Federal Communications Commission DA 22-255 2 DA 22-255 March 15, 2022 Announcement of Rechartering and Solicitation of Members for the World Radiocommunication Conference Advisory Committee IB Docket No. 16-185 By this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission (“Commission”) announces the rechartering of its World Radiocommunication Conference Advisory Committee (hereinafter the “Committee”), subject to the approval of the General Services Administration (GSA), and further solicits applications for members on the Committee. PURPOSE AND FUNCTIONS The Committee’s mission is to provide to the Commission advice, technical support, and recommended proposals for the International Telecommunication Union World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs). In particular, the Committee will focus on the international frequency spectrum issues identified on the WRC-23 agenda with the goal of identifying private sector/public priorities and objectives. The Committee will be charged with gathering the data and information necessary to formulate meaningful recommendations for these objectives. Additional information on WRCs, specifically WRC-23, is available at https://www.fcc.gov/wrc-23 BACKGROUND The renewed Charter will become effective on March 31, 2022, for another two (2) year term, subject to GSA approval. This renewal is necessary and is in the public interest. The Committee will operate in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2. Each meeting of the Committee will be open to the public. A notice of each meeting will be published in the Federal Register at least fifteen (15) days in advance of the meeting. Records will be maintained of each meeting and made available for public inspection. WHO MAY APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP AND OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS The Commission seeks applications from interested organizations, institutions, 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 that are necessary to address effectively the questions before the Committee. Individuals who do not represent an organization, institution, or entity, but who possess expertise valuable to the Committee’s work may also apply. However, any applicants who want to serve in their individual capacities should be aware that government ethics rules may require detailed financial and other disclosures as part of the consideration of their application to serve as independent subject matter experts, and if appointed such individuals would be considered special government employees (SGEs). Individuals are ineligible to serve as SGEs, however, if they are federally registered lobbyists. Applicants should describe both their specific interests and their expertise or experience as it relates to the questions before the Committee, including such matters as wireless communications infrastructure and equipment, telecommunications, fixed, mobile, broadcasting, satellite, and other radiocommunication services, consumer advocacy, and underserved populations (e.g., persons living in rural areas and tribal communities). All organizational or individual members appointed to the Committee or its working groups are subject to an ethics review by the Commission’s Office of General Counsel. Those applicants appointed to serve on the Committee in an individual capacity as 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 reports 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. In preparation for WRC-23, it is anticipated that the Committee will continue to meet two to three times per calendar year. Until further notice, meetings of the Committee will be conducted virtually. In addition, working groups are described on the Committee’s website, and all members would be expected to participate in working groups for which they have interest and qualifications. All meetings will be fully accessible to individuals with disabilities. APPLICATION PROCEDURE, DEADLINE AND MEMBER APPOINTMENTS Each organization, institution or entity (organizational applicant) may propose for nomination one primary representative. Organizational applicants are also encouraged to propose one alternate representative. The application requirements for both organizational and individual applicants are set forth below. Applications from organizational applicants should include the following: · Name, title, and organization of the nominee and a description of the organization, sector or other interest the nominee will represent; · Nominee’s complete contact information (mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone number(s)); · Nominee’s resume; · A statement summarizing the nominee’s qualifications and reasons why the nominee should be appointed to the Committee; and · A statement describing the organization the nominee would represent, with an explanation of the benefit of having the organization represented on the Committee. The application from organizational applicants must be accompanied by the following: · The nomination must be confirmed by a statement from an authorized person (e.g., organization or company official) that such organization or company supports the application of the nominated person to represent it on the Committee. The nominating official must possess the executive authority, or hold a sufficiently high-level position within the organization or company, to select a representative for membership on the committee whose actions as a committee member will be legally binding on the organization or company. For example, this confirmation may be in the following format: “I am [insert official’s name], the [insert official’s title] at the [insert name of organization - e.g., company, government entity, trade association, etc.], with responsibilities for [concise description of position]. My organization supports [insert proposed member’s name], who is currently [an employee of/consultant/attorney to the company], to serve as our representative on the World Radiocommunication Conference Advisory Committee of the FCC.” For applicants seeking to represent an entity that is a party to an FCC contract or subcontract or providing services for the benefit of the FCC under contract or subcontract, or in the case of any applicant who is individually a party to such a contract or providing services for the benefit of the FCC under such a contract, the nomination must include the following: (1) a general description of the contract/agreement; (2) a description of the product/services that the applicant provides pursuant to the contract/agreement; (3) a list of all parties to the contract/agreement; (4) the name of the Commission contracting officer (if known); and (5) a certification made by the applicant that the applicant has provided written notice to the contracting officer and the FCC Manager, Contracts and Purchasing Center, that the applicant or representative nominee, as applicable, has applied for membership on the Commission’s World Radiocommunication Conference Advisory Committee. Applications from individual applicants who would serve as SGEs, as defined above, should include the following: · Name, title, and organization of the applicant; · Applicant’s complete contact information (mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone number); · Applicant’s resume; · A statement summarizing the applicant’s qualifications and reasons why the applicant should be appointed to the Committee; · A statement that the applicant does not have a contractual or other financial agreement (including as a subcontractor) with the Commission. · A statement that the applicant is not a registered federal lobbyist (and as noted above, financial and other additional disclosures may also apply to individual applicants). In addition to the application information required above, 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. Members of the Committee who fail to disclose any such interests (whether in their initial applications or after appointment to the Committee) will be subject to removal from the Committee. Members who are appointed will serve at the discretion of the Chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission. Committee members will not be compensated for their service. Applicants must be willing to commit to serve through the completion of the Committee’s work in preparation for WRC-23 (scheduled for November - December 2023). Members should be willing and able to attend the meetings of the Committee and are also expected to participate in deliberations of at least one working group. The time commitment to each working group may be substantial. Working group deliberations may be conducted through virtual meetings, e-mail and teleconferences. Nominations and all applications, including contact information and the statement of qualifications, should be submitted by e-mail to WRC-23@fcc.gov by March 31, 2022. Because the Commission recognizes that technologies and spectrum priorities may evolve over the course of the multi-year WRC-23 preparatory cycle and that the expertise or experience relevant to the mission of this Committee may change over time, the Commission will continue to accept applications for Committee Membership on a rolling basis after the initial March 31, 2022 deadline. For additional information about the Committee, please contact Dante Ibarra, Designated Federal Official for the Committee, at (202) 418-0610 (WRC-23@fcc.gov and Dante.Ibarra@fcc.gov).  - FCC -