Office of Science and Technology Policy
Two requests for information (RFI) were released by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). These requests are related to the National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative, which supports innovative technologies from the U.S. Department of Energy‘s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO).
OSTP launched this initiative through President Biden’s Executive Order 14081. Its goal is to advance biotechnology and bio-manufacturing to find innovative solutions in health, climate change, energy, food security, agriculture, and supply chain resilience.
Vital supply chains
To achieve more vital supply chains and lower prices, the growth of the U.S. bioeconomy is necessary. Consistent with BETO’s current priorities should be pursued:
- Creating more sustainable products through bio-based production
- Creating jobs around the country
- Stimulating new opportunities for agricultural communities
First RFI
The National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative is the first RFI. This initiative seeks public input on advances in biotechnology and biomanufacturing that will help the country achieve out-of-reach goals. It also aims to take steps to ensure that the government has a research ecosystem, workforce, data, domestic bio-manufacturing capacity, and international engagement to achieve a strong bioeconomy. This RFI ends January 20, and the following categories of public input are what they are seeking:
– Leveraging biotechnology and bio-manufacturing R&D to advance societal climate and energy goals.
– Gathering data for the bioeconomy.
– Creation of a vibrant national bio-manufacturing ecosystem.
– Procurement of bio-based products
– Workforce development in biotechnology and bio-manufacturing.
– Promoting biosafety and biosecurity
– Measuring the bioeconomy
– International engagement
Second RFI
The second RFI identifies ambiguities, gaps, and uncertainties in the coordinated framework for biotechnology regulation. This identification focuses specifically on biotechnology regulation and seeks public input on improving the clarity and effectiveness of the law of biotechnology products. This RFI is coordinated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and responses close February 3.
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