Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 143 / Thursday, July 29, 2021 / Notices 40813 

1U.S., House, Committee on Armed Services, 

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 

2019 (H. Rpt. 115–676). Washington: Government 

Printing Office, 2018. 

2MAJOR Tierney, Raymond G., The Federal 

Warfare Systems Laboratory Executive Summary, 

Available at: https://www.nist.gov/system/files/ 

documents/2021/05/27/FWS%20LAB_

2021%20White%20Paper_v17.2021APR19.pdf. 

Accessed: 7/13/2021. 

3Excerpt from the 2018 National Defense 

Strategy. 

9. The appropriateness of the 

attributes NIST has developed for the AI 

Risk Management Framework. (See 

above, ‘‘AI RMF Development and 

Attributes’’); 

10. Effective ways to structure the 

Framework to achieve the desired goals, 

including, but not limited to, integrating 

AI risk management processes with 

organizational processes for developing 

products and services for better 

outcomes in terms of trustworthiness 

and management of AI risks. 

Respondents are asked to identify any 

current models which would be 

effective. These could include—but are 

not limited to—the NIST Cybersecurity 

Framework or Privacy Framework, 

which focus on outcomes, functions, 

categories and subcategories and also 

offer options for developing profiles 

reflecting current and desired 

approaches as well as tiers to describe 

degree of framework implementation; 

and 

11. How the Framework could be 

developed to advance the recruitment, 

hiring, development, and retention of a 

knowledgeable and skilled workforce 

necessary to perform AI-related 

functions within organizations. 

12. The extent to which the 

Framework should include governance 

issues, including but not limited to 

make up of design and development 

teams, monitoring and evaluation, and 

grievance and redress. 

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 272(b), (c), & (e); 

15 U.S.C. 278g–3. 

Alicia Chambers, 

NIST Executive Secretariat. 

[FR Doc. 2021–16176 Filed 7–28–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology 

Establishment of a Laboratory 

Accreditation Program for 

Laboratories Performing System 

Integration Testing and Operational/ 

User Acceptance Testing on Federal 

Warfare Systems Under the National 

Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation 

Program 

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards 

and Technology, Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: Under the National Voluntary 

Laboratory Accreditation Program 

(NVLAP) the National Institute of 

Standards and Technology (NIST) 

announces the establishment of a 

laboratory accreditation program and 

the availability of applications for 

accreditation of laboratories that 

perform System Integration Testing 

(SIT) and Operational/User Acceptance 

Testing (O/UAT) on Federal Warfare 

Systems. 

ADDRESSES: Laboratories may obtain 

NIST Handbook 150, NVLAP 

Procedures and General Requirements, 

NIST Handbook 150–872, Federal 

Warfare System(s), and an application 

for this program by visiting the NVLAP 

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

by sending a request to NVLAP by mail 

at NIST/NVLAP, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 

2140, Gaithersburg, MD 20899–2140 or 

by email at nvlap@nist.gov. All 

applications for accreditation must be 

submitted to nvlap@nist.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad 

Moore, Program Manager, NIST/NVLAP, 

100 Bureau Drive, Stop 2140, 

Gaithersburg, MD 20899–2140, Phone: 

(301) 975–5740 or email: 

bradley.moore@nist.gov. 

Information regarding NVLAP and the 

accreditation process can be obtained 

from https://www.nist.gov/nvlap. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

response to the need for an improved 

capability to protype and experiment 

prior to generating requirements, the 

U–2 Federal Laboratory was established 

in accordance with 15 U.S.C. 3710 and 

10 U.S.C. § 2500. The U–2 Federal 

Laboratory’s mission is to ‘‘[f]ast-field 

advanced technologies at a speed 

relevant to the warfighter,’’ in 

accordance with House Report 115–676 

(2018) 1 and the Congressionallymandated 2018 National Defense 

Strategy. This is accomplished through 

vertical integration with one laboratory 

to effect ‘‘[c]onfluence of Warfighter, 

Developer, and Acquirer.’’ 2

On May 7, 2019, the U–2 Federal 

Laboratory formally requested in writing 

the Chief of NVLAP consider the 

establishment of a proposed new 

Laboratory Accreditation Program (LAP) 

entitled, ‘‘Federal Warfare System(s) 

LAP,’’ in accordance with NIST 

Handbook 150 Para 2.1.3. In compliance 

with NVLAP procedures (15 CFR part 

285), NVLAP held a public workshop on 

November 19, 2019 to solicit further 

comments on the establishment of a 

Federal Warfare System(s) LAP and on 

the technical requirements to be 

associated with the LAP. 

