Attached is the initial response received on Jan. 14, 2014 from the U.S. Department of Commerce Inspector General’s office regarding the complaint letter sent by attorney Dr. William Pepper on Dec. 12, 2013. The Inspector General has sent the information provided in the Pepper letter to NIST management for a response.

Individual citizens are encouraged to write or call the DoC Inspector General’s office themselves to let them know you are interested in this issue and to insist that the Inspector General ensure that the NIST be open and transparent here, and to also ensure that there is no conflict of interest. Anyone involved in the original report, which is now under scrutiny with allegations of impropriety, should be precluded from the response activity.