[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 198 (Tuesday, October 13, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64535-64536]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22556]


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OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY


Request for Information: National Nanotechnology Initiative 
Strategic Planning

AGENCY: Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP).

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on 
behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) 
Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), 
seeks public input to inform the development of the 2021 National 
Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) Strategic Plan. A restructuring of the 
NNI is under consideration, and the NSET Subcommittee seeks feedback 
from the community to help identify effective mechanisms, strategies 
for communication, and priority topics to shape the future directions.

DATES: Responses are requested by 11:59 p.m. ET on November 9, 2020. 
Input received after this date may not be considered.

ADDRESSES: Responses should be submitted via email to 
[email protected] and include ``RFI Response: NNI 
Strategic Planning'' in the subject line of the message.
    Instructions: Response to this RFI is voluntary. Respondents need 
not reply to all questions listed. For all submissions, clearly 
indicate which questions are being answered. Each individual or 
organization is requested to submit only one response. Submissions 
should include the name(s) of the person(s) or organization(s) filing 
the comment. No other personally identifiable information, business 
proprietary information, or copyrighted information should be included. 
Submissions should not exceed 10 pages in length using 12 point or 
larger font and should be in plain text, Microsoft Word, or Adobe PDF 
format.
    In accordance with FAR 15.202(3), responses to this notice are not 
offers and cannot be accepted by the Federal Government to form a 
binding contract. Additionally, those submitting responses are solely 
responsible for all expenses associated with response

[[Page 64536]]

preparation. Submissions are subject to Freedom of Information Act 
(FOIA) disclosure and may be posted, without change, on a Federal 
website.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrice Pages at [email protected] or 
202-517-1041.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background Information: This request is in alignment with the 21st 
Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act as amended (15 
U.S.C. 7501), which calls for an update to the NNI Strategic Plan every 
5 years.
    The NNI is a U.S. Government research and development (R&D) program 
of 20 departments and independent agencies working together toward the 
common vision of a future in which the ability to understand and 
control matter at the nanoscale level leads to a revolution in 
technology and industry that benefits society. Additional information, 
including participating agencies, is available at www.nano.gov/about-nni.
    The NNI Strategic Plan provides the framework that underpins the 
nanotechnology activities of the NNI agencies and ensures continued 
advances in nanotechnology R&D and their applications. The plan 
describes the NNI vision and goals, as well as the mechanisms used to 
support progress.
    ``A Quadrennial Review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative'' 
(https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25729/a-quadrennial-review-of-the-national-nanotechnology-initiative-nanoscience-applications) was 
recently released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, 
and Medicine and will inform the planning process. The report 
recommends that the NNI continue and be reorganized and relaunched to 
promote a renewed focus on nanotechnology and respond to the dynamic 
global research environment.
    Information Requested: The NSET Subcommittee seeks responses to the 
questions below to identify effective mechanisms, strategies for 
communication, and priority topics to inform the future directions of 
the NNI. Additional background information and points for consideration 
are available at www.nano.gov/2021StrategicPlanRFI.

Mechanisms

     What is your understanding of how the Federal Government 
has supported the nanotechnology community since the launch of the NNI?
     How should this support evolve into 2030 and beyond? What 
mechanisms and programs are necessary to support the broad NNI R&D 
portfolio?
     What key elements and intersections are necessary to form 
an agile framework that will enable response to new developments along 
the nanotechnology continuum, from discovery and design to development 
and deployment?
     How can the government engage effectively with 
stakeholders in industry and academia to advance nanotechnology 
research, development, and eventual commercialization? What are some 
best practices for this kind of engagement?
     How could public-private partnerships contribute to 
progress towards the NNI goals? Are there any examples (domestic or 
international) of productive partnership mechanisms that should be 
considered as a model?
     What are exemplary models (domestic or international) for 
accessing NNI resources, including user facilities and laboratories?

Communication

    The NNCO serves as the public-facing entity of the NNI in addition 
to and in support of NNI agency communication efforts. NNCO maintains 
Nano.gov and shares information through numerous communication means. 
However, the NNI community is complex and multifaceted, and diverse 
stakeholder groups consume information in different ways.
     How can the NNCO facilitate communication and 
collaboration throughout the nanotechnology R&D ecosystem to enhance 
research and ultimately commercialization? How can the NNI/NNCO best 
communicate opportunities, resources, and advancements to the 
community? How can the NNI/NNCO best engage with the stakeholder 
community to understand their advancements and needs?
     Beyond the media platforms used by NNCO, what additional 
means should be considered to better reach the public and various 
stakeholder groups?
     What are effective strategies for improving communication 
of desired nanotechnology workforce skills and capabilities between 
industry and academia?
     How can the NNI participating agencies or NNCO best raise 
awareness among teachers regarding the educational resources that have 
been developed over the past 20 years and help get these resources into 
their classrooms?

Topics

     What are the high priority open scientific questions in 
nanoscience and nanotechnology?
     What are challenges facing the United States and the world 
where nanotechnology is poised to make significant contributions?
     What nanotechnology-enabled ``moonshots'' should be 
considered?
     How does nanotechnology support other foundational fields/
initiatives? What future technical topics are likely to emerge from 
advancements in nanotechnology?
     What are the gaps in the fabrication, characterization, 
and modeling and simulation tools available through the NNI user 
facilities (listed on Nano.gov)? What other tools are necessary to 
conduct nanotechnology R&D?
     What specific nanotechnology topics could be accelerated 
to commercialization by public-private partnerships?
     As concepts surrounding responsible development have 
evolved over the past twenty years, what factors may contribute to the 
responsible development of nanotechnology going forward?
    Thank you for taking the time to respond to this Request for 
Information. We appreciate your input.

    Dated: October 7, 2020.
Stacy L. Murphy,
Operations Manager, White House Office of Science and Technology 
Policy.
[FR Doc. 2020-22556 Filed 10-9-20; 8:45 am]
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