Department of Defense (DoD) Fiscal Year 2022 Agency Report

1. Please provide a summary of your agency’s activities undertaken to carry out the provisions of 

OMB Circular A-119, “Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus 

Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities” and the National Technology Transfer and 

Advance Act (NTTAA). The summary should contain a link to the agency’s standards-specific 

website(s) where information about your agency’s standards and conformity assessment related 

activities are available.

The primary goal of the Department of Defense (DoD) is to support our nations warfighter in the most 

efficient, effective, and cost-conscious manner possible while meeting mission objectives. Standards and 

standardization are essential elements to ensuring cost containment and operational effectiveness are 

achieved during the development and continued maintenance of DoD systems and subsystems. More 

information on the Defense Standardization Program can be found at https://www.dsp.dla.mil. 

DoD relies on voluntary consensus standards (VCS) to gain access to cutting edge technologies within 

the global marketplace while reducing total acquisition costs. Currently, DoD has adopted 8,123 VCS 

approved for use within the Department of Defense. Each of these 8,123 VCS is cataloged with an

adoption notice in the ASSIST database (https://assist.dla.mil), which gives visibility of the VCS so that 

others within DoD may use that standard in implementing their own systems or programs. Each 

adoption notice provides contact information for the adopting activity should any potential DoD users 

have questions regarding the technical content, or how to get a copy of the document. To promote the 

use of VCS by DoD, publishing an adoption notice is highly encouraged, but it is not a mandatory

prerequisite for their use. 

Therefore, the number of adoption notices for VCS is only a partial representation of their use in DoD. 

Many additional VCS documents are called out in DoD acquisitions and used in defense systems. Over 

2500 VCS are cited as normative references in DoD standardization documents. Similarly, normative 

references to VCS are found in International Standardization Agreements and are used by DoD in the 

implementation of U.S.-ratified International Standardization Agreements. The extensive use of VCS 

allows DoD to gain access to cutting edge technologies and to be interoperable with our allies and 

partners. 

In Fiscal Year 2022, DoD adopted 35 VCS in several areas, including: Construction Building Materials; 

Hardware and Abrasives; Paints, Dopes, Sealants and Adhesives; Non-Metallic Fabricated Materials; 

Electrical and Electronic Equipment Components; Electrical Connectors; Engine, Turbines, and 

Components; Pipe, Tubing, Hose and Fittings; Pumps and Compressors; Firefighting Equipment; and

Glass Fabricated Materials. DoD also canceled 200 military unique documents and replaced 14 of them 

with VCS.

While DoD continues to support and use VCS for many different purposes, there are times where 

military unique requirements cannot be satisfied by VCS, and as such, DoD must continue to develop 

GUS to carry out its defense mission and meet warfighter needs. In FY 22, 34 documents were created 

based on military unique needs. These documents call out requirements for items used in weapon 

systems and other tactical military grade equipment that are unique to the department and not covered 

by VCS or available in the commercial marketplace. Wherever possible, DoD implements the 
requirement to use VCS to avoid duplication. The Department actively encourages DoD to personnel 

participate in VCS bodies at all levels from policy to technical committees as means for adopting and 

referencing best practices and inserting technological innovation in weapon systems where practicable. 

The Department continues to participate with other Federal Government Agencies in working to

implement policies and procedures related to standardization and in particular the use of VCS. In 

addition, DoD has taken an active role by leading various sub-committees and panels looking into policy

issues surrounding participation and use of VCS. 

2. Please list the government-unique standards (GUS) your agency began using in lieu of voluntary 

consensus standards during FY 2022. Please note that GUS which are still in effect from previous years 

should continue to be listed, thus the total number in your agency's report will include all GUS 

currently in use (previous years and new as of this FY):

This agency reports voluntary consensus standards usage on a categorical basis.