DRAFT KENYA STANDARD  DKS 01-1: 2019  
ICS 01.120  
Third Edition  
  
 © KEBS 2019   
 A standard for standards    
Part 1: 
The development of Kenya Standards — 
Specification   
 
 
PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT DECEMBER 2019DKS 01-1: 2019  
ii © KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  
 TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
Associated Batteries Manufacturers Limited  
Absolute Consulting  
Aldis Consulti ng Limited  
Bidco (K) Limited  
Crown -Berger Limited  
Nampak Limited  
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute  
Sameer Africa  
Spinners & Spinners  
Total (K) Limited  
University of Nairobi  
 
African Gas and Oil Company Limited  
BM Security  
Canon Chemicals LTD  
Contis Ltd  
CSI Internat ional Ltd  
Diverse Management Consultancy Ltd  
Engineering Society Of Kenya  
Environment Institute of Kenya  
Equra Health Kenya  
Food Safety International  
Highlands Mineral Water Company Limited  
ICT Association of Kenya (ICTAK)  
Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KENGEN)  
Kenya Institute Curriculum Development  
Kenya Literature Bureau  
Kenya Medical Supplies Authority(KEMSA)  
Kenya Power and Lighting Company  
Kenya Technic al Trainers College (KTTC)  
Kenyatta University  
Mars wrigley confectionery kenya  
Nairobi Bottlers Limited, Coca -cola Beverages Africa -Kenya  
National Cereals And Produce Board  DRAFT KENYA STANDARD  DKS 01-1: 2019  
ICS 01.120  
Third  Edition  
 
© KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  iii 
  National Council Of Persons With Disability  
National Industrial Training Authority   
National Public Health Laboratory  
Olive Technical Services Ltd  
Outspan Medical College  
State Department for Industrialization  
Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA)  
The Catholic University of Eastern Africa  
The Kenya Renewable E nergy Association (KEREA )  
Top Tier Ltd  
Wallka Co. Ltd  
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed.  Suggestions 
for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
© Kenya Bureau of Sta ndards, 2019  
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of 2001 of  the Laws of Kenya, copyright 
subsists in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 25 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bure au of 
Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any mea ns without prior permission in writing 
from the Managing Director.   DKS 01-1: 2019  
iv © KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  
 A standard for standards   
Part 1: 
The development of Kenya Standards — Specification  
  DRAFT KENYA STANDARD  DKS 01-1: 2019  
ICS 01.120  
Third  Edition  
 
© KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  v 
  Foreword  
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Quality Management and Quality Assurance  Technical C ommittee 
under the guidance of the Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the 
Kenya Bureau of Standards . 
This standard outlines, t he status of KEBS , benefits of standardization, concepts and principles behind the 
development of Kenya Standards, acceptance criteria of Kenya Standards, the development stages of Kenya 
Standards, composition and responsibilities of technical committees, process for parti cipation in international 
standardization, appeal process for the resolution of disputes, process for maintenance of Kenya Standards, 
copyright policy and  patent policy.  
During the development of this standard, reference was made to the following documents : 
SANS 1 -1:2012, Edition 3, Standard for standards Part 1: The development of South African national 
standards  
BS 0:20 16, Edition 2 , British standard — A standard for standards  — Principles of standardization . 
Participating in International Standardization, ISO Publication, of September 2007,  ISBN 978 -92-67-
10453 -9. 
Using and referencing ISO and IEC standards for technical regulations ISO/IEC Publication of September 
2007,  ISBN 978 -92-67-10454 -6. 
Acknowledgement  is hereby made for the assistance received from these sources.  
  
vi © KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................. v 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................... 1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................ 1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................... 1 
4 The National Standards Body  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 4 
5 Standards and Technical Regulations  ................................ ................................ ................................ 4 
6 Standardization  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......4 
7 Principles for  development of Kenya standards  ................................ ................................ ................ 5 
8 Concepts behind the development of Kenya Standards  ................................ ................................ ...5 
8.1 Code of Good Practice  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................... 5 
8.2 Project management  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................. 5 
8.3 Consensu s ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 6 
8.4 Discipline  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 6 
8.5 Application of modern technology  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......6 
8.6 Cost -effectiveness  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .6 
9 Approval requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................... 6 
10 Committ ees ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 7 
10.1  General  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................... 7 
10.2  Confidentiality  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 7 
10.2.1  Committ ee proceedings  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................ 8 
10.2.2  External communication  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... 8 
10.3  Committee membership  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................ 8 
10.4  Technical committees  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................... 8 
10.5  Responsibilities of committee members  ................................ ................................ ............................. 9 
10.6  Subcommittees  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......9 
10.7  Working groups  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .....9 
10.8  Committee chairperson  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................... 9 
10.9  General Principles of the TC members Code of Conduct  ................................ ..............................  10 
11 Participation in international committees  ................................ ................................ ........................  10 
11.1  Benefits  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  10 
11.2  National mirror committees  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  10 
11.3 Membership to regional/international TCs  ................................ ................................ .......................  10 
11.4  Efficient and effective participation in international or regional TC  ................................ .............  11 
11.5   Prioritization in standardization  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 11 
11.5.4  Economic importance of standards ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 12 
11.5.5  Social importance of standards  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  12 
12 Development stages of Kenya standards  ................................ ................................ ........................  12 
13 Disputes and appeals  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  14 
14 Verification of conformity  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  14 
15 Updating and maintenance of Kenya Standards  ................................ ................................ .............  14 
15.1  General  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  14 
15.2  Systematic review  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............................  15 
15.3  Corrigenda  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  15 
15.4  Amendments  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 15 
15.5  Revisions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  15 
16 Responsibility of standards users  ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 15 DKS 01-1: 2019  
© KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  vii 
  17 Copyright policy  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 16 
18 Patents policy  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 16 
Annex A  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............................  2 
Annex B  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............................  4 
 
