Federal Communications Commission DA 22-710 _____________________________________________________________________________________ 2 DA 22-710 Released: July 1, 2022 FCC ANNOUNCES ANTICIPATED RENEWAL OF ITS CONSUMER ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND SOLICITS NOMINATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP By this Public Notice, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces the anticipated rechartering of the Consumer Advisory Committee (Committee) and solicits nominations for membership on the Committee, subject to renewal of the Committee’s charter on or before October 16, 2022. Nominations for membership are due on August 1, 2022. PURPOSE AND FUNCTION The Committee’s mission is to make recommendations to the Commission regarding topics of particular interest to consumers, to be specified by the Commission, and to facilitate consumers’ participation in proceedings before the Commission. For additional background about the Committee, see its website: https://www.fcc.gov/consumer-advisory-committee. BACKGROUND The renewed charter will become effective on or about October 16, 2022 for another two-year term. The Committee will operate in accordance with 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 will be made available for public inspection. The Commission will determine the appropriate Committee size necessary to effectively accomplish the Committee’s work. While there is no required number of meetings, the Committee typically holds meetings three times per calendar year, to be conducted in Washington, D.C., and/or by video conference. Members of the Committee will be expected to participate in at least one working group; depending on the issues the Commission directs the Committee to address, the time commitment for working group participation may be substantial. Working group deliberations are conducted primarily through email and teleconferences. Meetings will be accessible to individuals with disabilities. WHO MAY APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP AND OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS The Commission seeks nominations from interested nonprofit organizations, corporations, trade associations, government agencies, or other entities from both the public and private sectors, who wish to be considered for Committee membership for a two-year term of service. Selections will be made based on factors such as expertise and diversity of viewpoints that are necessary to effectively address the topics before the Committee. Individuals who do not represent an organization, corporation, trade association, 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 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). Federally registered lobbyists are not eligible to serve as SGEs. The Commission’s Office of General Counsel conducts ethics reviews of all organizational and individual members of the Committee or its working groups. SGEs, in particular, 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. NOMINATION PROCEDURE, DEADLINE, AND MEMBER APPOINTMENTS All nominations must be received by the Commission by no later than August 1, 2022, and should be submitted via an online nomination form at https://www.fcc.gov/consumer-advisory-committee unless use of that form would present a hardship, in which case the information and documents specified below may be submitted by email to CAC@fcc.gov. Nominations will be acknowledged shortly after receipt. APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR INDIVIDUALS Individuals seeking to serve as Special Government Employee members of the Committee should include the following application information: § The individual’s specific knowledge or expertise that is relevant to the Committee, including a statement that the applicant is not a registered lobbyist (as noted above, financial and other additional disclosures may also be required); § A statement that the applicant does not have a contractual or other financial agreement (including as a subcontractor) with the Commission; § A statement indicating a willingness to serve on the Committee for a two-year term, a commitment to attend at least three meetings per year (to be conducted in Washington, DC, and/or by video conference); § A commitment to participate in at least one working group; § An acknowledgement that the individual will not be entitled to receive reimbursement of travel expenses or payment of honoraria or other compensation from the Commission; § A statement indicating whether the individual has served on the Committee previously, the dates of such service and any working group(s) in which the individual applicant participated; and, § A current resume. APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR ORGANIZATIONS Applications from nonprofit organizations, corporations, trade associations, government agencies, or other entities should include the following: § The name of the entity nominating a representative and alternate representative (if any) to serve on the Committee on its behalf; § A statement indicating whether the entity has served on the Committee previously, the dates of such service, and any working group(s) in which the entity participated; § A statement indicating the nature of the entity’s interests (e.g., consumer advocate, disability advocate, government regulator, tribal government, industry, trade association, etc.); § The name of the entity’s proposed primary representative, including title, postal mailing address, email address, and telephone number; § The name of the entity’s proposed alternate representative (if any), including title, postal mailing address, email address, and telephone number; § Current resumes of the entity’s proposed primary and alternate representatives; § A statement by the entity indicating a willingness to have its representatives serve on the Committee for a two-year term, a commitment that its representative or alternative representative will attend at least three meetings per year (to be conducted in Washington, D.C., and/or by video conference); § A commitment that its representative or alternate representative will participate in at least one working group; § An acknowledgement that neither the entity nor its representatives will receive reimbursement of travel expenses or payment of honoraria from the Commission; and, § A narrative statement detailing the entity’s representative’s and alternate representative’s previous involvement concerning issues relevant to the Committee’s work and their ability and willingness to contribute substantively to the Committee’s deliberations. An organization, company, or other entity nominating a primary or alternate representative to serve on its behalf on the Committee must submit written confirmation by an authorized person (e.g., an official of the organization, company, or other entity) that such entity wants the representative to serve on its behalf. The nominating official must possess the executive authority or hold a sufficiently high-level position within the organization or company to select a representative whose actions 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 would like [insert proposed representative’s name], who is currently [an employee of/consultant/attorney to the company] to serve as our representative on the FCC Consumer Advisory Committee.” 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: § A general description of the contract/agreement; § A description of the product/services that the applicant provides pursuant to the contract/agreement; § A list of all parties to the contract/agreement; § The name of the Commission contracting officer (if known); and, § 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 Consumer Advisory Committee. All Committee 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 in activities regulated by the Commission. The Commission may solicit nominations by methods other than this Public Notice, but all candidates will be subject to the same evaluation criteria. After the Commission has reviewed nominations, it will notify all nominees in writing concerning the disposition of their applications, and it will release a Public Notice announcing appointment of the Committee members and the date of the Committee’s first meeting. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to: FCC504@fcc.gov or call the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice). For further information contact: Mike Hennigan, Liaison to the Consumer Advisory Committee, 202-418-2869 (voice or relay), CAC@fcc.gov. - FCC -