[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 80 (Wednesday, April 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25378-25380]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08591]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


National Semiconductor Technology Center Selection Committee

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Solicitation of nominations.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (``Department'') seeks nominations 
for immediate consideration for a Selection Committee that will play an 
important role in the success of the national semiconductor technology 
center (``NSTC''), a public private-sector consortium that the 
Secretary of Commerce will establish under the CHIPS Act. The Selection 
Committee is

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responsible for selecting individuals, who will serve as board members 
and form an independent, non-profit entity that the Department 
anticipates will serve as the operator of the NSTC. The Department will 
choose the Selection Committee members from the nominations submitted 
in response to this FRN. The Selection Committee will act independently 
of the Department. The Department seeks nominations of individuals for 
the Selection Committee, who by virtue of their experience and 
expertise, will identify distinguished, purpose-driven, visionary 
leaders for the new independent, non-profit entity.

DATES: Nominations for immediate consideration to serve on the 
Selection Committee must be received on or before 5:00 p.m. EST on May 
10, 2023. Nominations will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the 
deadline.

ADDRESSES: Please submit nominations via email to Kevin Kimball, Senior 
Advisor, CHIPS R&D Office, U.S. Department of Commerce, NIST, 100 
Bureau Drive, MS1000, Gaithersburg, MD 20899; email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Kimball, Senior Advisor, CHIPS 
R&D Office, U.S. Department of Commerce, NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, 
MS1000, Gaithersburg, MD 20899; email: [email protected]; telephone: 240-
778-3977. For additional information about the national semiconductor 
technology center, please visit https://www.nist.gov/document/vision-and-strategy-national-semiconductor-technology-center. For media 
inquiries, please contact Matt Hill at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

The NSTC Public Private-Sector Consortium

    The Department has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to establish 
a transformative center for the U.S. to lead in advanced semiconductor 
R&D, manufacturing, and workforce initiatives for decades to come. The 
NSTC will provide a platform where government, industry, customers, 
suppliers, educational institutions, community colleges, large 
companies, small companies, startups, workforce representatives, 
investors, and international allies and partners collaborate. A 
successful NSTC will advance critical semiconductor research and 
development, while reducing the time and cost of bringing technologies 
to market. By integrating efforts across a complex ecosystem, the NSTC 
will expand access to facilities and resources and allow industry, 
academia and government to build on each other's work. The Department 
expects that the NSTC will consist of a headquarters facility and an 
integrated network of NSTC-affiliated technical centers with locations 
geographically distributed to leverage existing capabilities. It will 
start an investment fund that enables future innovations in early-stage 
companies and will create programs that strengthen and expand the 
semiconductor workforce. To read more about the Department's vision and 
strategy for the NSTC, see the NSTC White Paper available at https://www.nist.gov/document/vision-and-strategy-national-semiconductor-technology-center.
    As set forth in the CHIPS Act,\1\ the NSTC will be established by 
the Secretary of Commerce, in collaboration with the Secretary of 
Defense, and operated as a public private-sector consortium. The 
Department has also reviewed the governance structures of various 
existing consortia and similar research centers to identify the best 
features to incorporate into the governance of the NSTC. To best 
effectuate its vision and the goals of the CHIPS Act, the Department 
has determined that the consortium requires a dedicated operator with 
world-class leadership and a public interest focus. The Department 
anticipates that a new, purpose-built, independent, non-profit entity 
will serve in this role.
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    \1\ ``The CHIPS Act'' or ``the Act'' refers to the William M. 
(Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2021, Public Law 116-283, 9901-9908, 134 Stat. 3388, 4843-4860 
(2021) (codified at 15 U.S.C. 4651-4657), as amended by the CHIPS 
Act of 2022, Public Law 117-167, 101-107, 136 Stat. 1366, 1372-1390 
(2022) (codified as amended at 15 U.S.C. 4651-4843).
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Selection Committee Information

