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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 [www.gpo.gov]
[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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]. Please direct media 
inquiries to NTIA's Office of Public Affairs at (202) 482-7002 or 
[email protected].

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 https://www.ntia.gov/committees-and-working-groups/innovation-fund-advisory-committee.
    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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