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BIS Technical Advisory Committees

What Are Technical Advisory Committees?

Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) advise the Department of Commerce on the technical parameters for export controls applicable to dual-use commodities and technology and on the administration of those controls. The TACs are composed of representatives from industry and Government representing diverse points of view on the concerns of the exporting community. Industry representatives are selected from firms producing a broad range of goods, technologies, and software presently controlled for national security, foreign policy, nonproliferation, and short supply reasons or that are proposed for such controls, balanced to the extent possible among large and small firms.

TAC members are appointed by the Secretary of Commerce and serve terms of not more than four consecutive years. The membership reflects the Department's commitment to attaining balance and diversity. TAC members must obtain secret-level clearances prior to appointment. These clearances are necessary so that members can be permitted access to relevant classified information needed in formulating recommendations to the Department of Commerce. Each TAC meets approximately four times per year. Members of the TACs are not compensated for their services.

How Many TACs Are There and What Do They Do?

The following is a list of TACs that currently advise BIS, along with a short summary of each TAC's issue areas. You can access the committee's charter by clicking on its name.

Emerging Technology and Research - Identification of emerging technologies and research and development activities that may be of interest from a dual-use perspective, the prioritization of new and existing controls to determine which are of greatest consequence to national security, the potential impact of dual-use export control requirements on research activities and the threat to national security posed by the unauthorized export of technologies.
Information Systems- Articles, materials and supplies of computers, electronics, and telecommunications equipment.
Materials - Articles, materials, and supplies for radar absorption, jet engine turbines blades, super-conductivity, fluids, lubricants, composites, and for nuclear, missile, chemical, and biological weapons, including technical data and other information.
Materials Processing Equipment- Articles, materials and supplies of metal-working equipment, numerically controlled machine tools and robots, including technical data on the integration of numerically controlled machine tools and robotics equipment to form manufacturing cells and flexible manufacturing systems and enterprise automation technologies, as well as other information.
Regulations and Procedures- The Export Administration Regulations "EAR" and procedures implementing these regulations.
Sensors and Instrumentation- Articles, materials and supplies of sensors and instrumentation, including technical data and other information.
Transportation and Related Equipment- Articles, materials and supplies of transportation and related equipment, including technical data and other information.

