[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 219 (Monday, November 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79413-79414]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27296]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economics and Statistics Administration


Request for Nominations of Member To Serve on the Commerce Data 
Advisory Council (CDAC)

AGENCY: Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA), Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of request for nominations to the CDAC.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Commerce is requesting nomination of 
individuals to the Commerce Data Advisory Council. The Secretary will 
consider nominations received in response to this notice, as well as 
from other sources. The SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this 
notice provides committee and membership criteria.

DATES: The Economics and Statistics Administration must receive 
nominations for members by midnight November 10, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Please submit nominations to the email account 
[email protected], this account is specifically set up to 
receive Data Advisory Council applications. Nominations may also be 
submitted by postal delivery to Burton Reist, Director of External 
Affairs, Economics and Statistics Administration/DFO CDAC, Department 
of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Burton Reist, Director of External 
Affairs, Economics and Statistics Administration, Department of 
Commerce, at (202) 482-3331 or email [email protected], also at 1401 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Department of Commerce (Department) collects, compiles, 
analyzes, and disseminates a treasure trove of data, including data on 
the Nation's economy, population, and environment. This data is 
fundamental to the Department's mission and is used for the protection 
of life and property, for scientific purposes, and to enhance economic 
growth. However, the Department's capacity to disseminate the 
increasing amount of data held and to disseminate it in formats most 
useful to its customers is significantly constrained.
    In order to realize the potential value of the data the Department 
collects, stores, and disseminates, the Department must minimize 
barriers to accessing and using the data. Consistent with privacy and 
security considerations, the Department is firmly committed to 
unleashing its untapped data resources in ways that best support 
downstream information access, processing, analysis, and dissemination.
    The Commerce Data Advisory Council (CDAC) provides advice and 
recommendations, to include process and infrastructure improvements, to 
the Secretary on ways to make Commerce data easier to find, access, 
use, combine and disseminate. The aim of this advice shall be to 
maximize the value of Commerce data to all users including governments, 
businesses, communities, academia, and individuals.
    The Secretary will draw CDAC membership from the data industry 
academia, non-profits and state and local governments with a focus on 
recognized expertise in collection, compilation, analysis, and 
dissemination. As privacy concerns span the entire data lifecycle, 
expertise in privacy protection also will be represented on the 
Council. The Secretary will select members that represent the entire 
spectrum of Commerce data including demographic, economic, scientific, 
environmental, patent, and geospatial data. The Secretary will select 
members from the information technology, business, non-profit, and 
academic communities, and state and local governments. Collectively, 
their knowledge will include all types of data Commerce distributes and 
the full lifecycle of data collection, compilation, analysis, and 
dissemination.

II. Description of Duties

    The Council shall advise the Secretary on ways to make Commerce 
data easier to find, access, use, combine, and disseminate. Such advice 
may include recommended process and infrastructure improvements. The 
aim of this advice shall be to maximize the value of Commerce data to 
governments, businesses, communities, and individuals.

[[Page 79414]]

    In carrying out its duties, the Council may consider the following:
--Data management practices that make it easier to track and 
disseminate integrated, interoperable data for diverse users;
--Best practices that can be deployed across Commerce to achieve 
common, open standards related to taxonomy, vocabulary, application 
programming interfaces (APIs), metadata, and other key data 
characteristics;
--Policy issues that arise from expanding access to data, including 
issues related to privacy, confidentiality, latency, and consistency;
--Opportunities and risks related to the combination of public and 
private data sources and the development of joint data products and 
services resulting from public-private partnerships;
--External uses of Commerce data and similar federal, state, and 
private data sets by businesses; and,
--Methods to enhance communication and collaboration between 
stakeholders and subject-matter experts at Commerce on data access and 
use.

    The Council meets up to four times a year, budget permitting. 
Special meetings may be called when appropriate.
    Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), which sets 
forth standards for the formation and use of advisory committees, is 
the governing instrument for the CDAC.

