[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77778-77779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32096]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Amendment to Notice of Establishment of the Advisory Committee on 
Supply Chain Competitiveness and Solicitation of Nominations for 
Membership

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Amendment to notice of establishment of the Advisory Committee 
on Supply Chain Competitiveness and solicitation of nominations for 
membership.

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SUMMARY: The Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade 
announced in the November 3, 2011, Federal Register the establishment 
of the Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness (the 
Committee) by the Secretary of Commerce and the solicitation of 
nominations for membership on the Committee (see 76 FR 68159). This 
amendment clarifies the scope of the Committee's work and the 
nominations being sought for the Committee, and extends the deadline 
for nominations.
    The Committee shall advise the Secretary on the necessary elements 
of a comprehensive, holistic national freight infrastructure and a 
national freight policy designed to support U.S. export growth and 
competitiveness, foster national economic competitiveness, and improve 
U.S. supply chain competitiveness in the domestic and global economy.

DATES: Nominations for members must be received on or before January 6, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: Richard Boll, Office of Service Industries, Room CC307, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 
20230; phone 202-482-1135; email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Boll, Office of Service 
Industries, Room CC307, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution 
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; phone 202-482-1135; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background and Authority

    The Committee was established on November 21, 2011, for a two-year 
term under the discretionary authority of the Secretary, in response to 
an identified need for consensus advice from U.S. firms, associations, 
community organizations, and others directly affected by the supply 
chain, as well as experts from academia to the U.S. government on the 
necessary elements of a comprehensive, holistic national freight 
infrastructure and a national freight policy designed to support U.S. 
export growth and competitiveness, foster national economic 
competitiveness, and improve U.S. supply chain competitiveness in the 
domestic and global economy. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 
U.S.C. App.) governs the Committee and sets forth standards for the 
formation and use of advisory committees.
    The Committee shall provide detailed policy and technical advice, 
information, and recommendations to the Secretary regarding:
     National, state, or local factors that inhibit the 
efficient domestic and international movement of goods from point of 
origin to destination, and the competitiveness of domestic and 
international supply chains;
     Infrastructure capacity, inter- and cross-modal 
connectivity, investment, regulatory, and intra- or inter-governmental 
coordination factors that affect supply chain competitiveness, goods 
movement, and sustainability;
     Emerging trends in goods movement that affect supply chain 
competitiveness; and
     Metrics that can be used to quantify supply chain 
performance.

II. Structure, Membership, and Operation

    The Committee shall consist of a maximum of 40 private sector 
members appointed by the Secretary in accordance with applicable 
Department of Commerce guidance and based on their ability to carry out 
the objectives of the Committee. These members shall represent a 
balanced and broad range of interests, including representatives from 
supply chain firms or their associations (including shippers and all 
modes of freight transportation (trucking, rail, maritime, and air)), 
stakeholders, community organizations, and others directly affected by 
the supply chain, as well as experts from academia. Membership shall 
reflect the diversity of goods and services movement activities, 
including a variety of users that ship through the global supply chain, 
entities that operate various parts of the supply chain, and individual 
academic experts in the field. Membership will also be diverse in terms 
of organization size, and geographic location. Appointments will be 
made without regard to political affiliation. In addition to the 
private sector members, the Secretary of Transportation and the 
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (or their 
respective designees) will serve on the Committee as ex officio, non-
voting members. The Secretary will consult with the Department of 
Transportation, EPA, and other agencies as appropriate in making 
appointments of private sector members.
    The Committee chair and vice chair or vice chairs shall be selected 
from the members of the Committee by the Assistant Secretary for 
Manufacturing and Services after consulting with the members. The 
International Trade Administration may authorize subcommittees as 
needed, subject to the provisions of FACA, the FACA implementing 
regulations, and applicable Department of Commerce guidance. 
Subcommittees must report to the Committee and must not provide advice 
or work products directly to the Secretary. The Assistant Secretary for 
Manufacturing and Services shall appoint a Designated Federal Officer 
(DFO), as well as a Secondary DFO, from among the employees of the 
Department of Commerce. The DFO or Secondary DFO will be present at all 
meetings and will approve or call all of the advisory committee 
meetings and the meetings of any subcommittees; prepare and approve all 
meeting agendas; adjourn any meeting when the DFO or Secondary DFO; and 
chair meetings when directed to do so by the Assistant Secretary for 
Manufacturing and Services.