MEETING SCHEDULE
January	28-29 Information Systems (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., Moffett Field, CA Meeting Notice\| 27 Sensors and Instrumentation (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|
2008
December	10 Regulations and Procedures (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 4830 Meeting Notice 8 Emerging Technology and Research (Partially Closed Meeting) - 1:30 p.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\| 4 Transportation and Related Equipment (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 6087B Meeting Notice
November	20 Materials (Partially Closed Meeting) - 10:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice \| 5-6 Information Systems (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes
October	28 Sensors and Instrumentation (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes 16 Materials Processing and Equipment (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|
September	23 Emerging Technology and Research (Open Meeting) - 10:30 a.m., HCHB 4830 Meeting Notice\|Minutes 11 Transportation and Related Equipment (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 6087B Meeting Notice 9 Regulations and Procedures (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice
August	14 Materials (Partially Closed Meeting) - 10:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice \| 7 Materials Processing and Equipment (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 6087B Meeting Notice\|
July	29 Sensors and Instrumentation (Open Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\| 23-24 Information Systems (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes
June	10 Regulations and Procedures (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 4830 Meeting Notice
May	15 Materials (Partially Closed Meeting) - 10:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice \|Minutes 8 Transportation and Related Equipment (Open Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes
April	29 Sensors and Instrumentation (Open Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes 23-24 Information Systems (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes
March	13 Materials Processing and Equipment (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\| 11 Regulations and Procedures (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice
February	20-21 Information Systems (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., San Diego, CA Meeting Notice\|Minutes 21 Materials ( Partially Closed Meeting) - 10:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes 6 Transportation and Related Equipment (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes
January	29 Sensors and Instrumentation (Open Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes
2007
December	13 Materials Processing and Equipment (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes 4 Regulations and Procedures (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice
November	15 Transportation and Related Equipment (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes 7-8 Information Systems (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 4830/3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes
October	30 Sensors and Instrumentation (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes 11 Materials ( Partially Closed Meeting) - 10:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes 11 Materials Processing and Equipment (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 6087B Meeting Notice\|Minutes
September	12 Transportation and Related Equipment (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\| 11 Regulations and Procedures (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 4830 Meeting Notice 10 Deemed Export (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., Washington, HCHB Auditorium Meeting Notice
July	31 Sensors and Instrumentation (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice 30-31 Deemed Export (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., Chicago, IL, Meeting Notice\|Minutes 25-26 Information Systems (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes 12 Materials ( Partially Closed Meeting) - 10:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice
June	19 Deemed Export (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., Cambridge, MA, Meeting Notice\|Minutes 12 Regulations and Procedures (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 4830 Meeting Notice
May	2 Deemed Export (Partially Closed Meeting) - 8:00 a.m., Atlanta, GA Meeting Notice\|Minutes 2 Transportation and Related Equipment (Open Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 6087B Meeting Notice\|Minutes
April	25-26 Information Systems (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes 24 Sensors and Instrumentation (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes 19 Materials ( Partially Closed Meeting) - 10:30 a.m., HCHB 6087B Meeting Notice
March	8 Materials Processing and Equipment (Open Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice 6 Regulations and Procedures (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 4830 Meeting Notice
February	27-28 Information Systems (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., San Diego, CA Meeting Notice\|Minutes 7 Transportation and Related Equipment (Open Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 6087B Meeting Notice\|Minutes 1 Materials ( Partially Closed Meeting) - 10:30 a.m., HCHB 6059 Meeting Notice\|Minutes
January	30 Sensors and Instrumentation (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 6087B Meeting Notice\|Minutes 22-23 Deemed Export (Partially Closed Meeting) - 8:00 a.m., Santa Clara, CA Meeting Notice\|Minutes
2006
December	5 Regulations and Procedures (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice
November	16 Materials Processing and Equipment (Open Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice 9 Transportation and Related Equipment (Open Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 6087B Meeting Notice\|Minutes 8 Information Systems (Open Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\| Minutes
October	24 Sensors and Instrumentation (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\| Minutes 12 Deemed Export (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m. HCHB Auditorium Meeting Notice\|Minutes
September	13 Transportation and Related Equipment (Open Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes 12 Regulations and Procedures (Open Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 4830 Meeting Notice 7 Materials ( Partially Closed Meeting) - 10:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\| Minutes
July	26-27 Information Systems (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\| Minutes 25 Sensors and Instrumentation (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes 6 Materials Processing and Equipment (Open Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice
June	29 Materials ( Partially Closed Meeting) - 10:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice 13 Regulations and Procedures (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 4830 Meeting Notice
May	3 Transportation and Related Equipment (Open Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 6087B Meeting Notice\|Minutes
April	26 Information Systems (Open Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice \| Minutes 25 Sensors and Instrumentation (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\|Minutes
March	15 Materials Processing and Equipment (Open Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 1410 Meeting Notice 7 Regulations and Procedures (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice 2 Materials (Open) - 10:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice \| Minutes
February	22-23 Information Systems (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:00 a.m., San Diego, CA Meeting Notice\| Minutes 9 Transportation and Related Equipment (Open Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\| Minutes
January	31 Sensors and Instrumentation (Partially Closed Meeting) - 9:30 a.m., HCHB 3884 Meeting Notice\| Minutes
Meeting Notice and Minutes Archive

Join a TAC!

The TACs seek new members on an ongoing basis. The current Notice of Recruitment, which was published in the Federal Register on July 24, 2008, explains how to apply.

For more information, send an e-mail to: Committee Liaison Officer