NIST was founded in 1901 and is now part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. NIST is one of the nation’s oldest physical science laboratories. Learn about their impact here.
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Resource Library
Our resource library provides you with links to some of the leading organizations in standardization.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
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ANSI
Government Requirements for Standards Adoption
Voluntary consensus standards are defined and authorized in OMB Circular A-119 (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Circular-119-1.pdf) which implements Section 12(d) of P.L. 104-113, the “National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995“.
This Circular directs agencies to use voluntary consensus standards in lieu of government-unique standards except when inconsistent with law or otherwise impractical.
The standards are developed by “voluntary consensus standards bodies” that are required to support (i) Openness, (ii) Balance of interest; (iii) Due process; and (vi) An appeals process in development of their standards.
This includes organizations such as ASTM and ANSI, who are certified as “voluntary consensus standards bodies” under A-119
NIST is the governing agency, and is required to “coordinate Federal, State, and local standards activities and conformity assessment activities with private sector standards activities and conformity assessment activities, with the goal of eliminating unnecessary duplication…”
HSI is one of ANSI’s certified Standard Development Organizations (SDO’s), which are approved to develop and implement voluntary consensus standards in accordance with ANSI requirements, as approved under ANSI’s certification from OMB, per the Circular.
