[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 159 (Monday, August 17, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50004-50006]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17388]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Notice of Request for Applicants for Appointment to the United 
States-Mexico Energy Business Council

June 24, 2020.
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In 2016, agencies of the Governments of the United States and 
Mexico established the U.S.-Mexico Energy Business Council (the

[[Page 50005]]

``Council''). This notice announces 10 membership opportunities for 
appointment as U.S. representatives to the U.S. Section of the Council 
for a term beginning in October 2020 and ending in October 2022.

DATES: All applications must be received by the Office of North America 
by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on September 16, 2020. 
Applications received after that date will be considered only if 
vacancies have not already been filled.

ADDRESSES: Please submit applications to David Olsen, International 
Trade Specialist, Office of North America, U.S. Department of Commerce 
by email only at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Olsen, Office of North America, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, telephone: (202) 809-7233, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Energy, the 
Ministry of Economy of the United Mexican States, and the Ministry of 
Energy of the United Mexican States established the Council in March 
2016. The objective of the Council is to bring together representatives 
of the respective energy industries of the United States and Mexico to 
discuss issues of mutual interest, particularly ways to strengthen the 
economic and commercial ties between energy industries in the two 
countries, and communicate actionable, non-binding recommendations to 
the U.S. and Mexican Governments. Since 2016, Council members have 
participated in public-private sector dialogue to highlight the 
importance of the United States-Mexico energy relationship, share 
priorities for the energy sector, and identify opportunities for 
collaboration. As part of this dialogue, Council members have drafted 
binational recommendations on topics of mutual interest, including 
energy security, cross-border energy projects, power planning and 
integration, workforce development, and the U.S.-Mexico-Canada 
Agreement (USMCA). For more information, please consult the Terms of 
Reference of the Council (copy and paste link into browser): https://legacy.trade.gov/hled/documents/Signed%20US-MEX%20Energy%20Business%20Council%20Terms%20(May%202016%20-
%20English).pdf.

Participation Requirements

    The Department of Commerce is seeking applicants for membership on 
the U.S. Section of the Council. Each applicant must be a senior 
representative (e.g., Chief Executive Officer, Vice President, Regional 
Manager, Senior Director, or holder of a similar position) of a U.S.-
owned or controlled individual company, trade association, or private 
sector organization that is incorporated in and has its main 
headquarters in the United States and whose activities include a focus 
on the manufacture, production, commercialization, and/or trade in 
goods and services for the energy industry in Mexico. Each applicant 
must also be a U.S. citizen, or otherwise legally authorized to work in 
the United States and be able to travel to Mexico or locations in the 
United States to attend Council meetings, as well as U.S. Section and 
Committee meetings. In addition, the applicant may not be a registered 
foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as 
amended. Applications for membership in the U.S. Section by eligible 
individuals, including applications by current U.S. Section members for 
reappointment, will be evaluated on the following criteria:

--A demonstrated strong interest in Mexico and its economic 
development, including as applicable either through exports or 
investment.
--The ability to offer to the work of the Council a broad perspective 
and business experience specific to the energy industry.
--The ability to address cross-cutting issues that affect the entity's 
entire energy industry sub-sector, including the oil and gas, renewable 
energy, electricity, nuclear energy, and energy efficiency.
--The ability to dedicate organizational resources to initiate and be 
responsible for activities in which the Council will be active.

    U.S. Section members will also be selected on the basis of who is 
best qualified to carry out the objectives of the Council to:

--Promote increased two-way investment in the energy industry;
--Promote two-way trade in goods and services produced by and used in 
the energy industry;
--Promote the development of binational value chains in the production 
of goods and services in the energy sector;
--Promote the development of modern energy infrastructure and bolster 
energy efficiency and security;
--Foster an enabling environment for the rapid development, deployment, 
and integration of new energy industry technologies--including clean 
renewable energy technologies--into the marketplace;
--Improve competitiveness through innovation and entrepreneurship in 
the energy industry, to include the promotion of technology exchanges 
and research partnerships; and
--Partner in skills development to create solutions in training and 
education to address evolving energy industry workforce needs.

    In selecting members of the U.S. Section, the U.S. Government 
selection committee, composed of representatives from the Department of 
Commerce and the Department of Energy, will attempt to ensure that the 
Section represents a cross-section of small, medium-sized, and large 
firms.

Fees and Expenses

    U.S. Section members will receive no compensation for their 
participation in Council-related activities. They shall not be 
considered as special government employees. Individual U.S. Section 
members will be responsible for all travel and related expenses 
associated with their participation in the Council, including 
attendance at Committee and Section meetings. Only appointed U.S. 
Section members may participate in Council meetings; substitutes and 
alternates may not be designated. U.S. Section members are expected to 
serve for two-year terms but may be reappointed.

Timeframe for Recruitment and Application

    To apply for membership in the U.S. Section, please submit the 
following information to David Olsen, International Trade Specialist, 
by email at [email protected] by September 16, 2020:

--Name(s) and title(s) of the applicant;
--Name and address of the headquarters of the entity that employs the 
applicant;
--Location of incorporation or establishment;
--Size of the represented entity, in terms of annual sales and number 
of employees;
--As applicable, the size of the entity's export trade, investment, and 
nature of operations or interest in Mexico; and
--A brief statement of why the applicant should be considered, 
including information about the applicant's ability to initiate and be 
responsible for activities in which the Council will be active.

    All applicants will be notified of whether they have been selected 
once the application window closes and

[[Page 50006]]

selection of U.S. Section members has been made. Applications received 
after September 16, 2020 will be considered only if vacancies have not 
already been filled.

    Authority: The Act of February 14, 1903, as amended (15 U.S.C. 
1512 et seq.; 15 U.S.C. 171 et seq.), to foster, promote, and 
develop the foreign and domestic commerce of the United States. 
Section 2 of Reorganization Plan no. 3 of 1979, which assigns to the 
Secretary of Commerce responsibility for major nonagricultural 
international trade functions of the United States, including export 
development.

    Dated: August 4, 2020.
David Olsen,
International Trade Specialist, Office of North America.
[FR Doc. 2020-17388 Filed 8-14-20; 8:45 am]
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