NISTIR 6970

Fifth Annual Report on Federal 

Agency Use of Voluntary Consensus 

Standards and Conformity Assessment 

Kevin McIntyre

Michael B. Moore

Office of Standards Coordination and Conformity

Standards Services Division

Technology Services Laboratory
NISTIR 6970

Fifth Annual Report on Federal 

Agency Use of Voluntary Consensus 

Standards and Conformity Assessment 

Kevin McIntyre

Michael B. Moore

Office of Standards Coordination and Conformity

Standards Services Division

Technology Services Laboratory

October 2002

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Donald L. Evans, Secretary

TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION

Phillip J. Bond, Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY

Arden L. Bement, Jr., Director

ii
FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT ON 

FEDERAL AGENCY USE OF

VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARDS

IMPLEMENTATION OF 

PUBLIC LAW 104-113 AND OMB CIRCULAR A-119 

FOR THE PERIOD 

OCTOBER 1, 2000, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2001

United States Department of Commerce 

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Technology Services 

Standards Services Division 

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-2100 

iii
Fifth Annual Report to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 

on the Implementation of Public Law 104-113 and OMB Circular A-119

Table of Contents 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................................ v 

1.0 SCOPE ................................................................................................................................... 1 

2.0 FEDERAL STATUTES......................................................................................................... 1

2.1 National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) (P.L. 104-113).............. 1 

2.2 OMB Circular A-119 .......................................................................................................... 1 

2.2.1 Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards Versus Government-unique Standards................ 1 

2.2.2 Conformity Assessment Guidance...................................................................................... 2 

2.2.3 Other Issues Covered by The Circular................................................................................ 2 

3.0 INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS POLICY (ICSP)............................... 2 

3.1 Purpose................................................................................................................................ 2 

3.2 ICSP Leadership ................................................................................................................. 2 

3.3 ICSP Membership ............................................................................................................... 3 

4.0 HIGHLIGHTS OF ICSP ACTIVITIES................................................................................. 3 

4.1 General................................................................................................................................ 3 

4.2 OMB Circular A-119 Update.............................................................................................. 3 

4.3 ICSP Working Groups........................................................................................................ 3 

5.0 HIGHLIGHTS OF AGENCY ACTIVITIES......................................................................... 4 

5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 4 

5.2 Department of Agriculture (USDA) ................................................................................... 4 

5.3 Department of Commerce (DOC)....................................................................................... 4 

5.4 Department of Defense (DOD)........................................................................................... 4 

5.5 Department of Education (DOED)...................................................................................... 5 

5.6 Department of Energy (DOE)............................................................................................. 5 

5.7 Department of the Interior (DOI)........................................................................................ 5

5.8 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)........................................................................... 5 

5.9 General Services Administration (GSA) ............................................................................ 5 

5.10 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) ................................................. 5 

5.11 National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) .................................................. 6 

5.12 Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ............................................................................ 6 

6.0 AGENCY USE OF GOVERNMENT-UNIQUE STANDARDS IN LIEU OF 

VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARDS...................................................................... 6 

6.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 6 

6.2 Department of Defense (DOD)........................................................................................... 7 

iv
6.3 Department of Energy (DOE)............................................................................................. 7 

6.4 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) ................................................. 7 

6.5 Department of the Interior (DOI)........................................................................................ 7

6.6 Department of Labor (DOL)............................................................................................... 7

6.7 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)........................................................................... 7 

6.8 Government Printing Office (GPO).................................................................................... 8 

6.9 General Services Administration (GSA)............................................................................. 8 

6.10 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)............................................................ 9 

6.11 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) .................................................. 9 

6.12 National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) .................................................. 9 

6.13 Department of the Treasury (Treasury)............................................................................... 9 

7.0 CONCLUSIONS.................................................................................................................... 9 

7.1 Membership ........................................................................................................................ 9 

7.2 Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards Instead of Government-unique Standards......... 10 

7.3 Use of Government-unique Standards Instead of Voluntary Consensus Standards......... 10 

7.4 Participation in Voluntary Consensus Committee Activities ........................................... 10 

7.5 Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards............................................................................ 10 

8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS...................................................................................................... 11 

8.1 Reporting Awareness........................................................................................................ 11 

8.2 Turnover of ICSP Membership......................................................................................... 11 

8.3 Timeliness and Completeness of Reports......................................................................... 11 

8.4 Clarification of Circular Language ................................................................................... 12 

9.0 TABLES AND CHARTS ..................................................................................................... 13 

APPENDIX A: CABINET DEPARTMENT REPORTS .......................................................... A-1 

Department of Agriculture (USDA)................................................................................... A-2 

Department of Commerce (DOC)...................................................................................... A-5 

Department of Defense (DOD)........................................................................................ A-14 

Department of Defense (DOD) 

National Communication System (NCS)...................................................................... A-21 

Department of Education (DOED)................................................................................... A-24 

Department of Energy (DOE).......................................................................................... A-26 

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA).......................................................................... A-35 

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) ............................................... A-43 

Department of the Interior (DOI)..................................................................................... A-46 

Department of Justice (DOJ)............................................................................................ A-49 

Department of Labor (DOL)............................................................................................ A-53 

Department of State (STATE) ......................................................................................... A-54 

Department of Transportation (DOT).............................................................................. A-56 

Department of the Treasury (TREASURY)..................................................................... A-58 

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).............................................................................. A-60 

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APPENDIX B: OTHER AGENCY AND COMMISSION REPORTS .................................... B-1 

Agency for International Development (USAID).............................................................. B-2 

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)................................................................ B-3 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).......................................................................... B-6 

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)................................................................. B-13 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) ........................................................ B-14 

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ................................................................................... B-15 

General Services Administration (GSA).......................................................................... B-17 

Government Printing Office (GPO)................................................................................. B-24 

International Trade Commission (ITC)............................................................................ B-26 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) .............................................. B-28 

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) ............................................... B-31 

National Science Foundation (NSF) ................................................................................ B-33 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ......................................................................... B-34 

APPENDIX C: CHARTER OF THE INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON 

 STANDARDS POLICY .................................................................................. C-1 

APPENDIX D: MEMBERSHIP OF THE INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON 

 STANDARDS POLICY .................................................................................. D-1 

APPENDIX E: LIST OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND 

 TECHNOLOGY PUBLICATIONS RELATED TO PUBLIC 

 LAW 104-113 ...................................................................................................E-1 

vi
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) (Public Law (P.L.) 

104-113), requires Federal agencies to use voluntary consensus standards to the extent 

practicable, to report development of agency-unique standards, and to participate in the 

development of voluntary consensus standards. The Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) issued Circular A-119 (the Circular), Federal Participation in the Development 

and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities to 

implement the NTTAA. The Circular requires the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST) to report annually to OMB on the progress Federal agencies make 

each year toward using voluntary consensus standards rather than government-unique 

standards and on the participation of Federal agency employees on private-sector voluntary 

consensus standards organizations. NIST organized and relies on the Interagency 

Committee on Standards Policy (ICSP) as the primary means of fulfilling its 

responsibilities for coordinating Federal standards-related activities under the NTTAA. 

On September 19, 2001, NIST, as chair of the ICSP, requested that each agency provide 

information on the status of its NTTAA implementation activities. The activities that

NIST requested reports for included agency use of government-unique standards in lieu of 

voluntary consensus standards, agency use of voluntary national consensus standards, the 

number of voluntary standards agencies substituted for government-unique standards, and 

the number of individual agency employees who participated in voluntary national 

consensus standards organizations. NIST also requested an agency evaluation of the 

effectiveness of the policies promulgated in the Circular. Table 1 summarizes this 

information. 

This report covers the period from October 1, 2000, through September 30, 2001 (FY 

2001.) It describes NIST’s coordination activities, with special emphasis on implementing 

the NTTAA, ICSP activities, individual agency reports on NTTAA implementation efforts, 

and suggestions for future courses of action. 

This report concludes that agencies continue to make significant progress in implementing 

the NTTAA. The past five years have been a learning experience during which NIST has 

found that the agencies have become more aware of the reporting requirements of the

NTTAA. As agencies become more aware of the requirements of the NTTAA and the 

Circular, they improve their participation in and understanding of their NTTAA 

obligations. While more work is necessary to ensure timely and accurate reporting of 

standards activities under the NTTAA, overall progress is good. 

The reported number of voluntary consensus standards used by Federal agencies seems to 

indicate a significant decline in such use this year. Such is not the case. The reported 

decrease in the use voluntary consensus standards reflects adjustments made by the 

agencies to their reporting process based upon a better understanding of the NTTAA 

reporting requirements. In the past, the number of voluntary standards reported as “used” 

vii
each year often included standards that were reported as “used” the previous year. This 

continued reporting of the use of the same standard from year to year leads to “multiple 

counting” of a standard’s use. This year, more agencies are reporting only those standards 

they “used” for the first time this year. They are not re-reporting those that they reported 

previously and continue to use. 

FY 2001 STATISTICS ON FEDERAL AGENCIES' 

PARTICIPATION IN DEVELOPMENT OF AND ADOPTION OF 

VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARDS

Number of Agencies'

Employees Participating in 

Voluntary Consensus 

Standards Bodies 

Number of Voluntary

Consensus Standards Used

Number of

Voluntary

Consensus 

Standards 

Activities in

Which the 

Agencies 

Reported

Participation in 

FY 2001

FY 2001 Change from

FY 2000 FY 2001 Change from

FY 2000

Number of

Voluntary

Consensus 

Standards 

Substituted in

FY 2001 for

GovernmentUnique Standards 

Number of

GovernmentUnique Standards

Used in Lieu of 

Voluntary

Consensus 

Standards in

FY 2001

847 2,838 +115 3,749 -1,704 106 54

NIST will be working within the ICSP to provide improved guidance to the Agencies so 

that they can report the number of voluntary consensus standards they use in a uniform and 

consistent manner. NIST will suggest that the Committee consider the possibility of 

developing a cumulative table of data to show more clearly the number of voluntary 

consensus standards used by the Federal agencies for the first time each year. The current 

table (Chart 4) displays the total number of standards reported as “used” each year, 

including those reported as “used” in previous years. The use of a cumulative table will 

show more accurately the actual trend of the use of new voluntary consensus standards and 

should eliminate the effect of “multiple-counting” of standards each year. 

It should also be noted that as agencies reduce their regulatory activities found on the 

Semi-Annual Regulatory Agenda, the number of voluntary standards used by the agencies 

in their regulatory standards development process might also decrease. 

The number of government-unique standards used in lieu of voluntary consensus standards 

increased from 16 to 54 between FY 2000 to FY 2001. Again, this increase reflects a 

growing awareness of the reporting requirements of the NTTAA and OMB Circular as 

Agencies reevaluate their standards inventories. A better awareness of the reporting 

requirements has led to the identification of many standards that may have been 

overlooked in the past. The use of “agency-specific” standards as well as “governmentunique” standards is now being reported. “Agency-specific” standards are standards that 

have been developed by an agency to be used by that agency. “Agency-specific” standards 

are a subset of “government-unique” standards and their use may have been overlooked in 

the past by some agencies. 

viii
While the number of voluntary consensus standards activities on which agency employees 

participated declined slightly, the actual number of agency employees participating in 

voluntary consensus standards bodies increased this year. The slight decline in the number 

of committees on which agency employees participated most likely reflects a reallocation 

of resources based upon current agency standards development agendas. In order to better 

manage financial and human resources, agencies may be reducing participation on 

committees that are not related directly to their regulatory agendas, while at the same time 

increasing employee participation on those committees that are related directly to active 

agency standards activities.

After a significant decline last year, the numbers of employees participating on voluntary 

consensus standards bodies have returned to FY 1999 levels. Many agencies have recently 

suffered significant turnover in employment due to retirements of long-term workers. 

However, in recognition of future staff turnover and the loss of participation by older 

workers many agencies may be allowing younger workers to join into committee 

memberships along with and under the mentoring of the outgoing members of the 

workforce. Such foresight and increased participation ensures a smooth transition and 

continued participation in standards activities by the agencies as long-term workers leave 

the workforce. 

During this reporting period, many agencies continued to institute new procedures to 

improve compliance with the NTTAA. For example, EPA provided additional guidance to 

its regulatory development staff on how the NTTAA can and should be discussed in the 

preambles of Notices of Proposed Rulemaking and Final Rules. DoD and DOE continued 

to replace Military Specifications and government-unique standards with voluntary 

national consensus standards. Other agencies, notably the Department of Health and 

Human Services, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Department of Energy 

convened agency-wide workshops with other agencies and invited key stakeholders to 

educate their standards personnel about NTTAA activities. Private-sector standards 

developing organizations instituted briefing sessions with Federal agencies to address the 

issue of references to out-of-date standards in regulations. 

Appendices A and B contain the full reports from 14 Cabinet Departments and 12 other 

agencies and commissions regarding their NTTAA activities.

ix

Fifth Annual Report to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 

on the Implementation of Public Law 104-113 and OMB Circular A-119

1.0 SCOPE 

This report covers fiscal year (FY) 2001 from October 1, 2000, through September 30, 

2001. It describes the progress made by Federal agencies in implementing the National 

Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (NTTAA) (P.L. 104-113) and OMB 

Circular A-119 (the Circular), through Agency use of voluntary consensus standards and 

participation in standardization activities. It highlights examples of the Agencies’ 

interactions with private-sector voluntary consensus standards bodies, the Agencies’ use of 

government-unique standards, and the activities of the Interagency Committee on 

Standards Policy (ICSP). It also discusses the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology’s (NIST’s) efforts to coordinate Federal agency standards-related activities 

including their interaction with key private-sector organizations. Appendices A and B 

provide copies of the reports that the 14 Cabinet Departments and 12 other Agencies or 

commissions submitted to NIST to comply with their obligations under the NTTAA. 

Appendices C and D provide copies of the ICSP Charter and a roster of the ICSP 

membership, respectively. 

2.0 FEDERAL STATUTES 

2.1 National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (NTTAA) (P.L. 

104-113) – Section 12(d) of the NTTAA establishes the responsibility for Federal agencies 

to use national voluntary consensus standards wherever practical. It establishes agency 

reporting requirements and authorizes NIST to coordinate standards and conformity 

assessment activities between the Federal agencies and the private sector.

2.2 OMB Circular A-119 (the Circular) – The Circular provides guidance to Federal 

agencies to assist them with complying with their responsibilities under the NTTAA. On 

February 19, 1998, OMB revised its Circular A-119, Federal Participation in the 

Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment 

Activities. The purposes of the revisions were “to make the terminology of the Circular 

consistent with P.L. 104-113, to issue guidance to Agencies on making their reports to 

OMB, to direct the Secretary of Commerce to issue policy guidance for conformity 

assessment, and to make editorial changes for clarity. The Circular is reviewed every three 

years to determine if revisions are necessary to further improve implementation of the 

NTTAA. 

2.2.1 Use Of Voluntary Consensus Standards Versus Government-Unique 

Standards – The Circular directs Agencies to use voluntary consensus standards in lieu of 

government-unique standards in regulatory and procurement actions except where such use 

would be inconsistent with law or otherwise impractical. The policies in the Circular are 

intended to minimize the reliance of Federal agencies on government-unique standards. 

1
These policies do not create the basis for discrimination in Agency procurement or 

regulatory activities among standards developed in the private sector, whether or not 

voluntary consensus standards bodies develop them. 

2.2.2 Conformity Assessment Guidance – The current Circular directed the Secretary of 

Commerce (the Secretary) to issue guidance to agencies on ways to coordinate their 

conformity assessment activities. Accordingly NIST, on behalf of the Secretary, published 

a notice of “final policy guidance” entitled, “Guidance on Federal Conformity Assessment 

Activities,” in the Federal Register on August 10, 2000 (65 FR 48894-48902). This 

guidance document focuses on ways for Federal agencies to eliminate unnecessary 

duplication and complexity in their conformity assessment activities. 

2.2.3 Other Issues Covered By The Circular – The current Circular also describes 

policies for Federal agency use of voluntary consensus standards and for participation of 

Federal agencies on voluntary consensus standards bodies. It further covers the procedures 

for managing and reporting Federal agency use of standards in procurement and 

regulations. The Circular also specifies the responsibilities of the Secretary of Commerce, 

NIST, Agency heads, and Agency Standards Executives in complying with the NTTAA. 

2.2.3.1 Role of Secretary of Commerce and NIST – The NTTAA and the Circular 

assign several policy coordination and implementation tasks to the Secretary of Commerce 

(the Secretary) and NIST. Specifically, NIST must chair the Interagency Committee on 

Standards Policy (ICSP) and submit an annual report to OMB on Federal agency activities 

related to implementing the NTTAA and the Circular. The Secretary, as required every 

three years by OMB, must re-charter the ICSP. The Secretary did so on October 26, 2000 

following the review of and comment on the charter by participating Agencies. 

2.2.3.2 Role Of Agency Standards Executives – The Circular delineates the role of 

Agency Standards Executives particularly with regard to Agency-wide compliance with 

the NTTAA’s legal requirements. The Standards Executive is responsible for coordinating 

Agency-wide standards-related activities, coordinating the implementation of the Circular, 

and serving on the ICSP. 

3.0 INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS POLICY (ICSP) 

3.1 Purpose – NIST established the ICSP in 1968 to encourage coordination and liaison 

among Federal agencies on matters related to standards. The Committee’s primary 

mission is to coordinate Federal activities under NTTAA and the OMB Circular. A copy 

of the current ICSP Charter is found in Appendix C. 

3.2 ICSP Leadership – The Deputy Director for Technology Services at NIST chairs the 

ICSP this year on behalf of the NIST Director and the Secretary of Commerce. The Chief 

of the NIST Standards Services Division serves as the vice-chair. 

2
3.3 ICSP Membership – The ICSP membership is composed of representatives of 14 

Federal Cabinet Departments, 12 other Federal agencies and commissions, and two offices 

within the Executive Office of the President. A list of the ICSP membership can be found 

in Appendix D. 

4.0 HIGHLIGHTS OF ICSP ACTIVITIES 

4.1 General – The ICSP met four times in FY 2001. Even with a considerable amount of 

turnover in membership the member Agencies maintained good representation at the 

meetings. The Committee met to discuss a broad range of timely topics related to 

standards and conformity assessment activities within Federal agencies. Discussions 

focused on the annual reporting requirements for the NTTAA, educating and recruiting 

young people into careers involving standards development and management, and ongoing 

training needs for Federal agencies. Speakers addressed the Committee on subjects such as 

the Congressional perspective of the current status and future prospects for the NTTAA, 

and the high level of standards developing organization (SDO) involvement in the 

Department of Transportation’s Intelligent Transportation Systems program. One of the 

four ICSP meetings was held jointly with the Government Member Council (GMC) of the 

American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and addressed several topics including 

initiatives for implementation of the National Standards Strategy. 

4.2 OMB Circular A-119 Update – Paragraph 16 of the Circular requires a review of the 

Circular every three years. The ICSP conducted an internal review of the Circular this year 

because it was last revised in 1998. During the review, the ICSP identified a number of 

possible changes to the wording of the Circular that would clarify and simplify the Federal 

agency reporting requirements. However, after consulting with OMB, the ICSP agreed 

that the issues the members raised did not merit a full revision of the Circular. The 

Committee then decided that they would clarify reporting requirements within the ICSP

through the distribution of an internal guidance memorandum to the members. 

4.3 ICSP working groups – Due to the significant level of time and effort the Committee 

devoted to reviewing the Circular, the ICSP working groups did not experience the same

level of activity this year as last. However, the ICSP did initiate a new workgroup, the 

Laboratory Accreditation and Conformity Assessment Working Group (LAWG). This 

new working group is chaired by NIST and will, among other things, advise the full 

Committee on the coordination of Agency laboratory accreditation activities within 

government and between government and the private sector. Future plans for the working 

group include sharing information on Federal agency implementation of the Federal 

Conformity Assessment Guidance issued by NIST in FY 2000 (65 FR 48894-48902). 

During the next fiscal year the ICSP plans to review the current slate of working groups. 

Those that are no longer relevant will be discontinued. 

3
5.0 HIGHLIGHTS OF AGENCY ACTIVITIES 

5.1 Introduction. Many of the reporting Agencies continue their active participation in 

the standards development process on domestic and international levels. While the overall 

trend of Agency participation in standards development organization (SDO) activities has 

been downward in the past, this year Agency participation on SDO committees increased 

slightly. Several Agencies are working on a case-by-case basis with various SDOs to 

develop voluntary consensus standards that can be adopted in lieu of government-unique 

standards. This is something that the Department of Defense has been doing for sometime 

in the procurement area, and the Department continues to increase the amount of national 

consensus standards it lists for use. Other active Agencies, including GSA and GPO, are 

working with SDOs to review government procurement specification standards to facilitate 

replacing them with national standards during the procurement process. 

The following paragraphs summarize highlights of activities reported by selected 

Agencies. Full reports for all Agencies reporting activities are contained in Appendices A 

and B. 

5.2 Department of Agriculture (USDA) – USDA employees participated in several 

international and domestic standards development organizations addressing the handling of 

meat products and seed development, including the United Nations/Economic Commission 

for Europe and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). USDA staff also 

participated in committee work of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 

in the areas of quality management and meat products. USDA was also represented in 

activities of the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), serving on a task force 

committee to establish a performance based laboratory accreditation process for laboratory 

testing of seed samples for the presence of genetically engineered seeds. 

5.3 Department of Commerce (DOC) – The Department of Commerce organized and 

conducted two workshops this past year. Both were well attended. The first, the NIST 

Centennial Standards Symposium, addressed achievements in standards from 1901 through 

2001 and included several ICSP members on the Agenda. The second, a Conformity 

Assessment Workshop brought together attendees from the government, private industry 

and standards developing organizations to discuss significant activities in conformity 

assessment. 

5.4 Department of Defense (DoD) – The Department of Defense continues to report 

stories of success in their efforts to improve the quality of materials and work practices in 

DoD. For example, the Navy realized that the repair of shipboard piping systems could 

offer a potential cost saving if new pipefitting technologies, such as the use of 

mechanically attached fittings (MAF), were developed. As a result, the Navy's MAF lifecycle manager chose to work with industry to develop a national voluntary consensus 

performance standard for MAF testing. The result was a flexible, but stringent, 

commercial performance standard, ASTM Standard F1387, Standard Specification for 

Performance of Mechanically Attached Fittings. 

4
5.5 Department of Education (DOED) – The U.S. Department of Education’s National 

Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has been actively working with ANSI on 

developing Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) transaction sets. The work is being 

accomplished through staff participation on the Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) 

X12 to electronically convey administrative educational information between educational 

Agencies. 

5.6 Department of Energy (DOE) – Several DOE facilities are now accredited under the 

National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST’s) National Voluntary Laboratory 

Accreditation Program to perform calibrations in a variety of metrology parameters 

including dimensional, radiation, physical, and electrical metrology. DOE’s Nuclear 

Weapons Program has been working with the National Cooperation for Laboratory 

Accreditation (NACLA) to change DOE’s policies and procedures with regard to 

calibration laboratories whose data they accept. This DOE program can now rely on 

services provided by commercial calibration laboratories accredited by NACLArecognized accreditors. 

5.7 Department of the Interior (DOI) – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has 

entered into agreements with State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs) to share 

standards information and data involved with cultural resources. 

 

5.8 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – EPA's new standards web site will be 

completed shortly and will be the primary access point for the public regarding the 

Agency's voluntary standards activities. Case studies and success stories will be available 

on the web site, along with EPA standards policies and current news. The URL for the web 

site will be made available to OMB, Congress and the public as soon as it is established. 