 DRAFT KENYA STANDARD  DKS 01-1: 2019  
 
© KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  1 
 A standard for standards  
Part 1: 
The development of Kenya standards  
1 Scope  
This Draft Kenya Standard describes  the principles of preparation of the national standards. It also outlines 
the application of Kenya standards in technical regulations.  
This standard is intended to serve as a guide for technical committee members, regulators,  and as 
background informatio n for standards development organizations, members of the public and other 
stakeholders.  
 It is not intended to lay down detailed internal procedures since these are generally documented in operating 
procedures of the Kenya Bureau of Standards.  
2 Normativ e references  
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes 
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, 
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
The Standards Act,  Cap. 496, of the Laws of Kenya  
KS/ISO/IEC Guide -2, Standardization and related activities – General Vocabulary  
CPR 183, Kenya Bureau of Standards, Standards Development process  Procedure  
World Trade Organization, Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO/TBT) Agreement Annex 3: Code of Good 
Practice for the preparation, adoption and application of standards  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purpose of this document , the terms and definitions given in KS ISO/IEC Guide  2 and the following 
apply.  
3.1 
KEBS  
is the Kenya National Standards B ody (Kenya Bureau of Standards)  
 
 
 
 
 
  
2 © KEBS: 2019 : – All rights reserved  
 3.2 
standard  
document, established by consensus and approved by a recognized body, that provides, for common and 
repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the 
optimum degree of order in a given conte xt  
NOTE  Standards should be based on the consolidated results of science,technology and experience, and aimed at 
the promotion of optimum community benefits  
3.3 
technical regulation  
document which lays down product or service characteristics or their rela ted processes and production 
methods, including the applicable administrative provisions, with which compliance is mandatory.  It may also 
include or deal exclusively with terminology, symbols, packaging, marking or labelling  requirements as they 
apply to a  product, process or production method  
3.4 
Kenya Standard  
a standard gazetted in the Kenya Gazette under the provisions of the Standards Act, CAP 496  of the Laws of 
Kenya  
NOTE  Compliance with a Kenya standard is mandatory if it is referenced in a technical  regulation.  
3.5 
project  
an activity which has a fixed time and utilizes resources  
3.6 
new work item  
any work leading to the development, revision or amendment of a Kenya Standard  
3.7 
code of good practice, CGP  
as per A nnex 3 of World Trade O rganization /Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO/TBT)  agreement , 1995  on 
technical barriers to trade, good practice for the preparation, adoption and application of standards , or ISO 
Guide 59  
3.8 
consensus  
general agreement, characterized by the absence of sustained oppo sition to substantial issues by any 
important part of the concerned interests, and by a process that involves seeking to take into account the 
views of all parties concerned and to reconcile any conflicting arguments  
NOTE  Consensus need not imply unanimity  
3.9 
standardization  
activity of establishing, with regard to actual or potential problems, provisions for common and repeated use 
aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context  
NOTE 1   In particular, the activity consists of th e processes of formulating, issu ing and implementing standards.  
NOTE 2   Important benefits of standardization are improvement of the suitability of products (including services) and 
processes for their intended purposes, prevention of barriers to trade and facilitation of technological cooperation  
3.10 
normative reference/pro vision  
standard or provision within a standard, with which it is necessary to conform in order to be able to claim 
compliance with that standard or provision  DKS 01-1: 2019  
© KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  3 
 3.11 
standards development organization  
body assuming responsibility for the preparation and maintenance of national standards and other normative 
documents  
3.12 
standards approval committee (SAC)  
an internal committee of KEBS responsible for approval of all new work items, standards, revisions, 
amendments and withdrawals on the basis of due proce ss  
3.13 
subcommittee (SC)  
group of representatives that is responsible for the preparation of Kenya standards within a subfield of the 
scope of a technical committee and that reflects valid national interests within the subfield  
3.14 
national technical co mmittee(TC)  
group of representatives that is concerned with standardization, responsible for identifying the need for, and 
the preparation of Kenya standards in a defined field and that reflects valid national interests within that field  
3.15 
east african standards committee  ( EASC)  
is a committee responsible for development and harmonization of the East African standards  
3.16 
african regional organization for standardization ( ARSO)  
is a body responsible for development and harmonization of African regional standards  
3.17 
standards projects committee ( SPC)  
internal committee of KEBS responsible for approval of New Work Items, new TCs and general supervision of 
standardization proces s 
3.18 
national standards body ( NSB )  
standards body, recognized at the national level, that is responsible for the development and promulgation of 
national standards, and eligible to be the national member of the corresponding international and regiona l 
standards organizations  
3.19 
national executive codex committee  ( NECC)  
a national committee with the responsibility of co -ordination and management of Codex Alimentarius 
Commission activities at country level on  behalf of the Kenya Government  
3.20 
private ci rculation  
distribution under the principle that material presented or circulated to a Technical Committee is not in the 
public domain, and that dissemination should, as far as practically possible, be limited to those who have a 
legitimate interest in the development of the standardization projects to which it r elates  
NOTE  This principle does not preclude due consultation on such material within organizations represented on the 
committee. For this reason it has to be recognized that absolute confidentiality  cannot be guaranteed and KEBS can offer 
no assurances in this respect. Those submitting commercially sensitive material do so at their own risk.  
3.21 
harmonized standard  
standard that is officially recognized by reference in the Official Standards Catalog ue of the East African 
Community as meeting essential requirements of a relevant provisions of EASQMT Act  (East African 
Standards, Quality Assurance, Metrology and Testing Act)   
4 © KEBS: 2019 : – All rights reserved  
 3.22 
project management  
the discipline of defining and achieving project targets, while optimizing the use of the available or allocated 
resources (including tim e) over the course of a project  
4 The National Standards Body  
4.1  KEBS is, in terms of the Standards Act, CAP 496, of the laws of Kenya the recognized National 
Standar ds Body for the development and maintenance of Kenya standards. The a ffairs of  KEBS are controlled 
by the National Standards Council, whose members are appointed by the Cabinet Secretary in the parent 
ministry . The Council determines the direction and strategic objectives of KEBS.  
4.2 The development  process of Kenya standards shall be managed and facilitated by KEBS. However, 
process ownership (contributions to contents) and output (published standards) shall be with the users of the 
standards (those who require  standards in order to b enefit from their application).  
4.3 The development of Kenya standards shall be funded as stipulated in the Standards Act . KEBS shall act 
as a facilitator in the development and maintenance of Kenya standards, provide secreta rial and technical 
writing facilities and services for the committee responsible for this task and acts as a publishing house for 
Kenya standards and related documents.  
5 Standards and Technical Regulations  
5.1 It is Kenya’s intention  to carry out Good Reg ulatory Practice, increase the competitiveness of enterprises 
and remove barriers to trade at the international level through the implementation of the World Trade 
Organization Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, the use of Kenya standards as a basis  in the 
development of technical regulations and the harmonization of standards within the East African Community 
and the African continent  
