The information requested will allow NIST along with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to populate over 500 positions in the newly established organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) to enable a coordinated U.S. approach to Standards for the Forensic Science Disciplines to include broad participation from Forensic Science Practitioners, Researchers, Metrologists, Accreditation Bodies, Defense, and Prosecution by soliciting self-nominations from individuals within those specific communities.
Please consider this request for an emergency review of the Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) self-nomination web tool. In response to the MOU between DOJ and NIST that was signed in February 2013, NIST took on the task of transitioning existing Forensic Scientific Working Groups to a new transparent and accessible process for standards development and consistency within for the forensic science community. The OSAC concept was publicly announced on February 4, 2014 to an enthusiastic response from a broad spectrum of stakeholders including the National Commission on Forensic Science, the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and the Innocence Project. The key next step for NIST is a broad national call for participants to staff the OSAC, such that the organization can be operational by the end of Fiscal Year 2014. Once this call has been posted for 30 days, NIST expects to be able to work with the DOJ to place appropriate participants into the different roles within OSAC, train them as to their responsibilities and roles, and convene the first meeting of all entities. For all of this to take place before the end of the fiscal year, we request emergency approval of the PRA action.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.