2022-27831. Technical Advisory Committee; Request for Nominations

AGENCY:

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Department of Labor.

ACTION:

Request for nominations for membership on the BLS Technical Advisory Committee.

SUMMARY:

The BLS is soliciting new members for the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to address five member terms expiring on April 27, 2023, one current vacancy, and any additional vacancies that may occur on the TAC between the date of publication of this notice and April 27, 2023.

DATES:

Nominations for the TAC membership should be transmitted by January 23, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Nominations for the TAC membership should be emailed to [e-mail]. Nominations are only being accepted through email as BLS is in maximum telework status pending its relocation to Suitland.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jay Stewart, Senior Research Economist, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Telephone: [phone]. This is not a toll-free number. Email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The TAC provides advice to the Bureau of Labor Statistics on technical aspects of data collection and the formulation of economic measures and makes recommendations on areas of research. On some technical issues, there are differing views and receiving feedback at public meetings provides BLS with the opportunity to consider all viewpoints.

The Committee consists of approximately 16 members who serve as Special Government Employees. Members are appointed by the BLS and are approved by the Secretary of Labor. Committee members are experts in economics, statistics, data science, and survey design. They are prominent experts in their fields and recognized for their professional achievements and objectivity. The economic experts will have research experience with technical issues related to BLS data and will be familiar with employment and unemployment statistics, price index numbers, compensation measures, productivity measures, occupational and health statistics, or other topics relevant to BLS data series. The statistical experts will have experience with sample design, data analysis, computationally intensive statistical methods, non-sampling errors or other areas which are relevant to BLS work. The data science experts will have experience compiling, modeling, analyzing, and interpreting large sets of structured and unstructured data. The survey design experts will have experience with questionnaire design, usability, or other areas of survey development. Collectively, the members will provide a balance of expertise in all of these areas.

BLS invites persons interested in serving on the TAC to submit their names for consideration for committee membership. Typically, TAC members are appointed to three-year terms, and serve as Special Government Employees.

The Bureau often faces highly technical issues while developing and maintaining the accuracy and relevancy of its data on employment and unemployment, prices, productivity, and compensation and working conditions. These issues range from how to develop new measures to how to make sure that existing measures account for the ever-changing economy. BLS presents issues and then draws on the specialized expertise of Committee members representing specialized fields within the academic disciplines of economics, statistics and data science, and survey design. Committee members are also invited to bring to the attention of BLS issues that have been identified in the academic literature or in their own research.

The TAC was established to provide advice to the Commissioner of Labor Statistics on technical topics selected by the BLS. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to providing comments on papers and presentations developed by BLS research and program staff, conducting research on issues identified by BLS on which an objective technical opinion or recommendation from outside of BLS would be valuable, recommending BLS conduct internal research projects to address technical problems with BLS statistics that have been identified in the academic literature, participating in discussions of areas where the types or coverage of economic statistics could be expanded or improved and areas where statistics are no longer relevant, and establishing working relationships with professional associations with an interest in BLS statistics, such as the American Statistical Association and the American Economic Association.

Nominations: BLS is looking for committed TAC members who have a strong interest in, and familiarity with, BLS data. The Agency is looking for nominees who use and have a comprehensive understanding of economic statistics. BLS is committed to bringing greater diversity of thought, perspective, and experience to its advisory committees. Nominees from all races, gender, age, and disabilities are encouraged to apply. Interested persons may nominate themselves or may submit the name of another person who they believe to be interested in and qualified to serve on the TAC. Nominations may also be submitted by organizations.

Nominations should include the name, address, and telephone number of the candidate. Each nomination should include a summary of the candidate's training or experience relating to BLS data specifically, or economic statistics more generally, and a curriculum vitae. In selecting TAC members, BLS will consider individuals nominated in response to this notice, as well as other qualified individuals. Candidates should not submit information they do not want publicly disclosed. BLS will conduct a basic background check on candidates before their appointment to the TAC. The background check will involve accessing publicly available, internet-based sources. BLS will contact nominees for information on their status as registered lobbyists. Anyone currently subject to federal registration requirements as a lobbyist is not eligible for appointment to the TAC. Nominees should be aware of the time commitment for attending meetings and actively participating in the work of the TAC. Historically, this has meant a commitment of at least two days per year.

Authority: This notice was prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. App. 2.

Signed at Washington, DC, this 15th day of December 2022.

Eric Molina,

Acting Chief, Division of Management Systems.