5.2 Kenya standards, being readily available, are the most convenient choice as a basis in the development 
of techni cal regulations as they can readily be amended to keep up with technology (via the national 
standards process) and has the benefit that they comply with the world trade organization (WTO) Code of 
Good Practice for the preparation, adoption and application of standards.  The administrative provisions would 
be given through description, in the technical regulation(s) . 
6 Standardization  
Standardization process involves the development and publication of standards covering, for example, 
specifications for products, services or systems, codes of practice, methods of test, etc . 
The main aims and benefits of standardization can be summarized as follows:  
a) Improving the quality (fitness for purpose) of goods and services;  
b) Maintaining and improving the quality of life of society, by paying attention to such matters as safety, 
health and the environment, and by providing a basis for legislation needed for the protection of the 
public;  
c) More efficient utilization of resources through better (i.e. standardized) communi cation through 
simplification of manufacturing, product identification and purchasing by means of variety control and 
through cost savings as a result of economies of scale, reductions in wastage, etc.;  
d) providing a framework within which to facilitate and encourage trade among willing partners and 
contracts based on standards, elimination of trade barriers, the promotion of service excellence and 
fair and efficient trade at all levels;  
e) Promotion of efforts to facilitate the correct application of standards through, for example, the 
consi deration of training principles;  DKS 01-1: 2019  
© KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  5 
 f) Technology  Transfer : Standards  act as good  vehicles  for transfer  of technology.   Since   standards  
constitute  the result  of science,  technology  and experience  , they reflect  the state  of art  of the 
technical  development ; 
g) Interchangeability:  The convenience  in use, one experiences  while  using  some  of the products  such  
as electrical  lamps  from different  manufacturers  with the same  lamp  holder  is the result  of dimensional  
interchangeability  of products  from different  manufacturers ; and 
h) Compatibility:   - Parallel  development  of products  which  are required  to be used  in combination  pose  
problems  if they are not compatible  with each  other.   For example,  data transmission  equipment  and 
data communicat ion equipment   systems  require  interconnection  between  different  sub-systems  and 
computers.  
7 Principles for development of Kenya standards  
The development of Kenya standards shall be guided by the standardization principles as follow s and as 
detailed in Annex A  
a) Transparency  
b) Openness  
c) Impartiality and c onsensus  
d) Effectiveness and relevance  
e) Coherence  
f) Development dimension  
g) Stakeholder engagement  
h) Due p rocess  
i) National i mplementation/adoption of International Standards  
8 Concepts behind the development of Kenya Standards  
The procedures for the development of Kenya standards shall be as contained in KEBS’ Standards 
Development Operating Procedures and shall be based on the concepts outlined in clauses 8.1 to 8.6.  
8.1 Code of Good Practice  
8.1.1  The World Trade Or ganization (WTO) is the international organization that deals with the global rules 
of trade between nations. Its main goal is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as 
possible.  
8.1.2  Kenya is a signatory to the World Trade Organiz ation Agreement on  Technical Barriers to Trade 
(WTO  TBT Agreement ). The WTO  TBT Agreement contains a  code that standards bodies should follow to 
ensure that their standards do not constitute technical barriers to trade in line with the objecti ves of the WTO. 
This code  appears in Annex 3 of the WTO/TBT Agreement and is  called the Code of Good Practice for the 
preparation, adoptio n and application of standards.  
8.1.3  Kenya shall implement the Code  of Good Practice  (CGP) through Policies and Proce dures which 
specifies adherence to  WTO/TBT Code of Good Practice.  
8.2 Project management   
6 © KEBS: 2019 : – All rights reserved  
 8.2.1  KEBS shall ensure  effective and efficient management of projects. This  is essential because:  
a) Standards have to be on time in order to retain their value; and  
b) The resources managed are the stakeholders’ resources.  
8.2.2  Effective project management shall be pro -active. It requires a planned and systematic approach, 
including certain routines with regard to timely a nd adequate corrective action.  
8.2.3  Project ta rgets shall be defined in work programme bulletins and work plans. The TC secretary shall 
be responsible for the management of all projects in the work programme of the TC, including monitoring of 
project progress against the agreed target dates.  Performan ce shall be monitored through KEBS’ monthly and 
quarterly reports.  
8.3 Consensus  
The principle of consensus entails trying to ensure that the interests of all those likely to be affected by the 
standard are taken into account, and that individual concerns are carefully and fairly balanced against the 
wider public interest. Achievement of consensus entails recognition of this wider interest and willingness to 
make reasonable compromises. Trivial objections are unlikely to gain support and may be over -ruled. 
However, where a member consistently maintains a fundamental objection and supports it with sound 
arguments, these concerns will be taken seriously.  
8.4 Discipline  
Discipline is required with respect to deadlines, and adequate establishment of consensus an d national 
positions. It is the responsibility of each organization represented in the TC to ensure that the technical 
standpoint presented at the TC – at the earliest possible stage – reflec ts the best national interest.  
8.5 Application of modern technology  
Kenya standards and the development process shall take into accoun t applicable modern technology.  
8.6 Cost -effectiveness  
The development process of Kenya standards shall be cost effective and this shall be achieved through 
effective project mana gement.  
9 Approval requirements  
9.1 The standardization process shall meet the approval requirements in table 1.  
9.2 Acceptance of a new work item by correspondence requires a response from at least 50 % of the 
members of the TC with a simple majority of the respondents in favour . 
9.3 The public review process shall be repeated if, in the TC chairperson’s opinion, significant technical 
changes are required to be made to the standard at the end of the public review stage . The comment period  
may, however, be shortened in line with the code of good practice, in cases where urgent problems of safety, 
health or environment arise or threaten to arise.  DKS 01-1: 2019  
© KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  7 
 Table 1 — Summary of a pproval requirements for Kenya S tandards  
Stage  Process  Product  Product ac ceptance 
criteria  
1 Proposal stage  
 Adoption of proposal for  new work item by TC 
 Approval  of proposal for  new work item  by SPC  New Work Item 
proposal  
(NWIP) ; Support from simple majority of 
the TC members in a meeting 
or through correspondence  
2 Committee stage  
 Preparation, circulation of preliminary(Working) 
draft with a template inviting TC comments  
 TC meet ing and comments included in CD  
 Acceptance of CD for submission as DKS  Draft  Kenya 
standard  (DKS)  Consensus, or  
Support from simple majority  of 
the TC -members  voting  
3 Public review stage  
 Submission  of DKS for public comment fo r 60 
days for adapted standards  
 Submission  of DKS for national comment for 30 
days for  total adoption standards  
 Submission of DKS for editing  
NOTE The comment period may, however, be shortened in line 
with the code of good practice, in cases where urgent problems 
of safety, health or environment arise or threaten to arise  Draft  Kenya 
standard  (DKS)  Consensus or;  
Support from simple majority of 
the TC -members  voting  
4 Balloting stage  
 Review o f public comments on DKS by TC  
 Acceptance for submission as FDKS by TC  
 Submission of  FDKS for Editing by secretariat  
NOTE The DKS process shall be repeated if, in the TC 
chairperson’s opinion, significant technical changes are required 
to be made to the standard at this stage . If no comments are 
received, or no significant technical changes are introduced, the 
standard shall be submitted as FDKS to the TC for acceptance  Final Draft 
Kenya standard  
(FDKS)  2/3 of TC  members vote 
positive  
5 Approval stage  
 Agreement by SAC to Publish  Kenya Standard  
(KS) As per the provisions of the 
Standards Act  
 
