[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 99 (Thursday, May 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27991-27992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-12833]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Technology Administration

[Docket No.: 030423100-3100-01]


The United States-Greek Initiative for Technology Cooperation 
With the Balkans (ITCB)'s Joint Science and Technology Cooperation 
Advisory Council

AGENCY: Technology Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; request for nominations for joint council member.

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SUMMARY: The Technology Administration invites nominations of 
individuals for appointment to a vacancy on the Joint Science and 
Technology Cooperation Advisory Council established under a Memorandum 
of Understanding between the United States Department of Commerce and 
the Greek Ministry of National Economy concerning technology 
cooperation with the Balkans. The Technology Administration also 
invites nominations for appointment of three alternate Joint Council 
members. The Technology Administration will consider all nominations 
received in response to this notice.

DATES: Nominations must be received at the address below by no later 
than June 30, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Please submit nominations to Ken Ferguson, ITCB Program 
Officer, Office of Technology Policy, Technology Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Room 4411, 14th and Constitution Avenues, NW., 
Washington, DC 20230. Nominations may also be submitted by fax or e-
mail to Ken Ferguson, ITCB Program Officer at 202-219-3310 or 
[email protected] if followed up with a hard copy sent by mail or 
courier.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ken Ferguson, ITCB Program Officer, 
telephone: 202-482-0150; fax: 202-219-3310, e-mail: 
[email protected].

Goals of the Memorandum of Understanding

    On January 17, 1998, the United States Department of Commerce and 
the Greek Ministry of National Economy (hereinafter known as the 
``Participants'') entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 
concerning technology cooperation with the Balkans, to be known as 
``The United States-Greek Initiative for Technology Cooperation with 
the Balkans'' (ITCB). A Joint Science and Technology Cooperation 
Advisory Council (hereinafter ``the Joint Council'') operates under the 
MOU.
    The Participants recognize that working together to foster 
collaborative and mutually beneficial technology cooperation with 
countries in the Balkan region will provide economic benefits to the 
Balkan region, the United States and Greece. The goal of the 
Participants is to foster collaboration among public and private 
entities in the Participants' countries with public and private 
entities in the Balkan region in order to enhance scientific and 
technological capabilities in the Balkan region, enhance the 
relationship between U.S. and Greek public and private sector entities, 
and promote the development of stable, free market economies in the 
Balkan region. Emphasis is placed on both the fostering of the exchange 
of scientific and technical knowledge and personnel, and on building 
private sector technology capacities of Balkan ITCB member states 
through partnership with U.S. and Greek business. For the purposes of 
the MOU, countries in the Balkan region that are currently members of 
the ITCB are: Albania, Bulgaria, Romania and the Former Yugoslavian 
Republic of Macedonia. Membership may expand to other countries in the 
region that the Participants may mutually agree to include.

Cooperative Activities

    Cooperative activities under this MOU include: Coordinated and 
joint research and technology projects, studies, and investigations; 
joint technological courses, workshops, conferences and symposia; 
exchanges of science and technology information and documentation in 
the context of cooperative activities; exchanges of scientists, 
specialists, and researchers; exchanges or sharing of equipment or 
materials; and other forms of scientific and technological cooperation 
that may be deemed appropriate. One of the goals is to create three-way 
partnerships between private and public technology companies, non-
governmental organizations and other institutions from Greece, the 
United States and Balkan member states of the ITCB. Cooperative 
activities should reflect technological strengths in the Unites

[[Page 27992]]

States and Greece, be responsive to scientific and technological needs 
in the Balkan member states, and should be structured to provide an 
appropriate collaborative role for three way partnerships.

Information on the Joint Council

    For the purposes of implementing this MOU, the Participants have 
established a Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Advisory Council 
consisting of six members--three designated by, and serving at the 
pleasure of the Government of Greece, and three designated by and 
serving at the pleasure of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Each 
participant may designate alternate members. The Greek Secretariat for 
the ITCB is located at the Technology Park in Thessaloniki, Greece. The 
U.S. Secretariat for the ITCB is administered by Ashford Associates of 
Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Responsibilities of Joint Council Members and Alternates

    The members of the Joint Council carry out the following functions:
    1. Recommend to the Participants overall policies under the MOU.
    2. Identify fields and forms of cooperation in accordance with the 
goals and objectives of the MOU.
    3. Review, assess and make specific recommendations concerning 
cooperative activities.
    4. Prepare periodic reports concerning the Joint Council and 
cooperative activities undertaken under the MOU for submission to the 
Participants.
    5. Undertake such further functions as may appropriately be 
approved by the Participants.
    6. The Participants may designate alternates to substitute for 
permanent council members at particular meetings or events, or to work 
on specific projects and initiatives.
    7. When appropriate, alternates shall cast votes in lieu of 
permanent members. Respondents to this notice should indicate whether 
they are willing to serve as alternates, as permanent members, or as 
either to the ITCB Joint Council.

Meetings of the Joint Council

    The Council meets every three to four months, usually in 
Thessaloniki or Athens, Greece, or as determined by the Participants. 
U.S. Council member's travel and living expenses associated with 
attending these meetings may be provided by a fund administered by the 
U.S. Secretariat for the ITCB.

Length of Service

    A U.S. member's length of service on the Joint Council is not 
stipulated in the MOU and is discretionary with the U.S. Department of 
Commerce. Individuals chosen for membership will serve a term that best 
fits the needs and objectives of the Joint Council although the term's 
duration is normally two-three years. Upon the completion of a U.S. 
member's term, the U.S. Department of Commerce will either repeat this 
recruitment and selection process or extend the member's term as long 
as the member proves to work effectively on the Joint Council and his/
her expertise is still needed.

Membership Criteria and Requirements

    The U.S. members of the Joint Council are eminent leaders, broadly 
representative of industry, academia or government, who have experience 
in science and technology development, technology diffusion, or 
international technology collaboration. They shall be U.S. citizens. 
They shall be familiar with the business climate and the status of 
technology and economic development in Greece and the Balkans, with 
Greek and Balkan industry, and/or with Greek and Balkan academic 
institutions. Members of the Joint Council shall serve without 
compensation.
    The U.S. Department of Commerce is committed to equal opportunity 
in the workplace, and seeks a broad-based and diverse Joint Council 
membership.

Conflict of Interest

    Nominees will be evaluated for their ability to contribute to the 
goals and objectives of the MOU. Nominees will be vetted in accordance 
with processes established by the U.S. Department of Commerce in 
February 1997, as soon as possible following tentative selection. The 
vetting system has three components: (1) An internal review for 
possible appearance of conflict problems; (2) an external review for 
possible appearance of problems; and (3) a recusal/ethics agreement 
review.

    Dated: May 19, 2003.
Christian Israel,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy.
[FR Doc. 03-12833 Filed 5-21-03; 8:45 am]
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