[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 175 (Friday, September 9, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 62481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21871]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office

[Docket ID: PTO-C-2016-0033; Docket Type: Nonrulemaking; Docket Phase: 
Notice]


National Medal of Technology and Innovation Nomination Evaluation 
Committee Meeting

AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office.

ACTION: Notice of closed meeting.

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SUMMARY: The National Medal of Technology and Innovation (NMTI) 
Nomination Evaluation Committee will meet in closed session on 
September 9, 2016. The primary purpose of the meeting is to discuss the 
relative merits of persons, teams, and companies nominated for the 2015 
NMTI.

DATES: The meeting will convene on September 9, 2016, at approximately 
9 a.m., and adjourn at approximately 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the United States Patent and 
Trademark Office, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Palafoutas, Program Manager, 
National Medal of Technology and Innovation Program, United States 
Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box, Alexandria, VA 22313; telephone 
(571) 272-9821; or by electronic mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. app. 2, notice is hereby given that the NMTI 
Nomination Evaluation Committee, chartered to the United States 
Department of Commerce, will meet at the United States Patent and 
Trademark Office campus in Alexandria, Virginia.
    The Secretary of Commerce is responsible for recommending to the 
President prospective NMTI recipients. The NMTI Nomination Evaluation 
Committee evaluates the nominations received pursuant to public 
solicitation and makes its recommendations for the Medal to the 
Secretary. Committee members are distinguished experts in the fields of 
science, technology, business, and patent law drawn from both the 
public and private sectors and are appointed by the Secretary for 
three-year terms.
    In order to complete the 2015 NMTI selection process prior to the 
next cycle of awards, USPTO asked the members of the Evaluation 
Committee to meet as soon as possible. Because the committee is newly 
formed and has multiple scheduling conflicts, September 9, 2016 is the 
best date available for the committee to meet in order to make timely 
recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce.
    The NMTI Nomination Evaluation Committee was established in 
accordance with the FACA. The Committee meeting will be closed to the 
public in accordance with the FACA and 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6) and (9)(B), 
because the discussion of the relative merit of the Medal nominations 
is likely to disclose information of a personal nature that would 
constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy and 
premature disclosure of the Committee's recommendations would be likely 
to significantly frustrate implementation of the Medal Program.
    The Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for 
Administration, United States Department of Commerce, formally 
determined on September 6, 2016 pursuant to Section 10(d) of the FACA, 
that the meeting may be closed because Committee members are concerned 
with matters that are within the purview of 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6) and 
(9)(B). Due to closure of this meeting, copies of any minutes of the 
meeting will not be available. A copy of the determination is available 
for public inspection at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

    Dated: September 7, 2016.
Russell Slifer,
Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy 
Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2016-21871 Filed 9-8-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-16-P