[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 101 (Wednesday, May 25, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31914-31915]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11223]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY


Request for Information (RFI) on Implementing Initial Findings 
and Recommendations of the National Artificial Intelligence Research 
Resource Task Force

AGENCY: White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and 
National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Request for information (RFI).

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SUMMARY: The Office of Science and Technology Policy and the National 
Science Foundation are seeking comment on the initial findings and 
recommendations contained in the interim report of the National 
Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Task Force (``Task 
Force'') and particularly on potential approaches to implement those 
recommendations. The Task Force has been directed by Congress to 
develop an implementation roadmap for a shared research infrastructure 
that would provide artificial intelligence (AI) researchers and 
students with access to computational resources, high-quality data, 
training tools, and user support. Comments in response to this RFI will 
inform the development of the Task Force's final report, which is 
expected to be released in December 2022.

DATES: To be considered, responses and comments must be received no 
later than 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 30, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Comments submitted in response to this notice may be sent by 
any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Email submissions should 
be machine-readable and not be copy-protected. Submissions should 
include ``RFI Response: National AI Research Resource Interim Report'' 
in the subject line of the message.
     Mail: Attn: Jeri Hessman, National Coordination Office for 
Networking and Information Technology Research and Development, 2415 
Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA.
    Instructions: Response to this RFI is voluntary. Each individual or 
institution is requested to submit only one response. Submissions must 
be in 11 point or larger font, include a page number on each page, and 
not exceed 10 pages (exclusive of cover page). Responses should include 
the name of the person(s) or organization(s) filing the comment. 
Responses should refer to the particular topic letter(s), as listed 
below, to which the comments pertain.
    Comments containing references, studies, research, and other 
empirical data that are not widely published should include copies or 
electronic links of the referenced materials; these materials, as well 
as a list of references, do not count toward the 10-page limit. No 
proprietary information, copyrighted information, or personally 
identifiable information (aside from that requested above) should be 
submitted in response to this RFI. Comments submitted in response to 
this RFI may be posted online at https://www.ai.gov/nairrtf.
    In accordance with FAR 15.202(3), responses to this notice are not 
offers and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding 
contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated 
with response preparation.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeri Hessman and [email protected], (202) 459-9683. Individuals who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 
p.m. EDT on Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Congress directed the National Science Foundation (NSF), in 
coordination with the White House Office of Science and Technology 
Policy (OSTP), to establish the NAIRR Task Force in the William M. 
(Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2021, 15 U.S.C. 9415, and in accordance with the provisions of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act. The mandate of the Task Force is to 
investigate the feasibility and advisability of establishing and 
sustaining a NAIRR, and to propose a roadmap detailing how such a 
resource should be established and sustained.
    The Task Force was launched on June 10, 2021, as a Federal Advisory 
Committee co-chaired by NSF and OSTP and composed of representatives 
from the U.S. Government, academia, and the private sector. Its 
members' expertise spans foundational, use-inspired, and trustworthy AI 
R&D, as

[[Page 31915]]

well as research cyberinfrastructure including data and data privacy.
    Between its launch date and the time of publication of its interim 
report, the Task Force convened seven virtual public meetings to 
discuss and deliberate on key NAIRR uses, potential impacts, system 
requirements, and design elements. At these meetings, the Task Force 
consulted 39 expert briefers and panelists to augment the members' own 
expertise, and to ensure that a diversity of perspectives and 
experiences were considered in Task Force discussions and 
deliberations. The Task Force also reviewed 84 public responses to a 
July 2021 RFI regarding key aspects of the NAIRR. More information on 
the Task Force members, past meetings, prior RFI responses, and 
upcoming meetings is available at https://AI.gov/nairrtf.
    The Task Force's interim report, published on May 25, 2022, 
provides a general vision for the NAIRR along with a preliminary set of 
findings and recommendations regarding the NAIRR architecture, 
resources, capabilities, and users. Moving forward, the Task Force will 
refine its findings and recommendations for the design of the NAIRR and 
deliberate on remaining open questions. In doing so, the Task Force 
will develop a detailed roadmap and implementation plan for the NAIRR. 
The Task Force's final report is anticipated to be released in December 
2022.
    This RFI seeks input from a broad array of stakeholders on the 
topics set forth below. Comments from the public will be used to inform 
the Task Force's consideration of options and development of an 
implementation roadmap as part of the Task Force's final report.
    Responders are invited to provide feedback on the findings and 
recommendations put forward in the Task Force's interim report, and 
particularly input on how the recommendations could be responsibly and 
effectively implemented. Responses may address the following areas 
[please note the topic letter(s) to which comments pertain]:
    a. Vision for the NAIRR. Including strategic goals and objectives, 
composition, and user base. (Chapter 2 of the report)
    b. Establishment and sustainment of the NAIRR. Including agency 
roles, resource ownership and administration, governance and oversight, 
resource allocation and sustainment, and performance indicators and 
metrics. (Chapter 3 of the report)
    c. NAIRR resource elements and capabilities. Including data, 
government datasets, compute resources, testbeds, user interface, and 
educational tools and services. (Chapter 4 of the report)
    d. System security and user access controls. (Chapter 5 of the 
report)
    e. Privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties requirements. 
(Chapter 6 of the report)
    f. Ideas for developing a roadmap to establish and build out the 
NAIRR in a phased approach, and appropriate milestones for implementing 
the NAIRR. Including data sets, use cases, and capabilities that should 
be prioritized in the early stages of establishment of the resource.
    g. Other areas relevant to the development of the NAIRR 
implementation plan.
    To the extent possible, responders are asked to include 
alternatives for consideration when not in agreement with the initial 
findings and/or recommendations articulated by the Task Force. When 
providing input on possible implementation steps, responses should 
include, where possible, descriptions of best practices or existing 
models that the Task Force could consider in the development of an 
implementation roadmap.
    Responders interested in providing additional information to the 
Task Force are invited to attend a public listening session on June 23, 
2022, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT. Further details can be found 
through the Federal Register Notice entitled Public Listening Session 
on Implementing Initial Findings and Recommendations of the National 
Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Task Force.
    Submitted by the National Science Foundation and the White House 
Office of Science and Technology Policy on May 19, 2022.

Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
Stacy Murphy,
Operations Manager White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
[FR Doc. 2022-11223 Filed 5-24-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P