9.4 If no comments are received, or no significant technical changes are introduced at the end of the public 
comment stage, the DKS shall be submitted as Final Draft Kenya Standard (F DKS) to the TC for acceptance.  
10 Committees  
10.1 General  
Committees are the backbone of the standardization process. Committees shall be  
a) Technical Committees (TCs),  
b) Sub Committees  (SCs) of Technical Committees , or  
c) Working Groups (WGs).  
10.2 Confidentiality   
8 © KEBS: 2019 : – All rights reserved  
 10.2.1  Committee proceedings  
With the exception of drafts for public review, documents circulated by KEBS to any committee, or those 
designated as confidential by a third party,  shall be confidential and for private circulation only (even when 
documents are not marked as such). Committee members shall not disclose committee 
proceedings/documents to any body, other than their nominating body, without the com mittee’s express 
author ization.  
When distributing documents, committee members and their nominating bodies shall ensure that recipients 
are aware of their confidential nature and are responsible to the committee for the  safeguarding of the 
confidentiality of such documents.  
With a committee’s agreement, documents may be circulated to individuals who are not committee members 
at the request of interested organizations; such agreements shall be minuted. Committee members receiving 
documents through their work on a committee sha ll not use the contents of such documents for any purpose 
other than the work of the committee.  
NOTE  This does not preclude due consultation on such material within organizations represented on the committee. 
For this reason it has to be recognized that ab solute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed and KEBS can offer no 
assurances in this respect. Those submitting commercially sensitive material do so at their own risk.  
10.2.2 External communication  
The standards development process is, as far as is feasible, open and transparent to those not participating in 
it directly. However, in order to encourage the free exchange of views, it is expected that formal committee 
meetings will usually be held in private, and that individual views and standpoints wi ll not be reported outside 
the meeting without the explicit consent of those involved. Unless previously authorized by KEBS, it is not 
acceptable for any committee member to issue a public statement (e.g. to the press or at a conference) that 
divulges the expected content of a standard under development, or purports to reflect the collective viewpoint 
of a Technical Committee or of KEBS . 
NOTE  Violation of this important principle may lead the committee concerned to remove the committee member 
involved . 
10.3 Committee membership  
10.3.1  Membership to technical Committees shall be open to all interested stakeholders a nd will be publicly 
advertised.  
10.3.2  If a TC member fails to participate in three (3) consecutive meetings, either physically, web 
conferencing or by correspondence, without justifiable reasons he/she shall be automatically disqualified from 
membership.  
10.3.3  In addition, it is important to note that participation in technical committees is voluntary and does not 
attract monetar y benefit.  
10.4 Technical committees  
Technical committees shall be constituted to be representative, as far as reasonably possible, of valid national 
interests in the standardization of products or processes. Membership shall be on the basis of organization, 
association or forum representation, or renowned professionals/experts  as opposed to an individual basis.  
TC Membership shall be drawn from the following stakeholder categories:  
a) Government Lead Agency/Regulatory Authority;  
b) Manufacturers, producers, or service providers;  DKS 01-1: 2019  
© KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  9 
 c) Major corporate consumers;  
d) University, Research and other Technical Institutions;  
e) Industry Association;  
f) Trade Association;  
g) Professional Body;  
h) Consumer Organization;  
i) Non Governmental Organizations;  
j) Renown Professionals/experts;  and 
k) KEBS — Secretariat . 
10.5 Responsibilities of committee members  
10.5.1 In order to achieve maximum efficiency and the necessary discipline in the work, each organization 
shall participate actively in the work of the TC, with an obligation to respond to  documents circulated for 
comment, voting or both, and participate in and (where applicable) vote  at meetings.  
10.5.2 Committee members are expected to carry out self -evaluation annually . 
10.6 Subcommittees  
Technical committees can propose the formation of subcommittees to which th ey may delegate the 
responsibility for the preparation of standards.  
10.7 Working groups  
A committee can set up working groups, usually temporary in nature, to undertake specific, short -term tasks, 
such as the preparation of a working draft  (WD), or other investigations.  
10.8 Committee chairperson  
10.8.1 The chairperson shall be expected to have a working knowledge of standardization procedures at 
national and international levels.  
10.8.2  The Chair of a technical committee shall be responsible for the overall management of that 
committee, including any sub -committees and working groups. The TC Secretary shall be responsible for the 
management of all projects in the work programme of the TC, including the monitoring of project progres s 
against the agreed target dates. In the role of project manager, TC Secretary shall be assisted by TC chair.  
10.8.3  The core responsibility of the TC Chair shall be building  neutral ity, efficien cy and effective ness in  
conduct of meetings. The Chair shal l ensure that all points of view have received adequate attention, that 
consensus is reached, and that all resolutions are worded in a clear and precise manner and are made 
available – by the Secretary – for confirmation.  
10.8.4 The Chairperson shall  not h ave either a direct business or commercial interest in the products or 
services covered by the scope of TC/SC .  
10 © KEBS: 2019 : – All rights reserved  
 10.8.5 The Chairperson shall  promptly make full disclosure if there exists any potential or perceived Conflict 
of Interest involving his or her p ersonal interests, or the interests of the employer in regard to the project under 
consideration to the Committee . 
10.8.6  Appointment procedures and detailed responsibilities of TC Chair and Secretary shall be as detailed 
in KEBS’ procedures for standards development.  
10.8 .7 The chairman of a technical committee or subcommittee shall not be a chair of more than one 
KEBS TC . 
10.9 General Principles of the TC members Code of Conduct  
All parties engaged in the development of Kenya Standards shall adhere to the code of conduct as outlined in 
Annex B. 
11 Participation in international committees  
11.1 Benefits  
Participation in International technical committees, subcommittees and working groups offers the following 
national benefits:  
a) Best opportunity to influence technical work at the international level in accordance with the national 
economic and social priorities;  
b) Committees are a good forum for the identification of trends and offer early insider knowledge which 
provides a competitive edge;  
c) The insights obtained can reduce the risks of investing in inappropriate technology;  
d) International standards decrease costs caused by und esirable technical diversity;  
e) International standards facilitate international trade by providing specifications between contracting 
parties;  and 
f) International standards assist countries to develop their emerging economy.  
11.2 National mirror committees  
11.2.1 Wherever practicable, the national TC structure shall be in alignment with that of the  corresponding 
international  and/or  regional TC. Wherever practicable, the national TC  shall be the national mirror committee 
of the corresponding international or r egional TC. The process for determining the priority areas for alignment 
shall be as specified in clause 11.5 and shall be based on:  
a) Economic importance of the sector covered by the international and/or  regional TC; and 
b) Social importance of the sector cove red by the international and/or  regional TC. 
