Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Fiscal Year 2021 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 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) uses voluntary consensus standards as an integral part of 

our regulatory framework. Standards contain technical requirements, safety requirements, guidelines, 

characteristics, and recommended practices for performance. The benefits of being actively involved in 

developing and using standards include improved safety, cost savings, improved efficiency and 

transparency, and regulatory requirements with high technical quality. Some standards are 

incorporated by reference into NRC regulations. The NRC’s regulations may be found at 

https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/index.html. The NRC staff also issues documents 

providing guidance on acceptable methods for complying with NRC regulations such as Regulatory 

Guides (RGs). These guidance documents frequently endorse and reference voluntary consensus 

standards as acceptable methods for compliance with NRC regulations. RGs are cataloged here 

https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/index.html#reg.

The NRC implements the OMB Circular A-119, “Federal Participation in the Development and Use of 

Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities,” consistent with the provisions 

of the NTTAA of 1995 (Public Law 104-113) through formal guidance to the NRC staff. Guidance to the 

NRC staff on standards work is provided in NRC Management Directive (MD) 6.5, “NRC Participation in 

the Development and Use of Consensus Standards.” MD 6.5 and its associated directive handbook were 

initially published in 1998 and were revised and reissued in 2016. MD 6.5 describes the NRC’s process 

with respect to the participation in the development and use of consensus standards. This process 

consists of three primary steps: (1) identifying and prioritizing the need for new and revised technical 

standards, (2) participating in codes and standards development, and (3) endorsing codes and 

standards.

As an initiative to enhance agency use of standards and to exchange standards information with 

external stakeholders, in September 2021, the NRC hosted the fifth NRC Standards Forum. The goals of 

the NRC Standards Forum are for participants to help identify and prioritize standards for standards 

development organizations for development or revision and to initiate or support collaboration among 

participants in writing or updating standards. Our intent is to shorten the lengthy standards 

development cycle by encouraging collaboration among stakeholders including researchers producing

technical information and standards writers who build upon their findings. The Standards Forum 

meetings are usually held once a year. A summary and related documents for the September 2021 

Standards Forum can be found at https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/standards-dev/standardsforum/2021.html.

The NRC is working and intends to continue working with multiple standards development organizations 

to close technical and regulatory gaps through development and application of 
consensus standards. These standards may be applied to regulatory activities for existing light-water 

reactors or new nuclear plant designs including advanced reactor technologies and small modular 

reactors. Standards continue to provide a critical element in our safety mission. For more information, 

the NRC Web site on standards development is at: https://www.nrc.gov/aboutnrc/regulatory/standards-dev.html.

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

consensus standards during FY 2021. 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): 2

(1) Government Unique Standard

NRC NUREG-1556, “Consolidated Guidance about Materials Licenses” [Incorporated: 2011].

Voluntary Standard

(ANSI) N 13.2-1969, Guide for Administrative Practices in Radiation Monitoring

Rationale

(ANSI) N 13.2-1969, “Guide for Administrative Practices in Radiation Monitoring,” had been endorsed in 

Regulatory Guide 8.2, with the same title, issued in February 1973. The standard has not been revised 

since its inception, and it now refers to obsolete technical practices and outdated requirements. 

Therefore, Revision 1 of RG 8.2, published in May 2011, removed endorsement of ANSI N 13.2-1969. 

Guidance is now provided through two referenced NRC reports, that could be considered Governmentunique standards: NUREG-1556, “Consolidated Guidance about Materials Licenses,” and NUREG-1736, 

“Consolidated Guidance: 10 CFR Part 20—Standards for Protection against Radiation.”

(2) Government Unique Standard

NRC NUREG-1736, “Consolidated Guidance: 10 CFR Part 20—Standards for Protection against Radiation” 

[Incorporated: 2011].

Voluntary Standard

(ANSI) N 13.2-1969, “Guide for Administrative Practices in Radiation Monitoring.”

Rationale

(ANSI) N 13.2-1969, “Guide for Administrative Practices in Radiation Monitoring,” had been endorsed in 

Regulatory Guide 8.2, with the same title, issued in February 1973. The standard has not been revised 

since its inception, and it now refers to obsolete technical practices and outdated requirements. 

Therefore, Revision 1 of RG 8.2, published in May 2011, removed endorsement of ANSI N 13.2-1969. 

Guidance is now provided through two referenced NRC reports, that could be considered Governmentunique standards: NUREG-1556, “Consolidated Guidance about Materials Licenses,” and NUREG-1736, 

“Consolidated Guidance: 10 CFR Part 20—Standards for Protection against Radiation.”