The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking comments, due by April 9, on an information collection related to a request for appointment of a technical advisory committee. The collection describes the functions and responsibilities of the Commerce Department TACs, which "advise the government on proposed revisions to export control lists, licensing procedures, assessments of the foreign availability of controlled products, and export control regulations.”

The State Department approved a potential military sale to Poland worth $1.2 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Feb. 7. The sale includes “Airspace and Surface Radar Reconnaissance aerostat systems,” and the principal contractors will be Raytheon Intelligence and Space, TCOM, ELTA North America and Avantus Federal.

The Bureau of Industry and Security issued a proposed rule this week to amend the agency’s Defense Priorities and Allocations System regulation. Proposed changes include clarifying the “existing standards and procedures” by which BIS may provide special priorities assistance, providing “transparency and differentiation between other departments’ priorities” and the Commerce Department’s jurisdiction, and other technical edits. Public comments on the changes are due March 8.

The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls made changes this week to its pending payment notification email message text. DDTC said the updates “clarify the instructions on how to proceed with making payments, ensuring a smoother and more user-friendly experience.”

The State Department approved two potential military sales to the Netherlands worth more than $1 billion combined, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said this month. The first sale includes $908 million worth of “Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles with Extended Range” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. The second sale includes $150 million worth of “Hellfire Missiles” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin.

The State Department approved a potential military sale to India worth $3.99 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Feb. 1. The sale includes “MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.

The State Department is accepting applications for its Defense Export Controls and Compliance System 2024 User Group, which will provide feedback to the agency on DECCS functionality and suggest potential improvements. The agency’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls will appoint 50 industry volunteers to the user group, all of whom must be enrolled with DECCS and represent companies, government agencies or third-party organizations involved in defense trade. Member terms will last one year. Applicants should email PM_DDTCProjectTeam@state.gov by close of business Feb. 29 with their name and company or government affiliation. DDTC will make its selections by March 31.

The Defense Department this week updated its list of Chinese companies that it said have ties to that country’s military. The latest tranche of entities on the Section 1260H List includes various companies operating in China’s technology sector, among them Beijing Megvii Technology, a Chinese facial recognition software company (see 2112160062), and Hesai Technology, the largest Chinese lidar company by sales (see 2401090033). “The Department will continue to update the list with additional entities as appropriate,” the Pentagon said.

The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework's supply chain pillar will take effect Feb. 24, the Commerce Department announced this week. The pillar is expected to improve coordination among IPEF countries as they look to diversify supply chains, resolve logistical bottlenecks, remove obstacles to trade and more (see 2309080050).

The Commerce Department is reportedly investigating whether autonomous-trucking company TuSimple violated U.S. export controls.