[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 41 (Thursday, March 4, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12659-12661]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04473]


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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 to initiate the annual process to seek 
expressions of interest from individuals who would like to serve on the 
Board of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority 
Board or Board). The terms of 11 of the 12 non-permanent members to the 
FirstNet Authority Board will be available for appointment and 
reappointment in 2021.

DATES: To be considered for the calendar year 2021 appointments, 
expressions of interest must be electronically transmitted on or before 
April 5, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Applicants should submit expressions of interest as 
described below to: Michael Dame, Deputy Associate Administrator, 
Office of

[[Page 12660]]

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 the 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 
FirstNet 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 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 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).

 Robert Tipton Osterthaler, Board Chair, Business/technology 
executive, network (Term expired: January 2021)
 Matt Slinkard, Executive Assistant Chief of Police, City of 
Houston Police Department (Term expired: January 2021)
 David Zolet, CEO, CentralSquare (Term expired: January 2021)
 Vacant (Term expired: 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/CEO, Chase Cyber Consulting (Term expires: 
September 2021)
 Karima Holmes, Senior Director, ShotSpotter, Inc. (Term 
expires: August 2022)

    Any Board member whose term has expired may serve until such 
member's successor has taken office, or until the end of the calendar 
year in which such member's term has expired, whichever is earlier.\5\ 
Board members will be appointed for a term of three years.\6\ Board 
members may not serve more than two consecutive full three-year 
terms.\7\ 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)(B).
    \6\ However, [a]ny member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring 
prior to the expiration of the term for which that member's 
predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of 
the predecessor's term. See 47 U.S.C. 1424(c)(2)(C).
    \7\ 47 U.S.C. 1424(c)(2)(A)(ii).
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III. 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 $172,500 per year) for each day worked on the FirstNet 
Authority Board.\8\ 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.\9\
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    \8\ 47 U.S.C. 1424(g).
    \9\ 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 calendar year 2021 appointment, expressions of 
interest must be electronically transmitted on or before April 5, 2021.
    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

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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: March 1, 2021.
Kathy Smith,
Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021-04473 Filed 3-3-21; 8:45 am]
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