5.9 General Services Administration (GSA) – GSA reported a broad array of standards 

and conformity assessment activities that involved products such as hand tools and 

accessories, environmentally friendly adhesives, paints and coatings for architectural and 

aerospace uses, clean air requirements for shipbuilding and ship repair as well as aerospace 

manufacturing and repair facilities. 

5.10 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) -. NASA has enhanced 

its use of voluntary consensus standards (VCS) through the web-based NASA Technical 

Standards System, which currently has the capability to provide full text standards (on-line 

or hard copy) to all NASA users, notification when standards are modified, and direct links 

on applicable standards to "lessons learned" and other recommendations for their use. 

Statistics to date indicate increasing use of VCS with approximately 6,000 people (NASA 

and the public) registering in four months to access the system. 

The Standards Update Notification System (SUNS) provides users with notices of updates 

(revisions, cancellations, superseded documents, etc.) to Technical Standards Products that 

5
NASA has identified as "in use" on their Programs/Projects. The System was made 

available Agency wide in October 2001. 

5.11 National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) - The Deputy Archivist 

of the United States is actively involved in the development of an international standard 

addressing records management. 

5.12 Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) - In FY 2001, NRC took several actions 

to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the process for implementing P. L. 104-113 

and OMB Circular A-119. On January 17, 2001, NRC staff met with representatives from

the standards development organizations (SDOs) that provide codes and standards for the 

nuclear industry. The NRC hosts these meetings on a semi-annual basis. The purpose of 

these meetings is to foster better communication and discuss standards under development, 

current needs and priorities. 

In many cases, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the NRC interact with the same

SDOs. Therefore, the NRC and DOE decided to co-host a meeting on standards 

development interaction and cooperation. This meeting was held on June 27, 2001. The 

joint meeting format proved to be very beneficial, and the meeting participants requested 

that NRC and DOE also co-host the next meeting. Hence, a subsequent NRC/DOEsponsored meeting was scheduled for January 2002. 

6.0 AGENCY USE OF GOVERNMENT-UNIQUE STANDARDS IN LIEU OF

VOLUNTARY CONSENSUS STANDARDS

6.1 Introduction – A total of ten Agencies reported using 54 government-unique 

standards in lieu of voluntary consensus standards. This is an increase of 38 standards 

over last year. Fifteen Agencies reported that they do not use government-unique 

standards in lieu of voluntary consensus standards. 

NIST believes that the significant increase in fiscal year 2001 in reported usage of 

government-unique standards by the Agencies resulted from a better understanding of the 

NTTAA reporting requirements on the part of the agencies – not from an actual increase in 

the use of government-unique standards. Historical data presented in Table 2 (See Section 

9.0) shows that numbers of government-unique standards used has fluctuated over the past 

several years. It is anticipated that this number will continue to fluctuate over the shortterm as the Agencies gain greater experience with and a better understanding of the 

NTTAA reporting requirements. 

Many Agencies reported their continuing efforts to cooperate and work with interested 

parties, including the SDOs, to further reduce the need to use government-unique 

standards. This continued cooperation between the public and private sectors can result in 

a long-term, downward trend in the numbers of government-unique standards used in the 

Federal government’s regulatory and procurement processes. 

6
6.2 Department of Defense (DoD) – Because of DoD initiatives such as MilSpec 

Reform that predate the onset of the NTTAA, the Department began replacing 

government-unique standards with voluntary consensus standards well before the first 

report of government standardization activities under the NTTAA was compiled for fiscal 

year 1997. Consequently, DoD has cumulatively adopted 9,069 standards, only a small 

portion of which is reported in Table 1 of this report. Further, since the Department of 

Defense has such a massive number of procurements based upon standards, the 

Department has chosen to report standards usage on a categorical basis. Rather than 

compile an itemized list of standards used in each individual procurement, DoD maintains 

a comprehensive list of standards that can be used in the Department’s procurement 

specifications. The Department relies on MilSpecs and standards in lieu of voluntary 

consensus documents only when the requirement can be justified as truly military-unique, 

when a voluntary standard does not exist and development is not imminent, or when there 

is no industry interest to develop an appropriate voluntary standard. 

6.3 Department of Energy (DOE) – The Department of Energy also chooses to report 

voluntary consensus standards usage on a categorical basis. Therefore, as explained above 

in paragraph 6.2, an itemized accounting of usage has not been reported, but standards 

listed for use are reported. 

6.4 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – Similar to DoD and 

DOE, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration also reports voluntary consensus 

standards usage on a categorical basis. 

6.5 Department of Interior (DOI) – The Department of Interior reports the use of two 

government-unique standards in lieu of voluntary consensus standards. This is an increase 

of two over last year’s report. The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is required to use the 

Metadata Standard developed by the U.S. Geodetic Survey for documenting information 

about all geospatial data including GIS. They also use a BOR Standard Specification for 

Corrugated Polyethylene Drainage Tubing rather than a voluntary consensus standard 

because current consensus standards do not ensure the quality of product they need to use. 

6.6 Department of Labor (DOL) – The Department of Labor reports the use of three 

government-unique standards in lieu of voluntary consensus standards. This is an increase 

of three over last year’s report. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

(OSHA) developed three government-unique standards this past year because there were 

no specific voluntary national consensus standards available at the time of the standards'

development. OSHA developed standards for protecting workers in healthcare industries 

from needle sticks, for maintaining injury and fatality data, and for protecting workers 

during the erection of steel structures. OSHA developed its standards through prescribed 

rulemaking processes with the assistance of outside interested parties. 

6.7 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – The Environmental Protection Agency 

reports the use of 36 government-unique standards in lieu of voluntary consensus 

standards. This is an increase of 34 over last year’s report. Although EPA determined that 

7
the voluntary standards listed in their report are not practical for the purposes of the rules, 

EPA did not create any new government-unique standards. The government-unique 

standards listed by EPA were previously in effect, but unreported. 

The general reason EPA did not use the reported voluntary consensus standards in lieu of

the government-unique standards is that EPA believes that the voluntary consensus 

standards are not practical due to lack of equivalency, documentation, validation data and 

other important technical and policy considerations. EPA’s rules go into more complete 

technical detail. 

EPA reports the use of government-unique standards and the justification for not using 

potentially applicable voluntary standards as the basis of context. The Agency believes that 

the public standards developing organizations and industry need to know the context in 

which the Agency considers the use of a voluntary standard in order to understand the 

actions of the Agency. They also need to know the context in which EPA uses a voluntary 

standard in order to evaluate the potential of the standard for possible regulatory 

applications in future actions. The context will give standards developers a framework 

from which to consider updates of the standard. For example, industry may determine that 

use of a particular voluntary standard in regulatory actions is a prime driver for updating 

that standard, or it may determine that market needs are best served by having both the 

regulatory and the voluntary standard. 

Given this explanation, EPA reserves the right to make the determination of context and to 

report, when appropriate, multiple rejections of a single VCS. In other cases, the reason

for rejection of a VCS in separate rules is so similar in context and involves the same EPA 

Method, that the use of the government method and consequent rejection of the VCS is 

counted only once. 

6.8 Government Printing Office (GPO) – The Government Printing Office reports the 

use of four government-unique standards in lieu of voluntary consensus standards. This is 

the same amount that was reported last year. The primary reason for GPO’s continued use 

of the government standards is that the standards are referenced in contracts that will 

gradually be corrected in the future to recognize voluntary national consensus standards. 

 

6.9 General Services Administration (GSA) – The General Services Administration 

reports the use of two government-unique standards in lieu of voluntary consensus 

standards. This is a decrease from four that were reported last year. GSA uses Federal 

Specification FF-L-2740 in lieu of UL 768 because the government-unique specification 

covers certain combination locks used for the protection of classified, national security 

information. In testing locks under the voluntary standard, GSA found that the locks did 

not provide the level of protection required by Federal agencies. GSA also uses Federal 

Specification KKK-A-1822E in lieu of ASTM F-2020 for the purchase of ambulances. 

They do this because F-2020-1 is currently under review and is being compared to KKKA-1822E. GSA expected the review to be completed in 2002. Once F-2020-1 is reviewed 

8
and found to be acceptable, it will be cited in future GSA procurements for ambulances in 

lieu of Federal specification KKK-A-1822E. 

6.10 The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – The Department of 

Health and Human Services reports the use of one government-unique standard in lieu of 

voluntary consensus standards. This is an increase of one over last year’s report. HHS uses 

the National Standard Format (NSF) in lieu of ANSI X12.837 because the NSF is used 

widely across the health care payment industry and has become a de facto national 

standard. However, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have directed 

their contractors to discontinue use of the NSF standard and to replace it with ANSI X12 

837 by the beginning of FY 2003. 

 

6.11 The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reports the continued use of 

two government-unique standards in lieu of voluntary consensus standards. HUD reports 

that it uses 28 CFR 200.93 5 in lieu of ANSI A 119.1 for its Building-Product Standards 

and Certification Program. HUD also uses 28 CFR 3280 in lieu of ANSI 119.1 and NFPA 

501C for its Manufactured Home and Construction Safety Standards. HUD’s use of 

government-unique standards is necessary to provide specific HUD guidance not found in 

the voluntary consensus standards. 

6.12 National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) – The National Archives 

and Records Administration reports the use of one government-unique standard in lieu of 

voluntary consensus standards. This is the same number reported last year. NARA 

continues to use a number of its own data standards because MARC, EAD, APPM, ISAD 

(G), and ISAAR (CPF) standards do not meet the needs of the Agency. NARA prefers to 

use a normalized database approach because other approaches would be too limiting. 

However, NARA is continuing to bring their individual data elements guidance closer into 

line with the voluntary standards. 

6.13 The Department of the Treasury (Treasury) – The Department of the Treasury 

reports the continued use of two government-unique standards in lieu of voluntary 

consensus standards. These are the same two standards reported last year. The customs 

brokerage industry continues to use the Customs and Trade Automated Interface 

Requirements (CATAIR) and some parties in the transportation section continue to use the 

Customs Automated Manifest Interface Requirements (CAMIR). The maintenance of 

these government-unique standards within Customs applications at Treasury is at the 

request of the participating industry groups that use those standards. 

7.0 CONCLUSIONS 

7.1 Membership -- The membership on the Interagency Committee on Standards Policy 

changed significantly during the reporting period. Several ICSP members have left their 

positions as Standards Executive or Representatives of Standards Executives due to 

retirements and career reassignments. However, in the midst of these changes, the 

9
Committee has been able to maintain a strong core of committed members who meet

regularly for the purpose of completing the mission of the ICSP. 

7.2 Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards Instead of Government-Unique 

Standards – The number of new voluntary consensus standards substituted for 

government-unique standards declined from 537 in 2000 to 106 in 2001. This most likely 

reflects the declining number of government-unique standards needing to be replaced that 

remain in the government’s inventory of standards. As Agencies continue to replace 

government-unique standards at a rate greater than the need to use them, eventually this 

number will approach its lower limit. 

7.3 Use of Government-Unique Standards Instead of Voluntary Consensus 

Standards – The number of government-unique standards used in lieu of voluntary 

consensus standards has risen since the Fourth Annual Report. A review of Table 1 shows 

the reason for the apparent increase in the use of government-unique standards to be 

attributed to a single Agency. However, this increase does not represent a shift by that 

Agency away from the practice of using voluntary consensus standards. Rather, it 

represents a more comprehensive reporting of government-unique standards already in use 

by the Agency thereby reflecting a greater Agency awareness of the reporting 

requirements. 

7.4 Participation in Voluntary Consensus Committee Activities – The total number of 

Federal employees participating in voluntary consensus committee activities rose from 

2,723 to 2,838 during fiscal year 2001. This is the first reported increase since these annual 

reports were initiated. At the same time, Federal agencies participated in 847 activities this 

year compared to 885 activities in 2000. The reported increase in Federal employee 

participation coupled with the decrease in agency-level participation most likely indicates a 

more focused approach to allocating agency resources. Employee participation seems to be 

directed more towards those voluntary consensus standards activities most directly related 

to on-going Agency standards projects, thus representing a greater awareness of the need to

participate in activities relevant to the agency mission. 

7.5 Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards -- As indicated by the data reported in 

Table 1, individual Agencies reported both significant increases and decreases in new uses 

of voluntary consensus standards (VCS). The cumulative figure shows a decrease in 

reported new VCS use government-wide. However, much of this decrease was not a result 

of an actual decline in new VCS use by Federal agencies. Instead, a considerable portion of 

the apparent decline resulted from of the inability of some Agencies to fully report for this 

category for FY 2001. It appears that internal reorganizations and personnel turnover 

affected the ability of a number of Agencies to both participate in and report on their 

activities in both standards usage and conformity assessment. Such internal changes 

seemed to affect mostly those Agencies that had only recently begun to make significant 

headway in organizing and managing their standards-related activities. 

10
8.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 

8.1 Reporting Awareness – The ICSP discovered through the course of its ongoing 

discussions that there is far more positive activity taking place within the federal 

government with respect to the NTTAA and the Circular than is being reported. This is 

primarily due to a lack of awareness within various organizational levels of the Federal 

agencies about the NTTAA, its principles, and its reporting requirements. This lack of 

awareness causes relevant activities to go unrecognized as being applicable to NTTAA 

reporting requirements. 

8.1.1 Federal agencies should consider placing additional emphasis on training 

appropriate personnel to increase their general awareness of the NTTAA, its 

principles, and its requirements. 

8.1.2 NIST, with the cooperation of OMB, should conduct a joint NIST/OMB 

Workshop for new Agency standards development employees at least once a year 

that covers the reporting requirements under NTTAA and the Circular. Items to be 

covered during the workshop should include the basics of the NTTAA, the 

Circular, required reporting elements, definitions of terms, and the importance of

timely and accurate reporting. 

8.2 Turnover of ICSP Membership – It is ever more important for Federal agencies to 

recognize the dynamic nature of the Federal workforce and the constant need to review 

Agency assignments to the ICSP and other standards management positions. This is true 

for employees assigned as Standards Executives and their Representatives as well as for 

employees who serve as Agency representatives to standards developing organization 

committees. 

8.2.1 Federal agencies should consider developing individual Agency plans to 

accommodate changes in personnel and their responsibilities, particularly where 

these responsibilities include representation in activities related to standards and 

conformity assessment. 

8.3 Timeliness and Completeness of Reports – Some Federal agencies continue to

experience a varying degree of difficulty in reporting their standards related activities to 

NIST in a complete and timely manner. By observation, NIST finds that the accuracy and 

timeliness of Agency reports varies in direct proportion to an agency’s ability to 

systematically maintain data about its standards related activities. An ideal standards 

management mechanism would allow Agencies to report their significant activities on an

almost instantaneous basis in contrast to having to exert significant effort to compile the 

required data at the end of each year. 

8.3.1 NIST should work with the Agencies through the workshops recommended 

earlier to implement new or improve existing standards management systems to 

ensure timely and accurate reporting of standards related activities. 

11
8.3.2 NIST should consider the development of a web-based system similar to the 

current reporting system that would allow Agencies to continually update standards 

related activities at any time during the reporting year. 

8.4 Clarification of Circular Language -- The ICSP subgroup tasked with reviewing the 

OMB Circular A-119 found that it is has become necessary to clarify the meaning of some

of the language in the Circular 

8.4.1 NIST, with input from the ICSP, should coordinate and develop a glossary 

of terms found to be unclear in the language of the Circular. 

12
9.0 Tables and Charts 

Table 1 - Federal Agency Information On Participation/Adoption Of Voluntarty 

Standards Acivities Required by OMB Circular A-119 (Data as of 9/30/2001) 

Agency Government 

Unique

Standards

Used In Lieu 

Of VCS 

VCS 

Substituted 

for Govt. -

Unique

Standards 

VCS Used

in FY 

2001 

Agency

Employees

Participating in

VCS Activities 

Change 

From FY 

2000 

VCS 

Activities In

Which there 

is Agency

Participation 

Change 

From FY 

2000 

USDA 0 0 95 59 0 39 0 

DOC 0 0 3 440 0 168 0 

DOD - 74 104 540 94 55 -16 

NCS 0 0 0 10 0 18 0 

ED 0 0 17 2 2 1 1 

DOE - 0 1,025 663 -13 58 -1 

HHS 1 1 578 281 40 57 11 

HUD 2 1 300 10 2 5 -1 

DOI 2 -- -- 69 -- 5 0 

DOJ 0 0 59 5 0 3 0 

DOL 3 0 125 76 -13 35 -46 

DOS 0 0 0 8 0 1 0 

DOT 0 8 246 177 -34 168 22 

TRES 2 0 5 67 57 8 2 

VA 1 0 0 12 0 24 -2 

USAID 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

CPSC 0 1 1 31 3 9 1 

EPA 36 2 64 46 23 20 5 

FCC 0 0 0 5 0 1 0 

FEMA 0 0 0 7 0 4 0 

FTC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

GSA 2 19 25 41 -6 107 26 

GPO 4 0 116 2 0 2 -1 

USITC 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 

NASA - 0 922 139 -17 32 -6 

NARA 1 0 0 5 0 6 0 

NSF 0 0 0 3 0 2 -1 

NRC 0 0 64 139 -2 18 0 

OMB 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

USPS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

USTR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

TOTAL 54 106 3749 2838 136 847 -6 

13
The data represented in Table 1 under the heading “VCS Used in FY2001” represents 

different interpretations of the term “use” by individual agencies. For example, some

agencies reported only those VCS used for the first time in FY2001, while others reported 

the total number of VCS in use in FY2001. Due to the nature of their use of standards, 

agencies such as DoD and DOE maintain large inventories of standards they incorporate 

by reference. Therefore, these agencies only report the first time use or addition of a 

standard to their inventories. Other agencies report their use of a standard once in the year 

that the standard is first referenced and again in each subsequent year that the standard 

continues to be referenced. 

A survey of agencies indicates a range of interpretations of the term “use.” OMB Circular 

A-119 does not provide specific guidance on this issue. While it appears that individual 

agencies have reported consistently from year to year based on their own interpretation of 

the term “use,” it is not possible to determine whether these differing interpretations have 

resulted in higher or lower reported use of voluntary consensus standards in this report, or 

in previous reports. 

For future reports, NIST is working in conjunction with the Interagency Committee on

Standards Policy to provide more specific guidance to Federal agencies regarding reporting 

on voluntary consensus standards use. Application of this guidance should result in 

cumulative data that is more reflective of the actual use of standards by Federal agencies 

during the reporting year. 

Table 2 Federal Agency Standards Substitutions 

Number of VCS Substituted for 

Government-Unique Standards

Number of Government-Unique 

Standards Used in Lieu of VCS

1997 187 7

1998 146 4

1999 542 88

2000 537 16

2001 106 54

Totals 1,412 115

14
Chart 1: Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards

Substituted for Government-Unique Standards

146

537

106

542

187

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Substituted Standards

Chart 2: Number of Federal Agency Employees Participating in

Voluntary Consensus Standards Activities

3242

2723

3276

2832 2838

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

15
Chart 3: Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Bodies in Which Agencies Participate

945

869

823

885

847

760

780

800

820

840

860

880

900

920

940

960

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Chart 4: Number of Voluntary Standards "Used" by Federal Agencies

543

2669

5453

3749

1876

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

1997 1998 1999 2000

16
Appendix A:

Cabinet Department Reports 

A-1 
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

95 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

59 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

39 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

USDA concurs that the standards policy stated in Circular A-119 is effective in reducing 

duplicate systems of standards. It effectively defines the role and coordinates the use of 

government-unique standards in the marketplace. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

United Nations/Economic Commission for Europe Committee for Trade Industry and 

Enterprise Development, Meeting of Experts for the Standardization of Meat, April 25-27, 

2001 Geneva, Switzerland (finalized beef cutting and quality standard) 

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International. ASTM is a voluntary 

standards development organization providing a forum for the development and 

publication of voluntary consensus standards for materials, products, systems, and 

services. Participated in the formation of ASTM Committee F10 on Livestock, Meat, and 

Poultry Evaluation Systems on July 11, 2001, and in the organizational meeting of ASTM 

Committee F10 on November 15 – 16, 2001. 

A-2 
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee 176 for Quality 

Management and Quality Assurance. Livestock and Seed voted on numerous draft 

standards before the committee related to standardization in the field of generic quality 

management, quality systems, quality assurance, generic supporting technologies and the 

applied use of these standards. 

ISO Technical Committee 34 for Food Products/Subcommittee 6 for Meat and Meat 

Products. This committee is administered by the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to 

TC34/SC6, which develops ISO standards in the field of meat and meat product foodstuffs, 

as well as sampling, methods of test and analysis, product specifications and requirements 

for packaging, storage, and transportation of meat and meat products. 

International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). Participated in an ISTA study to determine 

if large lots of grass seeds are sufficiently homogenous to be shipped in international trade. 

Attended the 2001 ISTA Congress and served as the U.S. voting delegate. Served on the 

ISTA GMO Task Force Committee to establish a performance based laboratory 

accreditation process for laboratories testing seed samples for the presence of genetically 

engineered seeds. 

Participated in an International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) study to determine if 

large lots of grass seeds are sufficiently homogenous to be shipped in international trade. 

USDA served as a technical assessor for an ISTA accreditation audit of a government seed 

laboratory in the United Kingdom.

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

None reported. 

9. Comments 

Representatives of the Department of Agriculture participate in the following standards 

developing organizations: 

3A Sanitary Standards Program

3A/NSF Meat and Poultry Equipment Standards 

International Dairy Federation 

Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products 

American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) 

International Standards Organization (ISO) 

Universal Standards Agreement 

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

Standardization of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables 

Standardization of Dry and Dried Fruit 

Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables 

A-3 
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee 176 for 

Quality Management and Quality Assurance 

ISO Technical Committee 34 for Food Products/Subcommittee 6 for Meat and Meat 

 Products 

International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) 

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 

Accredited Standards Committee 

American Wood Preservers’ Association 

Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers 

Insulated Conductors Committee and Subcommittee 

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association 

American Standards Institute 

American Society of Civil Engineers 

Insulated Cable Engineers Association 

National Electric Codemaking Panel 16 

T1 Telecommunications Committee 

Water Environment Federation Small Systems Committee 

AWWA Small Systems Committee 

Engineers Joint Contract Document

A-4 
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (DOC) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

 0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

 3 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

 440 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

 168 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for Any Changes: 

In compliance with OMB Circular A-119, a subgroup of ICSP representatives met several 

times during FY01 to prepare for the triennial review and update of the Circular. Over the 

course of several meetings, the subgroup raised a number of issues related to standards 

management and reporting guidance provided to Federal agencies in the Circular. 

However, after conferring with OMB, a consensus was reached that, based on the nature of 

the comments raised, a revision of the Circular was not warranted. Instead, the ICSP 

would, if deemed necessary, draft a memorandum of clarification to provide clarifications 

for Federal agencies in those areas that were discussed during the subgroup meetings. To

date, the ICSP has not found it necessary to exercise this option. Thus, the feeling of NIST 

is that Circular A-119 continues to serve as an effective policy document. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been 

Involved: 

NIST has evaluated and recognized the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 

program to accredit private sector certifiers as competent to accredit Telecommunications 

A-5 
Certification Bodies (TCBs) on behalf of NIST, in support of the Federal Communications 

Commission TCB program. NIST recommends accredited organizations to the FCC for 

designation as TCBs. This program operates in conformance ISO/IEC Guide 61, and 

accredits candidate TCBs to ISO/IEC Guide 65 and ISO/IEC 17025. 

NIST’s Standards Services Division (NIST/SSD) participates in the ANSI International 

Conformity Assessment Committee (ICAC), which serves as the U.S. Technical Advisory 

Group (TAG) to ISO’s Council Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO). SSD 

staff participates in CASCO Working Group 25, on alignment of ISO/IEC 17025 with ISO 

9000/2000; Working Group 22, on a code of good practice for conformity assessment, and 

Working Group 20, on the revision of ISO/IEC Guide 7 on the inclusion of conformity 

assessment requirements in standards. SSD staff also participates in working groups of the 

International Accreditation Forum (IAF). 

