[Federal Register: August 10, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 153)] [Notices] [Page 43355-43356] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr10au99-47] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Institute of Standards and Technology Announcement of a Partially Closed Meeting of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership National Advisory Board agency: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce. action: Notice of partially closed meeting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- summary: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app. 2, notice is hereby given that the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST's) Manufacturing Extension Partnership National Advisory Board (MEPNAB) will meet to hold a meeting on Thursday, September 9, 1999. The MEPNAB is composed of nine members appointed by the Director of NIST who were selected for their expertise in the area of industrial extension and their work on behalf of smaller manufacturers. The Board was set up, under the direction of the Director of NIST, to fill a need for outside input on MEP. MEP is a unique program consisting of centers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. The centers have been created by a state, federal, and local partnership. The Board works closely with MEP to provide input and advice on MEP's programs, plans, and policies. The purpose of this meeting is to delve into areas of operation determined by the Board. The agenda includes an MEP overview status, leveraging of the ATP results for smaller manufacturers, and ideas for moving towards performance-based operations. The portion of the meeting, which involves personnel and propriety budget information, will be closed to the public. All other portions of the meeting will be open to the public. date and address: The meeting will convene on September 9, 1999, at 8 a.m. and will adjourn at 3:30 p.m. and will be held at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Building 101, 10th floor conference room, Gaithersburg, Maryland. The closed [[Page 43356]] portion of the meeting is scheduled from 8-9:30 a.m. supplementary information: The Assistant Secretary for Administration with the concurrence of the General Counsel formally determined on December 21, 1998, pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, that these portions of the meeting may be properly closed because they are concerned with matters that are within the purview of 5 U.S.C. 522(c)(4), (6) and (9)(b). A copy of the determination is available for public inspection in the Central Reference and Records Inspection Facility, Room 6219, Main Commerce. MEP's services to small manufacturers address the needs of the national market as well as the unique needs of each company. Since MEP is committed to providing this type of individualized service through its centers, the program requires the perspective of locally based experts to be incorporated into its national plans. The MEPNAB was established at the direction of the NIST Director to maintain MEP's focus on local and market-based needs. The MEPNAB was approved on October 24, 1996, in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app. 2., to provide advice on MEP programs, plans, and policies; to assess the soundness of MEP plans and strategies; to assess the current performance against MEP program plans, and to function in an advisory capacity. The Board will meet three times a year and reports to the Director of NIST. This will be the third meeting of the MEPNAB in 1999. for further information contact: Linda Acierto, Assistant to the Director for Policy, Manufacturing Extension Partnership, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, telephone number (301) 975-5033. Dated; August 4, 1999. Karen H. Brown, Deputy Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology. [FR Doc 99-20573 Filed 8-9-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3150-13-M