11.2.2  The mirror committee shall provide input into the development of international or regional standards 
and subsequently decide to adopt these international or regional standards as Kenya standards. In order  for 
national contributions by the mirror committee to be effective, participation in the international or regional TC 
shall be systematic and continuous. To ensure the regular study of technical documents, comparison with 
local needs shall be made and a n ational positi on developed through consensus.  
11.3 Membership to  regional /international  TCs DKS 01-1: 2019  
© KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  11 
 11.3.1   Membership to Regional/ International  TCs is normally drawn from national Technical Committees . 
Official communication with international or regional technical committees and subcommittees shall be routed 
through KEBS . For IEC and AFSEC, communication shall be through the secretariat of the National 
Committee.  
11.3.2   Membership to Codex committees is normally drawn from member countries to FAO/WHO. Off icial 
communication with the Codex Alimentarius Commission is usually routed through the National C odex 
Contact Point. 
11.3.3   As the National Standards Body ( NSB), KEBS shall:  
a) Facilitate the process of negotiation and consensus -building across stakeholder s in national mirror 
committees;  and 
b) Contribute to the international or regional negotiation and consensus -building process in interna tional 
or regional committees.  
11.4  Efficient and effective participation in international or regional  TC 
11.4.1   At international or regional TC meetings, Kenya shall be represented by delegations drawn from the 
national mirror TC. National representatives are expected to represent Kenya’s views in the overall work of an 
international or regional committee and parti cipate in reviews of the international or regional committee’s work. 
Where necessary and possible, this participation will take the form of attendance at international or regional 
TC meetings.  
11.4.2   A delegate to an international or regional TC meeting m ay be the same individual who has been 
nominated by KEBS or NECC to be an expert in a working group. Members of working groups are experts 
who are expected to input their individual know how and experience in the context of the particular 
standardization p roject to which they are contributing.  
11.4.3   Experts in a working group are usually nominated by the member bodies that have agreed to 
actively participate in the project concerned, but they do not formally represent these member bodies. They 
act in a pe rsonal capacity.  
11.4.4   Heads of delegations shall be designated by KEBS or the NECC. It shall be their task to indicate 
Kenya’s position on all items during an international or regional TC or SC meeting, and to ensure that the 
Kenyan delegation presents a homogeneous view on these items. They shall be responsible for the sustained 
effectiveness of participation by their delegation, for instance by means of adequate feedback to the national 
mirror committee. In order to promote consistency of opinions, it may be beneficial to have a regular 
representative, for i nstance as head of delegation.  
11.5  Prioritization in standardization  
11.5.1  Prioritization shall be based on the National Standardization Plan which shall be reviewed annually.  
11.5.2  Kenya shall participate in international and regional TC s that: 
a) Address products or services in which there is substantial national interest  (economic or social), either 
for domestic use or for international trade purposes;  and 
b) Has an equivalent national mirror commit tee to ensure constructive contributions at the working group 
level and effective presentation of national position at the international  or regional TC.  
11.5.3   Economic research, monitoring of trends in public opinion and regulatory measures by the competent 
authorities, combined with the application of relatively simple ranking systems, will provide a useful overall 
picture of priorities for standardization. However, the assessment exercise shall also include direct surveys of 
the actual need for st andards as perceived by stakeholde rs in their respective sectors.   
12 © KEBS: 2019 : – All rights reserved  
 11.5.4  Economic importance of standards  
In an economic context, the importance of any sector can be assessed by consulting industrial and trade 
statistics and considering, for instance, the  sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the 
role of the sector in export trade. The priority of sectors and subjects may be quantified by means of ranking 
systems. These ranks could range from “1 (very important)” to “ 5 (of much less  importance)”.  
11.5.5  Social importance of standards  
In a social context, the importance of any sector can be assessed based on the extent and urgency of the 
problems relating to health, safety, the environment and employment, which the proposed standard or area of 
standardization may help to solve. Safety issues usually require urgent solutions. Health and environmental 
problems can be short, medium or long term. The priority of sectors and subjects may be quantified by means 
of ranking systems. Based on the extent, urgency and public interest, ranks for social importance could range 
from “1 (very serious and urgent problem, public outcry)” to “ 5 (problem localized, no media reaction)”.  
12 Development stages of Kenya standards  
12.1  Any person or organizat ion may request for the development of a new standard  or revision of an 
existing standard in writing  preferably using the online tool on KEBS Website . The proposer shall supply 
information justifying the development of the standard. In general, the draftin g stages in the development of a 
standard begin after a new work item proposal has been adopted by the responsible committee and approved 
by the Standards Project Committee.  
12.2  The approved proposal may be a project for either a new standard or the revision of an existing 
standard. Adoption of a new work item by correspondence requires a  simple majority of the TC members 
respond ing in favour.  
12.3  A summary of development stages of Kenya standards is as outlined in Table 2. Details of 
development st ages are described in KEBS’ standards development operating procedure . The criteria for 
approval of Kenya standards and adoption of international or regional standards shall be as outlined in Tables 
1 and 3 respectively.  
Table 2  — Development s tages for Kenya Standards  
Stage  Process  Product  Acronym  
1 Proposal stage  
 Adoption of proposal for new work item by TC 
 Approval  of proposal for  new work item  by SPC  New Work Item proposal  NWI 
2 Committee stage  
 Preparation, circulation of preliminary(Working) draft 
with a template inviting TC comments  
 TC meet ing and comments included in CD  
 Acceptance of CD for submission as DKS  Committee Draft (s) CD 
3 Public review stage  
 Submission  of DKS for public comment fo r 60 days 
for adapted standards  
 Submission of DKS for editing  
 Review o f public comments on DKS by TC  
NOTE 1 This period may, however, be shortened in line with the code 
of good practice, in cases where urgent problems of safety, health  or 
environment arise o r threaten to arise.  
NOTE 2 The DKS process shall be repeated if, in the TC 
chairperson’s opinion, significant technical changes are required to be Draft Kenya S tandard  DKS DKS 01-1: 2019  
© KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  13 
 Stage  Process  Product  Acronym  
made to the standard at this stage . If no comments are received, or 
no significant technical changes are int roduced, the standard shall be 
submitted as FDKS to the TC for acceptance  
4 Balloting stage  
 Acceptance for submission  as FDKS by TC  
 Submission of  FDKS for Editing by secretariat  Final Draft Kenya S tandard  FDKS  
5 Approval stage  
 Agreement by SAC to Publish  Kenya Standard  KS 
6 Publication stage  
 Announcement of 
approved/amended/confirmed/withdrawn standards 
in the Kenya Gazette and on KEBS’ website   Electronic PDF copy of Kenya 
Standard (sale on demand) ; 
 Hard copy of Kenya Standard 
(print on demand).  
 Downloadable online electronic 
copy of Kenya Standard (KEBS 
Webstore)  KS 
 