NIST/SSD serves on the ANSI committee that is responsible for accrediting certification 

bodies and on the U.S. National Committee to the IECEE (IEC System for Conformity 

testing and Certification of Electrical Equipment), a worldwide scheme that allows 

manufacturers to obtain a test certificate from an approved U.S. National Certification

Body (NCB) and to use this test report to obtain certification marks in other participating 

countries. 

NIST/SSD also participates in the U.S Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to ISO TC 176, 

the ISO committee responsible for the development and maintenance of the ISO 9000 

standards series and in American Society for Quality (ASQ) Z-1, the U.S. committee 

responsible for their adoption as U.S. national standards. 

The Chief of NIST/SSD serves as the Chair of the ANSI-Registrar Accreditation Board 

(RAB) National Accreditation Program (NAP) Environmental Management Systems 

(EMS) Council. The Council is responsible for accrediting registrars that assess facilities 

for conformance to the ISO 14001 standard. 

NIST/SSD has published a number of directories and reports on conformity assessmentrelated issues, including ten guides to various European Union (EU) directives to assist

manufacturers in understanding the directives and a new edition of NIST SP 739, 

Directory of U.S. Private Sector Product Certification Program. NIST/SSD also maintains 

a website (http://www.ts.nist.gov/ca) that provides a one-stop-shopping source for 

information on various conformity assessment issues. 

National Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation (NACLA)

Section 12b of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) of 1995 

directed NIST to coordinate conformity assessment activities of Federal, state, and local 

entities to eliminate any unnecessary duplication of conformity assessment activities. In 

response, NIST has been a driving force behind the creation of NACLA. NACLA is 

composed of organizations in the United States, with observers from Mexico and Canada, 

that actively support development of a system for recognizing the competence of testing 

A-6 
and calibration laboratories leading to worldwide acceptance of test and calibration reports 

from those laboratories. Concerned with costly, multiple, duplicate assessments, and the 

lack of domestic or international recognition of laboratory accreditations, the group has 

explored solutions that could lead the United States, and perhaps eventually its North 

American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners, toward the goal of having only one 

assessment of a laboratory in a given field of testing, based on internationally accepted 

procedures. The NACLA vision is for a U.S. laboratory accreditation system that achieves 

the following goals: 

For the testing laboratory, a single accreditation in a given field of testing, with 

worldwide recognition of the laboratory's competence. 

For the manufacturer/supplier, a test performed once, with worldwide acceptance. 

For the acceptance body (that is a government agency or an industry specifier), an 

accreditation based on uniform criteria and intended to ensure that a laboratory is 

qualified to provide data of consistent quality. 

NACLA made significant strides domestically and internationally during FY 2001 include 

the following. 

On the domestic front, the Department of Energy's nuclear weapons laboratories changed 

their policies and procedures with regard to calibration laboratories whose data they 

accept. In the past, this unit of DOE conducted periodic audits of these laboratories in

order to establish confidence in their competence. Under the new policy, DOE will rely on 

laboratories accredited by accreditation bodies recognized by NACLA. As a result of 

foregoing audits by DOE personnel, DOE will save thousands of dollars annually. 

On the international front, NACLA and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) signed a 

memorandum of understanding, whereby laboratories accredited by NACLA-recognized 

accreditation bodies are also recognized in Canada, and SCC-accredited laboratories are 

recognized by NACLA-recognized accreditation bodies. 

NACLA also continued its work of evaluating seven accreditation bodies that have applied 

for NACLA recognition. Further, it conducted a training session for candidates wishing to 

be qualified for service on NACLA evaluation teams. 

The Director of NIST/SSD is a member of the NACLA Operations Council and chairs the 

NACLA International Affairs Committee. Under the NIST-NACLA Memorandum of 

Understanding, signed July 2000, NIST recognizes NACLA as a suitable private sector 

alternative to NIST’s National Voluntary Conformity Assessment System Evaluation 

(NVCASE) program. NIST relies on NACLA recognition of qualified accreditation 

bodies in support of NIST responsibilities as a designating authority under the U.S.-

European Union Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA), the APEC Telecommunications 

MRA, and the CITEL MRA. A total of more than 100 laboratories have been designated 

A-7 
as Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) under the provisions of the U.S.-EU and APEC 

MRAs, pursuant to this MOU. 

National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program – NIST/SSD’s National Voluntary 

Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) operates in conformance with ISO Guide 58 

and accredits calibration and testing laboratories to ISO/IEC 17025. NVLAP operates 

programs in support of several Federal agencies, including the Department of Energy, 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Defense, 

Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Communications Commission; and in support 

of State and local governments. 

National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) – To help consumers select 

commercial off-the-shelf IT products that meet their security requirements and to help 

manufacturers of those products gain acceptance in the global marketplace, NIST and the 

National Security Agency (NSA) have established a program under the National 

Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) to evaluate IT product conformance to 

international standards. The program, officially known as the NIAP Common Criteria 

Evaluation and Validation Scheme for IT Security, or Common Criteria Scheme in 

abbreviated form, is a partnership between the public and private sectors. 

NAIP assessment programs are based on national and international IT security standards 

and criteria. The initial assessment programs will focus on the testing and evaluation of

commercial IT products; follow-on programs will address the assessment of IT systems 

and networks to support the system certification and accreditation processes. Present IT 

product testing programs under the NIAP Common Criteria Evaluation and Validation 

Program (see more at http://niap.nist.gov/cc-scheme/) and the NIST Cryptographic Module 

Validation Program (see http://csrc.nist.gov/cryptval/).

 8. Provide Any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes: 

In May 2001, NIST’s Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) signed a Memorandum of 

Understanding with the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) to fast track the 

Common Industry Format (CIF) for Usability Test Reports Standard through the National 

Committee for Information Technology Standards (NCITS). Two NIST researchers 

initiated and led the technical development work on this standard through the Industry 

Usability Reporting (IUSR) Project Workshops in an effort to increase the visibility of 

software usability. Prominent suppliers of software and representatives from large 

consumer organizations participate in the IUSR Project Workshops. After public review, 

the CIF standard was unanimously approved by NCITS at their November 2001 meeting. 

For additional information, see http://www.ncits.org/press/2001/CIFfasttrackpr.htm. 

9. Comments: 

Department of Commerce (DOC)

A-8 
The DOC encourages its staff to participate in standards committee activities 

relating to the mission of the Department, subject to resource availability. Agency 

employees participate in the standards development activities of: (1) U.S. private sector

standardization bodies; (2) local, state, and federal governments; and (3) both private and 

governmental (treaty and nontreaty) international standardization organizations. Standards 

of interest to the Department cover a broad range of technical areas including: (1) energy 

conservation, (2) information and computer technology, (3) telecommunications, (4) 

environmental safety and health, (5) meteorological work, and (6) a variety of other 

product sectors and fields of technology. 

The Standards Committee Participation (SCP) Database in NIST/SSD is designed 

to collect and disseminate information on DOC staff participation in standards 

development activities. NIST publishes an annual directory containing statistics on all 

DOC standards committee participation, alphabetical listings of staff participants and 

standards organizations and committees, and a list of acronyms and abbreviations. 

The DOC standards participant information contained in the SCP Database is 

divided into two parts -- NIST and other (non-NIST) DOC agencies. 440 DOC staff 

participated in the standards writing activities of 168 (113 national and 55 international) 

standards developing organizations. NIST had 389 participants in the activities of 

135 standards organizations (92 national and 43 international). NIST participated on 

441 committees and held 1,302 memberships on these committees. Twelve of the 

standards organizations in which NIST staff members participated had 20 or more NIST 

memberships. Fifty-one staff members of other DOC agencies participated in 49 

committees of 33 standards organizations (21 national and 12 international). They held 92 

memberships on those committees. Eight of those standards organizations had five or 

more other DOC participants. 

The following organizations/agencies accounted for 61 percent (56) of the 92 other 

DOC committee memberships:

Organizations with Other DOC Members

Committee 

Memberships

American National Standards Institute 11 

International Organization for Standardization 8 

NCITS (National Committee for Information Technology 

Standards) 

7 

Federal Committee for Meteorological Service and Supporting 

Research 

7 

International Telecommunication Union - Telegraph 6 

Department of Defense/Federal Aviation 

Administration/Department of Commerce 

6 

Telecommunications Industry Association 6 

Department of State 5

A-9 
Total 56

Listed below are 12 standards organizations and the American National Standards 

Institute (ANSI) in which NIST holds at least 20 committee memberships along with the 

exact number of committee memberships. The organizations/agencies accounted for 74 

percent (964) of the 1,302 other DOC committee memberships: 

Organizations with NIST Members

Committee 

Memberships

American Society for Testing and Materials 530 

American National Standards Institute 101 

International Organization for Standardization 65 

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers 45 

American Society of Mechanical Engineers 43 

International Electrotechnical Commission 39 

CIE (International Commission on Illumination) 30 

NCITS (National Committee for Information Technology 

Standards) 

20 

CGPM (Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures) 20 

International Organization of Legal Metrology 23 

Telecommunications Industry Association 23 

American Concrete Institute 23 

Telecommunications Industries of America 23 

Total 985

DOC AGENCIES (EXCLUDING NIST): SUMMARY OF STANDARDSRELATED ACTIVITIES 

a. International Trade Administration (ITA) -- The ITA participates in 

4 CODEX committees, 1 ICAO committee and one Committee of the U.S.-Russia 

Working Group Standards for Chemicals. This year, ITA’s work in standards furthered 

toy safety standardization and international civil aviation standards adoption and 

acceptance worldwide. 

b. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) -- 

Standardization of data acquisition and data management practices is vital to the mission at 

NOAA. NOAA seeks to establish voluntary standards with selected industrial 

associations, academia, and national organizations of state and local governments (e.g., the 

American Association of State Climatologists), as well as through participation in 

professional societies (e.g., American Meteorological Society). All NOAA line 

organizations participate in standards development activities. In general, standards used in 

many NOAA activities are established in conjunction with other Federal agencies (e.g., 

A-10 
DOD, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture) either through 

joint participation in international organizations such as the World Meteorological 

Organization, or by means of bilateral and multilateral agreements with other nations. 

These standardization activities apply to all phases of environmental data acquisition, 

processing, and distribution. 

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) -- The NTIA 

contributes to the development and application of national and international 

telecommunication standards by participating and holding leadership roles in various 

voluntary standards committees at the national and international levels (e.g., 

Telecommunications Industry Association, International Telecommunication Union). 

These standards enhance the quality and reliability of the domestic telecommunications 

infrastructure, promote healthy competition in telecommunications products and services, 

and expand international trade opportunities for U.S. telecommunications firms. 

Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) -- The PTO participates and contributes to the 

resolution of identified requirements for international standards, primarily through the 

Permanent Committee on Industrial Property Information of the World Intellectual 

Property Organization. PTO staff also participates in standardization activities of the 

International Patent Classification Union and the ANSI-Accredited Committee on Patent 

Standards. 

Bureau of the Census -- DOC’s Bureau of the Census is active in the development of 

standards and specifications for: (1) the capture and storage of geographic information in 

computer-readable formats along with metadata documenting the characteristics of those 

data; and (2) the definitions of statistical, economic, and geographic terms. The Census 

Bureau participated in the following groups in FY2000: Federal Geographic Data 

Committee -- various subcommittees and working groups; ANSI/NCITS-L1 Geographic 

Information Systems; ISO Technical Committee 211; Ad hoc Baseline Committee on the 

U.S. International Boundary; U.S.G.S. Spatial Data Transfer Standards (SDTS) Technical 

Review Board; International Cartographic Association, Commission on National and 

Regional Atlases; U.S.G.S. National Atlas of the United States Steering Committee; and 

the Open GIS Consortium (OGC). 

NATIONAL CENTER FOR STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATION 

INFORMATION (NCSCI)

NCSCI is the U.S. focal point for standards-related information at home and abroad; it 

provides information on U.S., foreign, regional, and international voluntary standards 

bodies, mandatory government regulations, and conformity assessment procedures for 

nonagricultural products. NCSCI maintains an extensive collection of reference materials, 

including U.S. military and other Federal Government specifications, U.S. industry and 

national standards, international standards, and selected foreign national standards. Staff 

members respond to requests for specialized standards information, arrange for translations 

of foreign standards and regulations, and disseminate information to U.S. industry 

A-11 
concerning proposed foreign regulations and general standards issues. Also, two telephone 

hotlines provide weekly updates on draft European standards and on proposed foreign

technical regulations that might significantly affect trade. 

In direct response to U.S. obligations resulting from the World Trade Organization (WTO) 

Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) and the North American Free 

Trade Agreement (NAFTA), NCSCI serves as the U.S. national inquiry point responsible 

for responding to questions concerning U.S. standards, technical regulations and 

conformity assessment procedures. NCSCI also serves as the U.S. member of the 

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Information Network (ISONET). 

NCSCI, with other national WTO and NAFTA inquiry points and ISONET members, is 

part of a network that regularly exchanges standards-related information and has access to 

foreign trade-related technical standards, regulations and conformity assessment 

procedures. 

Signatories to the WTO TBT Agreement are required to notify the WTO Secretariat in 

Geneva of proposed technical regulations that could affect trade and provide a 

recommended 60 day comment period to allow other WTO Members to review and 

comment on the proposals. NCSCI staff receive copies of the one-page notifications and 

disseminates them through a web-based, free subscription service established in 2001 

called Export Alert! NCSCI also acquires the full text of the proposed technical 

regulations from the relevant foreign inquiry point. NCSCI staff is also responsible for 

notifying the WTO Secretariat of proposed U.S. technical regulations that may affect trade. 

 

FEDERAL INFORMATION PROCESSING STANDARDS (FIPS) 

Under the Information Technology Management Reform Act (Public Law (P.L.) 104-106), 

the Secretary of Commerce approves standards and guidelines that are developed by NIST 

for Federal computer systems. Under section 513 of the Information Technology 

Management Reform Act of 1996 and the Computer Security Act of 1987, P.L. 104-106, 

NIST develops standards, guidelines, and associated methods and techniques for federal 

computer systems, including those needed to ensure the cost-effective security and privacy 

of sensitive information in federal computer systems, when there are compelling federal 

requirements and there are no existing voluntary industry standards. These standards and 

guidelines are issued by NIST as FIPS for use Government-wide. FIPS address federal 

requirements for the interoperability of different systems, for the portability of data and 

software, and for computer security. When FIPS are considered necessary, NIST 

announces proposed FIPS in the Federal Register for public review and comment. 

During FY 2001, NIST made the following FIPS announcements: 

January 2001 – NIST published for comment a draft Federal Information Processing 

Standard for the Keyed-Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC). The draft specifies 

A-12 
an algorithm for applications requiring message authentication. It allows for authentication 

of both the source of a message and its integrity. 

February 2001 – NIST announced it was soliciting public comments on Draft FIPS 197, 

the Advanced Encryption Standard. The AES algorithm is a symmetric block cipher that 

can encrypt (encipher) and decrypt (decipher) information. Encryption converts data to an 

unintelligible form called cipher text; decrypting the cipher text converts the data back into 

its original form, called plaintext. 

June 2001 – NIST announced the Draft Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS)

180-2, Secure Hash Standard (SHS), for public review and comment. This standard 

specifies a Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-1) that is required for use with the Digital 

Signature Algorithm (DSA) as specified in the Digital Signature Standard (DSS) and 

whenever a secure hash algorithm is required for federal applications. 

July 2001 – NIST announced proposed changes to FIPS 186-2, Digital Signature Standard 

(DSS) and request for public comments. This standard specifies a suite of algorithms that 

can be used to generate a digital signature. 

Federal Register: June 27, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 124) 

This notice announced FIPS 140-2, Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modues, a 

standard that will be used by Federal organizations when these organizations specify that 

cryptographic-based security systems are to be used to provide protection for sensitive or 

valuable data. 

A-13 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DoD) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

The Department of Defense reports voluntary consensus standards usage on a 

categorical basis; therefore, this information is not available.

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

74 

Voluntary 

Standard Government Standard

SAE-MA14489 DS14489 

SAE-MA14298 DS14298 

SAE-MA14242 DS14242 

SAE-J2363 A-A-52306A 

SAE-AS92001 MS9200C 

SAE-AS91001 MS9100B 

SAE-AS51007 MS51007C 

SAE-AS29561 MS29561A 

SAE-AS29513 MS29513C 

SAE-AS29512 MS29512C 

SAE-AS28772 MS28772 

SAE-AS27196 MS27196B 

SAE-AS27194 MS27194 

SAE-AS5877 MIL-N-5877E 

SAE-AS5201 AND10052 

SAE-AMS-STD-184 FED-STD-185A 

SAE-AMS-STD-182 FED-STD-182B 

SAE-AMS-QQ-A-367 QQ-A-367H 

SAE-AMS-QQ-N-290 QQ-N-290A 

NEMA-WC27500 MIL-DTL-27500H 

NASM91524 MS91524E 

NASM28728-5 MIL-D-28728/5B 

NASM28728-4 MIL-D-28728/4B 

NASM28728-3 MIL-D-28728/3A 

NASM28728-2 MIL-D-28728/2B 

A-14 
NASM28728-1 MIL-D-28728/1B 

NASM28728 MIL-D-28728B 

NASM27976 MS27976E 

NASM27120 MS27120A 

NASM21384 MS21384E 

NASM5501-32 MIL-PRF-5501/32A 

NASM3926-4 MIL-K-3926/4 

NASM3826-2 MIL-K-3926/2A 

ASTM-D6576 MIL-R-6130C 

ASTM-C1289 HH-I-1972 

SAE-MA14272 DS14272 

SAE-MA14241 DS14241 

SAE-J2362 A-A-52039B 

SAE-AS90991 MS9099C 

SAE-AS35769 MS35769B 

SAE-AS29561 MS29561A 

SAE-AS28778 MS28778C 

SAE-AS27198 MS27198B 

SAE-AS27197 MS27197B 

SAE-AS27195 MS27195A 

SAE-AS9881 MS9881B 

SAE-AS9374 MS9374A 

SAE-AS5201 MS33677A 

SAE-AMS-HH-G-101 HH-G-101E 

SAE-AMS-STD-184 FED-STD-184B 

SAE-AMS-STD-66 FED-STD-66D 

SAE-AMS-QQ-C-320 QQ-C-320B 

SAE-AMS-I-23053/3 MIL-I-23053/3A 

SAE-AMS-23053/2 MIL-I-23053/2C 

NASM91525 MS91525F 

NASM91522 MS91522A 

NASM90120 MS90120C 

NASM51939 MS51939A 

NASM51929 MS51929A 

NASM28728-8 MIL-D-28728/8B 

NASM28728-7 MIL-D-28728/7 

NASM28728-6 MIL-D-28728/6B 

A-15 
NASM21387 MS21387E 

NASM21382 MS21382E 

NASM5501-31 MIL-PRF-5501/31A 

NASM3926-3 MIL-K-3826/3A 

NASM3926-1 MIL-K-3926/1A 

ASTM-F2087 MIL-P-70343 

ASTM-F1604 A-A-50183 

ASTM-E2073 MIL-L-3891B 

ASTM-E2072 MIL-L-3891B 

ASTM-E2030 MIL-L-3891B 

ASTM-E786 NNN-D-345A 

ASTM-D3128 O-E-780B 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

104 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

540 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

55 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

The current OMB Circular A-119 provides clear guidance on using voluntary 

consensus standards and participating in voluntary consensus standards bodies. As 

written, this Circular reinforces our DoD policies regarding use of voluntary standards, 

reliance on performance documents, and encouragement of participation in voluntary 

standards bodies. We believe the Circular's plain language format greatly enhances its 

effectiveness. The Department does not believe additional changes are required at this 

time. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

N/A 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

A-16 
CASE STUDY 

Mechanically Attached Pipe Fittings

Following the end of the Cold War, the Navy sought to lower the cost of maintenance 

while maintaining fleet material readiness. Repair of shipboard piping systems offered 

potential cost savings. In the 1980s, a new pipefitting technology, the mechanically 

attached fitting (MAF), was developed, promising substantial improvements over other 

existing pipe-joining technologies such as welding and brazing. The Navy needed proof 

that MAFs could provide the same or better integrity than brazing or welding before 

authorizing their use in the fleet. The Navy needed a universal test standard to ensure it 

would get the best fitting at the best price for a given application. The Navy had a choice; 

it could write a military product standard(s) for one or more of the already approved MAF 

types or it could write a universal performance standard for testing that would apply to all 

current and future MAF products. Developing a universal test standard would be a more 

difficult task as it would need to address all of the differing MAF technologies and would 

require reaching consensus on acceptable test procedures among all the MAF 

manufacturers. Developing new military specifications for MAFs, while offering an easier 

solution, had the potential of limiting competition, proliferating military documents, and 

possibly discouraging innovation. The Navy's MAF life-cycle manager chose to work with 

industy to develop a voluntary consensus performance standard for MAF tesing. The 

approach prevailed because increasing competition, stimulating innovation, and helping 

drive down unit costs outweighed the added effort to reach consensus on a voluntary 

consensus standard. 

9. Comments 

At the last ICSP meeting there was some discusion about including the addresses of 

NGSBs with DoD participants. The following is our list: 

Aerospace Industries Association 

Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Institute 

Air Movement and Control Association 

Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions 

Aluminum Association 

American Architectural Manufacturers Association 

American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists 

American Bearing Manufacturers Association 

American Boat and Yacht Council 

American Concrete Institute 

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists 

American Dental Association 

American Gear Manufacturers' Association 

American Hardboard Association 

American Industrial Hygiene Association 

A-17 
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 

American Institute of Steel Construction 

American Institute of Timber Construction 

American Leather Chemists Association 

American National Metric Council 

American National Standards Institute 

American Petroleum Institute 

American Railway Engineering & Maintenance-of-Way Assoc 

American Society for Nondestructive Testing 

American Society For Quality 

American Society for Testing and Materials 

American Society of Cinematographers 

American Society of Civil Engineers 

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers 

American Society of Mechanical Engineers 

American Society of Sanitary Engineering 

American Water Works Association 

American Welding Society 

American Wood Preservers Association 

Architectural Woodwork Institute 

Association for Information and Image Management 

Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation 

BOCA International Contact: 

Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association 

Canadian General Standards Board 

Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute 

Compressed Gas Association 

Construction Specifications Institute 

Construction Specifications Institute 

Cooling Technology Institute 

Cordage Institute 

Data Interchange Standards Association, Inc. 

Deep Foundations Institute 

Electrical Generating Systems Association 

Electronic Components Assemblies & Materials Association 

Electronic Industries Alliance 

Electrostatic Discharge Association 

Government Electronics & Information Technology Association 

Graphic Communications Association 

Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association 

High Frequency Industry Association 

Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Inc. 

Illuminating Engineering Society of North America 

Information Technology Industry Council 

Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits 

A-18 
Institute of Clean Air Companies 

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 

Institute of Environmental Sciences & Technology 

Insulated Cable Engineers Association 

International Alliance for Interoperability 

International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials 

International Electrotechnical Commission 

International Organization For Standardization 

Internet Engineering Task Force 

Joint Electron Device Engineering Council 

Magnetic Materials Producers Association 

Manufacturers Standardization Society of the Valve and Fittings Industry 

Master Painters Institute 

NACE International 

National Association of Architectural Metal Manufacturers Sisco 

National Association of Relay Manufacturers 

National Fire Protection Association 

National Fluid Power Association 

National Hardwood Lumber Association 

National Information Standards Organization 

National Institute of Building Sciences 

National Petroleum Management Association 

NSF International 

Parachute Industry Association 

Plumbing and Draining Institute 

Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association 

Quarter-Inch Cartridge Drive Standards, Inc. 