Nominations

    The Secretary of Commerce invites nominations to the Committee for 
the charter term beginning November 21, 2011, for appointments for a 
two-year term concurrent with the charter term. Members will be 
selected, in accordance with applicable Department of Commerce 
guidelines, based upon their

[[Page 77779]]

ability to advise the Secretary of Commerce on the necessary elements 
of a comprehensive, holistic national freight infrastructure and a 
national freight policy designed to support U.S. export growth and 
competitiveness, foster national economic competitiveness, and improve 
U.S. supply chain competitiveness in the domestic and global economy. 
Members shall represent a balanced and broad range of interests, 
including representatives from supply chain firms or their associations 
(including shippers and all modes of freight transportation (trucking, 
rail, maritime, and air)), stakeholders, community organizations, and 
others directly affected by the supply chain as well as experts from 
academia. The membership should reflect the general composition of the 
U.S. supply chain industry. Other than the experts from academia, all 
members shall serve in a representative capacity, expressing their 
views and interests of a U.S. entity or organization, as well as its 
particular sector. Members serving in such a representative capacity 
are not Special Government Employees. The members from academia serve 
as experts and therefore are Special Government Employees (SGEs) and 
shall be subject to the ethical standards applicable to SGEs.
    Each private sector member of the Committee must be a U.S. citizen, 
not a federally-registered lobbyist, and not registered as a foreign 
agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. All appointments are 
made without regard to political affiliation. Self-nominations will be 
accepted. Members of the Committee will not be compensated for their 
services or reimbursed for their travel expenses. The Committee shall 
meet as often as necessary as determined by the DFO, but not less than 
once per year.
    Members shall serve at the pleasure of the Secretary from the date 
of appointment to the Committee to the date on which the Committee's 
charter terminates.
    All nominations to become a member of the Committee should provide 
the following information:
    (1) Name, title, and relevant contact information (including phone, 
fax, and email address) of the individual requesting consideration;
    (2) An affirmative statement that the applicant is not required to 
register as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act 
of 1938;
    (3) An affirmative statement that the applicant is not a federally-
registered lobbyist, and that the applicant understands that if 
appointed, the applicant will not be allowed to continue to serve as a 
Committee member if the applicant becomes a federally-registered 
lobbyist; and
    In addition to the above requirements for all nominations, 
nominations for representatives from supply chain firms or their 
associations, stakeholders, community organizations, and others 
directly affected by the supply chain, should also provide the 
following information:
    (1) A sponsor letter on the firm's, association's, community 
organization's or other entity's letterhead containing a brief 
description why the nominee should be considered for membership;
    (2) Short biography of nominee including credentials; and
    (3) Brief description of the firm, association, community 
organization, or other entity to be represented and its activities and 
size (number of employees or members and annual sales, if applicable);
    (4) An affirmative statement that the applicant meets all Committee 
eligibility requirements for representative members, including that the 
applicant represents a U.S. company or U.S. organization.
    a. For purposes of Committee eligibility, a U.S. company is at 
least 51 percent owned by U.S. persons.
    b. For purposes of Committee eligibility, a U.S. organization is 
controlled by U.S. persons, as determined based on its board of 
directors (or comparable governing body), membership, and funding 
sources, as applicable.
    In addition to the above requirements for all nominations, 
nominations for experts from academia should also provide the following 
information:
    (1) A description of the nominee's area(s) of expertise;
    (2) A concise Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume that covers 
education, experience, and relevant publications and summarizes how 
this expertise addresses supply chain competitiveness; and
    (3) An affirmative statement that the applicant meets all Committee 
eligibility requirements.
    Please do not send firm, association, or community organization 
brochures.
    Nominations may be emailed to: [email protected] or faxed to 
the attention of Richard Boll at 202-482-2669, or mailed to Richard 
Boll, Office of Service Industries, Room CC307, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230, and must 
be received before January 6, 2012. Nominees selected for appointment 
to the Committee will be notified.

    Dated: December 8, 2011.
David Long,
Director, Office of Service Industries.
[FR Doc. 2011-32096 Filed 12-13-11; 8:45 am]
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