Table 3 — Adoption of International  Standards  
Stage  Process  Product  Acceptance criteria  
1 Proposal stage  
 Circulation  of Proposal to adopt international 
standards  for na tional views  
 TC meeting and discussion of comments from 
stakeholders  New Wok Item proposal  acceptance by simple 
majority in support  
4 SPC stage  
 Approval  of proposal for  new work item  by SPC  Final Draft Kenya 
Standard (FDKS)  Acceptance by simple 
majority  
5 Approval stage  
 Agreement by SAC to Publish  Kenya Standard   TC representation 
was fair  
 Simple majority  
6 Publication stage  
 Announcement of 
approved/amended/confirmed/withdrawn 
standards in the Kenya Gazette and on KEBS’ 
website   Electronic PDF copy 
of Kenya Standard  
(sale on demand)  
 Hard copy of Kenya 
Standard  (print on 
demand)  
 Downloadable online 
electronic copy of 
Kenya Standard 
(KEBS Webstore ) - 
 
12.4  If consensus cannot be reached within the original time frame specified, the Standards Project 
Committee may review progress and, if appropriate, suggest a re -submission of the new work item, or request 
the market relevance to be re -evaluated . 
12.5  If SPC is advis ed that there is no agreement being reached in the Technical Committee, or if 
conclusion of the draft would lead to continuing contention, the project shall either be abandoned, or referred 
to KEBS Managing Director for further direction.   
14 © KEBS: 2019 : – All rights reserved  
 12.6  Alternatively, if SPC concludes that an acceptable standard can be prepared, but the Tech nical 
Committee itself remains unable to reach a decision, the disagreement shall be referred promptly to the 
National Standards Council , a panel of which shall hear the evidence and recommend a line of action. The 
decision of the Council shall be final and binding on all parti es. 
12.7  The style, layout and language of standards shall be the responsibility of KEBS as outlined in KEBS’ 
editorial guides.  
13 Disputes and appeals  
13.1  The principle of consensus shall be upheld at all times, but provision is  made for appeal by a 
member of a committee against a subcommittee decision, a technical committee decision, or against a 
decision of the management of KEBS. An appeal shall be lodged in writing, within ten working days of the 
decision, stating clearly the  technical groun ds on which the appeal is made.  
13.2  An appeal against a subcommittee decision or a ruling by the chairperson of a subcommittee shall be 
lodged with the chairperson of the technical committee who shall forward the same to TC for further di rection.  
13.3  An appeal against a technical committee decision or a ruling by the chairperson of a technical 
committee shall be lodged with the chairperson of SPC who shall forward the same to SP C for further 
direction.  
13.4  An appeal against a decision by SPC shall be lodged with the Managing Director of KEBS who shall 
forward the same to the National Standards Council for further direction.  Any decision by the National 
Standards Council concerning an appeal in respect of a standard shall be final.  
13.5  Pending resolution of an appeal, work in progress on a standard during the appeal, shall continue up 
to, but not including, approval of the standard by SAC.  
13.6  In the event of a Technical Committee failing to reach consensus on the Kenyan position on a project 
of international or regional origin, a vote shall not be taken by the committee members to resolve the matter. 
KEBS’ senior management concerned shall be informed promptly with a view to take urgent action, in 
consultation with the Chairman and S ecretary of the Technical Committee and others concerned, t o resolve 
the problem speedily.  
13.7  If the Technical Committee remains unable to reach consensus on the Kenyan position, a vote of  
abstention shall be forwarded.  
13.8  In the event of failure to reach consensus within the international or regional committee, the appeal 
procedures of the appropriate international or regional organization shall be followed.  
14 Verification of conformity  
14.1  A product (including services) or process specification s hall contain clear statements of how 
conformity to all of its requirements can be verified (e.g. by specifying meth ods of test or of measurement).  
14.2  The wording of such a specification shall enable conformity to its requirements to be verified equally 
by a first party (manufacturer or supplier), second party (user or purchaser)  or an independent third party.  
14.3  Criteria for conformity shall be stated in such a way to ensure that, however the claim of conformity is 
made, exactly the same requirements are satisfied.  
15 Updating and maintenance of Kenya Standards  
15.1 General  DKS 01-1: 2019  
© KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  15 
 KEBS shall ensure that every standard is under the responsibility of a technical committee. Each TC shall 
maintain standards for which it is responsible, to ensure that those standards are up to date with the current 
practice and free from material error.  
15.2 Systematic review  
Kenya  Standards shall be reviewed every five years to ensure that they remain valid. Adopted international 
standards shall be reviewed only when t he sou rce standard is reviewed.  
When reviewing the standard, the following four options  shall be considered by the TC:  
a) confirmation, which means that the standard, as is, remains valid;  
b) amendment which means that the standard subject to amendment will be conside red valid;  
c) revision, which means that a revision of the entire standard is to be undertaken;  and 
d) withdrawal , which means that the standard is no longer needed.  
15.3 Corrigenda  
Corrigenda shall be issued when essential for the correction of typographical or  editorial error. Where a post 
publication error or errors in a standard that is considered to be misleading or have serious consequences, the 
error, together with all relevant information shall be referred to the relevant TC, which shall consider what, if  
any, corrective action is to be taken.  
15.4 Amendments  
Amendments to published Kenya standards shall be issued when essential for:  
a) The correction of an error that could be misleading or has potentially serious consequences;  and 
b) Alteration or addition (or both) to previously agreed -upon technical provisions of the standard.  
15.5 Revisions  
The revision of a standard, resulting in a new edi tion, shall be considered when:  
a) A change is needed in the basic structure or layout of the standard;  
b) As a result of numer ous amendments or for other reasons, the resultant page or clause numbering 
has become confusing to such an extent that reading of the standard becomes difficult;  
c) The criteria for determining compliance with the standard for a product or service have chang ed to 
such an extent, either as a result of amendment(s) or as a result of technological changes, it is 
deemed necessary to issue a new edition of the standard, in order to draw attention to these 
substantially changed criteria, or make the latest version of the standard more readily understandable;  
and 
d) In the case of adopted standards, a revision of the original standard is issued.  
16 Responsibility of standards users  
It is the responsibility of all users of standards to ensure that they select standards which are in all respects 
appropriate to their needs and that they use the standards and the product (including service) to which they 
relate in a safe and appropriate way.   
16 © KEBS: 2019 : – All rights reserved  
 17 Copyright policy  
17.1  When sources used in the drafting of a particular Kenya s tandard are protected by copyright, it is 
essential that the copy right owners give their consent for the use or reproduction of such material.  
17.2  At the drafting stage, the TC Secretary shall be responsible for ensuring that no material is included 
that would infringe the copyright of a third party. If it is imperative that such material be included, permission 
shall be obtained from the copyright holder.  
17.3  All drafts (WD, CD, DKS and FDKS) and Kenya standards (KS) are commercial documents 
protected  by copyright and shall not be  reproduced without prior permission from KEBS . However, free 
distribution of such documents shall be allowed within a working group or committee, but only for the purposes 
of further standardization, such as the re vision of a n existing standard.  
18 Patents policy  
18.1  Technical reasons may justify the preparation of a standard in terms which include the use of items 
covered by patent rights, provided the holder of such identified patent rights is willing to negotiate licences  
under his rights on reasonable and non -discr iminatory terms and conditions.  
A statement to this effect,  the contact person and name and address of the company holding the patent  shall 
be included in the foreword of the standard . KEBS shall not be held res ponsible for identifying  any or all such 
patent rights.  
18.2  Should it be revealed after publication of a Kenya standard that licences under patent rights, which 
appear to cover items included in the standard, cannot be obtained under reasonable and non -discriminatory 
terms, the standard shall be referred back to the relevant TC for further consideration.  
 DKS 01-1: 2019    
 