Resistance Welders Manufacturers Association 

Rubber Manufacturers Association 

Scientific Apparatus Makers Association 

Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors Nat'l. Assoc. 

Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization 

Society for Protective Coatings 

Society of Allied Weight Engineers 

Society of Automotive Engineers 

Standards Engineering Society 

Steel Door Institute 

Steel Founders Society of America 

Steel Window Institute 

The Open Group 

The Soap and Detergent Association 

The Tire and Rim Association, Inc. 

TIA 

Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association 

A-19 
UN Centre for Facilitation of Procedures & Practices for Administration, Commerce e & 

Transport 

Underwriters Laboratories 

VITA Standards Organization 

Western Wood Products Association 

Window and Door Manufacturers Association 

Workflow Management Coalition 

World Wide Web Consortium 

A-20 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DoD) 

National Communications System (NCS)

1. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies in Which There is Agency 

Participation:

 18 

2. Number of Agency Employees Participating in Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities:

 10 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Used in FY 2000: 

 0 

4. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government-Unique 

Standards: 

 0 

5. Number of Government-Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards: 

 0 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for Any Changes: 

 N/A 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been 

Involved: 

 N/A 

8. Provide Any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes: 

N/A 

9. Comments: 

A-21 
Within the NCS, the Chief, Technology and Programs Division also chairs the Federal 

Telecommunications Standards Committee (FTSC). As part of these duties, the Chief 

is the focal point for telecommunications and related information system standards for 

the Office of the Manager, National Communications System (OMNCS). 

The FTSC prepares standards and recommendations on matters affecting national 

security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) and in other areas of communications 

approved by the committee on the basis of requests from members. It also provides 

advice to members on how to best represent the Government's NS/EP interests in work

in industry and international standards committee. 

The FTSC and members of the OMNCS work extensively with voluntary standards 

organizations to ensure that Government requirements are considered as the standards

are developed. The OMNCS has 10 employees who participate in industry voluntary 

standards activities. The following paragraph lists the committees in which they 

participate. 

Staff of the OMNCS participates in the following voluntary standards related 

committees: 

Organizations Accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI): 

 - Committee T1, Telecommunications, and its technical subcommittees 

 - Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) committees TR-41, TR45, and TR-46 

 - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 

Commercial and Multi-National Organizations Not Accredited by ANSI: 

 - ATM Forum 

- Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) 

 - Network Interconnection Interoperability Forum (NIFF) 

 - Telecommunications and Internet Protocol Harmonization Over Networks 

(TIPHON) 

 - TeleManagement Forum 

- Electronic Communications Implementation Committee (ECIC) Federal, 

State, and Local Committees 

 - Federal Telecommunication Standards Committee (OMNCS furnishes 

Chair and Executive Secretary) 

 - International Telecommunications Advisory Committee and its study 

groups (Department of State) 

 - Multiservice Switching Forum (MSF) 

- Parlay Group Inc. (for Application Programming Interfaces) 

 - Mobile Wireless Internet Forum (MWIF) 

- International Multimedia Telecommunications Consortium (IMTC) 

A-22 
 - Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) 

 International Organizations: 

 - International Telecommunications Union-Telecommunications Sector 

(ITU-T) (OMNCS heads U.S. delegations to 3 study groups) 

 - International Telecommunications Union-Radio Sector (ITU-R) 

A-23 
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (DOED) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

17 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

2 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

1 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

None 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

None 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

None 

9. Comments 

Since 1989, The U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education 

Statistics (NCES) has been actively working with the American National Standards 

Institute (ANSI) on developing Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) transaction sets 

A-24 
through the Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X12 committee to electronically

convey administrative educational information between educational agencies. 

This effort is now known as the Standardization of Postsecondary Education Electronic 

Data Exchange (SPEEDE) and Exchange of Permanent Records Electronically for 

Students and Schools (ExPRESS) Project. SPEEDE/ExPRESS represents the combined 

efforts of many organizations focused upon the development of ANSI ASC X12 

Electronic Data Interchange Standards for Education. For more information, please 

visit http://nces.ed.gov/edi/speedeExp.asp 

The following are ANSI Transaction Sets that are of interest to the Educational 

Community. Each of the transaction sets described below should be wrapped in 

electronic envelopes that provide routing, time stamp, and security information. These 

envelopes consist of the ISA/IEA and GS/GE Control Segments. In addition to the 

transactions sets listed, Transaction Set 997 - Functional Acknowledgment is an 

integral part of the EDI process. For more information, please visit 

http://nces.ed.gov/edi/tstable.asp 

Transaction Sets Relating to Individual Student Records 

* TS 130 - Student Educational Record (Transcript) 

* TS 131 - Student Educational Record (Transcript) Acknowledgment 

* TS 138 - Testing Results Request and Report 

* TS 146 - Request for Student Educational Record (Transcript) 

* TS 147 - Response to Request for Student Educational Record (Transcript) 

* TS 189 - Application for Admission to Educational Institutions 

* Implementation Guides are available at http://nces.ed.gov/edi/IGs.asp 

Transaction Sets Relating to Human Resource Data 

* TS 132 - Human Resource Information 

Transaction Sets Relating to Student Financial Aid Records 

* TS 135 - Student Loan Application 

* TS 139 - Student Loan Guarantee Result 

* TS 144 - Student Loan Transfer and Status Verification 

* TS 190 - Student Enrollment Verification 

* TS 191 - Student Loan Pre-Claims and Claims 

Transaction Sets Relating to Institutional Records 

* TS 133 - Educational Institution Record 

* TS 152 - Statistical Government Information used to transmit CCD, IPEDS and 

Library surveys to NCES 

* TS 188 - Educational Course Inventory 

A-25 
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

1,025 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

663 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

58 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

The guidance in OMB Circular A-119 appears to be sufficient in terms of outlining the

basic functions and responsibilities of Federal agency standards management and 

standards participation activities. It allows sufficient latitude for each Federal agency to 

develop its own approach tailored to specific agency needs, and places the emphasis on 

outcomes rather than processes. Some simplification and clarification of "use" and 

transactional and categorical reporting may be necessary. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP); Department of 

Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP); National Cooperation for 

Laboratory Accreditation (NACLA); DOE Voluntary Protection Program (VPP); and 

assessment, certification, and testing done under DOE Topical Committees (TCs), 

including the Metrology TC, Accreditation TC, Environmental Management Systems 

TC (EMS TC), Quality Assurance Special Interest Group/Topical Committee (QA SIG 

A-26 
TC), High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter Qualification Testing /HEPA TC, 

Biota Dose Assessment Topical Committee (BDATC), and Meteorology TC. 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

The Department of Energy (DOE) is involved in several conformity assessment activities, 

including: 

National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) - DOE facilities, 

including Sandia National Laboratories, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 

Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies, Bechtel BWXT Idaho, and Oak 

Ridge Metrology Center, are accredited under National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST) NVLAP to perform calibrations in a variety of metrology 

parameters, including dimensional, radiation, physical, and electrical metrology. The 

scope of accreditation of each laboratory can be obtained from the NVLAP web site 

located at http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/210/214/214.htm.

Department of Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP) - Through 

DOELAP, DOE establishes specific performance testing requirements and site 

assessment criteria for accreditation of DOE personnel dosimetry systems and 

radiobioassay. DOELAP incorporates standards (including ISO/IEC Guide 25, 

General Requirements for the Competence of Calibration and Testing Laboratories, 

Health Physics Society (HPS) Standards, and DOE Technical Standards), establishes 

DOE organizational responsibilities and accreditation processes, and establishes 

procedures for administering DOELAP and for acquiring accreditation. DOELAP 

evaluates the respective DOE personnel dosimetry or radiobioassay program’s 

laboratory performance, based on performance testing criteria, and their operational 

competence, based on established “quality system” criteria regarding good laboratory 

practice. DOELAP is used for worker monitoring and protection at DOE and DOE 

contractor sites and facilities, as required in Tile 10, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 

835, “Occupational Radiation Protection.” 

National Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation (NACLA) - DOE representatives have 

been active in founding and supporting NACLA, and are currently member 

organizations of NACLA and participate in managing NACLA activities. NACLA 

recently recognized its first three competent accreditation bodies and has signed an 

important Memorandum of Understanding with NIST.[dr1]

DOE Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) - DOE has established VPP criteria for its 

facilities' occupational safety and health programs, based on the Occupational Safety 

and Health Administration's (OSHA) VPP. These criteria establish a baseline that 

denotes compliance with all occupational safety and health standards, rules, and 

regulations. DOE conducts on-site evaluations to establish how successful DOE 

applicants for VPP have exceeded the baseline criteria. 

DOE Topical Committees (TCs) - The Department of Energy Technical Standards 

Program (TSP), within DOE's Office of Environment, Safety and Health, has chartered 

a number of DOE Topical Committees that directly and indirectly advocate and 

support conformity assessment activities across DOE. These topical committees are 

composed of DOE and DOE contractor subject matter experts, and generally include 

A-27 
members and observers from other Federal agencies, industry, and standards 

development organizations. The TCs are chartered to coordinate with these groups on 

standards activities, including conformity assessment. DOE Topical Committees 

involved in conformity assessment activities include the following:

Metrology TC - Comprised of representatives from laboratories across the DOE complex, 

the Metrology TC coordinates the efforts of many DOE organizations involved in 

metrology and actively interacts with NIST, NASA, DOD and other Federal agencies 

in its activities. The group has developed a web site 

(http://www.sandia.gov/metrology/mchome.html) that contains information on 

metrology capabilities at the various DOE laboratories, past meeting minutes, 

committee members and contacts, white papers on metrology issues, and future 

meeting announcements. The group is in the process of developing information on 

calibration uncertainty analysis procedures and supplier certification programs used in 

the various DOE laboratories.

Accreditation TC - Comprised of representatives from laboratories across the DOE 

complex, the Accreditation TC promotes unified laboratory accreditation activities 

across DOE and actively interacts with NACLA, ASCI, ISO and other organizations to 

promote nationally and internationally recognized accreditation standards. The group 

has also developed a web site (http://www.sandia.gov/accreditation/) that contains

information on past committee meetings, committee membership and contacts, and 

white papers on accreditation issues.

Environmental Management Systems TC (EMS TC) - The EMS TC provides information 

and assistance to DOE organizations interested in establishing ISO 14000 certified 

environmental management programs. Several DOE sites achieved accreditation 

during the year.

Quality and Safety Management Special Interest Group/Quality Assurance Topical 

Committee (QSM SIG/QA TC) - The QA TC develops, improves, and provides 

management information related to quality and safety issues involving the U.S. 

Department of Energy (DOE) community, including information and assistance to 

DOE organizations interested in ISO9000 criteria or a move from DOE specific 

standards to industry consensus standards. 

High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Filter Qualification Testing/HEPA TC - The 

DOE conducts functional and quality testing of HEPA filters, used in critical 

applications at DOE facilities, at a designated facility for HEPA filters to ensure 

conformance with ASTM standards and to help ensure adequate performance in safety 

applications.

Biota Dose Assessment Topical Committee (BDATC) - The BDATC has broad 

representation from DOE Offices, national laboratories, universities, and the private 

sector. The BDATC brings together the expertise in health physics, radioecology, 

environmental monitoring, and risk assessment as a resource base for DOE on biota 

dose assessment. It coordinates these interests to establish common standards and 

processes for biota dose assessment across DOE, the US, and internationally. Through 

its standard, the BDATC provides radiation dose evaluation methods that can be used 

to meet DOE requirements. The international community, including the IAEA and the 

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Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) of Canada, are interested in broader application 

of the DOE BDATC standard. 

Meteorology TC - The DOE Meteorology TC (MTC) works across DOE, with other 

Federal agencies, and with ANS to help promote the use of ANS 3.11 as a replacement 

for various agency standards. The MTC can also provide on-site evaluations of on-site 

meteorology programs to support implementation of the new ANS 3.11 standard. 

9. Comments 

FISCAL YEAR 2001 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT 

AND BUDGET 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

The Department of Energy (DOE) implements the Federal guidance and requirements 

of OMB Circular A-119 (OMB A-119) and the statutory requirements of Public Law 

(PL) 104-113 (15 USC 272) on the use of voluntary consensus standards through 

specific Departmental directives (policy, requirements, guides, and technical standards) 

and supporting management systems. 

Foremost is DOE's Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS). ISMS is a system

that integrates management of DOE's worker, public, and environmental health and 

safety with its business management, using standards as one of its primary tools. 

DOE policies provide the top tier of requirements that implement standards-related 

Federal Law and Policy. DOE P 251.1, "Directives System," establishes a Directives 

System for managing DOE requirements and guidance documents. The Directives 

System focuses on DOE's environment, safety and health requirements and guidance. 

Technical standards (i.e., as defined in PL 104-113) are a key element of this system. 

The Directives System policy clearly states DOE's preference to "...adopt National 

Consensus Standards and other commercial and industry standards..." in the conduct of

DOE's activities. Directives System documents reference appropriate voluntary 

consensus standards that are acceptable for meeting requirements. This policy also 

limits the use of mandated government-unique standards in DOE rulemaking, Orders, 

and procurement processes. 

Another policy, DOE P 410.1A, "Promulgating Nuclear Safety Requirements," 

requires notice and comment to promulgate new nuclear safety requirements. New 

nuclear safety requirements developed by DOE are "performance-based" rules and 

orders that promote the adoption of voluntary consensus standards as acceptable 

methods to implement requirements. DOE also specifies responsibilities for managers 

and organizations in managing and implementing PL 104-113 and OMB A-119 

requirements in its "Functions and Responsibilities (FAR) Manual." 

 

These DOE policies, requirements, and responsibilities on the use of voluntary 

consensus standards are implemented at the working level through a DOE-wide 

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management system and infrastructure established through DOE Order 252.1, 

"Technical Standards Program," an accompanying "plain language" program Guide, 

DOE-G-252.1-1, "Technical Standards Program Guide," and Technical Standards 

Program Procedures (TSPPs). 

DOE Order 252.1 establishes the DOE Technical Standards Program (TSP). The TSP 

in turn functions to implement pertinent Federal and DOE technical standards 

requirements, and manages internal standards development activities across DOE. 

DOE O 252.1 incorporates references to PL 104-113 and the February 1998 revision to 

OMB Circular A-119. This Order also reinforces the Federal requirement for DOE 

elements to use voluntary consensus standards in preference to Federal and DOE (i.e., 

government-unique) standards, consistent with PL 104-113 and OMB A-119. The TSP 

further encourages staff participation in the planning, development, and coordination 

activities of national and international Standards Development Organizations. 

 

The TSP Guide and TSPPs provide information on the TSP functions and management

systems, program resources and services, and stipulates the DOE processes and 

procedures for selecting, developing, and maintaining DOE Technical Standards and 

using voluntary consensus standards. The TSP Guide also provides basic information 

on reporting the use of government-unique standards in both regulation (DOE is 

nominally self-regulating in key areas such as nuclear safety) and procurement (where 

most reporting is category-based). The DOE TSP is developing additional reporting 

procedures to assist program officials conducting procurements. The DOE TSPPs 

incorporate working level processes developed and approved through our Technical 

Standards Managers Committee that implement the technical standards provisions of 

PL 104-113 and OMB A-119. DOE currently manages its technical standards 

activities in conformance with Federal policy and requirements. 

Another function that served DOE implementation of PL 104-113 and OMB A-119 

was the Department Standards Program, established to institute "standards" (in this 

application, "standards" include policy, laws, rules, guides, and technical standards) as 

the basis for work throughout the Department. Under this program, a DOE-wide 

process (the "Work Smart Standards" process) that enables DOE contractors to select 

voluntary consensus standards as the basis for their work was developed and 

implemented. In the process, voluntary consensus standards can be selected and used 

in-lieu-of DOE-developed or other government-unique standards, when such standards 

are appropriate for the work and work-related hazards. This "Work Smart Standards" 

process now enables DOE laboratory and management and operating or integrating 

contractors, with DOE approval, to identify and apply the set of standards (including 

voluntary consensus standards) that best fit their activities and adequately address 

related hazards. This approach focuses on outcomes and performance, rather than 

detailing "how" things are to be done within DOE. The process is part of the DOE 

ISMS and is supported by performance-based contracting designed to more closely link 

performance expectations with contractual obligations based on standards. 

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Key DOE policy and requirements documents define the "Work Smart Standards" 

approach. These include DOE P 450.3, "Authorizing Use of the Necessary and 

Sufficient Process for Standards-Based Environment, Safety and Health Management," 

and DOE M 450.3-1, "The Department of Energy Closure Process for Necessary and 

Sufficient Sets of Standards." The "Work Smart Standards" approach is now applied 

across a broad range of DOE sites, facilities, and activities. DOE has also developed 

guidance and standards to support the "Work Smart" process. 

The DOE Standards Executive, Richard L. Black, Director, Office of Nuclear and 

Facility Safety Policy, is responsible for developing and implementing the DOE TSP 

through DOE's Technical Standards Program Manager and the TSP. Through Mr. 

Black's participation on the Interagency Committee on Standards Policy, DOE supports 

ICSP activities and policy implementation, and provides "lessons-learned" information 

to other Federal agencies on the DOE's approach to establishing a standards-based 

culture. 

As noted above, DOE Order 252.1 emphasizes the use of voluntary consensus 

standards within the Department. DOE's Technical Standards Program Office (TSPO) 

operates under this order to implement program policy, support the conversion of 

Department standards to voluntary consensus standards, identify voluntary consensus 

standards that can suit Department needs, develop and maintain data bases to support 

the program and meet reporting requirements, and coordinate day-to-day Department 

technical standards activities. The TSPO has developed procedures, methods, and 

training approaches to implement the DOE TSP and communicate the policy to use 

voluntary consensus standards throughout DOE, and support participation in Standards 

Development Organization activities related to DOE missions and functions. The 

TSPPs establish a five-year standards review cycle to check for the technical adequacy 

and continued applicability of DOE-developed standards. The procedures also provide 

guidance on the conversion of Department standards to voluntary consensus standards. 

Information on the TSP and the TSPO can be accessed at the following Internet 

address (URL): 

http://tis.eh.doe.gov/techstds/ 

To coordinate consistent implementation of Federal and DOE policy and requirements 

at the working level, DOE senior managers have designated Technical Standards 

Managers (approximately 70 individuals) representing the various Department 

headquarters, field, laboratory, and contractor organizations. Established in 1992, the 

Technical Standards Managers' Committee (comprised of these Technical Standards 

Managers) operates under the DOE TSP, supports the DOE sites in technical standards 

activities, facilitates communications on program implementation issues, and 

participates in establishing program goals and procedures. Databases documenting the 

voluntary consensus standards adopted by DOE and the personnel participating in the 

activities of Standards Development Organizations are maintained by the TSPO. The 

A-31 
information in these databases is compiled by the TSPO and provided to OMB 

annually. 

During FY 2001, the TSP continued the recognition of "topical" standards committees 

within DOE. Topical Committees provide a venue for DOE-wide coordination with 

national and international Standards Development Organizations and other Federal 

agencies in such diverse areas as laboratory accreditation, metrology, fire protection, 

environmental management systems, meteorology, biota dose assessment, chemical 

safety, emergency management, and nuclear safety training. These committees are 

composed of subject matter experts from across the DOE community, and serve as a 

focal point for standards activities in specific technical areas. The topical committees 

provide a forum for all interested DOE parties to join and participate in reviewing 

technical standards produced by counterpart Standards Development Organizations, 

address standards application issues within their area of technical expertise, and work

to develop DOE and Federal positions on standards issues. Several topical committees 

include observers and participants from other Federal agencies and industry. As of 

November 2001, the TSP has recognized 26 DOE topical committees. (These 

committees are listed at the Internet address provided above.) 

DOE also has an Information Technology Standards Program (Internet address is 

(http://cio.doe.gov/standards) that is conducted in conjunction with the DOE TSP. Staff 

from DOE’s Office of the Chief Information Officer manages the DOE Information 

Technology Standards Program with assistance from over 70 designated DOE and 

contractor Information Technology Points-of-Contact representing key programs and 

sites. It coordinates information technology standards activities Department-wide, 

including the identification, adoption, implementation, and retirement of nongovernment and government information technology standards in support of the DOE 

Information Architecture. This program has stressed the use of international and 

voluntary consensus information technology standards over development of internal 

standards in its adoption processes. 

The Department also implements a legislatively mandated, multi-year effort to improve 

the energy efficiency in the Nation's buildings through energy efficiency standards, 

codes and guidelines for buildings, building equipment, and appliances through its 

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (Internet address is 

http://www.eren.doe.gov/). The Department is required to promulgate amended energy 

efficiency standards designed to achieve the maximum improvement in energy 

efficiency that the Secretary determines are technically feasible and economically 

justified. The Department's codes and standards development efforts in these areas are 

closely coordinated with standards development organizations and include early 

involvement of industry and state stakeholders and relevant Federal agencies. 

DOE continues to take a "pro-active" approach to standards and standards management 

even as its mission continues to evolve in response to the conclusion of the Cold War 

and shrinking Congressional appropriations. Within DOE, a number of programs and 

A-32 
facilities have shifted their focus from production, research, and/or development to 

environmental remediation and restoration, where DOE will literally be breaking new 

ground and setting standards for others to follow. In addition, Department staffing 

levels are declining to meet Congressional budget constraints. Still, in the face of a 

changing mission and a reduced work force, DOE continues to actively use and support 

the development of voluntary consensus standards to meet its needs. 

In FY 2001, the number of voluntary consensus standards adopted for use increased to 

1,025 (in comparison to 1,012 in 2000; 916 in 1999; 840 in 1998, and 809 in 1997). 

The number of individuals participating in voluntary consensus standards activities 

decreased slightly to 663 in FY2001 (in comparison to 676 in 2000; 668 in 1999; 681 

in 1998, and 871 in 1997), and the number of documented participations by those 

individuals in standards developing groups decreased to1353 (in comparison to1385 in 

2000; 1306 in 1999; 1321 in 1998, and 1540 in 1997). The decreases reflect continued 

personnel and budget cuts experienced by DOE and its contractor organizations. 

Also, DOE (through the TSPO) is continuing its initiative with ASCE/ANS to convert 

DOE Technical Standards to voluntary consensus standards, although this is proving to 

be a lengthy process. DOE is also routinely meeting with ASME to evaluate standards 

activities and identify candidate DOE standards for conversion to ASME voluntary 

consensus standards. The DOE and Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) are also 

jointly sponsoring coordination meetings with various standards development 

organizations to review standards activities, identify issues, and coordinate 

development efforts. 

In accordance with the reporting requirements iterated in OMB A-119, information has 

been developed for the OMB Annual Report and has been submitted to NIST to report 

use of voluntary consensus standards within DOE and DOE participation in standards 

development activities. The information includes both mandatory agency reporting 

requirements and voluntary conformity assessment reporting information. 

The following summarizes and qualifies the mandatory agency reporting requirements 

for FY 2001. DOE participated in 58 voluntary consensus standards bodies. There 

were 663 agency employees participating in voluntary consensus standards activities 

(These individuals were involved in 1384 activities due to multiple participations). 

DOE used 1,025 voluntary consensus standards during FY 2001. This is based on the 

number of voluntary consensus standards actively used by DOE Federal and DOE 

contractor organizations directly in support of DOE missions and functions, as stated in 

DOE Directives, contracts, safety analysis reports, standards/requirements 

identification documents, work smart standards sets, and other operating basis 

documents for DOE facilities. A standard is counted as "used" only once, even though 

it is used multiple times in multiple facilities across DOE. DOE identified no 

additional voluntary consensus standards that have been substituted for governmentunique standards. This is primarily because DOE does up front screening of existing 

voluntary consensus standards as part of the process for assessing out standards needs. 

