[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 56 (Friday, March 24, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15044-15046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05639]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Membership Solicitation for Hydrographic Services Review Panel

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Hydrographic Service Improvements Act 
Amendments of 2002, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is required to solicit nominations 
for membership at least once a year for the Hydrographic Services 
Review Panel (HSRP). The NOAA Administrator seeks and encourages 
individuals with expertise in marine navigation and technology, port 
administration, marine shipping or other intermodal transportation 
industries, cartography and geographic information systems, geodesy, 
physical oceanography, coastal resource management, including coastal 
preparedness and emergency response, and other related fields.

DATES: Nominations are sought to fill five vacancies that occur on 
January 1, 2018. Nominations should be submitted by no later than May 
30, 2017. Nominations will be accepted and kept on file on an ongoing 
basis regardless of date submitted for use with current and future 
vacancies. HSRP maintains a pool of candidates and advertises once a 
year to fulfill the HSIA requirements on membership solicitation. 
Current members who may be eligible for a second term must reapply.

ADDRESSES: Nominations will be accepted by email and should be sent to: 
[email protected] and [email protected]. You will 
receive a confirmation response.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne Mersfelder-Lewis, NOAA 
Telephone: 301-713-2750 x166.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The HSRP, a Federal advisory committee, 
advises the Administrator on matters related to the responsibilities 
and

[[Page 15045]]

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 ``the 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.'' The NOAA Administrator seeks and encourages 
individuals with expertise in marine navigation and technology, port 
administration, marine shipping or other intermodal transportation 
industries, cartography and geographic information systems, geodesy, 
physical oceanography, coastal resource management, including coastal 
preparedness and emergency response, and other related fields. To apply 
for membership on the Panel, applicants are requested to submit the 
following five items and respond to five questions. The entire package 
should be a maximum length of eight pages or fewer. NOAA is an equal 
opportunity employer.
    (1) A cover letter that responds to the five questions listed below 
and serves as a statement of interest to serve on the panel. Please see 
``Short Response Questions'' below.
    (2) Highlight the nominee's specific area(s) of expertise relevant 
to the purpose of the Panel from the list in the Federal Register 
Notice.
    (3) A current resume.
    (4) A short biography of 400 to 500 words.
    (5) The nominee's full name, title, institutional affiliation, 
mailing address, email, phone, fax and contact information.

Short Response Questions

    (1) List the area(s) of expertise, as listed above, which you would 
best represent on this Panel.
    (2) List the geographic region(s) of the country with which you 
primarily associate your expertise.
    (3) Describe your leadership or professional experiences which you 
believe will contribute to the effectiveness of this panel.
    (4) Describe your familiarity and experience with NOAA navigation 
data, products, and services.
    (5) Generally describe the breadth and scope of stakeholders, 
users, or other groups whose views and input you believe you can share 
with the panel.
    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. The Co-Directors of the Center for Coastal and Ocean 
Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center and two other NOAA employees serve as 
nonvoting members of the Panel. The Director, NOAA Office of Coast 
Survey, serves as the Designated Federal Official (DFO).
    Voting members are individuals who, by reason of knowledge, 
experience, or training, are especially qualified in one or more 
disciplines relating to hydrographic surveying, tides, currents, 
geodetic and geospatial measurements, marine transportation, port 
administration, vessel pilotage, coastal or fishery management, and 
other oceanographic or marine science areas as deemed appropriate by 
the Administrator. 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 other 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 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. The Vice Chair acts as Chair in the absence 
or incapacity of the Chair but will not automatically become the Chair 
if the Chair resigns. 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 Membershp

    Upon selection and agreement to serve on the HSRP Panel, you become 
a Special Government Employee (SGE) of the United States Government. 18 
U.S.C. 202(a) an SGE(s) 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. After the selection process is complete, applicants selected to 
serve on the Panel must complete the following actions before they can 
be appointed as a Panel member:
    (a) Security Clearance (on-line Background Security Check process 
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

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site. http://www.usoge.gov/forms/form_450.aspx.

     Dated: March 10, 2017.
Shepard M. Smith,
NOAA, Director, Office of Coast Survey, National Ocean Service, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017-05639 Filed 3-23-17; 8:45 am]
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