[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 182 (Friday, September 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58341-58342]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-20670]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration


Recruitment of First Responder Network Authority Board Members

AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
(NTIA) issues this Notice on behalf of the First Responder Network 
Authority (FirstNet Authority) to initiate the annual process to seek 
expressions of interest from individuals who would like to serve on the 
FirstNet Authority Board (Board). The terms of four of the 12 non-
permanent members to the FirstNet Authority Board will expire in 
January 2021.

DATES: To be considered for a January 2021 appointment, expressions of 
interest must be electronically transmitted on or before October 19, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: Applicants should submit expressions of interest as 
described below to: Michael Dame, Deputy Associate Administrator, 
Office of Public Safety Communications, National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration, by email to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Dame, Deputy Associate 
Administrator, Office of Public Safety Communications, National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration; telephone: (202) 
482-1181; email: [email protected]. Please direct media inquiries to 
NTIA's Office of Public Affairs, (202) 482-7002.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background and Authority

    The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Act) 
created the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) as 
an independent authority within NTIA. The Act charged FirstNet 
Authority with ensuring the building, deployment, and operation of a 
nationwide, interoperable public safety broadband network, based on a 
single, national network architecture.\1\ The FirstNet Authority holds 
the single nationwide public safety license granted for wireless public 
safety broadband deployment. The FirstNet Authority Board is 
responsible for providing overall policy direction and oversight of the 
FirstNet Authority to ensure that the nationwide network continuously 
meets the needs of public safety.
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    \1\ 47 U.S.C. 1422(b).
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II. Structure

    The FirstNet Authority Board is composed of 15 voting members. The 
Act names the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, the 
Attorney General of the United States, and the Director of the Office 
of Management and Budget as permanent members of the FirstNet Authority 
Board. The Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) appoints the 12 non-
permanent members of the FirstNet Authority Board.\2\
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    \2\ 47 U.S.C. 1424(b).
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    The Act requires each Board member to have experience or expertise 
in at least one of the following substantive areas: public safety, 
network, technical, and/or financial.\3\ Additionally, the composition 
of the FirstNet Authority Board must satisfy the other requirements 
specified in the Act, including that: (i) At least three Board

[[Page 58342]]

members have served as public safety professionals; (ii) at least three 
members represent the collective interests of states, localities, 
tribes, and territories; and (iii) its members reflect geographic and 
regional, as well as rural and urban, representation.\4\ An individual 
Board member may satisfy more than one of these requirements. The 
current non-permanent FirstNet Authority Board members are (noting 
expiration of term):
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    \3\ 47 U.S.C. 1424(b)(2)(B).
    \4\ 47 U.S.C. 1424(b)(2)(A).
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     Robert Tipton Osterthaler, Board Chair, Business/
technology executive, network (Term expires: January 2021)
     Matt Slinkard, Executive Assistant Chief of Police, City 
of Houston Police Department (Term expires: January 2021)
     David Zolet, CEO, CentralSquare (Term expires: January 
2021)
     Vacant, vice former Sheriff Richard W. Stanek, resigned 
August 2020 (Term expires: January 2021)
     Richard Carrizzo, Board Vice Chair, Fire Chief, Southern 
Platte Fire Protection District, MO (Term expires: August 2021)
     Neil E. Cox, Telecommunications/technology executive (Term 
expires: August 2021)
     Brian Crawford, SVP and Chief Administrative Officer for 
Willis Knighton Health System/former Fire Chief and municipal 
government executive (Term expires: August 2021)
     Billy Hewes, Mayor of Gulfport, MS (Term expires: August 
2021)
     Edward Horowitz, Venture capital/technology executive 
(Term expires: August 2021)
     Paul Patrick, Division Director, Family Health and 
Preparedness, Utah Department of Health (Term expires: August 2021)
     Brigadier General Welton Chase, Retired, U. S. Army, Army 
Information Technology (Term expires: September 2021)
     Karima Holmes, Director, Office of Unified Communications, 
District of Columbia (Term expires: August 2022)
    Board members will be appointed for a term of three years. Board 
members may not serve more than two consecutive full three-year 
terms.\5\ More information about the FirstNet Authority Board is 
available at www.firstnet.gov/about/Board.
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    \5\ 47 U.S.C. 1424(c)(2)(A)(ii).
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IV. Compensation and Status as Government Employees

    FirstNet Authority Board members are appointed as special 
government employees. FirstNet Authority Board members are compensated 
at the daily rate of basic pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule 
(approximately $170,800 per year) for each day worked on the FirstNet 
Authority Board.\6\ Each Board member must be a United States citizen, 
cannot be a registered lobbyist, and cannot be a registered agent of, 
employed by, or receive payments from, a foreign government.\7\
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    \6\ 47 U.S.C. 1424(g).
    \7\ See, Revised Guidance on Appointment of Lobbyists to Federal 
Advisory Committees, Boards, and Commissions, Office of Management 
and Budget, 79 FR 47482 (Aug. 13, 2014).
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IV. Financial Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

    FirstNet Authority Board members must comply with certain federal 
conflict of interest statutes and ethics regulations, including some 
financial disclosure requirements. A FirstNet Authority Board member 
will generally be prohibited from participating on any particular 
FirstNet Authority matter that will have a direct and predictable 
effect on his or her personal financial interests or on the interests 
of the appointee's spouse, minor children, or non-federal employer.

V. Selection Process

    At the direction of the Secretary, NTIA will conduct outreach to 
the public safety community, state and local organizations, and 
industry to solicit nominations for candidates to the Board who satisfy 
the statutory requirements for membership. In addition, the Secretary, 
through NTIA, will accept expressions of interest from any individual, 
or from any organization proposing a candidate who satisfies the 
statutory requirements for membership on the FirstNet Authority Board. 
To be considered for a January 2021 appointment, expressions of 
interest must be electronically transmitted on or before October 19, 
2020.
    All parties submitting an expression of interest should submit the 
candidate's (i) full name, address, telephone number, email address; 
(ii) current resume; (iii) statement of qualifications that references 
how the candidate satisfies the Act's expertise, representational, and 
geographic requirements for FirstNet Authority Board membership, as 
described in this Notice; and (iv) a statement describing why the 
candidate wants to serve on the FirstNet Authority Board, affirming 
their ability and availability to take a regular and active role in the 
Board's work.
    The Secretary will select FirstNet Authority Board candidates based 
on the eligibility requirements in the Act and recommendations 
submitted by NTIA. NTIA will recommend candidates based on an 
assessment of qualifications as well as demonstrated ability to work in 
a collaborative way to achieve the goals and objectives of the FirstNet 
Authority as set forth in the Act. NTIA may consult with FirstNet 
Authority Board members or executives in making its recommendation. 
Board candidates will be vetted through the Department of Commerce and 
are subject to an appropriate background check for security clearance.

    Dated: September 15, 2020.
Kathy Smith,
Chief Counsel,National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-20670 Filed 9-17-20; 8:45 am]
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