DOO 30-7A

SECTION 1. PURPOSE.

.01 This Order delegates authority to the Director, National Technical Information Service, and continues the National Technical Information Service as a primary operating unit of the Department of Commerce.

.02 This revision establishes a new reporting relationship to the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2008 and eliminates an obsolete reference to the Japanese Technical Literature Program.

SECTION 2. STATUS AND LINE OF AUTHORITY.

The National Technical Information Service (NTIS), established by the Secretary of Commerce on September 2, 1970, is continued as a primary operating unit of the Department. It shall be headed by a Director who shall report and be responsible to the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The Director shall be assisted by a Deputy Director, who shall perform the duties of the Director during the latter's absence, or in the event of a vacancy in that position.

SECTION 3. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY.

.01 Pursuant to the authority vested in the Secretary of Commerce by law, the Director is
hereby delegated the following authorities of the Secretary:

a. Chapter 23 of Title 15, United States Code (U.S.C.), which pertains to a clearinghouse for technical information.

b. Title II of P.L.102-395, which provides for the establishment of a National Technical Information Service Revolving Fund.

c. The National Technical Information Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 3704b), as amended, except that the authority to establish and appoint members to the Advisory Board (section 3704b(c)), is reserved to the Secretary.

d. 15 U.S.C. 3710(d), which pertains to utilization of Federal technology.

e. Section 4(c) of Executive Order 12591, which pertains to a mechanism of disseminating foreign science and technology information.

f. 15 U.S.C. 3704b-1, which pertains to the recovery of operating costs through fee collections.

g. 15 U.S.C. 3704b-2, which pertains to the transfer to NTIS of Federal scientific and technical information by Federal agencies.

h. Such other authorities of the Secretary as may be applicable for performing the functions assigned in the Order.

.02 The Director may re-delegate the authorities delegated in this Section to any NTIS employee, subject to such conditions as the Director may prescribe.

SECTION 4. FUNCTIONS.

.01 NTIS shall perform the following functions:

a. Search for, collect, coordinate, integrate, record, and catalog non-classified scientific, technical, engineering, and business information from whatever sources, foreign and domestic, which may be available;

b. Establish and maintain a permanent, archival repository and clearinghouse of collected information;

c. Directly, or by use of business, trade, technical, and scientific publications and services as appropriate, make collected information available to business, academia, Federal agencies, State and local governments, and the general public through the preparation or sale of abstracts, digests, translations, bibliographies, indexes, and reproductions in any media;

d. Directly, or in conjunction with the private sector as appropriate, collect, translate into English, and disseminate unclassified foreign scientific, technical and engineering information;

e. Explore, develop, and implement new methods or media for making scientific, technical, engineering and business information more readily available, including producing and disseminating information in electronic format;

f. With the private sector, explore, develop, and implement new ways, including joint ventures, in which the private sector can contribute to the useful and efficient dissemination of information products handled by NTIS;

g. Make selected bibliographic information products available in a timely manner to depository libraries as part of the Depository Library program of the Government Printing Office;

h. Operate the Federal Software Exchange Center as the Federal Computer Products Center;

i. Serve as a central clearinghouse for the collection, dissemination and transfer of information on Federally owned or originated technologies having potential application to State and local governments and the private sector;

j. Provide information, referrals to the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer, and technical assistance as appropriate in response to State and local government requests;

k. Cooperate and coordinate NTIS operations with other Government scientific, technical, and engineering information programs;

l. As requested by other agencies, provide products and services, including online information search, access and gateway services, to enhance the information dissemination and technology transfer activities of these agencies;

m. Operate a facility for imaging and reproduction necessary to support the dissemination of NTIS information products;

n. Operate a clearinghouse for audiovisual products developed by Federal agencies;

o. Conduct research and analysis on matters regarding information collection and dissemination, and provide support to the Director and elements of the Department, as appropriate, in the development and evaluation of related policies; and

.02 As necessary in the performance of the functions assigned in this Section, perform other functions authorized by Chapters 23, 40, and 63 of Title 15 of the U.S.C.

SECTION 5. EFFECT ON OTHER ORDERS.

This Order supersedes Department Organization Order 30-7A, dated February 14, 2002. Signed by: Secretary of Commerce