© KEBS 2019 – All rights reserved   
 Annex A 
(normative)  
Principles for  development of Kenya S tandards  
Principle  What  the National Standards Body (NSB) must  do 
Transparency obligation  The work  programme  on standards  being developed  
must  be published  every  six months  
All essential  information on  current  work program me 
must  be made  easily accessible  Invitation  to join the  technical committee must  be 
made  public  
Draft  standards  must  be published  for public 
comment  for at least  60 days  - the notice shall include  
the scope  and rationale  for the standard s 
The text of  the draft standard s must  be made 
available promptly  upon  request  
The approved  standard s must  be published promptly  
Transparency obligation  The work programme on standards being developed 
must be published every six months  
All essential information on current work programme 
must be made easily accessible  Invitation to join the technical committee must be 
made public  
Draft standards must be published for public 
comment for at least 60 days - the notice shall 
include the scope and rationale for the standard s 
The text of the draft standard s must be made 
available promptly upon request  
The approved standard s must be published promptly  
Impartiality and consensus obligation  Impartiality should be maintained throughout in: - 
The s tandards development process must not give 
privilege to, or favour the interest of a particular 
supplier or product. Consensus should  seek to take 
into account the views of all parties concerned and to 
reconcile conflicting arguments  Participation in the technical committees  
Submission of comments on drafts  
Consideration of views expressed  
Decisions through consensus  
Obtaining information and documents   
Dissemination of s tandard s  
Fees charged for documents   
Revision of the s tandard s 
Effectiveness and r elevance obligation  Standards should be based on performance 
characteristics rather than descriptive characteri stics 
National Standards must facilitate trade, Prevent 
unnecessary trade barriers, not distort the market, 
respond to regulatory and market needs and take 
technological development into account  Standards should take scientific and Technological 
developments into account  
Standards should take account of regulatory and 
market needs   
© KEBS 2019  – All rights reserved  3 
 Principle  What  the National Standards Body (NSB) must  do 
Procedures must be in place to review standards and 
amend, revise or withdraw standards that have 
become ineffective  
Processes to liaise with regional and International 
Standardization organizations must be in place  
Development obligation  Tangible ways of facilitating participation of SMEs in 
the standards development work must be sought  
Constraints on less developed interested parties, 
especially SMEs sho uld be taken into consideration  Less developed interest parties must not be de facto 
excluded from the standards development process  
Stakeholder Engagement obligation  A dedicated forum, e.g. a Standards Advisory Forum, 
is the place for inviting all stakeholders to articulate 
their needs  
Stakeholders are important to the NSB and should be 
actively engaged in the policy and technical level  Stakeholders such as business associations, 
consumer organizations and relevant regulatory 
authorities should be invited individually as members 
of technical committees  
Draft standard s published for public comment should 
be sent specifically to business associations, 
consumer organizations and relevant regulatory 
authorities  
Published standards should be made known widely, 
including sector specific workshops and other 
focused activities  
Due p rocess obligation  A ‘’standard  for a standard’’ should be developed and 
made freely available as the established rules for the 
development, approval and appeals regarding 
national standards  
Standards development work should be carried out in 
accordance with established rules  Internal procedures including editing procedures 
should guide processes internal to the NSB, i.e a 
formal quality management system should be 
implemen ted and maintained  
The NSB Must comply demonstrably with the WTO 
TBT Agreement Annex 3, and notify its compliance 
formally to WTO  
Adoption of International Standards obligation  National Standards should be based on or be 
adoptions of International Standards with as few 
deviations as possible  
National Standards should form a coherent system 
with International and regional Standards  National Standards conflicting with International 
Standards should be reviewed and withdrawn  
The NSB should participate actively in International 
and Regional standards development whenever 
strategically relevant for the country  
 
