2020-17388. Notice of Request for Applicants for Appointment to the United States-Mexico Energy Business Council

June 24, 2020.

AGENCY:

International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In 2016, agencies of the Governments of the United States and Mexico established the U.S.-Mexico Energy Business Council (the “Council”). This notice announces 10 membership opportunities for appointment as U.S. representatives to the U.S. Section of the Council for a term beginning in October 2020 and ending in October 2022.

DATES:

All applications must be received by the Office of North America by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on September 16, 2020. Applications received after that date will be considered only if vacancies have not already been filled.

ADDRESSES:

Please submit applications to David Olsen, International Trade Specialist, Office of North America, U.S. Department of Commerce by email only at [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

David Olsen, Office of North America, U.S. Department of Commerce, telephone: [phone], email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Ministry of Economy of the United Mexican States, and the Ministry of Energy of the United Mexican States established the Council in March 2016. The objective of the Council is to bring together representatives of the respective energy industries of the United States and Mexico to discuss issues of mutual interest, particularly ways to strengthen the economic and commercial ties between energy industries in the two countries, and communicate actionable, non-binding recommendations to the U.S. and Mexican Governments. Since 2016, Council members have participated in public-private sector dialogue to highlight the importance of the United States-Mexico energy relationship, share priorities for the energy sector, and identify opportunities for collaboration. As part of this dialogue, Council members have drafted binational recommendations on topics of mutual interest, including energy security, cross-border energy projects, power planning and integration, workforce development, and the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). For more information, please consult the Terms of Reference of the Council (copy and paste link into browser): https://legacy.trade.gov/​hled/​documents/​Signed%20US-MEX%20Energy%20Business%20Council%20Terms%20(May%202016%20-%20English).pdf.

Participation Requirements

The Department of Commerce is seeking applicants for membership on the U.S. Section of the Council. Each applicant must be a senior representative (e.g., Chief Executive Officer, Vice President, Regional Manager, Senior Director, or holder of a similar position) of a U.S.-owned or controlled individual company, trade association, or private sector organization that is incorporated in and has its main headquarters in the United States and whose activities include a focus on the manufacture, production, commercialization, and/or trade in goods and services for the energy industry in Mexico. Each applicant must also be a U.S. citizen, or otherwise legally authorized to work in the United States and be able to travel to Mexico or locations in the United States to attend Council meetings, as well as U.S. Section and Committee meetings. In addition, the applicant may not be a registered foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended. Applications for membership in the U.S. Section by eligible individuals, including applications by current U.S. Section members for reappointment, will be evaluated on the following criteria:

—A demonstrated strong interest in Mexico and its economic development, including as applicable either through exports or investment.

—The ability to offer to the work of the Council a broad perspective and business experience specific to the energy industry.

—The ability to address cross-cutting issues that affect the entity's entire energy industry sub-sector, including the oil and gas, renewable energy, electricity, nuclear energy, and energy efficiency.

—The ability to dedicate organizational resources to initiate and be responsible for activities in which the Council will be active.

U.S. Section members will also be selected on the basis of who is best qualified to carry out the objectives of the Council to:

—Promote increased two-way investment in the energy industry;

—Promote two-way trade in goods and services produced by and used in the energy industry;

—Promote the development of binational value chains in the production of goods and services in the energy sector;

—Promote the development of modern energy infrastructure and bolster energy efficiency and security;

—Foster an enabling environment for the rapid development, deployment, and integration of new energy industry technologies—including clean renewable energy technologies—into the marketplace;

—Improve competitiveness through innovation and entrepreneurship in the energy industry, to include the promotion of technology exchanges and research partnerships; and

—Partner in skills development to create solutions in training and education to address evolving energy industry workforce needs.

In selecting members of the U.S. Section, the U.S. Government selection committee, composed of representatives from the Department of Commerce and the Department of Energy, will attempt to ensure that the Section represents a cross-section of small, medium-sized, and large firms.

Fees and Expenses

U.S. Section members will receive no compensation for their participation in Council-related activities. They shall not be considered as special government employees. Individual U.S. Section members will be responsible for all travel and related expenses associated with their participation in the Council, including attendance at Committee and Section meetings. Only appointed U.S. Section members may participate in Council meetings; substitutes and alternates may not be designated. U.S. Section members are expected to serve for two-year terms but may be reappointed.

Timeframe for Recruitment and Application

To apply for membership in the U.S. Section, please submit the following information to David Olsen, International Trade Specialist, by email at [e-mail] by September 16, 2020:

—Name(s) and title(s) of the applicant;

—Name and address of the headquarters of the entity that employs the applicant;

—Location of incorporation or establishment;

—Size of the represented entity, in terms of annual sales and number of employees;

—As applicable, the size of the entity's export trade, investment, and nature of operations or interest in Mexico; and

—A brief statement of why the applicant should be considered, including information about the applicant's ability to initiate and be responsible for activities in which the Council will be active.

All applicants will be notified of whether they have been selected once the application window closes and selection of U.S. Section members has been made. Applications received after September 16, 2020 will be considered only if vacancies have not already been filled.

Authority: The Act of February 14, 1903, as amended (15 U.S.C. 1512 et seq.; 15 U.S.C. 171 et seq.), to foster, promote, and develop the foreign and domestic commerce of the United States. Section 2 of Reorganization Plan no. 3 of 1979, which assigns to the Secretary of Commerce responsibility for major nonagricultural international trade functions of the United States, including export development.

Dated: August 4, 2020.

David Olsen,

International Trade Specialist, Office of North America.