Determination 

Under the framework of the Federal 

Warfare Systems Laboratory, advanced 

technologies can be developed or 

integrated to determine technical 

feasibility (‘‘Is it possible?’’). Embedded 

developers then hand the technology to 

the end-user (‘‘Warfighter’’) to 

determine operational utility (‘‘Is it 

useful?’’). This process continuously 

cycles between development and 

operations. The desired outcome is 

achieved when the technology has 

evolved to a high-Technology Readiness 

Level (TRL), Warfighter-useful solution. 

At this point, the technology generally 

transitions into the Joint Capabilities 

Integration and Development System 

and Defense Acquisition System (DoD 

Directive 5000.01 and DoD Instruction 

5000.02) as a vetted, mature 

requirement. In this way, the 

acquisitions process is meaningfully 

compressed, and cost offsets realized, by 

(a) front-loading development with the 

end-user and (b) abating the problems of 

scope, understanding, and volatility 

associated with the requirement 

development process. Importantly, 

establishment of this LAP affords a 

means to standardize the traceability, 

competence, impartiality, and 

operational consistency of Federal 

Laboratories supporting warfare systems 

within the Department of Defense, as 

well as a means to meet a 2018 National 

Defense Strategy mandate that, 

‘‘prototyping and experimentation 

should be used prior to defining 

requirements.’’ 3

The U.S. Air Force Air Combat 

Command (ACC) Office of the Chief 

Scientist is considering a commandwide plan for adoption of the Federal 

Warfare System Laboratory construct. 

Interest in this concept has also been 

expressed by senior military leaders. 

Based on careful analysis of 

comments received during the public 

workshop and a review of the Secretary 

of Defense’s strategies, instructions, and 

mandates, the Chief of NVLAP has 

determined that the establishment of a 

LAP for laboratories conducting SIT and 

O/UAT on Federal Warfare Systems best 

meets government needs. 

This notice is issued in accordance 

with NVLAP procedures and general 

requirements, found in 15 CFR part 285. 

NVLAP provides an unbiased, thirdparty evaluation and recognition of 

competence. NVLAP accreditation 

signifies that a laboratory has 


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40814 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 143 / Thursday, July 29, 2021 / Notices 

demonstrated that it operates in 

accordance with NVLAP management 

and technical requirements pertaining 

to quality systems, personnel, 

accommodation and environment, test 

and calibration methods, equipment, 

measurement traceability, sampling, 

handling of test and calibration items, 

and test and calibration reports. 

NVLAP accreditation does not imply 

any guarantee (certification) of 

laboratory performance or test/ 

calibration data. NVLAP accreditation is 

a finding of laboratory competence. 

Technical Requirements for the 

Accreditation Process: NVLAP 

assessments are conducted in 

accordance with the National Voluntary 

Laboratory Accreditation Program 

regulations, which are found at 15 CFR 

part 285. NVLAP accreditation is in full 

conformance with relevant standards of 

the International Organization for 

Standardization (ISO) and the 

International Electrotechnical 

Commission (IEC), including ISO/IEC 

17025, General requirements for the 

competence of testing and calibration 

laboratories. 

Accreditation is granted to a 

laboratory following successful 

completion of a process, which includes 

submission of an application and 

payment of fees by the laboratory, a 

review of the laboratory management 

system documentation, an on-site 

assessment by technical experts, 

participation in proficiency testing 

when available, and resolution of any 

management system or technical 

nonconformities identified during any 

phase of the application process. The 

accreditation is formalized through 

issuance of a Certificate of Accreditation 

and Scope of Accreditation. 

