[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 160 (Tuesday, August 19, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49065-49066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-19606]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Hydrographic Services Review Panel

AGENCY: National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Membership Solicitation for Hydrographic Services 
Review Panel.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Hydrographic Service Improvements Act 
of 1998, as amended (33 U.S.C. 892 et seq.), the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is soliciting nominations for 
membership on its Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP). The HSRP, 
a Federal advisory committee, advises the Administrator on matters 
related to the responsibilities and authorities set forth in section 
303 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act and such other 
appropriate matters as the Administrator refers to the Panel for review 
and advice. Those responsibilities and authorities include, but are not 
limited to: Acquiring and disseminating hydrographic data and providing 
hydrographic services, as those terms are defined in the Act; 
promulgating standards for hydrographic data and services; ensuring 
comprehensive geographic coverage of hydrographic services; and 
testing, developing, and operating vessels, equipment, and technologies 
necessary to ensure safe navigation and maintain operational expertise 
in hydrographic data acquisition and hydrographic services. The Act 
states that ``voting members of the Panel shall be individuals who, by 
reason of knowledge, experience, or training, are especially qualified 
in one or more of the disciplines and fields relating to hydrographic 
data and hydrographic services, marine transportation, port 
administration, vessel pilotage, coastal and fishery management, and 
other disciplines as determined appropriate by the Administrator.'' As 
such, the NOAA Administrator welcomes applications from individuals 
with expertise in marine navigation; port administration; marine 
shipping or other intermodal transportation industries; cartography and 
geographic information systems; geodesy; physical oceanography; coastal 
resource management, including coastal resilience and emergency 
response; and other related fields. To apply for membership on the 
Panel, applicants are asked to provide: (1) A cover letter that 
includes responses to the ``Short Response Questions'' listed below, 
and (2) a current resume to the address specified below. NOAA is an 
equal opportunity employer.

Short Response Questions

    (1) What area(s) of expertise, as listed above, would you best 
represent on this panel?
    (2) Which geographic region(s) of the country do you primarily 
associate your expertise?
    (3) Describe your leadership or professional experiences which you 
believe will contribute to the effectiveness of this panel.
    (4) Generally describe the breadth and scope of stakeholders, 
users, or other groups whose views and input you believe you can 
represent on the panel.

DATES: Cover letter, responses, and current resume materials should be 
sent to the address, email, or fax specified. All materials must be 
received by October 10, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Submit to Lynne Mersfelder-Lewis via mail, fax, or email. 
Mail: Lynne Mersfelder-Lewis, NOAA National Ocean Service, Office of 
Coast Survey, NOAA (N/CS), 1315 East-West Highway, SSMC3 Rm. 6864, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910; Fax: 301-713-4019; or Email: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne Mersfelder-Lewis, NOAA National 
Ocean Service, Office of Coast Survey, NOAA (N/CS), 1315 East-West 
Highway, SSMC3 Rm. 6126, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Telephone: 301-
713-2702 x199, Fax: 301-713-4019; Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under 33 U.S.C. 883a, et seq., NOAA's 
National Ocean Service (NOS) is responsible for providing nautical 
charts and related information for safe navigation. NOS collects and 
compiles hydrographic, tidal and current, geodetic, and a variety of 
other data in order to fulfill this responsibility. The HSRP provides 
advice on current and emerging oceanographic and marine science 
technologies relating to operations, research and development; and 
dissemination of data pertaining to:
    (a) Hydrographic surveying;
    (b) shoreline surveying;
    (c) nautical charting;
    (d) water level measurements;
    (e) current measurements;
    (f) geodetic measurements;
    (g) geospatial measurements;
    (h) geomagnetic measurements; and
    (i) other oceanographic/marine related sciences.
    The Panel has fifteen voting members appointed by the NOAA 
Administrator in accordance with 33 U.S.C. 892c. Members are selected 
on a standardized basis, in accordance with applicable Department of 
Commerce guidance. In addition, there are four non-voting members that 
serve on the Panel: the Co-Directors of the NOAA-University of New 
Hampshire Joint Hydrographic Center/Center for Coastal and Ocean 
Mapping, and the Directors of NOAA's Office of National Geodetic Survey 
and NOAA's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services. 
The Director, NOAA Office of Coast Survey, serves as the Designated 
Federal Official (DFO).
    This solicitation requests applications to fill six (6) voting 
member vacancies on the Panel as of January 1, 2015. Additional 
appointments may be made to fill vacancies left by any members who 
choose to resign during 2015. Some voting members whose terms expire 
January 1, 2015, may be reappointed for another full term if eligible. 
Full-time officers or employees of the United States may not be 
appointed as a voting member. Any voting member of the Panel who is an 
applicant for, or beneficiary of (as determined by the Administrator) 
any assistance under 33 U.S.C. 892c shall disclose to the Panel that 
relationship, and may not vote on any matter pertaining to that 
assistance. Voting members of the Panel serve a four-year term, except 
that vacancy appointments are for the remainder of the unexpired term 
of the vacancy. Members serve at the discretion of the Administrator 
and are subject to government ethics standards. Any individual 
appointed to a partial or full term may be reappointed for one 
additional full term. A voting member may continue to serve until his 
or her successor has taken office. The Panel selects one voting member 
to serve as the Chair and another to serve as the Vice Chair. Meetings 
occur at least twice a year, and at the call of the Chair or upon the 
request of a majority of the voting members or of the Administrator. 
Voting members receive compensation at a rate established by the 
Administrator, not to exceed the maximum daily rate payable under 
section 5376 of title 5, United States Code, when engaged in performing 
duties for the Panel. Members are reimbursed for actual and reasonable 
expenses incurred in performing such duties.

Individuals Selected for Panel Membership

    Upon selection and agreement to serve on the HSRP, individuals who 
are

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appointed will become Special Government Employees (SGE) of the United 
States Government. According to 18 U.S.C. 202(a), an SGE is an officer 
or employee of an agency who is retained, designated, appointed, or 
employed to perform temporary duties, with or without compensation, not 
to exceed 130 days during any period of 365 consecutive days, either on 
a fulltime or intermittent basis. Please be advised that applicants 
selected to serve on the Panel must complete the following actions 
before they can be appointed as a Panel member:
    (a) Background Security Check and fingerprinting conducted through 
NOAA Workforce Management; and
    (b) Confidential Financial Disclosure Report--As an SGE, you are 
required to file a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report to avoid 
involvement in a real or apparent conflict of interest. You may find 
the Confidential Financial Disclosure Report at the following Web site. 
http://www.usoge.gov/forms/form_450.aspx.

    Dated: August 8, 2014.
 Gerd F. Glang,
Rear Admiral, Director, Office of Coast Survey, National Ocean Service, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-19606 Filed 8-18-14; 8:45 am]
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