 

containerized tools in complex data 

analyses by chaining tools into 

computational workflows. NIST 

requests information from the 

community on approaches to achieving 

interoperability of containerized 

software, designing a container manifest 

file that meets the community needs, 

and lowering the barrier for constructing 

such a manifest file. Responses to this 

RFI will also inform a possible revision 

of the current approach to achieving 

FAIR–CCS via a manifest file, the 

entries in the current manifest file 

specification of FAIR–CCS, and the 

current tools that aim at automating 

adherence to the FAIR–CCS manifest 

specification. NIST will host a 

workshop on FAIR–CCS at the times 

and location indicated below and will 

discuss the responses to this RFI at the 

workshop. 

DATES: 

For Comments: Comments in 

response to this RFI must be received by 

5:00 p.m. Eastern time on December 7, 

2023. Written comments in response to 

the RFI should be submitted according 

to the instructions in the ADDRESSES and 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION sections 

below. Submissions received after that 

date may not be considered. 

For Public Meetings/Webcast: A 

virtual meeting will be held on 

December 5–7, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 3 

p.m. Eastern Time. Requests to 

participate must be received via the 

virtual meeting website no later than 

December 1, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: 

For Comments: Responses can be 

submitted by either of the following 

methods: 

• Electronic submission: Submit 

electronic public comments via the 

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. 

1. Go to www.regulations.gov and 

enter [NIST–2023–0003] in the search 

field, 

2. Click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, 

complete the required fields, and 

3. Enter or attach your comments. 

• Email: Comments in electronic form 

may also be sent to wipp-team@nist.gov. 

Include ‘‘RFI Response: FAIR–CCS’’ in 

the subject line of the message. 

Instructions: Attachments will be 

accepted in plain text, Microsoft Word, 

or Adobe PDF formats. Comments 

containing references, studies, research, 

and other empirical data that are not 

widely published should include copies 

or electronic links of the referenced 

materials. 

All comments responding to this 

document will be a matter of public 

record. Relevant comments will 


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