The article discusses key federal laws and policies related to standards development and conformity assessment in the United States. The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) requires federal agencies to use voluntary consensus standards whenever possible, rather than developing their own unique standards. This promotes efficiency and reduces costs.
OMB Circular A-119, revised in 2016, outlines the government’s strategy for standards development. It emphasizes agency participation in standards bodies, reporting on conformity assessment activities, and fulfilling statutory obligations related to standards setting.
NIST Guidance on Federal Conformity Assessment Activities (15 CFR Part 287) specifies the responsibilities of federal agencies in using conformity assessment to meet their requirements effectively and cost-effectively. NIST coordinates standards and conformity assessment activities and reports government-wide progress to OMB annually.
Under NTTAA, federal agencies must evaluate the effectiveness of their conformity assessment activities and coordinate with other agencies and the private sector. This applies to all federal agencies involved in setting policy, managing, operating, or using conformity assessment activities, both domestically and internationally, with the exception of activities carried out under treaties.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/standardsgov/what-we-do/federal-policy-standards/key-federal-directives
Keywords: standardization, NIST, regulatory updates
