U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
CHARTER OF THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY
VISITING COMMITTEE ON ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

ESTABLISHMENT:

In accordance with 15 U.S.C. 278 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. app. 2), the Secretary of Commerce hereby recharters the Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology.

OBJECTIVE AND DUTIES:

1. The Committee shall review and make recommendations regarding general policy for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), its organization, its budget, and its programs, within the framework of applicable national policies as set forth by the President and the Congress.

2. The Committee will function solely as an advisory body, in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

MEMBERS AND CHAIRPERSONS:

1. The Director of NIST shall appoint the members of the Committee. Members shall be selected on a clear, standardized basis, in accordance with applicable Department of Commerce guidance. Members shall be selected solely on the basis of established records of distinguished service; shall provide representation of a cross-section of traditional and emerging United States industries; and shall be eminent in fields such as business, research, new product development, engineering, labor, education, management consulting, environment, and international relations. No employee of the Federal Government shall serve as a member of the Committee.

2. The membership of the Committee shall consist of fifteen members. The term of office of each member of the Committee shall be three years, except that vacancy appointments shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term of the vacancy.

3. Any person who has completed two consecutive full terms of service on the Committee shall be ineligible for appointment for a third term during the one year period following the expiration of the second term.

4. The Committee chairperson and vice chairperson shall be elected by the members of the Committee. The vice chairperson shall perform the duties of the chairperson in his or her absence. In case a vacancy occurs in the position of the chairperson or vice chairperson, the Committee shall elect a member to fill such vacancy.

5. Members shall serve as Special Government Employees (SGEs) and will be subject to the ethics standards applicable to SGEs.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS:

1. The Committee shall report to the Director of NIST. The Director's Office shall provide staff support for the Committee.

2. The Committee will meet at least twice each year at the call of the chairperson, except that additional meetings may be called whenever one-third of the members so request in writing.

3. Members of the Committee will not be compensated for their services, but will, upon request, be allowed travel expenses in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 5701 et seq., while attending meetings of the Committee or of its subcommittees, or while otherwise performing duties at the request of the chairperson, while away from their homes or a regular place of business.

4. The Committee may, with the concurrence of a majority of its members, permit the appointment of a staff consisting of not more than four professional staff members and such clerical staff members as may be necessary. Such staff members shall be appointed by the Director, after consultation with the chairperson of the Committee, and assigned at the direction of the Committee.

5. The Committee shall provide an annual report, through the Director of NIST, to the Secretary of Commerce for submission to the Congress not later than 30 days after the submittal to Congress of the President’s annual budget request in each year. Such report shall deal essentially, though not necessarily exclusively, with policy issues or matters which affect NIST, or with which the Committee in its official role as the private sector policy adviser of NIST is concerned. Each such report shall identify areas of program emphasis for NIST of potential importance to the long-term competitiveness of United States industry. Such report also shall comment on the programmatic planning document and updates thereto submitted to Congress by the Director under subsections (c) and (d) of section 23 of the NIST Act (15 U.S.C. 278i). The Committee shall submit to the Secretary and the Congress such additional reports on specific policy matters as it deems appropriate.

6. The annual cost of operating the Committee is estimated at $116,800, which includes 1.3 work years of staff support.

7. The Committee shall not act in the absence of a quorum, which shall consist of a majority of the members of the Committee not having a conflict of interest in the matter being considered by the Committee.

8. The Committee shall have an executive committee, and may delegate to it such functions of the Committee as it deems appropriate. The Committee may establish such other subcommittees, task forces, and working groups consisting of its members as may be necessary, subject to the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and the Department of Commerce Committee Management Handbook.

9. The Designated Federal Officer will be the Executive Director of the Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology.

DURATION:

This charter shall terminate two years from the date of the filing of this charter with the appropriate U.S. Senate and House of Representatives Oversight Committees unless earlier terminated or renewed by proper authority.

/s/
Otto Wolff
02/29/08