DA 18-862
Released: August 21, 2018

FCC ANNOUNCES ANTICIPATED RENEWAL OF ITS DISABILITY ADVISORY
COMMITTEE AND SOLICITS APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP ON THE COMMITTEE


By this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces the anticipated renewal of its Disability Advisory Committee (Committee) and solicits applications for membership on the Committee, subject to renewal of the Committee’s charter.  Applications for membership are due by 11:59 P.M. EST on September 21, 2018.  The mission of the Committee is to make recommendations to the Commission regarding disability issues specified by the Commission.  Some of the issues the Committee has addressed in the past include telecommunications relay services, closed captioning, video description, access to emergency information on television, telephone emergency notifications, device accessibility, technology transitions, and the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program.  For additional background about the Committee, please visit its website: www.fcc.gov/disability-advisory-committee.  
 
The Commission seeks applications from interested persons with disabilities, consumer organizations, industry and trade associations, corporations, governmental entities, or other entities from both the public and private sectors that wish to be considered for membership on the Committee.  Selections will be based on factors such as expertise and diversity of viewpoints necessary to effectively address the topics before the Committee.  

The Commission will determine the appropriate Committee size necessary to effectively accomplish the Committee’s work.  While there is no required number of meetings, we expect that each calendar year the Committee will meet in Washington, D.C. for a minimum of three one-day meetings.  Meetings will be fully accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Applicants must be willing to commit to a two-year term of service, should be willing to attend at least three one-day meetings in Washington, D.C., and should expect to participate in at least one working group or subcommittee.   Depending on the issues the Commission directs the Committee to provide guidance on, the time commitment to each working group or subcommittee may be substantial.  Working group deliberations are conducted primarily through email and teleconferences.   

The Commission does not provide payment or honoraria to members, and generally does not reimburse members for travel expenses, although it may have very limited funds to partially reimburse travel expenses of members who demonstrate need.

Some applicants possessing expertise or perspectives of interest to the Committee, and who will serve on the Committee in an individual capacity (and not as the representative of a nonprofit organization, corporation, or other entity), are deemed to be Special Government Employees (SGEs).  Such individuals are ineligible to serve if they are federally registered lobbyists.  In addition, all organizational or individual members of the Committee or its working groups are subject to an ethics review by the Commission’s Office of General Counsel.  SGEs are subject to a variety of restrictions under the conflict of interest statutes, 18 U.S.C. § 203 et seq., and the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch, 5 C.F.R. Part 2635.  SGEs must file confidential employee financial disclosure forms prior to beginning their service and annually thereafter.  SGEs will also be subject to ethics restrictions in section 4(b) of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. § 154(b), and in the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR Part 19 and 5 CFR Parts 3901 and 3902.

Applications should be received by the Commission no later than 11:59 P.M. EST, September 21, 2018.  Applications should be submitted via an online application form at www.fcc.gov/dac/application (preferred), via email to DAC@fcc.gov, or via US Mail to the Federal Communications Commission, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Attn:  Will Schell, 445 12th Street S.W., Room 3-C438, Washington, DC 20554.  Because mail delivery may be delayed by security screening, we urge interested parties to submit applications online.  Applications will be acknowledged shortly after receipt via email.  No specific application form is required for applicants who choose not to use the online application form.

Individual Applicants.  Applications from individual applicants should include the following:

· The applicant’s specific knowledge or expertise that is relevant to the Committee;
· A statement that the individual applicant is not a registered lobbyist (as noted above, financial and other additional disclosures may also apply to individual applicants);  
· A statement by the individual applicant indicating a willingness to serve on the Committee for a two-year term, a commitment to attend three plenary one-day meetings per year in Washington, D.C., a commitment to participate in at least one working group or subcommittee; and an acknowledgement that the individual applicant will serve without reimbursement of travel expenses or payment of honoraria;
· A statement as to whether the individual applicant has served on the Committee previously; and
· A current resume. 
Organizational Applicants.  Applications from nonprofit organizations, corporations, or other entities (“organizational applicants”) should include the following:  

· The name of the applicant applying for Committee membership (including whether the organizational applicant has previously served on the Committee); 
· The name of the applicant’s primary representative, including title, postal mailing address, email address, and telephone number; 
· The name of the applicant’s alternate representative, including title, postal mailing address, email address, and telephone number; 
· A statement of the interests represented by the applicant noting the constituency represented by the organizational applicant (e.g., persons with disabilities, government regulator, industry, trade association, etc.); 
· A current resume of the applicant’s primary and alternate representatives; 
· A statement by the applicant indicating a willingness to serve on the Committee for a two-year term, a commitment to attend at least three plenary one-day Committee meetings per year in Washington D.C., a commitment to work on at least one working group or subcommittee; and an acknowledgement that the organizational applicant will serve without reimbursement of travel expenses or payment of honoraria, and;
· A narrative statement detailing the organizational applicant's previous involvement concerning issues relevant to the Committee’s work and the applicant’s ability and willingness to contribute substantively to the Committee’s deliberations.
All members will have an initial and continuing obligation to disclose any interests in, or connections to, persons or entities that are, or will be, regulated by or have interests before the Commission.  

After the applications have been reviewed, and upon renewal of the Committee’s charter, the Commission will publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing the appointment of the Committee members and the first meeting date of the Committee.  All applicants will be notified concerning the disposition of their applications.  

For further information about the Committee, please contact:  Will Schell, Designated Federal Officer (DFO) for the Committee, Disability Rights Office, Federal Communications Commission, 
202-418-0767, will.schell@fcc.gov; or Debra Patkin, Alternate DFO for the Committee, debra.patkin@fcc.gov, (202) 870-5226 (phone/videophone for American Sign Language users).  

ACCESSIBLE FORMATS

To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 888-835-5322 (TTY).

– FCC –

3