Public Feedback Sought by Both Departments of Energy and Commerce in Drafting of New Policies

The Department of Energy (DOE) is currently soliciting feedback on Request for Information (RFI) regarding Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF). The RFI is seeking input on how DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) can improve the TCF through programmatic and structural changes. Specific input on factors such as the TCF’s structure and process, role of project partners, and cost share arrangements are particularly sought. All comments must be received by January 11, 2019.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) recently issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking public input on how it should identify “emerging technologies” critical to U.S. national security. This ANPRM is in response to the National Defense Authorization Act released earlier this year, which calls on the president to create an interagency process to establishing export controls on “emerging and foundational technologies.” The ANPRM lists 14 technology categories that Commerce considers the most pertinent. It requests feedback on the following points:

• How to define emerging technology to assist identification of such technology in the future
• Criteria to apply to determine whether there are specific technologies within these categories important to U.S. national security
• Sources to identify such technologies
• Other general technology categories that warrant review to identify emerging technology that are important to U.S. national security
• The status of development of these technologies  in the U.S. and abroad
• The impact specific emerging technology controls would have on U.S. technological leadership
• Any other approaches to the issue of identifying emerging technologies important to U.S. national security

All comments must be submitted by December 19, 2018
To view and respond to the DOE RFI, click here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/11/27/2018-25838/notice-of-request-for-information-rfi-technology-commercialization-fund?utm_source=SSTI+Weekly+Digest

To view and respond to the Commerce ANPRM, click here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/11/19/2018-25221/review-of-controls-for-certain-emerging-technologies