Federal Register #06940148

Request for public comment and duty-free entry for advanced scientific instruments for research

This opportunity involves the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, requesting public comments on information collection for Directive Allocation Orders under the Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) for critical minerals and materials. Additionally, several U.S. universities and research institutions are seeking duty-free entry for advanced scientific instruments used in research.

• Government Buyer:

  • Department of Commerce
  • Bureau of Industry and Security
  • Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security

• OEMs and Vendors Mentioned:

  • JEOL (electron microscopes)
  • Thermo Scientific (FEI Talos F200i transmission electron microscope)
  • Bruker (Avance NEO NMR spectrometers)
  • Gatan (ClearView Camera, Alpine Direct Electron Detector)
  • Zantiks (MWP Z2S)
  • KiwiSat (Argos Satellite Marker)
  • Satsuma (HP2 High Power Femtosecond Laser)
  • CARBIDE (pump laser)
  • ORPHEUS (Optical Amplifier)
  • SKYSCAN (1273)
  • Cytomat (24C Automated Incubator)
  • IBEX (Clumped Isotope sample preparation system)

• Products/Services Requested:

  • Advanced scientific instruments for research, including:
  • Electron microscopes (e.g., JEOL F200 STEM, Thermo Scientific FEI Talos F200i)
  • NMR spectrometers (e.g., Bruker Avance NEO 400 MHz, JNMECZL 500G)
  • Laser systems (e.g., Pico Emerald, Ultrafast Ti: Sapphire, Satsuma HP2)
  • Radar systems (e.g., FaunaScan MR2)
  • Specialized laboratory equipment (e.g., nanoindenter, Cytomat 24C Automated Incubator)
  • Acoustic sensing and release systems (e.g., Treble+ DAS Interrogator, FetchAZA HP Rel 504)
  • Other unique research tools (e.g., Multimesh Terahertz Filter System, IBEX Clumped Isotope sample preparation system)
  • Each item is requested in a quantity of one; part numbers are not specified.

• Unique or Notable Requirements:

  • Duty-free entry for scientific instruments to support U.S. research institutions
  • Instruments must be advanced and suitable for scientific research
  • No administrative or procedural requirements highlighted beyond compliance with DPAS and Presidential Determination

Description

The Department of Commerce invites public and federal agency comments on the information collection related to Directive Allocation Orders under the Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS). This collection supports compliance with the Presidential Determination on Recoverable Critical Minerals and Materials, which authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to prioritize and allocate materials essential to national defense. The notice seeks to minimize reporting burden and improve the quality and utility of collected information. Comments are requested by October 26, 2026.

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