III. Membership

    1. The Council shall consist of up to 20 members.
    2. The Secretary shall select and appoint members and members shall 
serve at the pleasure of the Secretary.
    3. Members shall represent a cross-section of business, academic, 
non-profit, and non-governmental organizations.
    4. The Secretary will choose members of the Council who ensure 
objectivity and balance, a diversity of perspectives, and guard against 
potential for conflicts of interest.
    5. Members shall be prominent experts in their fields, recognized 
for their professional and other relevant achievements and their 
objectivity.
    6. In order to ensure the continuity of the Commerce Data Advisory 
Council, the Council shall be appointed so that each year the terms 
expire of approximately one-third of the members of the Council.
    7. Council members serve for terms of two years and may be 
reappointed to any number of additional terms. Initial appointments may 
be for 12-, 18- and 24-month increments to provide staggered terms.
    8. Nominees must be able to actively participate in the tasks of 
the Council, including, but not limited to regular meeting attendance, 
Council meeting discussant responsibilities, and review of materials, 
as well as participation in conference calls, webinars, working groups, 
and special Council activities.
    9. Should a council member be unable to complete a two-year term 
and when vacancies occur, the Secretary will select replacements who 
can best either replicate the expertise of the departing member or 
provide the CDAC with a new, identified needed area of expertise. An 
individual chosen to fill a vacancy shall be appointed for the 
remainder of the term of the member replaced or for a two-year term as 
deemed. A vacancy shall not affect the exercise of any power of the 
remaining members to execute the duties of the Council.
    10. No employee of the federal government can serve as a member of 
the Census Scientific Advisory Committee.
    All members of the Commerce Data Advisory Council shall adhere to 
the conflict of interest rules applicable to Special Government 
Employees as such employees are defined in 18 U.S.C. 202(a). These 
rules include relevant provisions in 18 U.S.C. related to criminal 
activity, Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive 
Branch (5 CFR part 2635), and Executive Order 12674 (as modified by 
Executive Order 12731).

IV. Compensation

    1. Membership is under voluntary circumstances and therefore 
members do not receive compensation for service on the Commerce Data 
Advisory Council.
    2. Members shall receive per diem and travel expenses as authorized 
by 5 U.S.C. 5703, as amended, for persons employed intermittently in 
the Government service.

V. Nominations Information

    The Secretary will consider nominations of all qualified 
individuals to ensure that the CDAC includes the areas of subject 
matter expertise noted above (see ''Background and Membership''). 
Individuals may nominate themselves or other individuals, and 
professional associations and organizations may nominate one or more 
qualified persons for membership on the CDAC. Nominations shall state 
that the nominee is willing to serve as a member of the Council.
    A nomination package should include the following information for 
each nominee:
    1. A letter of nomination stating the name, affiliation, and 
contact information for the nominee, the basis for the nomination 
(i.e., what specific attributes recommend him/her for service in this 
capacity), and the nominee's field(s) of expertise;
    2. A biographical sketch of the nominee and a copy of his/her 
resume or curriculum vitae; and
    3. The name, return address, email address, and daytime telephone 
number at which the nominator can be contacted.
    The Department of Commerce is committed to equal opportunity in the 
workplace and seeks diverse Committee membership. The Department has 
special interest in assuring that women, minority groups, and the 
physically disabled are adequately represented on advisory committees; 
and therefore, extends particular encouragement to nominations for 
appropriately qualified female, minority, or disabled candidates. The 
Department of Commerce also encourages geographic diversity in the 
composition of the Council. All nomination information should be 
provided in a single, complete package and received by the stated 
deadline, November 10, 2016. Interested applicants should send their 
nomination package to the email or postal address provided above.
    Potential candidates will be asked to provide detailed information 
concerning financial interests, consultancies, research grants, and/or 
contracts that might be affected by recommendations of the Council to 
permit evaluation of possible sources of conflicts of interest. 
Finally, nominees will be required to certify that they are not subject 
to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (22 U.S.C. 611) or the Lobbying 
Disclosure Act (2 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.).

    Dated: November 5, 2016.
Austin Durrer,
Chief of Staff for Under Secretary for Economic Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2016-27296 Filed 11-10-16; 8:45 am]
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