A-33 
DOE did not mandate the use of any government-unique standards in lieu of suitable 

voluntary consensus standards during FY 2001. 

A-34 
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS) 

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

1 

Government

Standard Voluntary Standard Explanation

National Standard 

Format (NSF) 

ANSI X12 837 The NSF is used widely 

across the health care 

payment industry and has 

become a defacto national 

standard. However, the 

Centers for Medicare and 

Medicaid Services (CMS) 

have directed their 

contractors to discontinue 

use of the NSF standard 

and replace it with ANSI 

X12 837 by the beginning 

of FY 2003.

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

1 

Voluntary Standard Government Standard

ISO 17025 Variety of FDA Laboratory Standards 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

578 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

281 

A-35 
5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

57 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration 

The policy and recommendations contained in Circular A-119 are consistent with FDA's 

framework for standards management as announced in the Federal Register on October 11, 

1995, and enhanced by the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act (FDAMA). 

Resource constraints oblige the agency to focus attention on the highest priority activities 

and to strive to make its participation in those activities very effective. FDA participates in 

559 standards development activities within 48 voluntary consensus standards bodies. 

For FDA, voluntary consensus standards are most relevant for medical devices, where they 

are used extensively in the agency's regulatory work and where the majority of the 

agency's standards activities are centered. Voluntary consensus standards are less relevant 

in the areas of human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, biological products and food, where 

such standards are generally not available nor being developed, and where standards of 

other national or international organizations such as the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), the 

World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the 

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the International 

Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of 

Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) predominate. 

The central purpose for FDA involvement in the development and use of standards is to 

assist the agency in fulfilling its domestic public health and regulatory missions. The 

agency participates widely in the development of standards, both domestic and 

international, and adopts or uses standards when this action enhances its ability to protect 

consumers and increases the effectiveness or efficiency of its regulatory efforts. Further, 

using standards, especially international ones, is a means to facilitate the harmonization of 

FDA regulatory requirements with those of foreign governments, and thus to improve 

domestic and global public health protection. Therefore, FDA encourages participation in 

the development of standards as a useful adjunct to regulatory controls. 

FDA has been involved in standards activities for more than twenty years. In January 1977 

the agency promulgated a final regulation now found at 21 CFR 10.95 covering 

participation by FDA employees in standards development activities outside the agency. 

This regulation encourages FDA participation in standards activities that are in the public 

interest, and specifies the circumstances under which FDA employees can participate in 

various types of standards bodies. The agency built upon that rule with a final policy 

statement published in the Federal Register on October 11, 1995, entitled International 

A-36 
Harmonization; Policy on Standards. It provides the agency's overall policy on 

development and use of standards for all product areas regulated by the agency. 

Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) 

The Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997 (FDAMA) allows the 

agency to recognize voluntary consensus standards established by international and 

national standards development organizations that may be used to satisfy identified 

portions of device pre-market review submissions or other requirements. CDRH has made 

available a standards relevant document on their web site. The document, "CDRH 

Standard Operating Procedures for the Identification and Evaluation of Candidate 

Consensus Standards for Recognition," establishes internal CDRH procedures for the 

identification and evaluation of consensus standards for recognition through publication of 

a notice in the Federal Register. 

CDRH continues to maintain a database to track the standards activities of its employees 

and has established and uses searchable ROM databases of voluntary consensus standards 

to facilitate reference to current voluntary consensus standards by agency reviewers. 

CDRH continues to participate in Steering Committee and Study Group Activities of the 

Global Harmonization Task Force (GHTF), an intergovernmental consortium to foster 

medical device regulatory harmonization. During FY 2001, FDA published draft guidance 

on a pilot program that will be used to evaluate the feasibility of using the Summary 

Technical Document (STED) and an Essential Principles Document instead of standard 

CDRH procedures for certain premarket submissions. 

Finally, the GHTF has a Memorandum of Understanding with TC 210, the ISO Committee 

responsible for many aspects of device standards. 

Center for Drugs Evaluation and Research (CDER) / Center for Biologics Evaluation and 

Research (CBER) 

Voluntary consensus standards are less applicable to pharmaceutical and biological 

products. CDER and CBER therefore have limited involvement in such activities, but do 

participate on relevant committees of a number of voluntary consensus standards bodies. 

CDER's and CBER's major involvement in standards setting activities is with USP, ICH, 

OECD and WHO. Numerous employees are involved in the standards development 

activities of the USP, a private, voluntary, not-for-profit national standards setting body of 

health care professionals, recognized authorities in medicine, pharmacy, and allied 

sciences. USP publishes and revises the United States Pharmacopeia and the National 

Formulary (NF), the legally recognized compendia of drug standards in the U.S. 

Both CDER and the CBER participate in the ICH. This ongoing project, begun in 1989, 

has been undertaken by government agencies responsible for regulation of pharmaceuticals 

A-37 
and by industry trade organizations. The European Union (EU), Japan, and the U.S. bring 

together regulatory authorities and experts from the pharmaceutical industry in the three 

regions to discuss scientific and technical aspects of new product registration. The work 

products, created in working groups of experts from the regulatory agencies and industry, 

consist of a series of consensus guideline documents to harmonize pharmaceutical testing 

guidelines. During FY 2001, FDA approved the harmonized Common Technical 

Document (CTD). This document will become the standard format for marketing 

application submissions of pharmaceutical products. 

FDA officials also participate in a consensus standards development activity sponsored by 

the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences that is aimed at 

standardizing the safety-related terminology used in adverse experience reporting. 

FDA actively participates with the WHO in developing international standards for ensuring 

the quality of pharmaceutical and biological products, and the OECD on good laboratory 

practices for animal studies. 

Although FDA's work with USP is specifically excluded from reporting under Circular A119, and ICH, OECD and WHO do not meet the definition of voluntary consensus 

standard bodies under the Circular, substantial agency resources are devoted to the 

development of standards with these organizations. This work is the core part of FDA's 

overall standards activities for pharmaceutical and biological products. 

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) / Center for Veterinary Medicine 

(CVM) 

The principal international standards activities in the areas of food and veterinary medicine 

fall under the activities of the Codex Alimentarius Commission of the FAO and the WHO, 

as well as the Office of International Epizootics (for veterinary medicine). FDA experts 

from CFSAN, CVM, and other parts of the agency are actively involved in Codex 

Alimentarius activities, and in activities of methods validation organizations on which 

Codex Alimentarius relies, such as ISO, the Association of Official Analytical Chemists 

(AOAC) International and the International Dairy Federation (IDF). CFSAN has provided 

the U.S. Delegate or Alternate Delegate to 80% (17 out of 21) of the technical committees 

and task forces and also provided technical experts to assist on the work of developing 

more that 90 Codex standards and guidelines. CVM has also provided numerous technical 

experts to assist on Codex task forces, especially those related to the Codex Committee on 

Residues of Veterinary Drugs and Foods (CCRVDF). Currently, the Director of CVM 

serves as the chair of the CCRVDF. 

Voluntary consensus standards have limited relevance to food and veterinary medicine 

products. However, since the standards activities of multilateral organizations such as the 

WHO, FAO, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the OECD are important in these 

areas, CFSAN and CVM are actively engaged in standards and policy development with 

these organizations. CFSAN is also engaged in standards review in the International 

A-38 
Organization for Standardization in Microbiology. 

CVM is active in a harmonization initiative similar to the ICH for human pharmaceuticals, 

that is, developing harmonized requirements for the registration of veterinary 

pharmaceuticals and biological veterinary medicinal products. It is known as VICH, for 

Veterinary ICH. Agency employees participate on numerous committees that are drafting 

VICH guidelines related to veterinary pharmaceuticals. 

International/Treaty Standards-Related Activities 

FDA takes part in a variety of international standards activities that fall under treaty 

organizations, and thus are not reportable under the provisions of Circular A-119. These 

standards activities are nonetheless important to the agency in fulfilling its public health 

regulatory mission. Some of these are referred to above, i.e. WHO, FAO, and OECD. 

The agency participates in international trade discussions within the WTO, specifically 

with committees on the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), and the 

Agreement on the application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures; with the 

implementation of the counterpart committees of the North American Free Trade 

Agreement (NAFTA); and with the negotiation of an upcoming trade agreement by 2005 

for the Free Trade Area of the Americas where sanitary and phytosanitary measures fall 

within the scope of the negotiations. In addition, FDA is participating in negotiations with 

Chile on a free trade agreement. FDA in engaged in these negotiations to ensure that the 

agency's requirements are preserved and its regulatory practices can remain focused on 

fulfilling the agency's mission to protect the public health while being supportive of 

emerging, broader U.S. government obligations and policies. FDA has participated in 

several initiatives that are part of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. 

FDA topics have included food safety, food labeling, bulk drugs, standards for latex gloves 

and condoms, and medical device regulation. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration 

The CDRH has liaison with the ANSI Accreditation Committee, the ANSI International 

Conformity Assessment Committee, ANSI Board Committee on Conformity Assessment, 

and ASTM Committee E-36 on Conformity Assessment. The Center uses suppliers'

declaration of conformity as described in ISO/IEC Guide 22 in its standards recognition 

program and has developed an MRA with the European Union on mutual recognition of 

each other's conformity assessment procedures related to manufacture and marketing of 

medical devices. 

The Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) actively participates with the National 

Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation (NACLA). An ORA official is a member of the 

NACLA Executive Board of Directors and has the role of participating in the NACLA 

A-39 
Recognition Committee for Accrediting Bodies who apply for mutual recognition. Other 

FDA officials participate with NACLA in the evaluation of accrediting bodies under 

ISO/IEC 58 and ISO/IEC 17025 and sit on NACLA technical committees. 

ORA officials are also involved with Codex Alimentarius activities, especially in the area 

of pesticide residues, which relies on methods development by ISO and AOAC. Other 

activities include participation and the coordination of Federal-State conferences to 

develop uniformity in the reporting of food testing results. The ISO/IEC 17025 standard is 

the foundation in this coordination effort. 

Within ORA, the field laboratories are continuing the process to become ISO 17025 

accredited. The ORA has completed its first series of staff training to conform to the ISO 

17025 standard and quality assurance managers have been hired to coordinate the change 

over to an ISO 17025 based quality system. 

CDER supports the concept of working within our agency, with other government 

agencies, the private sector, and other governments to avoid duplication in standards 

setting activities. Within FDA, they coordinate with other Centers in the development of 

"Guidance to Industry" documents. FDA also coordinates activities with other agencies, 

such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the 

Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the National 

Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST). 

Finally, a majority of standards setting activities are focused on interactions with national 

and international standards setting bodies such as USP, ICH, OECD, WHO, and the Pan 

American Health Organization (PAHO). An innovative approach to harmonizing 

international standards is being undertaken with PAHO. The primary mission of PAHO is 

to strengthen national and local health systems and improve the health of the peoples of the 

Americas. In the Americas there is a need to promote harmonization to facilitate the 

availability of safe, effective, and good quality pharmaceuticals and thereby protect public 

health. The regulation of pharmaceuticals and the harmonization of technical standards 

have emerged as an important component of the economic integration. As a result, a Pan 

American Network for Drug Regulatory Harmonization (PANDRH) with biennial Pan 

American conferences was established. The mission of the Network is accomplished by 

conferences that promote regulatory harmonization for all aspects of quality, safety and 

efficacy of pharmaceutical products as a contribution to the quality of life and health care 

of the citizens of the countries of the Americas. 

Harmonization in this context is understood to be the search for common ground within the 

framework of recognized standards, taking into account the existence of different political, 

health, and legislative realities among the countries of the region. A steering committee 

was formed to enable progress between conferences by coordinating, promoting, 

facilitating, and monitoring harmonization processes in the Americas. A major aspect of 

PANDRH is to provide training to the regulatory agencies of the Americas. It is felt that 

training to the same standards will eventually lead to harmonized standards. 

A-40 
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 

Although CMS was involved in a limited number of conformity assessment activities to 

assure adherence by their contractors to the national health care payment standards, it is 

anticipated that these activities will increase significantly in future years. In addition, CMS 

participated in interagency efforts to harmonize health care standards implementation 

activities under HIPAA with other Federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, 

the Veterans Administration and State Medicaid Agencies. They also conducted a review 

of private sector certification services available that could assist in establishing a 

mechanism to better certify the use of health care standards by contractors. A contract to 

develop this mechanism is expected to be awarded in FY 2002. 

CMS is also participating with the National Forum for Health Care Quality Measurement 

and Reporting in the endorsement of standards for performance measures of quality among 

various providers. This effort brings together all stakeholders to make a determination 

founded in a membership-driven consensus process and an evidence base for the subject 

matter. The various endorsements will occur over the next two years. 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

U.S. FDA/ CDRH 

Ignition Test for Medical Oxygen Regulators 

Oxygen regulators are devices used with high pressure gas cylinders to control the 

pressure and flow of oxygen to patients. A rare, but serious, risk associated with these 

devices is flash fires and explosions, which have resulted in dozens of serious injuries 

and one death. To reduce the prevalence and severity of these types of incidents, FDA, 

in conjunction with NIOSH, initiated development of an ignition test for medical 

oxygen regulators. In the spring of 1999, initial research supporting the development of 

the test was undertaken in partnership with the NASA White Sands Test Facility and a 

private research firm (Wendell Hull & Associates). These facilities were consulted 

because they have specialized equipment, test facilities and fire safety provisions that 

FDA does not have for performing this type of ignition testing. Their staff, along with 

FDA staff, health care workers, oxygen regulator manufacturers, and other technical 

experts participated in development of a standard incorporating the ignition test 

through a committee of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The 

initial research was completed and a provisional standard developed and approved in 

October 2000, approximately 1-1⁄2 years after the initial research began. Validation 

testing showed that damage produced from the laboratory simulation test is consistent 

with that observed in clinical use for problematic regulator designs. This shows that the 

test can be used to prevent unsafe designs from entering the market in the future. Key 

members of industry have already used the test to assess the safety of their products 

and incorporated design improvements accordingly. Also, the agency has used the test 

A-41 
to evaluate proposed design changes for regulators that were recalled because of 

problems with fires. Testing of one problematic model showed that the firm’s proposed 

retrofit will not completely resolve the fire hazards associated with their device. In 

addition to benefiting FDA, the test method will benefit the space program because it 

will help ensure use of safe oxygen regulators during space flight. Eventually, the test 

method may have applicability to other types of regulator technology, such as welding 

and scuba regulators 

9. Comments 

For a regulatory agency such as FDA neither a categorical nor a transactional 

designation correctly describes how we use these standards. Five hundred seventy-four 

(574) is the total number of voluntary consensus standards listed by FDA as of the end 

of the current reporting period that can be referenced by applicants for market approval 

of medical devices. Applicants can reference these standards in lieu of submitting data 

to meet approval requirements. For the Department, the total number of standards 

recognized is 578 and includes standards used by the Centers for Medicare and 

Medicaid Services. 

A-42 
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) 

1. Number of Government-Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

 2 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government-Unique 

Standards 

 1 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Used in FY 2001 

 300 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating in Voluntary consensus Standards 

Activities. 

 10 

5. Number of Voluntary consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation.

 5 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for Any Changes. 

This policy has been effective in replacing Federal Standards with public-domain 

standards. This has resulted in more timely, up-to-date, and technically accurate standards. 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) suggests Circular A-119 use 

stronger language to encourage agencies to be more active in determining which standards 

are applicable to the agency’s activities and when standards are identified, direct the 

agency to be more assertive in enforcing their uses. For example, in the area of 

correspondence, OMB should assure that each agency have the definition of the USPS’s 

standard for addressing mail and ensure that agency correspondences use it. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency Has Been 

Involved. 

All of HUD’s 25 conformity assessment (CA) programs, under the HUD BuildingProducts Standards and Certification Programs, are in compliance with the ISO guidelines 

and procedures. These are the same standards used by ANSI and other nationally 

recognized third-party certification agencies. 

A-43 
8. Provide Any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes. 

SUCCESS 1: Construction Definitions for Information Systems in Housing 

Construction. The housing construction industry has identified the need for standard 

definitions that can be used when applying information technology in the construction 

process. Applying information systems and web based ordering systems for materials and 

products presents unique opportunities for substantially reducing the costs of construction. 

Adhering the same technical language and being able to speak quickly and accurately is a 

big challenge. Applying Information Technology (IT) seemed to be one solution. HUD’s 

Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) manages the PATH program

(Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing). Rather than developing Federal 

standard definitions, PATH brought together a private industry group to discuss the need 

for consensus based industry driven definitions that could be used by various home 

construction entities. This was done at the request of a group from the timber 

manufacturing industry that asked PATH to convene meetings and task groups to develop 

such a common language (in this case, through XML tag sets) so that it would become an 

industry “de facto” standard. Even though it’s just one vocabulary set within a much large 

group, this development has been a big success because it is one of the first industry-based 

attempts to develop and gain acceptance for such standard definitions (most attempts have 

been top-down and unsuccessful). The government served only in a facilitation capacity, 

industry did all the work. HUD’s PATH program plan is to continue this work 

encouraging various groups in the construction industry to develop similar standard 

definitions until the entire construction process is covered. 

SUCCESS 2: Building Products For Construction (Authority 24 CFR Part

200.935). The Department of Housing and Urban Development reviews new and 

innovative products for inclusion in the FHA mortgage insurance program. The purposes 

of this effort are to prevent product failures and misrepresentations of products, to expedite 

introduction of new or innovative building products, to alleviate safety hazards associated 

with building materials, long-term durability problems, and misleading test results, and to 

assure that the building products arriving at the job site comply with the designated 

standards. To achieve these ends, the Department now uses validation of private sector 

certifications manufacturer’s self-certification to assure compliance rather than Federal 

standards. Laboratories are subject to periodic reaccreditations. An authorized mark or 

label is affixed by manufacturer or by a third party administrator. More than thirty thirdparty administrators participate in the HUD Building Products Certification program for 

building products including: solid fuel type heaters, fireplace stoves, plastic plumbing 

fixtures, aluminum windows, storm doors, sliding glass doors, storm windows, wood 

window units, wood sliding patio doors, sealed insulating glass units, carpet, carpet with 

attached cushion, PVC window units, lumber, solar water heating systems, EIFS, 

construction adhesives, fasteners, particleboard interior stair tread, acrylic and 

polycarbonate glazing. Manufacturers are obligated to cease marking products that do not 

meet required standards. Products in these programs enjoy a wide degree of reciprocal 

recognition, including other Federal agencies, state agencies, private sector organizations, 

A-44 
foreign governments, and international organization. There are participating organizations 

in Canada for certain building products. 

 

SUCCESS 3: Manufactured Housing Standards (Authority: National 

Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety, Standards Act, P.L. 93-382, 42 U.S.C. 

5407. 24 CFR Part 3280.). Since 1976, the Department of Housing and Urban 

Development has been required to develop, maintain and enforce standards for 

construction of manufactured Housing. The propose of these standards is to provide 

uniform standards to reduce the number of personal injuries and deaths, cost of insurance, 

and property damage resulting from manufactured home accidents and to improve the 

quality and durability of manufactured homes. Rather than the Federal government 

continuing to develop these standards, HUD now uses a private consensus-based standards 

process to develop and maintain these standards. HUD, through a Memorandum of

Understanding (MOU) with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), is relying on 

that organization to develop and process recommendations and changes to the HUD 

standard. While the standard is eventually promulgated as a Federal regulation, HUD has 

transferred the development of these standards this ANSI-consensus based body (NFPA), 

which has established a special body to develop and modernize the HUD standards. Based 

upon NFPA's consensus based work HUD has developed a proposed new rule that will 

amend 24 CFR 3280 to include over 110 changes to the HUD code. The NFPA consensusbased standards itself utilizes hundreds of private reference standards for identified 

materials and products. HUD will now be asking that same consensus-based body to 

develop standards for the installation of manufactured homes. The Department also uses a 

nationwide certification program to enforce these manufactured housing standards. Private 

third party certification of manufactured housing designs and quality assurance manuals, 

and in-plant inspection assure compliance with standards. 

9. Comments 

HUD's ten participants in standards developing organization activities are from the Office 

of Policy, Research, and Development; the Office of Healthy Homes & Lead-Hazard 

Control; the Office of Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner and the Office of the Chief 

Information Officer. The Standards Developing Organizations (SDO's) in which they 

participate are the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), the Federal 

Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), the International Committee for IT Standards 

([INCITS], the International Standards Organization [ISO], and the National Fire 

Protection Association (NFPA) 

A-45 
. 

 DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR (DOI)

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

2 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

0 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

69 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

5 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

None 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

None 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

The BLM has been cooperating with State representatives in the area of cultural resources 

to use standards in the Geographic Information System area for archeological information 

between the State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs) and the BLM’s cultural 

resources program. Agreements have been made to share information, and plans are 

underway to develop data sharing agreements with SHPOs and with other organizations 

involved with cultural resources. At present, the attempt is to create standard formats for 

SHPOs to access and use State BLM data. A user team has been formed of BLM, Forest 

A-46 
Service, and SHPO representatives to work out standard issues and implementation of data 

sharing arrangements. 

In the area of interagency data standards, the BLM has participated in the development of 

standards for National and Historic Trails. This arrangement is under the umbrella of the 

National Park Service, but includes participants from NPS, BLM and Forest Service. The 

interagency team is now in the process of defining data requirements as a prelude to 

defining standards not only for National and Historic trails, but also for scenic and 

recreational trails. 

The BLM also participates in the National Digital Elevation Program (NDEP) and the 

National Digital Orthophoto Program, both of which involve sharing information among 

Federal agencies. The NDEP was established to promote the exchange of accurate digital 

land elevation data among government, private, and non-profit sectors and the academic 

community, and to establish standards and guidance that will benefit all users. The NDEP 

is composed of agencies from the Department of the Interior, Commerce, and Agriculture, 

as well as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, US Army Corp of Engineers, and the Federal Emergency Management 

Agency, with representation from State governments through the National States 

Geographic Information Council. 

The National Digital Orthophoto Program (NDOP) was established to promote the 

cooperative production of digital orthophotoquads (DOQ) among participating Federal 

agencies. Over the years the focus has broadened to include orthophotography acquired by 

State and local governments. Members include BLM participants as well as the following 

agencies: (USDA) Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation service, US 

Forest Service; (DOI) U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management; (Other) 

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, Bureau of 

Census and the National State Geographic Information Council. 

9. Comments 

Various bureaus for consideration provide the following comments: 

NIST & OMB might consider providing an XML schema for the A-119 survey; the 

schema could include a listing of the “voluntary consensus bodies” considered valid for 

purposes of the survey. Agencies could identify the standards they are using in each of 

their systems and partner with other agencies using those standards to further develop and 

maintain their systems through the relevant standards development organization. 

NIST and OMB might consider identifying voluntary consensus standards deemed to be of 

high priority for government wide implementation. Potential candidates for such 

designation might include X.509 certificates for digital signature and XML, both of which 

support the President’s E-Government initiatives and IT security (secure E-Government 

transactions). 

A-47 
Continuing in the theme of high-priority standards supporting E-Government: The 

likelihood is increasing that agencies will be held accountable for having applications that 

are “interoperable,” particularly for E-records management, in order to make records 

(information) more accessible for long term preservation, public access and for 

accessibility by disabled persons. It is not clear that the approximate 30 “business lines” 

identified in the Administration’s E-Government strategy identify true communities of

interest/practice, from which high-priority standards could emerge for rapid adoption. 

Further, a NIST/OMB strategy to rationalize E-Government “business lines” by specifying 

common data elements for agency adoption would work to form communities of 

interest/practice in order to begin easing the burden of information collection upon the 

public while at the same time maximizing the utility of the data. 

A-48 
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (DOJ) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

59 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

5 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

3 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

Circular A-119 policy is appropriate and has increased the awareness, value and usage of 

voluntary consensus standards. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

The Office of Science and Technology of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), U.S. 

