[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 158 (Monday, August 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43912-43913]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21465]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Request for nominations of members to serve on the Visiting 
Committee on Advanced Technology (VCAT).

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SUMMARY: NIST invites and requests nomination of individuals for 
appointment to the Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology (VCAT). 
The terms of some of the members of the VCAT will soon expire. NIST 
will consider nominations received in response to this notice for 
appointment to the Committee, in addition to nominations already 
received.

DATES: Please submit nominations on or before August 28, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Please submit nominations to Peggy Webb, VCAT Administrative 
Coordinator, NIST, Building 101, Room A531, Gaithersburg, MD 20899. 
Nominations may also be submitted via FAX to 301-948-1224. Additional 
information regarding the Committee, including its charter, current 
membership list, and executive summary may be found on its electronic 
home page at: <http://www.nist.gov/director/vcat/act-97.htm>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Peggy Webb, VCAT Administrative Coordinator, NIST, Building 101, Room 
A531, Gaithersburg MD 20899;

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telephone 301-975-2107; FAX--301-948-1224; or via e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. VCAT Information

    The VCAT was established in accordance with 15 U.S.C. 278 and the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. app. 2).

Objectives and Duties

    1. The Committee shall review and make recommendations regarding 
general policy for NIST, its organization, its budget, and its 
programs, within the framework of applicable national policies as set 
forth by the President and the Congress.
    2. The Committee functions solely as an advisory body, in 
accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
    4. The Committee shall provide a written annual report, through the 
Director of NIST, to the Secretary of Commerce for submission to the 
Congress on or before January 31 each year. Such report shall deal 
essentially, though not necessarily exclusively, with policy issues or 
matters which affect NIST, or with which the Committee in its official 
role as the private sector policy adviser of NIST is concerned. Each 
such report shall identify areas of research and research techniques of 
NIST of potential importance to the long-term competitiveness of United 
States industry, which could be used to assist United States 
enterprises and United States industrial joint research and development 
ventures. The Committee shall submit to the Secretary and the Congress 
such additional reports on specific policy matters as it deems 
appropriate.

Membership

    1. The Committee is composed of fifteen members that provide 
representation of a cross-section of traditional and emerging United 
States industries. Members shall be selected solely on the basis of 
established records of distinguished service, and shall be eminent in 
one or more fields such as business, research, new product development, 
engineering, labor, education, management consulting, environment, and 
international relations. No employee of the Federal Government shall 
serve as a member of the Committee.
    2. The Director of NIST shall appoint the members of the Committee, 
and they will be selected on a clear, standardized basis, In accordance 
with applicable Department of Commerce guidance.

Miscellaneous

    1. Members of the VCAT are not paid for their service, but will, 
upon request, be allowed travel expenses in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 
5701 et seq., while attending meetings of the Committee or of its 
subcommittees, or while otherwise performing duties at the request of 
the chairperson, while away from their homes or a regular place of 
business.
    2. Meetings of the VCAT take place in the Washington, DC 
metropolitan area, usually at the NIST headquarters in Gaithersburg, 
Maryland, and once each year at the NIST headquarters in Boulder, 
Colorado. Meetings are one or two days in duration and are held 
quarterly.
    3. Committee meetings are open to the public except for 
approximately one hour, usually at the beginning of the meeting, a 
closed session is held in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6), because 
divulging information discussed in those portions of the meetings is 
likely to reveal information of a personal nature where disclosure 
would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. 
All other portions of the meetings are open to the public.

II. Nomination Information

    1. Nominations are sought from all fields described above.
    2. Nominees should have established records of distinguished 
service and shall be eminent in fields such as business, research, new 
product development, engineering, labor, education, management 
consulting, environment and international relations. The category 
(field of eminence) for which the candidate is qualified should be 
specified in the nomination letter. Nominations for a particular 
category should come from organizations or individuals within that 
category. A summary of the candidate's qualifications should be 
included with the nomination, including (where applicable) current or 
former service on federal advisory boards and federal employment. In 
addition, each nomination letter should state that the person agrees to 
the nomination, acknowledge the responsibilities of serving on the 
VCAT, and will actively participate in good faith in the tasks of the 
VCAT. Besides participation at meetings, it is desired that members be 
able to devote the equivalent of two days between meetings to either 
developing or researching topics of potential interest, and so forth in 
furtherance of their Committee duties.
    3. The Department of Commerce is committed to equal opportunity in 
the workplace and seeks a broad-based and diverse VCAT membership.

    Dated: August 6, 1998.
Robert E. Hebner,
Acting Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 98-21465 Filed 8-14-98; 8:45 am]
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