FACACLASSIC

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DOC - 360 - Materials and Equipment Technical Advisory Committee - Statutory (Congress Created)

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Materials and Equipment Technical Advisory Committee	Agency Name	Department of Commerce
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	360
Original Establishment Date	7/12/1985	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	https://tac.bis.doc.gov/index.php/mtac-home
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	35
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	DFO
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Dr.
Current Charter Date	10/19/2023	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Betty
Date Of Renewal Charter	10/19/2025	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Lee
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(202) 482-5817
Establishment Authority*	Statutory (Congress Created)	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	202-482-4145
Specific Establishment Authority*	Sections 1754 and 1768 of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA) (50 U.S.C. §§ 4801-4852)	Designated Federal Officer Email*	betty.lee@bis.doc.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	7/12/1985
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Scientific Technical Program Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	The Materials and Equipment Technical Advisory Committee (METAC or Committee) focused on the following topics in FY2025: current and emerging neurotechnology on the global bioeconomy; challenges and considerations with the export of alloyed materials; life sciences instruments and consumables used in the study of genes, proteins, metabolites, and cells to understand the causes of disease, identify new therapies, and develop/provide new drugs and vaccines in a global environment; the landscape, challenges, and adoption of Additive Manufacturing; the National Foreign Trade Council’s national security initiative to ensure that the U.S. considers critical infrastructure, supply chain, and foreign investment, in addition to new and emerging technologies; the modernization of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection export processes; BIS’s role in Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), export control challenges in the manufacture of Synthetic DNA, and the building of the U.S. bioindustrial manufacturing base. Primary recommendations included strategies to control the use of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to synthesize chemical/biological weapons and toxic agents; the evaluation of metal-organic frameworks used to bind chemicals and potential applicability in defensive chemical applications; continued discussions on leveling the playing field for licensing policy amongst signatories of the international control groups; and ongoing dialogue on guidelines for sanctioned parties on the entity list pertaining to export of items to hospitals and other humanitarian end users that may be subordinate to military end users. The METAC will maintain pre-scheduled meetings for FY2025 with the goal of maximizing the membership and official attendance. The dates for the METAC meetings will continue to be synchronized with the Transportation and Related Equipment Technical Advisory Committee to enable cross-TAC working groups on issues that impact Categories 1, 2, and 9. Members are encouraged to raise awareness/suggest members of the METAC to appropriate representatives of suitable companies. Working groups for Control of Gene Function and Tariff inclusion on the HVA of licenses will continue to meet in addition to less formal working groups to support ongoing international control group proposals and provide industry perspective for U.S. Government discussions in support of overall improvement of export regime controls and on METAC related issues.
How is membership balanced?*	The METAC is composed of industry representatives and U.S. Government agencies with specific technical or export control expertise. The principal sources for industry members are large and small firms located throughout the country that produce materials, hardware and software, and design, develop and manufacture machine tools and equipment, as well as consultants and attorneys that represent these companies. The Committee's activities include evaluation and commentary on data and other evidence available from the Department of Commerce, other reliable sources, and its own experience.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The METAC met four times during FY 2025. The Materials and Equipment Technical Advisory Committee (METAC) met four times during FY2025: November 7th, 2024; April 3rd, 2025; June 5th, 2025; and August 7th, 2025. The METAC successfully addressed technical issues related to the commodities and technology within Control List Categories 1 and 2.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The METAC reviews proposals regarding Control List: Category 1 (materials, chemicals, microorganisms, and toxins); and Category 2 (automated manufacturing equipment). Through this Committee, the Department of Commerce can obtain the advice of otherwise unavailable individuals who possess a high quality of expertise in the areas of advanced materials. No other sources within the Government can advise on the technical parameters for export controls in these areas.
Why close or partially close meetings?	Closed sessions are held to allow for discussion of information classified for reasons of national security, information the premature disclosure of which would be likely to significantly frustrate implementation of a proposed agency action, or information of a commercial or financial nature that is privileged or confidential.
Recommendation Remarks	The METAC is authorized under Sections 1754 and 1768 of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA) (50 U.S.C. §§ 4801-4852), the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 C.F.R. Parts 730-774), and the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (FACA) (5 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq.)

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	No	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	Yes
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	No	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	No	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	No	Action Comment	NA
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	Yes	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	NA	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	NA	Grants Review Comment	NA
Number Of Recommendations*	22	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	The Committee met four times in FY 2024. There were six recommendations.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	0.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	N/A	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	2.00%	Access Publications	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	The METAC discussed the following recommendations which are expected to continue into FY2025: • Consider forming a working group to review ECCN 2B350 and upcoming changes. • Continued discussion on AI/Machine Learning driven strategies/controls relevant to the creation of chemical weapons/biologic agents vs. Dual Use applications. Consider built in safeguards to look for key words or patterns in questions that would indicate malicious intent and prohibit output. • Continued discussion on metal-organic frameworks that can be tuned to bind specific chemicals. Metal-organic frameworks have been explored for a variety of defense and dual use applications. • Continued discussion on leveling the playing field for licensing policy across all signatories of the international control groups (i.e., WA, NSG, AG, MTCR) or at least amongst the U.S. and EU. • Continue ongoing review and conversation of guidelines for sanctioned parties on the entity list specifically as it pertains to hospitals that are subordinate to military end users. Potentially consider if guidance like what is used for the BARC Hospital is possible for certain regions (e.g., China). • Continue ongoing review and conversation if it is possible to create a reference document (e.g., downloadable list) to identify which Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HS) codes are revised for restrictions to Russia.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	N/A
Agency Feedback Comment*	The agency involves the Materials and Equipment Technical Advisory Committee in the process of implementing the negotiated export controls through the Export Administration Regulations. The Public is informed through its website and the Federal Register. For additional information or comments, go to https://tac.bis.doc.gov.	Narrative Description*	The Materials and Equipment Technical Advisory Committee provides the Department of Commerce with an extremely high level of technical and business expertise from a cross section of the biotechnology and materials industries. Its advice on the practicability and effectiveness of export controls on etiological agents, materials, and the related instrumentation and technology has been invaluable to the Department in developing export policy. The Committee is a readily available resource for the Department to call on in preparing for negotiations within the applicable multilateral regimes.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*		1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$4,047.18	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$4,128.13
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$17,907.21	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$18,265.36
4. Payments to Consultants*		4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*		5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*		6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*		7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*		8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*
10. Other Costs	$346.68	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$353.61
11. Total Costs	$22,301.07	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$22,747.10
Date Cost Last Modified	9/24/2025 10:54 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	0.30	Est Cost Remarks	Meeting amenities, transcript, contractor, federal register notice, maintenance of committee website, etc.
Cost Remarks	FY25 costs reflect advances in TAC administrative efforts.

Interest Areas

Category Area Business Industry Manufacturing Environment Environmental Issues Food and Drugs Biotechnology Medical Devices Government Federal Government International International Organizations Justice Law Enforcement Legislation Legislation Regulations Regulatory Negotiation Rulemaking Medicine Diseases Science and Technology Innovation Science and Technology Trade Competitiveness Exports and Imports Trade and Trade Policy

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