Department of Justice, sponsors the Law Enforcement and Corrections Standards and 

Testing Program. The program responds to the mandate of the Justice System

Improvement Act of 1979, which directed NIJ to encourage research and development to 

improve the criminal justice system and to disseminate the results to federal, state, and

local agencies. 

The Law Enforcement and Corrections Standards and Testing Program is an applied 

research effort that determines the technological needs of justice system agencies, sets 

minimum performance standards for specific devices, tests commercially available 

equipment against those standards, and disseminates the standards and the test results to 

A-49 
criminal justice agencies nationally and internationally. The program operates through the 

Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Advisory Council (LECTAC), consisting 

of nationally recognized criminal justice practitioners from federal, state, and local 

agencies, which assesses technological needs and sets priorities for research programs and 

items to be evaluated and tested. 

The Office of Law Enforcement Standards (OLES) at the National Institute of Standards 

and Technology (NIST), which develops voluntary national performance standards for 

compliance testing to ensure that individual items of equipment are suitable for use by 

criminal justice agencies. The standards are based upon laboratory testing and evaluation 

of representative samples of each item of equipment to determine the key attributes, 

develop test methods, and establish minimum performance requirements for each essential 

attribute. In addition to the highly technical standards, OLES also produces technical 

reports and user guidelines that explain in nontechnical terms the capabilities of available 

equipment. 

The National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) operated 

by a grantee, which supervises a national compliance-testing program conducted by 

independent laboratories. The standards developed by OLES serve as performance 

benchmarks against which commercial equipment is measured. The facilities, personnel, 

and testing capabilities of the independent laboratories are evaluated by OLES prior to 

testing each item of equipment, and OLES helps the NLECTC staff review and analyze 

data. Test results are published in Equipment Performance Reports designed to help justice 

system procurement officials make informed purchasing decisions. 

This interagency cooperative effort results in improvement in the quality and consistency 

of various conformity assessment requirements and processes at the federal and state 

levels. 

 

Reports prepared in FY 2001 include: 

 

Flammable and Combustible Liquid Spill/Burn Patterns, by Anthony D. Putorti Jr., Jay A. 

McElroy, and Daniel Madrzykowski, March 2001 

Users' Guide for Hand-Held and Walk-Through Metal Detectors, by Nicholas G. Paulter, 

January 2001 

Trace Detection of Narcotics Using a Preconcentrator/Ion Mobility Spectrometer System, 

by John E. Parmeter and Gary A. Eiceman, April 2001 

Development of NIST Standard Bullets and Casings Status Report, by J. Song and T.V. 

Vorburger, November 2000 

Antenna System Guide, NIJ Guide 202-00, by W.A. Kissick, W.J. Ingram, J.M. Vanderau, 

and R.D. Jennings, April 2001 

1999 Survey of Forensic Reference Materials, by NIST, March 2001 

Guide to the Technologies of Concealed Weapon and Contraband Imaging and Detection 

(NIJ Guide 602–00), by Nicholas G. Paulter, February 2001 

A-50 
8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

In collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Institute of 

Standards and Technology (NIST) continued to focus its efforts on three areas vital to the 

exchange of criminal justice information. These areas are the development of standards, 

evaluations of new products and proposed standards, and the development of tools to 

measure effectiveness and encourage development of new commercial products. 

In the area of standards, NIST successfully passed the American National Standards 

Institute (ANSI) audit of the standards development procedure. A web-based copy of the 

approved ANSI/NIST Standard "Data Format for the Interchange of Fingerprint, Facial, & 

Scar Mark & Tattoo Information [SMT]" was made available for convenient access by

interested parties. This standard defines the content, format, and units of measurement used 

in the identification of a subject by fingerprint, facial, palm print or SMT data and is the 

tool that establishes interoperability between federal, state, local, and international users of 

Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS). The JPEG 2000 international 

standard for facial image compression has been evaluated and an addendum to the 

ANSI/NIST standard is being prepared to allow for provision of these images. This will 

reduce the storage requirement for facial images without loss of image quality. 

Investigation of JPEG 2000 for the compression of fingerprint images is underway. 

NIST performed a review of the proposed "Interstate Criminal History Transmission 

Specification - XML Version 2.01" prepared by the Joint Task Force on Rap Sheet 

Standardization; provided the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division a 

report on the state-of-the art in palm print processing; and continued to test and provide 

evaluations of Wavelet Scalar Quantization (WSQ) fingerprint compression 

implementations to assure they are in compliance with FBI specifications. 

NIST was active in developing tools that can be used to develop and evaluate commercial 

products. Special Database 27 provides FBI-developed minutiae from latent and ten-print 

images that were used for acceptance testing of the IAFIS system. This tool can be used to 

develop improved algorithms for fingerprint identification. NIST also produced the 

document "Latent Fingerprint Training with NIST Special Database 27 and Universal 

Latent Workstation [ULW]" to guide examiners in the use the data files with the ULW. It 

is expected that these tools will increase the effectiveness of those using the ULW to 

process crime scene fingerprints. Special Database 29 was developed and provides both 

flat and rolled fingerprint images captured at 500 pixels per inch and 1000 pixels per inch. 

This tool provides an essential component in evaluating higher resolution image capturing 

devices, compression of these images, and the effectiveness of searches made with flat 

fingerprint images as envisioned in border control and Department of Motor Vehicle 

(DMV) applications. A users guide to public domain software developed by NIST, relating 

to fingerprint image processing, was published to encourage commercial development of 

products of use to the criminal justice community. 

9. Comments 

A-51 
The Department of Justice will be updating its approved information technology standards 

in FY 2002. These standards comprise the bulk of the voluntary consensus standards in use 

in FY 2001 as reported above. 

A-52 
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (DOL) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

3 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

125 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

76 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

35 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

None 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

None 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

None 

9. Comments 

None 

A-53 
DEPARTMENT OF STATE (STATE) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

0 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

8 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

1 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

Department of State (DoS) does not write standards within the meaning of Circular A119. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

N/A 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

None 

9. Comments 

The DoS is not involved in the actual development of technical standards. 

A-54 
The Department of State has a major policy role in telecommunications standards as 

obligated by international treaty, and coordination roles in other areas. The Bureau of 

Economic and Business Affairs (EB) represents the Department of State on the 

Interagency Committee on Standards Policy (ICSP), the Government Member Council, 

and the Information Infrastructure Standardization Panel (IISP) and its steering 

committee at the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The Department is 

not involved in the actual development of technical standards. 

The Department represents the United States of America administration under the 

treaty obligations found in the Convention of the International Telecommunication 

Union (ITU), Minneapolis, 1998, and the Inter-American Telecommunication 

Commission (CITEL) of the Organization of American States (OAS). The Department 

of State, through the EB Communications and Information Policy Deputate (CIP), 

provides the forum for development of positions and contributions for presentation at 

ITU and CITEL meetings where international telecommunication Recommendations 

(voluntary standards) and telecommunication standardization policies are written. The 

Department authorizes and/or hosts public meetings under the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act, where advice on telecommunication standardization and policy issues 

is offered by the private sector telecommunications industry. The Department also 

bases its decisions on advice from other public sector Agencies (DoD, National 

Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Telecommunications and 

Information Administration (NTIA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

(NASA), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)). The Department 

coordinates, leads, and/or accredits United States delegations to ITU and CITEL 

technical and policy meetings. 

More than 100 U.S. corporations are participating members of the ITU; more than 30 

are associate members of CITEL’s permanent Consultative Committee, under the 

sponsorship of the State Department. Those companies and interested Government 

agencies participate and play major roles in the ITU and CITEL Study Groups and 

Working Parties that actually write the standards. Within that process, a great deal of

interaction takes place with other standards setting organizations, such as the 

International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ANSI, ANSI-accredited 

Committee T1, and the Telecommunications Industry Association. 

In addition to accrediting and supporting delegations to the ITU and CITEL, the 

Department’s International Organization Affairs Bureau (IO) accredits and funds 

participation by relevant specialized agencies (Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, 

Transportation, and NIST) and private sector groups in the deliberations of the 

Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Working Party on Standardization, 

especially where they have a direct bearing on U.S. commercial interests. While the 

standards developed in the ECE are not officially adopted for use in the U.S. they serve 

as guides for adjusting product design and are widely taken into account in

manufacturing plans. 

A-55 
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (DOT) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

8 

Voluntary Standard Government Standard

NPRM Signal and Train Control Systems 49CFR 236 

ASTM 49CFR 393.102 

Web Sling & Tiedown Assoc. 49CFR 393.102 

Cordage Institute 49CFR 393.102 

AAR-S569-47 49CFR 232 

Underwriters Laboratories 49CFR 393.95 

Nat. Assoc. of Chain Manufacturers 49CFR 393.102 

Wire Rope Technical Board 49CFR 393.102 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

246 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

177 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

168 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

The general consensus is that Circular A-119 is working effectively and that the use of 

voluntary standards can save both time and money for regulatory agencies. We have no 

recommendations to change OMB Circular A-119 at this time. 

A-56 
7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

A number of DOT offices have adopted many voluntary standards in their regulations. 

Consequently, we assess conformance with the voluntary standards through inspections 

to ensure compliance with our regulations and any standards incorporated in those 

regulations. 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

In certain situations where a government-unique standard does not exist or is not 

acceptable to the industry, DOT's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will consider 

the substitution of an existing government regulation intended for another purpose. An 

example would be applying existing Coast Guard (USCG) fire extinguisher standards 

to the aviation industry. This avoids lengthy and costly additional rulemaking 

proceedings.

9. Comments 

None 

A-57 
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (TREASURY) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

2 

Government Standard Voluntary 

Standard Explanation

Customs and Trade 

Automated Interface 

Requirements (CATAIR) 

CATAIR is used by 

the Customs brokerage 

industry. The 

maintenance of the 

government unique 

standards within 

Customs applications, 

the CATAIR and 

CAMIR formats, are at 

the request of the 

participating industry 

groups that use those 

standards.

Customs Automated 

Manifest Interface 

Requirements (CAMIR) 

Some parties in the 

transportation sector 

use CAMIR. The 

maintenance of the 

government unique 

standards within 

Customs applications, 

the CATAIR and 

CAMIR formats, are at 

the request of the 

participating industry 

groups that use those 

standards. 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

5 

A-58 
4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

67 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

8 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

We believe that the guidelines prescribed in Circular A-119 are effective. Circular A119 has placed the focus on using voluntary consensus standards as opposed to the 

development of government unique standards. Wide use of voluntary consensus 

standards promotes the development of an increased number of standard compliant 

products facilitating the use of new technology and increasing flexibility to meet new 

requirements. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

The standards the Department has adopted will involve conformity assessment 

activities, which include internal audit and eventual certification in conformance with 

acceptable practices. 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

Between 1998 and 2001, the US Customs, Office of Information Technology, 

Program Office, used the government-unique standards: Year 2000 Computing Crises, 

An Assessment Guide (GAO/AIMD-10.1.14), Year 2000 Computing Crisis, A Testing 

Guide (GAO/AIMD-10.1.21 and Year 2000 computing Crisis, Business Continuity and 

Contingency Planning (GAO/AIMD-10.1.19). After a series of reviews by the GAO, 

issued the following report: Year 2000 Computing Crisis, Has Established Effective 

Year 2000 Program Controls (GAO/AIMD-99-37) and testified before Congress on 

2/24/99 stating: Year 2000 Computing Crisis, Customs is Effectively Managing its 

Year 2000 Program (GAO/T-AIMD-99-85) and again on 6/29/99: Year 2000 

Computing Crisis, Customs Is Making Good Progress (GAO/T-AIMD-99-225). 

9. Comments 

None 

A-59 
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

1 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

0 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

12 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

24 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

The Veterans Health Administration accepts and conforms to standards developed by 

the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO) for 

Veterans Affairs' (VA) health care facilities. Voluntary consensus standard 

requirements are utilized in the regulatory, contractual and grants determinations 

executed by the Veterans Health Administration. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

The VA does not engage in conformity assessment activities. VA strives to use 

industry based standards and commercial off-the-self products. 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

N/A 

9. Comments 

A-60 
Federal regulations prescribe standards that must be used (e.g., EPA laboratory 

standards and OSHA monitoring/sampling standards). Regardless of what may be 

developed by conformity assessment, VA is not relieved of it obligation to use 

standards prescribed by regulations. When not obligated to use a prescribed regulatory 

or other (e.g., JCAHO) standard, VA organizations must retain the flexibility to use the 

standard that best meets its programmatic needs. 

A-61 

Appendix B: 

Other Agency and Commission 

Reports 

B-1 
UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION (USAID) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

0 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

0 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

0 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

USAID has no suggestions for changing Circular A-119. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

USAID participates in the Contractor Performance System established by the National 

Institutes for Health, including participating as a member of the committee that 

determines information requirements. This may be considered a conformity assessment 

activity since it is standardizing the way that the participating agencies assess 

contractors' performance. 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

Nothing to report. 

9. Comments 

N/A 

B-2 
CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION (CPSC) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

1 

Government Standard Voluntary Standard 

ANSI/UL 325-2001 (in part) 16 CFR 1211 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

1 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

31 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

9 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

During FY 2001, the Commission's efforts to enhance voluntary safety standards 

development was complemented by the overall Federal policy set forth in the Circular. 

At the end of the reporting period, the Commission's Voluntary Standards Coordinator 

was participating in the Interagency Committee on Standards Policy's review of 

possible recommendations for changes to the Circular. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

N/A 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

B-3 
The CPSC staff provided technical support to the development of 17 new or revised 

voluntary safety standards that were completed in FY 2001. The Commission's 

Directive to employees on "Communications with Voluntary Standards Groups and 

Organizations" was updated in September 2001. 

9. Comments 

The Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA), as amended, requires the Commission to 

defer to issued voluntary standards, rather than promulgate mandatory standards, when 

the voluntary standards will eliminate or adequately reduce the risk of injury addressed 

and it is likely that there will be substantial compliance with the voluntary standards. In

addition, the Commission is required, after any notice or advance notice of proposed 

rulemaking, to provide technical and 

administrative assistance to persons or groups who propose to develop or modify an 

appropriate 

voluntary standard. Additionally, the Commission is encouraged to provide technical 

and administrative assistance to groups developing product safety standards and test 

methods, taking into account Commission resources and priorities. 

Since its inception in 1973, the Commission has promoted the development of 

voluntary product safety standards. Policy statements in support of voluntary standards 

were published by the CPSC in 1975 and 1978. These policy statements were updated 

in 1988 (16 U.S.C. 1031), and a staff directive on implementation of portions of these 

policy statements was promulgated in October 1989 and updated in September 2001. 

Since the principles set forth in the OMB Circular A-119 Rev. were published, the 

Commission has consistently supported them. The CPSC Voluntary Standards 

Coordinator, who also serves as the CPSC's Standards Executive for the purpose of 

implementing OMB Circular A-119 Rev., provides general oversight for staff 

involvement in existing standards projects. The Voluntary Standards Coordinator 

establishes agency views on standards issues and decisions through Commission 

response to staff briefing packages and recommendations. These views are reflected in 

the Commission's Operating Plan and Budget. Coordinating participation within the 

Commission and with others in voluntary standards activities is a responsibility of the 

Voluntary Standards Coordinator. Likewise the Voluntary Standards Coordinator is 

responsible for meeting reporting requirements applicable to voluntary standards 

involvement of Commission staff. 

The Commission had 31 employees directly participating in the development of 59 

consumer product safety standards during FY 2001. Among the 17 new or revised 

consumer product safety standards completed in FY 2001 were those dealing with baby 

gates and enclosures, infant swings, bunk beds, chain saws, swimming pool alarms, 

and public playground equipment. 

For further information please contact the CPSC's Standards Executive: Mr. Colin B. 

Church, Voluntary Standards and International Activities Coordinator, U.S. Consumer

B-4 
Product Safety Commission, Room 600C, Washington, D.C. 20207, Tel. 301-504-0554 

ext. 2229, Fax. 301-504-0407, E-mail: cchurch@cpsc.gov 

 

 

B-5 
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

36 

Government Standard Voluntary Standard Explanation

EPA Methods 1,2,2C,3,3B,4 ASTM D3154-00 Impractical alternative to EPA 

tests for purpose of the rule. 

EPA Method 2 ASTM D3796 Impractical alternative to EPA 

test methods for the purposes of 

the rule 

EPA Method 18 ASTM D6060-96 Impractical alternative to EPA 

test methods for the purpose of 

the rule 

EPA Method 25, 25A ISO 14965:2000(E) Impractical alternative to EPA 

test methods for the purpose of 

the rule. 

EPA Method 25A EN 12619:1999 Not practical due to lack of 

equivalency, detail, and/or quality 

assurance and/or quality control 

requirements. 

EPA Method 3 ASME C00031 EPA looked at this standard for 

both Pulp & Paper Hazardous Air 

Pollutant rules and for the Small 

Municipal Waste Combustion 

rule. Too broad for regulatory 

use; covers EPA methods with 

too many variants. 

EPA Method 1,2,3,4 ASTM D3154-95 EPA looked at this standard for 

both Pulp & Paper Hazardous Air 

Pollutant rules and for the Small 

Municipal Waste Combustion 

rule. In both cases, the standard 

was not approved as an 

equivalent to EPA methods 

because it lacks quality control 

and quality assurance 

B-6 
requirements appropriate to the 

rules. 

EPA Method 5,17 ASTM D3685/3685M95 EPA looked at this standard for 

both Pulp & Paper Hazardous Air 

Pollutant rules and for the Small 

Municipal Waste Combustion 

rule. Contains sampling options 

beyond which would be 

considered acceptable for Method 

5. 

EPA Perform.Spec.11 ISO 10155:1995 Does not contain detailed RATA 

procedures and does not produce 

particulate matter measurements 

like EPA methods. 

EPA Method 5i ASTM D6331-98 This standard does not have 

paired trains as specified in 

Method 5 and does not include 

some quality control procedures 

specified in the EPA method and 

which are appropriate to use in 

this rule. 

EPA Method 10,10a CAN/CSA Z223.21-

M1978 

Lacks in detail and quality 

assurance/quality control 

requirements and provides no 

distinction between continuous 

and integrated sampling. 

EPA Method 29 ASTM D4358-94: 1999 Key technical differences in 

chemical digestion processes and 

in filter methodology between 

Method 29 and the ASTM 

standard make the VCS 

impractical to use for the

purposes of this rule. 

EPA Method 29 ASTM E1741-95 Key technical differences in 

chemical digestion processes and 

in filter methodology between 

Method 29 and the ASTM 

standard make the VCS 

impractical to use for the

B-7 
purposes of this rule. 

EPA Method 23 CEN EN 1948-3 Provides additional sampling 

options other than what is 

acceptable in Method 23. 

EPA Method 29,101,101a CAN/CSA Z223.26-

M87 

This standard is only applicable 

to background and near ambient 

levels of mercury and for low 

volume air sampling. The Quality 

Assurance is limited or not well 

documented. The standard is not 

an adequate alternative for the 

purposes of this rule. 

EPA PS-2 ISO 7935:1992 The standard lacks in detail and 

quality assurance/quality control 

requirements. It is missing 

calibration drift requirements and 

has limited concentration range of 

applicability. 

EPA Method 5, 17 ASME C00049 EPA looked at this standard for 

both Pulp & Paper Hazardous Air 

Pollutant rules and for the Small 

Municipal Waste Combustion 

rule. Too flexible in allowing for 

more train configurations than is 

appropriate for purposes of this 

rule. 

EPA Method 2 ASTM D3464-96 Impractical alternative to EPA 

test methods for the purposes of 

the rule 

EPA Method 2 ISO 10780 Impractical alternative for the 

purposes of the rule 

EPA Method 2 ASTM D 3464-96 Lacks sufficient supporting data 

to determine if standard is 

equivalent and therefore 

applicable to use along with EPA 

method. 

EPA Method 24 ISO 118900-1 Impractical alternative to EPA 

B-8 
test method for the purposes of 

the rule. 

EPA Method 25 EN 12619 (1999) Impractical alternative to EPA 

test methods for the purposes of 

the rule. 

EPA Method 2 ASTM D3796-98 Good procedure but not a 

complete alternative for method 2 

and therefore impractical for use 

in this rule. 

EPA Method 5 ASTM D4536-96 EPA looked at this standard for 

both Pulp & Paper Hazardous Air 

Pollutant rules and for the Small 

Municipal Waste Combustion 

rule. Not practical due to lack of 

equivalency, documentation, 

validation data and other 

important technical and policy 

considerations. 

EPA Method 3A ASTM D5835-95 EPA looked at this standard for 

both Pulp & Paper Hazardous Air 

Pollutant rules and for the Small 

Municipal Waste Combustion 

rule. Lacks in quality assurance 

and quality control requirements. 

EPA Method 4 ASTM E337-84 Only covers small portion of EPA 

method 4 and therefore not 

practical for use in this rule. 

EPA Method 5 CSA Z223.1-M1977 Key technical differences and 

lack of detailed quality assurance 

quality control requirements 

make this impractical for this 

rule. 

EPA Method 3A CAN/CSA Z223.2-M86 EPA looked at this standard for 

both Pulp & Paper Hazardous Air 

Pollutant rules and for the Small 

Municipal Waste Combustion 

rule. Too general - lacks in detail 

and in quality control, quality 

B-9 
assurance requirements. 

EPA Method 25a EN 12619:1999 Impractical for use in this rule 

because does not measure solvent 

process vapors in concentrations 

greater than 40ppm carbon. 

EPA Method 1,2,5 ISO 9096:1992 EPA looked at this standard for 

both Pulp & Paper Hazardous Air 

Pollutant rules and for the Small 

Municipal Waste Combustion 

rule. The method will not produce 

particulate matter measurements 

equivalent to EPA method 5. 

EPA Method 3A ISO 10396:1993 EPA looked at this standard for 

both Pulp & Paper Hazardous Air 

Pollutant rules and for the Small 

Municipal Waste Combustion 

rule. Similar to some EPA 

Methods, but lacks in quality 

assurance and quality control 

requirements. 

EPA Method 2 ISO 10780:1994 Technical differences based on 

pilot tube shapes making standard 

impractical for use in this rule. 

EPA Method 12, 29 ASTM E1979-98 Key technical differences in 

chemical digestion processes and 

in filter methodology between 

Method 29 and the ASTM 

standard make the VCS 

impractical to use for the

purposes of this rule. 

EPA Method 26, 26a EN 1911-1,2,3:1998 Key technical differences in 

sampling techniques and other 

technical differences make the 

EN standard impractical as an 

alternative to the EPA Methods. 

EPA PS-1 ASTM D6216-98 The standard does not address all 

the requirements specified in PS1. 

B-10 
EPA PS-2 ISO 10849:1996 The standard lacks in detail and 

quality assurance/quality control 

requirements. 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

1 

Voluntary Standard Government Standard

ASTM D4057 Standard Practice for Manual 40 CFR part 80, Appendix G 

ASTM D4177 Standard Practice for 40 CFR part 80, Appendix G 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

64 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

46 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

20 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

EPA is working with NIST and other agencies to assist OMB in revising the language 

of the current Circular in order to enhance its effectiveness and facilitate its 

implementation. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference 

National Accreditation Program (NAP) for ISO 14001 Environmental Management 

B-11 
Systems 

ANSI-RAB (Registration Accreditation Board) for ISO 9000 Quality Management 

Systems 

ANSI-RAB Joint Oversight Board (for ISO 14001 and ISO 9000 programs) 

Energy Star 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

EPA's new standards web site will be completed shortly and will be the primary access 

point for the public regarding the Agency's voluntary standards activities. Case studies 

and success stories will be available on the web site, along with EPA standards'

policies and current news. EPA expects that the web site will be available by the end of 

December, 2001. The URL for the web site will be made available to OMB, Congress 

and the public as soon as it is established. 