   
4 © KEBS: 2019 : – All rights reserved  
 Annex B 
(normative)  
General p rinciples of the TC members code of conduct  
Principle  Conduct  
 
Respect others  
 We are committed to:  
• Respecting others and the profe ssional culture in the field of  
standardization .  
• Conducting ourselves in a professional manner.  
• Respecting others and the diversity of professional opinions - 
scientific, technical, or otherwise.  
• Embracing the concep ts of compromise and consensus building in 
the development of standards.  
• Accepting and respecting consensus decisions of the committee or 
working group and of National Standards Council.  
Making the effort to hear and understand the views of all, regardle ss 
of the diversity of members . 
Behave ethically  
 We will:  
• Act in good faith and with due care and diligence.  
• Avoid collusive or anticompetitive behavior.  
• Promote a culture of fair and ethical behavior, without prejudice 
against any member based on any human differences.  
• Refrain from debate and discussion that is disrespectful, threatening 
(mental or physical), or otherwise unprofessional in tone or which is 
offensive to other members and damaging to KEBS and the overall 
process of achieving consen sus. 
• Treat all persons with respect and fairness and not offer or appear to 
offer preferential treatment to any person or group.  
• Refrain from disseminating false or misleading information or from 
withholding information necessary to a full, fair, and c omplete 
consideration of the issues.  
• Not harass, threaten or coerce any member in an effort to persuade 
or sway votes. This does not preclude professional, respectful debate 
and exchange of views that contain information and/or present 
perspectives inten ded to persuade other members to lend their 
support or opposition to issues, proposals, etc. in order to ultimately 
achieve consensus.  
Resolve  disputes  We will uphold the agreed dispute resolution processes.  
Work for the net benefit  
of the country  We recognize that the development of standards is for the net benefit 
of the country, over and above the interests of any individual or 
organization. We are committed to advancing standards within their 
agreed scope and we will not hinder their development.  
Uphold consensus and  
governance  We will uphold the key principles of standardization: consensus, 
transparency, openness, impartiality, effectiveness, relevance, 
coherence and the development dimension.  
Agree to a clear purpose  
and scope  We are committed t o having a clear purpose, scope, objectives and 
plan to ensure the timely development of standards.  
Participate actively and  
manage effective  
representation  We agree to actively participate in standards development projects.  
We will make our contributions  to the work through the official 
procedures .