    Through this notice, the Department seeks to encourage the 
formation of this independent, non-profit entity by inviting the public 
to nominate individuals for the Selection Committee. The Selection 
Committee will then select the board members that may form a new 
independent, non-profit entity. The Selection Committee and selected 
board members will act independently of the Department. The Department 
seeks nominations of individuals for immediate consideration. The 
Department will select the Selection Committee members from the 
nominations submitted in response to this FRN. The Department expects 
the Selection Committee to be composed of no more than 7 members. The 
Department will select members to the Selection Committee based on 
their qualifications and experience relevant to the Committee's task. 
The Department seeks nominees with a record of exceptional 
accomplishment in their field. The nominees must have one of the 
following qualifications:
     Senior executive experience with large, complex, 
sophisticated organizations (public or private sector); or
     Senior executive experience at large research 
institutions, educational institutions, foundations, corporations, or 
companies that make or purchase semiconductors; or
     Record of distinguished service in the public sector, 
preferably including a high-level government position in national 
security.
    Additional factors that will be considered include:
     Expertise and experience in semiconductors, advanced 
technology;
     Expertise and experience in economics, finance, 
management, workforce, business, or entrepreneurship;
     Public or private sector board service;
     Demonstrated commitment to the public interest.
    The Department will review all nominations to ensure they meet the 
requirements of the qualifications criteria. The applications that do 
will be reviewed by an internal Department committee. Members will be 
selected in a manner that ensures that the Selection Committee 
understands the nation's needs for a robust domestic semiconductor 
ecosystem and workforce. Diverse membership ensures perspectives and 
expertise reflecting the full breadth of the Selection Committee's 
responsibilities.
    Nominees must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent residents of 
the United States. Self-nominations are welcomed as are other 
nominations. Nominees may not be a current semiconductor industry 
executive or Federal employee. Nominees may not be registered as a 
foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act or as a 
lobbyist under the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
    Nominees chosen for the Selection Committee will be notified by the 
Department. Once selected, members of the Selection Committee will 
serve in their personal capacity and not in a representative capacity 
on behalf of any other individual, entity, or organization. Members 
will not advise the Federal Government, perform a Federal Government 
function, or be Federal employees. Members will not be compensated for 
their services or reimbursed for their travel expenses.

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    The Selection Committee shall automatically terminate no later than 
August 31, 2023.

Nomination Information

    All nominations for membership on the Selection Committee should 
provide the following information:
     Name and relevant contact information (including phone 
number and email address) of the nominee;
     A short statement (no more than 500 words) of interest in 
or fit for the role;
     A short biography of relevant credentials;
     An affirmative statement that the nominee meets all 
eligibility requirements.
    Nominations should be emailed to Kevin Kimball, Senior Advisor, 
CHIPS R&D Office, U.S. Department of Commerce, NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, 
MS1000, Gaithersburg, MD 20899; email: [email protected], and must be 
received on or before 5:00 p.m. EST on May 10, 2023.

Privacy Act Statement

    The collection, maintenance, and disclosure of this information is 
governed by the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a). The Department of 
Commerce is authorized to collect this information pursuant to 
authorities that include but are not limited to: 15 U.S.C. 1512; 15 
U.S.C. 4656, 4659. The principal purposes for which the Department will 
use the information is to assist in choosing members of the Selection 
Committee. Information received will be maintained in a Privacy Act 
system of records, COMMERCE/DEPT-23, entitled ``Information Collected 
Electronically in Connection with Department of Commerce Activities, 
Events, and Programs.'' A notice describing that system, including a 
complete set of routine disclosures, has been published both in the 
Federal Register and on the Department's website at: https://www.osec.doc.gov/opog/privacyact/SORNs/dept-23.html.
    Disclosing this information to the Department of Commerce is 
voluntary. However, if you do not provide this information, or only 
provide part of the information requested, you may not be considered 
for membership on the Selection Committee. The nominations the 
Department receives for the Selection Committee may be shared with the 
Selection Committee; the Selection Committee may or may not use the 
nominations to identify board members to form an independent, non-
profit entity that the Department anticipates will serve as the 
operator of the NSTC. By submitting your application, you agree to 
these disclosure terms.
    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 4656, 4659.

Alicia Chambers,
NIST Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2023-08591 Filed 4-25-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P