9. Comments 

Footnote to Above Section#1: 

A. Although EPA determined that the voluntary standards listed in the section are not 

practical for the purposes of the rules, EPA did not create any new governmentunique standards; the government standards listed were previously in effect. 

B. In general the reason for not using the VCSs listed is: The VCS is not practical due 

to lack of equivalency, documentation, validation data and other important 

technical and policy considerations. The rules go into more complete technical 

detail; only a brief summary of the justification for non-use is given in this table. 

C. EPA reports the use of government-unique standards and the justification for not 

using potentially applicable voluntary standards as the basis of context. EPA 

believes that the public, standards developing organizations and industry need to 

know the context in which the agency considered use of a voluntary standard in 

order to understand the actions of the agency, and in order to evaluate the potential 

of the standard for possible regulatory applications in future actions. The context 

will give standards developers a framework in which to consider updates of the 

standard. For example, industry may determine that use of a particular VCS in 

regulatory actions is a prime driver for updating that standard, or it may determine 

that market needs are best served by having both the regulatory and the voluntary 

standard. 

Given this explanation, EPA reserves the right to make the determination of context 

and to report, when appropriate, multiple rejections of a single VCS. In other cases, 

the reason for rejection of a VCS in separate rules is so similar in context and 

involves the same EPA Method, that the use of the government method and 

consequent rejection of the VCS is counted only once. 

B-12 
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (FCC) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

0 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

5 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

1 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

The policies of Circular A-119 are clearly stated for application to the activities of the 

FCC, and the Commission recognizes the benefit of using voluntary consensus 

standards when applicable. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

None 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

None 

9. Comments 

This Web-based procedure for reporting works well. 

B-13 
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) 

No Report 

B-14 
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION (FTC) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

0 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

0 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

0 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

See response to question 9. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

See response to question 9. 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

See response to question 9. 

9. Comments 

The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States 

government charged with enforcing competition and consumer protection laws. The 

Commission's only contact with voluntary consensus standards and the organizations 

which produce them is in connection with the enforcement of the Federal Trade 

B-15 
Commission Act, which prohibits unfair methods of competition and unfair or 

deceptive acts or practices affecting commerce. The Commission does not promulgate 

its own standards or engage in other standards activities pertinent to OMB Circular A119. 

B-16 
GOVERNMENT SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (GSA) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

2 

Government

Standard Voluntary Standard Explanation

FF-L-2740 UL 768 The document covers 

combination locks used for 

the protection of classified, 

national security information. 

In testing locks under the 

voluntary standard it was 

found that the locks did not 

provide the level of 

protection required by 

Federal agencies.

KKK-1822E ASTM F-2020-1 F-2020-1 is currently being 

reviewed/compared to KKK1822E. Review to be 

completed by January 2, 

2002. If F-2020-1 is 

acceptable, it will be cited in 

future GSA procurements for 

"Ambulances" in lieu of 

Federal specification KKK1822E

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

19 

Voluntary Standard Government Standard

ASTM D4317 A-A-3053 

MPI 5 or 7 A-A-2336 

MPI 51, 47, 48 or 49 A-A-2962 

MPI 8, 9, or 94 A-A-3067 

MPI 138, 141, 114 or 139 A-A-2246 

ASTM D98 A-A-169 

B-17 
ASTM D632 A-A-1545 

NFPA 1964 A-A-2279, A-A-2280, A-A-2281 

SAE AMS-C-22542 MIL-C-22542 

GPA (Gas Processors A-A-2897 

SAE-AS 8662 MIL-K-8662E 

ASTM D3656 L-S-125 

ASTM D4111 MIL-T-82291 

ASTM D5433 DDD-T-511

ASTM D5434 DDD-T-531

ASTM F1085 V-M-96 

ISEA/ANSI Z89.1 A-A-2269 

SAE/AMS 2431 MIL-G-9954 

MPI 28 A-A-3108 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

25 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

41 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

107 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

We have no comments or recommendations for change concerning OMB Circular A-119. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

-ISO TC 29: 

The US Technical Advisory Group (TAG) is responsible for determining the U.S 

position on IEC/ISO standards pertaining to technical committee or subcommittees in 

addition to the review of policy matters. The standards include hand tools and 

accessories for safety requirements relating to the elements of design, use, and 

selection of; performance, tolerances, and outline configurations of; including but not 

B-18 
limited to, wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, shears, punches, chisels, hammers, and 

toolboxes. The standards will include the development of requirements, the 

consideration of various types and classes of hand tools and accessories required for 

specified classes of service, and the tests needed to determine conformance with the 

service classification requirements. 

-Tool Fastener Working Group: 

To discuss the standardization and end use relationship between fasteners and hand 

tools. By active participation from: GSA, FSS Hardware SuperStore, Defense 

Industrial Center, Philadelphia, NG Standards Activities (AIA, SAE, ASME), 

Fasteners and Tool Manufactures, Designers, and End Users. Fastener and hand tools 

are an integrated system where the goal of this group is to improve the performance of 

fastener systems by evaluating at the tool-fastener interface, in addition to creating a 

Review Committee to evaluate and improve non-government standards. 

-Green Seal: 

Participated with Green Seal to develop a voluntary environmental preferred product 

standard for commercial adhesives (GS-36). Worked with GreenSeal, DoD and our 

suppliers to delineate coatings that have passed one or more of the GreenSeal criteria. 

“GreenSeal Certified” products are delineated on the GSA Hardware SuperStore web 

page under “Environmental Issues”. 

http://www.greenseal.org/ 

http://r6.gsa.gov/fss/hac/ 

-National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS): 

Master Painters Institute: 

Scientific Certification Systems (SCS): 

Provided input for a voluntary certification criterion for manufacturers of architectural 

and anti-corrosive paints. This was a joint effort by the National Institute of Building 

Sciences (NIBS), Master Painters Institute (MPI), ICI paint, Department of Defense, 

General Services Administration, Chemical Manufacturers’ Association and Scientific 

Certification Systems. This criteria is based on International Organization for 

Standardization (ISO) Standard 14042, as prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 

207, Environmental Management, Subcommittee SC 5, Life Cycle Assessment and has 

been adopted as a standard by Master Painters Institute (MPI). “SCS Certified” 

products are delineated on the GSA Hardware SuperStore web page under 

“Environmental Issues”.

http://www.scs1.com. 

http://www.hvacmall.com/listing/nibs.htm

B-19 
-Clean Air Act National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (CAA 

NESHAP) Compliance – for Shipbuilding and Aerospace coatings: 

The Clean Air Act (40th Code of Federal Regulations, Subpart 63.741-63.753 and 

63.780) designate “Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Facilities” and “Aerospace 

Manufacturing and Rework Facilities” as a regulated emissions source categories. 

Clean Air Act rules limit the volatile organic hazardous air pollutant (VOHAP) content 

of several types of solvents, coatings, strippers and maskants used within these 

industrial categories. Compliance is based on proper documentation that volatile 

organic compound (VOC) or VOHAP emissions were within allowable limits 

Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Facilities: Clean Air Act NESHAP shipbuilding 

compliance certificates were developed as a joint effort between the U.S. Naval 

Facilities Engineering Service Center (NFESC), U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command, 

U.S. Naval Supply Systems Command, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and 

General Services Administration. 

Aerospace Manufacturing and Rework Facilities: Clean Air Act NESHAP aerospace

compliance certificates were developed as a joint effort between the U.S. Naval 

Facilities Engineering Service Center (NFESC), U.S. Naval Air Systems Command, 

U.S. Naval Supply Systems Command, U.S. Air Force Center for Environmental 

Excellence, U.S. Air Force Ogden Air Logistics Center, U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency and General Services Administration. 

http://www.r6.gsa.gov/fss/HAC/ 

[Environmental Issues] 

http://www.epa.gov/ttn/uatw/shipb/shipguid.pdf 

Pages E-18, E-32, E-33 

-Hazardous Material Information System (HMIS) Functional Working Group: 

Soon to be Hazardous Material Information Resource System (HMIRS) 

The HMIS Functional Working Group (FWG) is chartered under the sponsorship of the 

HMIS Policy Working Group (PWG). Its role is to represent the users of hazardous 

materials information and management systems, which deal with Material Safety Data 

Sheets (MSDS) or related/associated technical information, and strive to ensure that the 

functional needs of those users are met. Also, the FWG prepares recommendations to 

the PWG on issues pertaining to the functional aspects of improvements to existing or 

future DOD hazardous materials information and management systems. The core 

FWG membership consists of voting representatives from the Army, Air Force, Navy, 

DLA, and GSA. http://www.dscr.dla.mil/hmis/HomePage.htm

-National Defense Industrial Association/ Department of Defense: 

Attended the 27th Environmental Symposium and Exhibition – Austin, TX, April 23 - 

26, 2001: Published and presented a paper on GSA’s Procurement and Environmental 

Initiatives, and attended 20 technical sessions which covered the latest DoD strategic 

plans and policy on future environmental management. Technical sessions and 

B-20 
associated networking also provided key point of contact information on the DoD Joint 

Group on Pollution Prevention, U.S. Army Ecology Conservation Center, and the U.S. 

Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence “Pro-Act” office. 

http://environment.ndia.org/ 

-GSA Hardware SuperStore/ Supplier/ Customer Paints, Sealants and Coatings 

Business Development Partnership: 

Attended Paints, Sealants and Coatings Coordination Meeting, Plaza Level 

Auditorium, Main Building, GSA Kansas City, June 13-14, 2001: Provided 

information to this forum on how the Qualified Products Listing (QPL) program differs 

from the Multiple Award Schedule. Explained to the group the status and purpose of 

Commercial Item Description A-A-3185, “Latex Paint with Post-Consumer Material 

Content”. The GSA Hardware SuperStore Business Development Division (6FEM), 

Technical Services Division (6FEE), Stock and Special Order Acquisition Division 

(6FEP) and Commercial Products and Services Acquisition Division (6FEC) attended 

this meeting. In addition, many customers and suppliers attended the meeting, 

including Warner Robbins Air Logistics Center, Whiteman AFB, ICI Paint, Sherwin 

Williams, and PPG Paint. 

-National Aerospace Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP: 

NADCAP represents major prime contractors, suppliers, and government agencies in 

aerospace, defense, and related industries throughout the United States and 

internationally. NADCAP is administered by the Performance review Institute (PRI), 

and independent for profit trade association affiliated with the Society of Automotive 

Engineers (SAE). Through NADCAP, PRI accredits subcontractors and suppliers to 

aerospace and industry consensus standards. Through NADCAP, PRI assures and 

enhances quality, saves valuable time and efforts and cuts direct and overhead costs by 

performing the following functions: 

· Compiling audit criteria 

· Securing acceptance of these lists as internationally recognized ASE Aerospace 

Standards 

· Auditing suppliers’ technical capabilities and conformance to applicable procedures

and/or government agencies 

· Focusing the responsibility for quality maintenance on the supplier and 

subcontractors 

· Publishing a qualified manufacturer’s List and making it available to primes 

· Promoting the benefits of using accredited suppliers 

GSA Hardware SuperStore is a prime member of the Sealants and Coating Groups and 

is also a member of Qualified Product Management Council (QPMC). 

B-21 
-Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE: 

GSA Hardware SuperStore is a member of the SAE, G8 - Aerospace Coatings 

Committee and G9 Aerospace Sealants Committee and actively participates in the 

development of Aerospace Material Standards. These committees are actively involved

in the conversions of Military Specifications and the development of Aerospace 

Material Standards. 

Serve a chairman of the G8 Laboratory Accreditation Sub-Committee, for development 

of a laboratory accreditation protocol consistent with ISO and IEC accreditation 

standards. This standard, AS5505, May 2001, provides interpretation of ISO/IEC 

17025 and establishes additional requirements for accreditation of testing laboratories 

for evaluating organic coatings. This step was necessary for the development of the 

Qualified Manufacturers List (QML) program for G8 Aerospace Coatings.

-USDA, Forestry Service: 

GSA/FSS Hardware SuperStore representative to the USDA, Forestry Service, Tree 

Marking Paint Standard Development Committee. Provided expert consultation for 

environmental, health and technical issues leading to development of the FS 2400-400 

specification.

-Building Products Pre-Approval Program (BPPAP): 

GSA/FSS Hardware SuperStore representative to the Building Products Pre-Approval 

Program (BPPAP) Committee of the National Institute for Building Sciences, 

Washington, DC. This committee coordinates the development of non-governmental 

architectural and industrial paint and coatings Standards with the Master Painters 

Institute. Through this committee, more than 26 Federal Specifications and 

Commercial Item Descriptions have been replaced with Master Painters Institute 

Standards. 

The BPPAP committee, through Scientific Certifications Systems, a third party, 

internationally recognized certification organization, is pursuing development of 

Environmentally Preferred Purchasing, EPP, certification for products, mandated by 

Executive Order 13101. The BPPAP reviews and approves the protocol for EPP 

certification that SCS performs. 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

None 

9. Comments 

None 

B-22 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE (GPO) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

4 

Government

Standard Voluntary Standard Explanation

FED-STD 209 ISO 14644-1 & ISO 

14644-2 

Second ISO standard 

not issued until end of

FY2000; still appears 

in some contracts

MIL-STD 105 ANSI/ASQC Z1.4 Cited in small number 

of contracts due to 

editing errors. These 

are gradually being 

corrected.

MIL-STD 1189 ANSI/AIM X5-2 & ANSI 

X3.182 

Cited in small number 

of contracts due to 

editing errors. These 

are gradually being 

corrected.

MIL-STD 498 IEEE/EIA 12207.0, 

IEEE/EIA 12207.1, & 

IEEE/EIA 12207.2 

Cited in small number 

of contracts due to 

editing errors. These 

are gradually being 

corrected.

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

116 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

2 

B-23 
5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

2 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

The Circular provides effective procedures for the transition to use of voluntary 

consensus standards in government business. We have no recommendations for 

changes. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

None 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

None 

9. Comments 

The Circular provides effective procedures for the transition to use of voluntary 

consensus standards in government business. We have no recommendations for 

changes. 

B-24 
INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION (ITC) 

1. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies in Which There is Agency 

Participation:

 1 

2. Number of Agency Employees Participating in Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities:

 1 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Used in FY 2000: 

 0 

4. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government-Unique 

Standards: 

 0 

5. Number of Government-Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards: 

 0 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for Any Changes: 

Circular A-119 does not have a significant impact on our operations and we have no 

basis for an evaluation. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been 

Involved: 

We are nominal members of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 

standards group, but do not participate in a substantial way. We collect data for trade 

investigations using whatever standards that prevail in whatever industry we are 

studying. 

8. Provide Any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes: 

 N/A 

B-25 
9. Comments: 

 None. 

B-26 
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

1 

Government Standard Voluntary Standard 

ANSI/UL 325-2001 (in part) 16 CFR 1211 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

1 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

31 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

9 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

OMB Circular A-119 continues to provide stimulus for NASA's effort to improve its 

Technical Standards Management System, enhance the use of Voluntary Consensus 

Standards Products, and challenge the need for NASA-unique Technical Standards 

requirements. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

As an acquisition oriented Agency, conformity assessment is a major element of our 

policies and procedures to assure the safety and mission success of NASA programs. 

NASA is continuously evaluating and improving our conformity assessment practices 

and procedures. 

B-27 
NASA has a long-standing practice of working with other Government Agencies and 

the public sector to integrate best practices into our activities. NASA continues to work 

with the Department of Defense (DoD) and the aerospace industry to adopt and define

consistent quality practices. NASA routinely utilizes other Government Agencies to 

assist us with Contract Administration Services (CAS) including substantial conformity 

assessment activities. The Defense Contract and Audit Agency, Defense Contract 

Management Agency, Office of Naval Research and other activities continue to 

provide conformity assessment services for NASA programs. These are ongoing 

relationships that utilize the expertise and infrastructure that are resident within these 

agencies and allow NASA to limit NASA internal assessments to areas where external 

capabilities are not available. The management and monitoring processes established 

for these CAS activities provides a mechanism to continually exchange ideas and best 

practices related to conformity assessment. 

Finally, NASA is pursuing Star status in the Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration's (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). Participation in the 

VPP provides a mechanism for both improving internal safety practices and for 

utilizing the services of the OSHA programs to perform oversight inspections. To date, 

the Langley Research Center and the Johnson Space Center have achieved Star status 

and have been recognized by OSHA, the other NASA Centers are in various stages of

preparation for assessment by OSHA. 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

NASA has enhanced its use and support of Voluntary Consensus Standards (VCS) 

through the web-based NASA Technical Standards System, which currently has the 

capability to provide full text standards (on-line or hard copy) to all NASA users, 

notification when standards are modified, and direct links on applicable standards to 

"lessons learned" and other recommendations for their use. Full-text standards, 

including all the voluntary consensus standards adopted as NASA Preferred Technical 

Standards, are available at the desktop for internal NASA use. Technical standards are 

available from 108 Standards Developing Organizations. For those technical standards 

products not available electronically, a hard copy will be provided. 

A limited pilot version of this System was implemented last year with favorable 

feedback leading to the Agency wide implementation this past June. Statistics to date 

indicate increasing use of VCS with approximately 6,000 people (NASA and Public) 

registering in four months to access the system. There have been approximately 15,000 

logins to the system where over 12,000 technical standards have been downloaded to 

support NASA Programs/Projects. The Standards Update Notification System (SUNS) 

provides users with notices of updates (revisions, cancellations, superseded documents, 

etc.) to Technical Standards Products that they have identified as "in use" on their 

Programs/Projects. This system is integrated with the Agency wide Full-Text Technical 

Standards System to provide the latest full-text versions of the technical standards on 

demand. Where documents identified on Program/Project "watch lists" have not been 

B-28 
adopted as NASA Preferred Technical Standards, they are automatically entered in the 

adoption screening process. 

The System was made available Agency wide in October. To date, 124 Lessons 

Learned citations from the NASA Lessons Learned Information System (LLIS) site 

have been linked to 55 documents in the NASA Technical Standards System. 

Application Notes have been applied to 102 documents in the System. Continuing 

efforts to add Lessons Learned and Application Notes promises to be of great benefit in 

adapting VCS to NASA use. Approximately 50 additional links to other Lessons 

Learned Websites provide users with additional technical information from a variety of 

other Government and non-Government sources. 

User response to these new capabilities has been outstanding, demonstrating the value 

of VCS information to NASA Programs and Projects. The metrics of these Systems 

shows increased use across the Agency in response to awareness activities at the 

various Centers. A NASA authored paper entitled "Lessons Learned and Standards - A 

Logical Marriage" was published in the November 2001 issue of ASTM 

Standardization News. It focuses on the importance of the relationship between lessons 

learned and technical standards. Use of the NASA Technical Standards System - and 

access to VCS - has grown significantly due to the availability of technical standards 

products on-line and supporting information programs. Brochures and "mini-CDs" 

have been distributed within the Agency as well as at conferences and professional 

meetings. The Program has taken advantage of NASA Center's training opportunities 

to include short training courses on technical standards policy and use of the web site, 

which leads users to VCS. We fully expect these Awareness activities to increase the 

use of VCS to meet standards information needs, as well as increasing the effectiveness 

of NASA participation on Standards Developing Organization committees. 

9. Comments 

None 

B-29 
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION (NARA) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

1 

Government 

Standard Voluntary Standard Explanation 

NARA data 

standards 

MARC – Machine Readable 

Cataloguing 

EAD – Encoded Archival 

Description 

APPM – Archives, Personal 

Papers, and Manuscripts 

ISAD(G) – General International 

Standard Archival Description

ISAAR(CPF) – International 

Standard Archival Authority 

Record for Corporate Bodies, 

Persons and Families

These standards 

do not meet the 

precise needs of 

our agency. 

However, we 

continue to bring 

our individual 

data elements 

guidance closer 

into line with 

these voluntary 

standards.

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

0 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

5 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

6 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

B-30 
NARA employees involved in standards-setting activities are cognizant of the 

importance of using voluntary technical consensus standards. Where possible we have 

incorporated by reference in our regulations voluntary standards rather than 

government unique standards. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

NARA is in process of assessing our own compliance with records center standards that 

must be met by 2009. By 2009 all private companies will have to comply with these 

standards if they plan to house Federal government records in their facilities. The 

Deputy Archivist of the United States is actively involved in the development of an 

international standard addressing records management. 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

When fires occurred at the Washington National Records Center at Suitland, Maryland, the 

NARA fire protection systems, based on our standards, confined the damage to a 

small area and with little loss or damage to records. 

9. Comments 

None 

B-31 
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

0 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

3 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

2 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

A-119 allows effective agency participation in standards activities. No changes are 

recommended. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

None 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

None 

9. Comments 

None 

B-32 
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC) 

1. Number of Government Unique Standards Used in Lieu of Voluntary Standards 

0 

2. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Substituted for Government Unique 

Standards 

0 

3. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards used in FY 2001 

64 

4. Number of Agency Employees Participating In Voluntary Consensus Standards 

Activities 

139 

5. Number of Voluntary Consensus Standards Bodies In Which There is Agency 

Participation

18 

6. Provide an Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Circular A-119 Policy and 

Recommendations for any Changes 

The policy guidelines provided in OMB Circular A-119 for participating in voluntary 

consensus standards bodies and using voluntary consensus standards are generally 

consistent with longstanding NRC practices. The staff believes that these guidelines 

provide appropriate direction and encouragement for Federal agencies to develop 

internal agency-wide guidelines to implement P. L. 104-113 and OMB Circular 

A-119. These guidelines also provide sufficient and reasonable flexibility for each 

agency to make an independent case-by-case determination as to the usability of a 

particular standard within that agency’s scope and responsibility. 

7. Provide the Conformity Assessment Activities in Which the Agency has been Involved 

None 

8. Provide any Examples or Case Studies of Standards Successes 

B-33 
When fires occurred at the Washington National Records Center at Suitland, Maryland, the 

NARA fire protection systems, based on our standards, confined the damage to a 

small area and with little loss or damage to records. 

9. Comments 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has been an active participant in the 

development and use of consensus standards since its establishment in 1975. The 

Commission’s Strategic Assessment and Rebaselining Initiative in 1996 further 

increased NRC’s focus on the use of standards. For nuclear reactor and nuclear 

materials safety, the strategy is to increase the involvement of licensees and others in 

the NRC regulatory process consistent with Public Law 104-113, “National 

Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995” (P. L. 104-113). To do this, 

NRC will continue to encourage industry to develop codes, standards, and guides that 

NRC can endorse and the industry can carry out. 

In FY 2001, NRC took several actions to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of 

our process for implementing P. L. 104-113 and OMB Circular A-119, “Federal 

Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in 

Conformity Assessment Activities.” On January 17, 2001, NRC staff met with 

representatives from the standards development organizations (SDOs) that provide 

codes and standards for the nuclear industry. The NRC has been hosting these 

meetings on a semi-annual basis. The purpose of these meetings is to foster better 

communication and discuss standards under development, current needs, and priorities. 

The SDOs that the Department of Energy (DOE) interacts with are, in many cases, the 

same as the NRC. Thus, NRC and DOE decided to co-host a meeting, which was held 

on June 27, 2001. This joint format proved to be very beneficial, and the meeting 

participants requested that NRC and DOE co-host the next meeting. Hence, a joint 

NRC/DOE meeting has been scheduled for January 2002. 

Consistent with NRC Management Directive 6.5, “NRC Participation in the 

Development and Use of Consensus Standards,” which was created to provide 

direction to the NRC staff for implementing P. L. 104-113 and OMB Circular A-119, 

web-based training has been developed for NRC staff connected with the use of 

standards. The purpose of the training is to explain the requirements of P. L. 104-113 

and OMB Circular A-119 in detail and provide guidance to the NRC staff relative to 

organizational responsibilities. 

