[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 212 (Monday, November 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62308-62309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-27550]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Office of the Secretary


Designation of Manager, National Communications System

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Department of Homeland Security.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 1(e)(1) of Executive Order 12472 of 
April 3, 1984, as amended by section 46 of Executive Order 13286 of 
February 28, 2003, the Secretary of Homeland Security announces the 
designation of the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for 
Infrastructure Protection, Information Analysis and Infrastructure 
Protection Directorate as the Manager, National Communications System 
(NCS).

DATES: The designation of the Manager, National Communications System 
is effective November 3, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have any questions about this 
notice, call Ms. Marilyn Witcher, Chief,

[[Page 62309]]

Industry, Government, and External Affairs, National Communications 
System, telephone 703-607-6214.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NCS consists of the telecommunications 
assets of the entities represented on the NCS Committee of Principals 
and an administrative structure consisting of the Executive Agent, the 
NCS Committee of Principals, and the Manager. The mission of the NCS is 
to assist the President, the National Security Council, the Homeland 
Security Council, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget in:
    (1) The exercise of designated telecommunications functions and 
responsibilities; and
    (2) The coordination of the planning for and provision of national 
security and emergency preparedness communications for the Federal 
government under all circumstances, including crisis or emergency, 
attack, recovery and reconstitution.
    As stated in Section 1(g) of Executive Order 12472 of April 3, 
1984, the Manager, NCS, shall develop for consideration by the NCS 
Committee of Principals and the Executive Agent:
    (1) A recommended evolutionary telecommunications architecture 
designed to meet current and future Federal government national 
security and emergency preparedness telecommunications requirements;
    (2) Plans and procedures for the management, allocation and use, 
including the establishment of priorities or preferences, of Federally 
owned or leased telecommunications assets under all conditions of 
crisis or emergency;
    (3) Plans, procedures and standards for minimizing or removing 
technical impediments to the interoperability of government-owned and/
or commercially-provided telecommunications systems;
    (4) Test and exercise programs and procedures for the evaluation of 
the capability of the Nation's telecommunications resources to meet 
national security or emergency preparedness telecommunications 
requirements; and
    (5) Alternative mechanisms for funding, through the budget review 
process, national security or emergency preparedness telecommunications 
initiatives which benefit multiple Federal departments, agencies, or 
entities. Those mechanisms recommended by the NCS Committee of 
Principals and the Executive Agent shall be submitted to the Director 
of the Office of Management and Budget.
    The Manager shall also:
    (1) Implement and administer any approved plans or programs as 
assigned, including any system of priorities and preferences for the 
provision of communications service, in consultation with the NCS 
Committee of Principals and the Federal Communications Commission, to 
the extent practicable or otherwise required by law or regulation;
    (2) Chair the NCS Committee of Principals and provide staff support 
and technical assistance thereto;
    (3) Serve as a focal point for joint industry-government planning, 
including the dissemination of technical information, concerning the 
national security or emergency preparedness telecommunications 
requirements of the Federal government;
    (4) Conduct technical studies or analyses, and examine research and 
development programs, for the purpose of identifying, for consideration 
by the NCS Committee of Principals and the Executive Agent, improved 
approaches which may assist Federal entities in fulfilling national 
security or emergency preparedness telecommunications objectives;
    (5) Pursuant to the Federal Standardization Program of the General 
Services Administration, and in consultation with other appropriate 
entities of the Federal government including the NCS Committee of 
Principals, manage the Federal Telecommunications Standards Program, 
ensuring wherever feasible that existing or evolving industry, 
national, and international standards are used as the basis for Federal 
telecommunications standards; and
    (6) Provide such reports and perform such other duties as are from 
time to time assigned by the President or his authorized designee, the 
Executive Agent, or the NCS Committee of Principals. Any such 
assignments of responsibility to, or reports made by, the Manager shall 
be transmitted through the Executive Agent.
    In accordance with section 1(e)(1) of Executive Order 12472 of 
April 3, 1984, as amended by section 46 of Executive Order 13286 of 
February 28, 2003, and as the designated Executive Agent for the 
National Communications System, Department of Homeland Security, I 
designate the position of Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for 
Infrastructure Protection in the Information Analysis and 
Infrastructure Protection Directorate, as the Manager of the National 
Communications System.

    Dated: October 24, 2003.
Tom Ridge,
Secretary of Homeland Security.
[FR Doc. 03-27550 Filed 10-31-03; 8:45 am]
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