General requirements for 

accreditation are given in NIST 

Handbook 150, NVLAP Procedures and 

General Requirements, https://

nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/hb/2020/ 

NIST.HB.150-2020.pdf. The specific 

technical and administrative 

requirements for the program for 

accreditation of laboratories performing 

SIT and O/UAT on Federal Warfare 

Systems are provided in NIST 

Handbook 150–872, Federal Warfare 

System(s), https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/ 

nistpubs/hb/2021/NIST.HB.150-872- 

2021.pdf. Laboratories must meet all 

NVLAP criteria and requirements in 

order to become accredited. To be 

considered for accreditation, the 

applicant laboratory must provide a 

completed application to NVLAP, pay 

all required fees, agree to conditions for 

accreditation, and be found competent 

to perform the tests prescribed in the 

standards. 

Application Requirements include: (1) 

Legal name and full address of the 

laboratory; (2) Ownership of the 

laboratory; (3) Authorized 

Representative’s name and contact 

information; (4) Names, titles, and 

contact information for laboratory staff 

nominated to serve as Approved 

Signatories of test and calibration 

reports that reference NVLAP 

accreditation; (5) Organization chart 

defining relationships that are relevant 

to performing testing and calibrations 

covered in the accreditation request; (6) 

General description of laboratory, 

including its facilities and scope of 

operations; and (7) Requested scope and 

accreditation. 

For this program, the laboratory shall 

provide a copy of its management 

system documents prior to the on-site 

assessment. NVLAP will review the 

management system documentation and 

discuss any nonconformities with the 

Authorized Representative before the 

on-site visit. Laboratories that apply for 

accreditation will be required to pay 

NVLAP fees and undergo on-site 

assessment and shall meet proficiency 

testing requirements before initial 

accreditation can be granted. 

Paperwork Reduction Act: This action 

contains a collection-of-information 

requirement subject to review and 

approval by the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork 

Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. Collection 

activities for NVLAP are currently 

approved by OMB under control 

number 0693–0003. 

Notwithstanding any other provision 

of law, no person is required to respond 

to, nor shall any person be subject to a 

penalty for failure to comply with a 

collection of information subject to the 

requirements of the PRA unless it 

displays a currently valid OMB Control 

Number. 

Alicia Chambers, 

NIST Executive Secretariat. 

[FR Doc. 2021–16179 Filed 7–28–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Submission to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

Review and Approval; Comment 

Request; Application and Certification 

Requirements for Distributors of NOAA 

Electronic Navigational Charts/NOAA 

Hydrographic Products 

AGENCY: National Oceanic & 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of information collection, 

request for comment. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Commerce, in accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), invites the general public and 

other Federal agencies to comment on 

proposed, and continuing information 

collections, which helps us assess the 

impact of our information collection 

requirements and minimize the public’s 

reporting burden. The purpose of this 

notice is to allow for 60 days of public 

comment preceding submission of the 

collection to OMB. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, 

comments regarding this proposed 

information collection must be received 

on or before September 27, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments to 

Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, 

at Adrienne.thomas@noaa.gov. Please 

reference OMB Control Number 0648– 

0508 in the subject line of your 

comments. Do not submit Confidential 

Business Information or otherwise 

sensitive or protected information. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

specific questions related to collection 

activities should be directed to CAPT 

Edward J. Van Den Ameele, Chief, 

Marine Chart Division, 1315 East-West 

Highway, N/CS 2, Silver Spring, MD 

20910, (240) 431–1030, 

Edward.J.Vandenameele@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

This request is for a revision and 

extension of a currently approved 

information collection. 

The National Ocean Service (NOS) 

Office of Coast Survey manages the 

Certification Requirements for 

Distributors of NOAA Electronic 

Navigational Charts (NOAA ENCs®). 

Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) are 

vector data sets that support all types of 

marine navigation. Originally designed 


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