The NRC website [http://nrcweb.nrc.gov/NRC/REFERENCE/STANDARDS/], 

contains, among other things, the SDOs with which the agency interfaces, consensus 

standards used by the NRC, and NRC staff representatives on SDO committees. 

B-34 
Appendix C: 

Charter of the 

Interagency Committee 

On Standards Policy 

C-1 
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

CHARTER 

OF THE 

INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS POLICY

Establishment

1. The Interagency Committee on Standards Policy (herein after referred to as the 

Committee) is established to advise the Secretary of Commerce and the heads of 

other Federal agencies in matters relating to standards policy. 

2. The Committee fulfills the mandates set out in paragraph 13.b of the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) Circular No. A-119, “Federal Participation in the 

Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity 

Assessment Activities,” in its revision of February 19, 1998. 

3. The Committee reports to the Secretary of Commerce through the Director of the 

National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Purpose

The purpose of the Committee is to ensure effective participation by the Federal 

Government in domestic and international standards and conformity assessment activities 

and to promote the adherence to uniform policies by Federal agencies in the development 

and use of standards and in conformity assessment activities. Well-considered Federal 

policies reflecting the public interest can expedite the development and adoption of 

standards that stimulate competition, promote innovation, and protect the public safety and 

welfare. The establishment and application of appropriate standards for the characteristics 

or performance of goods, processes, and services can contribute significantly to national 

and international prosperity, economic growth, and public health and safety. The 

establishment of such standards can also further national goals for environmentally sound 

and energy efficient materials, products, systems, services, or practices. Heightened 

national and international awareness of the importance of standards activities, as reflected 

by enactment of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 

(P.L. 104-113, signed into law March 7, 1996), and recommendations presented in the 

National Research Council’s report “Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Trade into 

the 21st Century” (National Academy Press, 1995) call for the Committee to intensify its 

efforts to identify the broad roles and appropriate interactions of agencies in exercising the 

Government’s authority. 

C-2 
Objective

The objective of the Committee shall be to promote effective and consistent standards and 

conformity assessment policies in furtherance of U.S. domestic and foreign goals and, to 

this end, to foster cooperative participation by the Federal Government and U.S. industry 

and other private organizations in standards activities, including the related activities of

product testing, management system registration, certification, and accreditation programs. 

Functions

1. As appropriate, the Committee shall gather, analyze, and maintain current information 

about standards; product testing; management system registration; accreditation and 

certification; and related regulations, rules, policies, and activities: 

(a) conducted within or established by Federal agencies; 

(b) conducted by private domestic and foreign national standards bodies and by 

regional and international private and intergovernmental organizations engaged 

in such programs; and 

(c) pertaining to the relationships among agencies of the Federal Government with 

industry and the various national, regional, and international organizations 

engaged in such programs. 

2. On the basis of such information and when appropriate with respect to the activities 

named in paragraph one above, the Committee shall make recommendations to the 

Secretary of Commerce to: 

(a) strengthen coordination of standards-related and conformity assessment-related 

policies and activities among the Federal agencies; 

(b) improve the efficiency within the Federal Government of standardization 

efforts with the U.S. private sector, as well as with regional and international 

organizations, both private and governmental; 

(c) promote standards-related policies, including directories of personnel 

participating in standards activities, within the Federal Government consistent 

with statutory obligations in regard to interactions with non-Federal 

Government organizations; 

(d) ensure effective representation of the Federal Government at significant 

regional and international standards-related meetings and conferences; 

(e) promote the use of internationally acceptable standards and related activities 

with a view to increasing trade and economic integration and development; 

(f) monitor U.S. technical obligations as a signatory to the World Trade 

Organization, the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement, the North American 

Free Trade Agreement, and other treaties encompassing standards-related trade 

issues; 

C-3 
(g) encourage the development of agency strategic plans for managing and 

monitoring use of voluntary standards and participation in standards-related 

activities; 

(h) promote the use of standards that serve national goals related to increased use 

of the metric system of measurement and environmentally sound and energy 

efficient materials, products, systems, services, and practices; and 

(i) assess and improve the adequacy of such agency plans and activities. 

Membership

1. Together with the Department of Commerce the following agencies constitute the 

membership of the Committee: 

Department of Agriculture 

Department of Defense 

Department of Education 

Department of Energy 

Department of Health and Human Services 

Department of Housing and Urban Development 

Department of the Interior 

Department of Justice 

Department of Labor 

Department of State 

Department of Transportation 

Department of the Treasury 

Department of Veterans Affairs 

Consumer Product Safety Commission 

Environmental Protection Agency 

Federal Communications Commission 

Federal Emergency Management Agency 

Federal Trade Commission 

General Services Administration 

International Trade Commission 

Office of Management and Budget 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

National Archives and Records Administration 

National Communications Systems (Dept. of Defense) (non-voting member) 

National Science Foundation 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

U.S. Agency for International Development 

U.S. Government Printing Office (legislative liaison - non-voting member) 

U.S. Postal Service 

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative 

C-4 
The head of each member agency shall ensure representation by a responsible highlevel policy official (Senior Executive Service or higher) that serves as the agency 

representative on the Committee. Such agency representative shall also serve as the 

“Standards Executive” as defined in section 15 of OMB Circular No. A-119. 

Appointments to the Committee shall be for an indefinite term. 

2. Agency representatives may designate alternates of equivalent senior status to serve in 

their absence. 

3. Experts from organizations within the member agency may be designated by agency 

representatives to serve on task groups established by the Committee. 

4. Other Federal agencies may become members of the Committee upon application to 

or invitation by the Secretary of Commerce. 

Administrative Provisions

1. The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) or the 

Director’s designee shall chair the Committee. 

2. NIST shall provide administrative arrangements for the Committee including 

secretarial services, calling of meetings, arranging for a meeting place, and 

preparation of an agenda, discussion material, and reports. 

3. The Committee shall meet at least three times each year. Other meetings may be 

called at the discretion of the Chair or at the written request of five (5) members of the 

Committee. 

4. The Committee may establish task groups as appropriate. 

5. Attendance at Committee meetings by at least one half of the designated members of 

the Committee shall constitute a quorum. Decisions internal to the Committee’s 

operations, such as formation of a task group, shall be made by a majority of those 

present and voting. Voting on Committee business and proposals shall be limited to 

designated agency members. Decisions concerning Committee recommendations to 

the Secretary of Commerce on governmental policy or other matters set out in 

paragraph two of the section entitled “Functions” shall require ratification by twothirds of the members present and voting. Dissenting positions of the decision may be 

made a matter of record. The Chair shall not vote except in the case of a tie vote. 

6. The annual cost of operating the Committee is estimated at $25,000 (with overhead), 

which includes 0.10 staff year for staff support. 

7. The Committee shall submit an annual report to the Secretary of Commerce so that 

the Secretary may satisfy the reporting requirements set forth in OMB Circular 

C-5 
No. A-119, as applicable to the Secretary, and in P.L. 104-113, as applicable to the 

head of each agency. Each such report shall also summarize the Committee’s activity 

during the period covered and shall include a listing of all recommendations 

formulated by the Committee during that period. 

Duration

The need and mission of the Committee shall be reexamined three years after the date of 

this Charter to determine the need for the Committee’s continuation. 

 /signed/ 

Secretary of Commerce 

Dated: October 26, 2000 

C-6 
Appendix D: 

Membership of the 

Interagency Committee on 

Standards Policy ------

Fiscal Year 2001 

D-1 
Agency for International Development Ms. Kathleen O'Hara 

Standards Executive Acting Deputy Director 

Office of Procurement 

Agency for International Development 

Consumer Product Safety Commission Mr. Colin Church 

Standards Executive Coordinator 

Voluntary Standards & International 

Activities 

Consumer Product Safety Commission 

Consumer Product Safety Commisssion Ms. Jacquie Elder 

Standards Executive Representative Acting Assistant Executive Director 

Consumer Product Safety 

Commisssion 

Executive Office of the President Ms. Jacqueline Zeiher 

OMB/ICSP Liaison OMB/ICSP Liaison 

Office of Management and Budget 

Executive Office of the President 

Executive Office of the President Ms. Suzanne Troje 

Standards Executive Director, Technical Trade Barriers 

U.S. Trade Representative 

Executive Office of the President 

Federal Emergency Management Agency VACANT 

Standards Executive Office of the Director

Federal Emergency Management 

Agency 

Federal Trade Commission Mr. Alain Sheer 

Standards Executive Director of Marketing Practices 

Federal Trade Commission 

General Services Administration VACANT 

D-2 
Standards Executive Office of the Administrator 

General Services Administration 

General Services Administration Mr. Charles Gallagher 

Standards Executive Representative Director

Environmental and Engineering Policy 

(FCOE) 

General Services Administration 

International Trade Commission Mr. Stephen McLaughlin 

Standards Executive Acting Director 

Office of Administration 

International Trade Commission 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration VACANT 

Standards Executive National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Mr. Richard Weinstein 

Standards Executive Representative National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration 

National Archives and Records Administration Ms. Mary Ann Hadyka 

Standards Executive National Archives and Records 

Administration 

National Communications Systems Mr. Dale Barr 

Standards Executive Chief

Technology and Standards Division 

National Communications Systems 

National Institue of Standards and Technology Dr. Belinda Collins 

Committee Chair Deputy Director 

Technology Services 

National Institue of Standards and 

Technology 

D-3 
National Institute of Standards and Technology Mr. Kevin McIntyre 

Committee Secretariat ICSP Team Leader 

Technical Standards Activities Group 

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology 

National Institute of Standards and Technology Ms. Mary Saunders 

Committee Vice Chair Director

Office of Standards Services 

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology 

National Institute of Standards and Technology Mr. Michael Moore 

NIST Support NIST Associate 

Technical Standards Activities Group 

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology 

National Institute of Standards and Technology Ms. Maureen Breitenberg 

NIST Support Global Standards and Information 

Programs 

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology 

National Institute of Standards and Technology Ms. MaryJo DiBernardo

NIST Support Global Standards and Information 

Programs 

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology 

National Institute of Standards and Technology Ms. JoAnne Overman 

NIST Support Program Manager 

Technical Standards Activities Group 

National Institute of Standards and 

Technology 

National Science Foundation Dr. William Butcher 

Standards Executive Senior Engineering Advisor 

National Science Foundation 

D-4 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mr. Michael Mayfield 

Standards Executive Director

Division of Engineering Technology 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Mr. Frank Cherny 

Standards Executive Representative Technical Assistant to the Director 

Divsion of Engineering Technology 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

U.S. Department of Agriculture Dr. Greg Parham

Standards Executive Associate Chief Information Officer 

Office of Information 

U.S. Department of Agriculture 

U.S. Department of Agriculture Ms. Sandra Ginyard 

Standards Executive Representative Program Officer 

Office of the Chief Information 

Officer 

U.S. Department of Agriculture 

U.S. Department of Defense Mr. Gregory Saunders 

Standards Executive Director

Defense Standardization Program

Office 

U.S. Department of Defense 

U.S. Department of Defense Ms. Trudie Williams

Standards Executive Representative Defense Standardization Program

Office 

U.S. Department of Defense 

U.S. Department of Education Mr. Arthur Graham

Standards Executive Deputy Chief Information Officer 

Office of the Chief Information 

Officer 

U.S. Department of Education 

D-5 
U.S. Department of Education Mr. Barry Stone 

Standards Executive Representative Chief Engineer, Enterprise 

Architecture 

Office of the Chief Information 

Officer 

U.S. Department of Education 

U.S. Department of Energy Mr. Richard Black 

Standards Executive Director

Office of Nuclear Safety Policy and 

Standards 

U.S. Department of Energy 

U.S. Department of Energy Mr. Richard Serbu 

Standards Executive Representative Manager 

DOE Technical Standards Programs 

U.S. Department of Energy 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Ms. Janet Showalter 

Standards Executive Director

International Scientific Activities and 

Standards 

U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Dr. John Lucas 

Standards Executive Representative Associate Director of Standards 

U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services 

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development VACANT 

Standards Executive Office of the Secretary 

U.S. Department of Housing 

and Urban Development 

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Mr. David Engel 

D-6 
Standards Executive Representative Director

Affordable Housing Research 

& Technology Division 

U.S. Department of Housing 

and Urban Development 

U.S. Department of Justice Mr. William Burdett 

Standards Executive Senior Enterprise Architect 

Information Management and Security 

Staff 

U.S. Department of Justice 

U.S. Department of Justice Mr. Michael Carr 

Standards Executive Representative Justice Management Division 

U.S. Department of Justice 

U.S. Department of Labor Mr. Steven Witt 

Standards Executive Director

OSHA Health Standards Programs 

U.S. Department of Labor 

U.S. Department of Labor Ms. Barbara Bielaski

Standards Executive Representative Safety Specialist 

OSHA Office of Policy 

U.S. Department of Labor 

U.S. Department of State Ms. Marian Gordon 

Standards Executive Director

Telecommunications and Information 

Standards 

U.S. Department of State 

U.S. Department of State Mr. Julian Minard 

Standards Executive Representative Telecommunications and Information 

Standards 

U.S. Department of State 

U.S. Department of the Interior Mr. Steve King 

D-7 
Alternate Office of the Chief Information 

Officer 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Department of the Interior Mr. Daryl White 

Primary Chief Information Officer 

Office of the Chief Information 

Officer 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Department of the Treasury Mr. James Flyzik 

Standards Executive Deputy Assistant Secretary and Chief 

Information Officer 

Office of the Secretary 

U.S. Department of the Treasury 

U.S. Department of the Treasury Ms. Helen Whatley 

Standards Executive Representative U.S. Department of the Treasury 

U.S. Department of Transportation Ms. Linda Lawson 

Standards Executive U.S. Department of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation Mr. Robert Stein 

Standards Executive Representative U.S. Department of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs Mr. Pierre Lundy 

Alternative Representative U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs 

U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs Mr. Gary Krump 

Standards Executive Deputy Assistant Secretary for 

Acquisition & Management 

Office of the Secretary 

U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Dr. Mary McKiel 

Standards Executive Director

D-8 
EPA Standards Programs 

U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mr. Craig Annear 

Standards Executive Representative Attorney 

Office of General Counsel 

U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency 

U.S. Federal Communication Commission Mr. Michael Crowe 

Standards Executive Chief

Office of Engineering and Technology 

U.S. Federal Communication 

Commission 

U.S. Government Printing Office Mr. Robert Thomas 

Standards Executive Manager 

Quality Control and Technical 

Department 

U.S. Government Printing Office 

U.S. Government Printing Office Ms. Sylvia Subt 

Standards Executive Representative Quality Control and Technical 

Department 

U.S. Government Printing Office 

U.S. Postal Service VACANT 

Standards Executive Office of the Postmaster General 

U.S. Postal Service 

U.S. Postal Service Mr. Bill Griggs 

Standards Executive Representative Acting Manager 

Configuration Management 

U.S. Postal Service 

 

D-9 

Appendix E:

List of National Institute of 

Standards and Technology 

Publications

Related to Public Law 104-113 

E-1 
E-2 

STANDARDS AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT RELATED 

PUBLICATIONS

Office of Standards Services 

National Institute of Standards and Technology 

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-2100 

NTTAA PUBLICATIONS:

The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act - Plan for Implementation 

(NISTIR 5967) 

Toward a National Standards Strategy - Conference Report (NISTIR 6290) 

Toward A National Standards Strategy: Conference Summary Report (NISTIR 6259) by 

Walter G. Leight and Krista J. Johnsen Leuteritz, published September 23, 1998 

Towards Strategic Management of Standards Activities at NIST (NISTIR 6292) 

Conference on Using Voluntary Standards in the Federal Government - September 8, 1997 

Using Voluntary Standards in the Federal Government (NISTIR 6086) 

1998 Federal Standards Workshop: Standards Management - A World of Change and 

Opportunities – Conference Handbook -- A joint DOE, NIST, EPA, NASA, 

Partnership in RMS, FDA publication 

1998 Federal Technical Standards Workshop Proceedings (CONF-980822) – A joint DOE, 

NIST, EPA, NASA, Partnership in RMS, FDA publication 

1998 Annual Report on the Implementation of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 

Circular A-119 and P.L. 104-113, March 16, 2000 (NISTIR 6493) 

1997 Annual Report on the Implementation of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 

Circular A-119 and P.L. 104-113, October, 1999 (NISTIR 6412) 

INTRODUCTORY PUBLICATIONS ON STANDARDS AND CONFORMITY 

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES:

The ABC's of Standards-Related Activities in the United States (NBSIR 87-3576) 

The ABC's of Certification Activities in the United States (NBSIR 88-3821) 
E-3 

The ABC's of the U.S. Conformity Assessment System (NISTIR 6014) 

Laboratory Accreditation Activities in the United States (NISTIR 4576) 

Questions and Answers on Quality, the ISO 9000 Standard Series, Quality System 

Registration, and Related Issues (NISTIR 4721) 

More Questions and Answers on the ISO 9000 Standard Series and Related Issues 

(NISTIR 5122) 

The U.S. Certification System from a Governmental Perspective (NISTIR 6077) 

ISO Environmental Management Standardization Efforts (NISTIR 5638-1) 

NACLA PUBLICATIONS:

Report on NIST-NACLA MOU Workshop, July 6, 2000 (NISTIR 6540) 

Report on the Open Forum on Establishment of the National Council for Laboratory 

Accreditation (NACLA) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 

January 7, 1997 (NISTIR 6008) 

Examination of Laboratory Accreditation Programs in the United States and the Potential 

Role for a National Laboratory Accreditation System (NIST GCR 97-714) 

Proceedings of the Open Forum on Laboratory Accreditation at the National Institute of 

Standards and Technology, October 13, 1995 (NIST SP 902) 

DIRECTORIES:

Directory of International and Regional Organizations Conducting Standards-Related 

Activities (NIST SP 767) 

Directory of European Regional Standards-Related Organizations (NIST SP 795) 

Standards Activities of Organizations in the United States (NIST SP 806, 1996 Edition) 

Directory of Federal Government Certification and Related Programs (NIST SP 739, 

1999 Edition) 

Directory of U.S. Private Sector Product Certification Programs (NIST SP 903) 

Directory of Federal Government Laboratory Accreditation/Designation Programs 

(NIST SP 808) 
E-4 

Directory of State and Local Government Laboratory Accreditation/Designation Programs 

(NIST SP 815) 

Directory of Professional/Trade Organization Laboratory Accreditation/Designation 

Programs (NIST SP 831) 

Standards Setting in the European Union - Standards Organizations and Officials in EU 

Standards Activities (NIST SP 891, 1997 Edition) 

Profiles of National Standards-Related Activities (NIST SP 912) 

An Overview of the Development of Technical Infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific Region: 

The Work of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Sub-committee on 

Standards and Conformance (SCSC) and the Specialist Regional Bodies (SRBs) 

(NISTIR 6325) 

Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Conformity Assessment Infrastructure 

(NIST SP 941) 

Semi-Annual Listing of North American Quality System Registration Organizations 

(NAQSRO) 

Annual Directory of DOC Memberships on Outside Standards Committees 

NVLAP PUBLICATIONS:

NIST Handbook 150: NVLAP Procedures and General Requirements 

Directory of Accredited Laboratories 

NVLAP Program-Specific Handbooks 

NVLAP Policy Guides: 

 PG-1-1998: NVLAP Traceability Policy (March 1998) 

PG-2-1998: Accreditation Documents for Laboratories Whose Accreditation Has Been 

Suspended, Revoked, or Otherwise Terminated (May 1998) 

PG-3-1999: Delegation of Authority from the Director of NIST to the Chief of 

NVLAP (November 1999) 

MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS:

TBT Agreement Activities of the National Institute of Standards and Technology 
E-5 

Environmental Management Systems Voluntary Project Evaluation Guidance (NISTIR 

6120) 

A Selective Review of Testing Laboratory Accreditation Movements in the United States 

(NIST GCR 98-740) 

Survey on the Implementation of ISO/IEC Guide 25 by National Laboratory Accreditation 

Programs (NISTIR 5473) 

Government’s Role in Standards-Related Activities: Analysis of Comments (NISTIR 

4367) 

MAGAZINE ARTICLES:

Collins, B.L., A Standards Infrastructure for the Future. Mechanical Engineering, 122, No. 

4, April 2000, pp. 86-92, and Enjeuex, 200, January 2000, pp. 63-74. 

Leight, W.G., Collins, B.L., Setting the Standards. Mechanical Engineering, 122, No. 2, 

February 2000, pp. 46-52. 

Leight, W.G., Preserving the Miracle. Partnership in RMS Standards: A Newsletter for 

Professionals, January 2000, pp. 1-6. 

Collins, B.L., Federal Government Coordination on Standards - The Role of NIST and the 

Interagency Committee on Standards Policy. The Standards Forum, 7, No. 3, 

December 1999, pp. 1, 15-16. 

Collins, B.L., Standards and Government Regulations in the United States. Warnings and 

Risk Communications, Chapter 12. Taylor and Francis Ltd., 1999. 

Collins, B.L., Federal Government Coordination on Standards - The Role of NIST and the 

Interagency Committee on Standards Policy. ASTM Standardization News, 27, 

May 1999, pp. 20-21. 

Collins, B.L., Update on the activities of the National Cooperation for Laboratory 

Accreditation. Accreditation and Quality Assurance: Journal for Quality, 

Comparability and Reliability in Chemical Measurement, 3, September 1998, pp. 351-

355. 

Collins, B.L., National Cooperation of Laboratory Accreditation. Radioactivity & 

Radiochemistry, A Journal of Applied Radioactivity Measurements, 8, No. 4, 1997. 

Collins, B.L., NIST to Lead in NTTAA Implementation. ANSI Reporter, April 1997, p. 3. 
E-6 

Collins, B.L., The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act - Plan for 

Implementation. NISTIR 5967, January 1997. 

Collins, B.L., National Cooperation of Laboratory Accreditation. CIRMS Annual Meeting 

Abstracts, Radioactivity & Radiochemistry, 8, 1997, pp. 16-17. 

Collins, B.L., Laboratory Accreditation: The Need for a National Infrastructure. Cal Lab, 

November-December 1996, pp. 18-22. 

Collins, B.L., Helping Reduce Technical Barriers to Trade. Proceedings of CPSC 

Conference on Bringing Standards Together: An International Framework. July 18, 

1996, pp. 48-53. 

Collins, B.L., The Consensus Process in Standards Development. Proceedings of the Joint 

Conference on Standard Setting in Large-Scale Assessments, 1995, pp. 203-219. 

Breitenberg, M., Conformity Assessment: An Important Policy Issue. ASTM 

Standardization News, November 1997, pp. 20-23. 

Johnsen Leuteritz, K., Toward Strategic Management of Standards Activities at NIST. 

ASTM Standardization News, December 1999, cover article. Reprinted in DOE’s 

"The Standards Forum," March 2000. 

Johnsen Leuteritz, K., The New MOU. ASTM Standardization News, 

Johnsen Leuteritz, K., The Church of Accreditation. American Society for Quality, 

February 1999. 

Overman, J., NIST and Strategic Standardization. ANSI Reporter, September 2000. 

Collins, B.L., Federal Government Coordination on Standards -- The Role of NIST and the 

Interagency Committee on Standards Policy. ASTM Standardization News, December 

1999. 

Johnsen Leuteritz, K., Standards Summit: A First Step Toward a National Strategy. 

Energy and Environment Update, American Society for Quality, October 1998. 

Johnsen Leuteritz, K., Why the Work of the Multi-State Working Group Matters to Federal 

Agencies. Energy and Environment Update, American Society for Quality, May 1998.