[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 222 (Monday, November 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66287-66288]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25428]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

[Docket Number: 211116-0234]


Study To Advance a More Productive Tech Economy

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; request for information.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is 
seeking information about the public and private sector marketplace 
trends, supply chain risks, legislative, policy, and the future 
investment needs of eight emerging technology areas, including: 
Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things in Manufacturing, Quantum 
Computing, Blockchain Technology, New and Advanced Materials, Unmanned 
Delivery Services, Internet of Things, and Three-dimensional Printing. 
This Request for Information (RFI) is seeking comments to help 
identify, understand, refine, and guide the development of the current 
and future state of technology in the eight emerging technology areas 
named above. The information will inform a final report that will be 
submitted to Congress.

DATES: Comments in response to this notice must be received by 5:00 
p.m. Eastern time on January 31, 2022. Submissions received after that 
date may not be considered.
    Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
    Electronic submission: Submit electronic public comments via the 
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal.
    1. Go to www.regulations.gov and enter NIST-2021-0007 in the search 
field,
    2. Click the ``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, 
and
    3. Enter or attach your comments.
    Electronic submissions may also be sent as an attachment to 
[email protected] and may be in any of the following unlocked formats: 
Word or PDF. Please cite ``COMPETE ACT'' and the topic area in all 
correspondence. If the input is provided for more than one topic area, 
please submit separate documents for each topic area. Comments received 
by the deadline may be posted at www.regulations.gov. Comments 
containing references, studies, research, and other empirical data that 
are not widely published should include copies of the referenced 
materials. All submissions, including attachments and other supporting 
materials, may become part of the public record and may be subject to 
public disclosure. NIST reserves the right to publish relevant comments 
publicly, unedited and in their entirety. Personal information, such as 
account numbers or Social Security numbers, or names of other 
individuals, should not be included. Do not submit confidential 
business information, or otherwise sensitive or protected information. 
Comments that contain profanity, vulgarity, threats, or other 
inappropriate language or content will not be considered.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about this RFI contact: 
Charles H. Romine, U.S. Department of Commerce, (301) 975-2900 or 
[email protected].
    Please direct media inquiries to NIST's Public Affairs Office at 
(301) 975-2762 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under DIVISION FF, Title XV, Sec.  1501 of 
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260), the 
Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Federal Trade 
Commission and other federal agencies, is directed to complete a study 
of and issue a report on eight emerging technology areas:
     Artificial Intelligence--on the state of the artificial 
intelligence industry and the impact of such industry on the United 
States economy,
     Internet of Things in Manufacturing--on the use of 
internet-connected devices and internet-connected solutions in 
manufacturing in the United States,
     Quantum Computing--on the state of the quantum computing 
industry and the impact of such industry on the United States economy,
     Blockchain Technology--on the state of the blockchain 
technology industry and the impact of such industry on the United 
States economy,
     New and Advanced Materials--on the state of the new and 
advanced materials industry, including synthetically derived materials 
or those with enhanced natural properties, and the impact of such 
industry on the United States economy,
     Unmanned Delivery Services (both air & ground)--on the 
impact of unmanned delivery services on businesses conducting 
interstate commerce and the impact of such industry on the United 
States economy, rules and regulations,
     Internet of Things--on the state of the internet-connected 
devices industry and the impact of such industry on the United States 
economy, and
     Three-dimensional Printing--on the state of the three-
dimensional printing industry and the impact of such industry on the 
United States economy.
    NIST invites stakeholders throughout the scientific research, 
standards, advocacy, industry, and non-scientific communities, 
including the general public, to provide input for creating a forward-
thinking approach that supports emerging technology to foster economic 
growth and competitiveness across the Nation in ways that benefit all 
Americans. NIST will develop the report in a manner consistent with its 
mission to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness.

Request for Information

    The following list of topics covers the major areas about which 
NIST seeks information. The listed areas are not intended to limit the 
topics that may be addressed by respondents so long as they address the 
current and future issues within one or more emerging technology areas. 
For each emerging technology area, NIST seeks information related to: 
The relevant marketplaces; supply chains; legislative, policy and 
standards needs; and strategic public-private partnerships to enhance 
adoption:

Technology Development

     NIST seeks to gain greater awareness of the federal 
agencies that have jurisdiction over the emerging technology area, or 
with which industry interacts on issues related to the emerging 
technology areas.
     NIST seeks information on what the federal government 
could do to foster or enhance the adoption of technology or help expand 
economic opportunities within the emerging technology areas.
     NIST seeks to better understand the current and future 
needs, as well as

[[Page 66288]]

risks, for standards development in the emerging technology areas.
     NIST seeks information on existing standards forums in the 
emerging technology areas.
     NIST seeks to better understand the needs of industry in 
future public-private investment partnerships to foster innovation in 
the emerging technology areas.
     NIST seeks information on how existing legislation and/or 
regulations may help or hinder the maturation of the emerging 
technology areas in the marketplace, and any areas where new 
legislation and/or regulations are needed to advance the emerging 
technology areas in the marketplace.

Technology Applications & Utilization

     NIST seeks to gain greater awareness of industry's 
utilization of the emerging technology areas.
     NIST seeks information on strengthening regional 
innovation centers across the United States.
     NIST seeks information regarding the current marketplace 
landscape and projected changes to the marketplace with the adoption of 
the emerging technology areas.
     NIST seeks information on risks and long-term trends in 
the marketplace for the emerging technology areas.
     NIST seeks information on risks and long-term trends in 
supply chains within the emerging technology areas.
     NIST seeks information about how organizations identify 
and assess risks posed to supply chains within the emerging technology 
areas.
     NIST seeks information regarding foreign capability and 
capacity within the emerging technology areas.

Alicia Chambers,
NIST Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2021-25428 Filed 11-19-21; 8:45 am]
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