[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 116 (Tuesday, June 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36381-36382]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12913]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
United States Integrated Ocean Observing System Advisory
Committee
AGENCY: National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of new member solicitation for the United States
Integrated Ocean Observing System (U.S. IOOS) Advisory Committee.
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SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is
soliciting applications for membership on the United States Integrated
Ocean Observing System Advisory Committee (the Committee), which is a
Federal advisory committee. Members of the Committee will fulfill the
requirements of the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act
of 2009 (the Act). The Committee provides advice to the Under Secretary
of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and to the Interagency Ocean
Observation Committee on the planning, integrated design, operation,
maintenance, enhancement, and expansion of the United States Integrated
Ocean Observing System (U.S. IOOS). U.S. IOOS promotes research to
develop, test, and deploy innovations and improvements in coastal and
ocean observation technologies and modeling systems, addresses regional
and national needs for ocean information, gathers data on key coastal,
ocean, and Great Lakes variables and ensures timely and sustained
dissemination and availability of these data for societal benefits.
U.S. IOOS benefits national safety, the economy, and the environment
through support for national defense, marine commerce and forecasting,
navigation safety, weather, climate, energy siting and production,
economic development, ecosystem-based management of marine and coastal
areas, conservation of ocean and coastal resources and public safety.
The Act requires the establishment and administration of this
Committee by the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.
NOAA will hereby accept applications for membership on the
Committee to fill two vacancies that occurred in late 2019. These
vacancy appointments shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term
of the vacancy, which ends August 15, 2021. An individual so appointed
may subsequently be appointed for an additional three-year term. The
Act states: ``Members shall be qualified by education, training, and
experience to evaluate scientific and technical information related to
the design, operation, maintenance, or use of the [Integrated Ocean
Observing] System, or use of data products provided through the
System.'' NOAA encourages individuals with expertise in oceanographic
data, products, and services; coastal management; fisheries management;
coastal and marine spatial planning; geodesy; water levels; and other
science-related fields to submit applications for Committee membership.
To apply for membership on the Committee, applicants should submit a
resume highlighting their qualifications as indicated in the ADDRESSES
section. NOAA is an equal-opportunity employer.
DATES: Nominations should be submitted no later than July 30, 2020.
Applications received after July 30, 2020 may not be considered during
this membership application cycle, but may be considered for future
membership cycles.
ADDRESSES: Submit an application for Committee membership, including
cover letter, resume, and requested items below, to Laura Gewain via
Email [email protected]. Please direct any questions regarding
application submission to Laura Gewain via Email or Telephone: 240-533-
9456.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Krisa Arzayus, 1315 East-West Highway,
Station 2616, Silver Spring, MD 20910; Telephone: 240-533-9455; Email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice responds to the ICOOS Act of
2009 (Pub. L. 111-11, section 12304), which requires the Under
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to solicit nominations
for Committee membership. The Committee will advise the NOAA
Administrator or Interagency Ocean Observation Committee on matters
related to the responsibilities and authorities set forth in section
12302 of the ICOOS Act of 2009 and other appropriate matters as the
Under Secretary refers to the Committee for review and advice.
The United States Integrated Ocean Observing System Advisory
Committee will provide advice on:
(a) Administration, operation, management, and maintenance of the
System;
(b) Expansion and periodic modernization and upgrade of technology
components of the System;
(c) Identification of end-user communities, their needs for
information provided by the System, and the System's effectiveness in
dissemination information to end-user communities and to the general
public; and
(d) Any other purpose identified by the Under Secretary of Commerce
for Oceans and Atmosphere or the Interagency Ocean Observation
Committee.
The Committee's voting members will be appointed by the Under
Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. Members shall be
qualified by education, training, and experience to evaluate scientific
and technical information related to the design, operation,
maintenance, or use of the System, or the use of data products provided
through the System. Members are selected on a standardized basis, in
accordance with applicable Department of Commerce guidance. Members
will be appointed for three-year terms, renewable once. One Committee
member will be designated by the Under Secretary as chairperson. Full-
time officers or employees of the United States may not be appointed as
a voting member. Members will be appointed as special Government
employees (SGEs) for purposes of section 202(a) of title 18, United
States Code. Members serve at the discretion of the Under Secretary and
are subject to government ethics standards. Members of the Committee
will not be compensated for service on the Committee, but they may be
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in
accordance with subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States
Code.
The Committee will meet at least once each year, and at other times
at the call of the Under Secretary, the Interagency Ocean Observation
Committee, or the Committee Chairperson. The Committee has
approximately fifteen voting members. This solicitation is to obtain
candidate applications for up to two full voting member vacancies.
To apply for membership, applicants must submit the following five
items,
[[Page 36382]]
including a cover letter that responds to the five questions below. 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 short biography of 300 to 400 words.
(4) A current resume.
(5) The nominee's full name, title, institutional affiliation,
mailing address, email, phone, fax and contact information.
Short Response Questions:
(1) List your area(s) of expertise, as listed above.
(2) List the geographic region(s) of the country with which you
primarily associate your expertise.
(3) Describe your leadership or professional experience that you
believe will contribute to the effectiveness of this panel.
(4) Describe your familiarity and experience with U.S. IOOS data,
products, and services.
(5) Generally describe the breadth and scope of your knowledge of
stakeholders, users, or other groups who interact with NOAA or other
U.S. IOOS agencies and whose views and input you believe you can share
with the panel.
Individuals Selected for Committee Membership
Upon selection and agreement to serve on the United States
Integrated Ocean Observing System Advisory Committee, one becomes a
Special Government Employee (SGE) of the United States Government. 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, for not to exceed 130 days during any period of 365
consecutive days, either on a full-time or intermittent basis. After
the membership selection process is complete, applicants who are
selected to serve on the Committee must complete the following actions
before they can be appointed as a Committee member:
(a) Background Check (on-line Background Check process and
fingerprinting conducted through NOAA Workforce Management); and
(b) Confidential Financial Disclosure Report: As an SGE, one is
required to file annually a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report to
avoid involvement in a real or apparent conflict of interest. One may
find the Confidential Financial Disclosure Report at the following
website: http://www.usoge.gov/forms/form_450.aspx.
Krisa M. Arzayus,
Deputy Director, U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System Office,
National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-12913 Filed 6-15-20; 8:45 am]
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