The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act and Conformity Assessment

1
The National Technology Transfer and Advancement
Act and Conformity Assessment

• Belinda L. Collins, Ph.D.
• Deputy Director
• Technology Services, NIST

2
National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act
(NTTAA)

• Directs Federal Agencies to use consensus
  technical standards developed by voluntary
  consensus standards bodies
• if agencies do not use these standards, must
  explain to OMB why they chose not to
• Encourages participation in voluntary consensus
  standards bodies when compatible with missions,
  authorities, etc.
• Directs NIST to coordinate Federal standards and
  conformity assessment activities with those of
  the private sector

3
NIST Role Under the NTTAA

• Provide Annual Reports to Congress through OMB to
  track progress on NTTAA and implementation of OMB
  Circular A-119
• Chair the Interagency Committee on Standards
  Policy (ICSP) provide secretariat
• Ensure effective participation in and use of
  standards
• Meets at least 3 times a year subcommittees more
  frequently
• Improve coordination in conformity assessment to
  eliminate unnecessary duplication and complexity
  in the development and promulgation of conformity
  assessment requirements and measures

4
NTTAA Accomplishments

• Annual Reports on Federal Activities
• ANSI/NIST MOU
• NTTAA Website
• Conformity Assessment Network and Website
• NIST SP 739 Directory of Federal Government
  Certification and Related Programs
• Conformity Assessment Guidance (Federal Register
  - Aug 2000)
• Agencies to ensure effective coordination of
  conformity assessment activities to eliminate
  unnecessary duplication and complexity
• http//www.ts.nist.gov/ca

5
What is Conformity Assessment?

• Conformity assessment is any activity that helps
  ensure that products, services, or systems have
  required, consistent characteristics.
• Conformity assessment activities include
• Sampling and testing
• Inspection
• Certification (products, services and personnel)
• Management system registration (ISO 9000/14000)
• Accreditation verifies competence of conformity
  assessment activities

6
Product Certification in the United States

• Largely a private sector activity to meet
  regulatory, industry and customer needs
• Government agencies play a variety of roles
• Direct certification (FDA, USDA)
• Recognition of private sector third party
  certification (OSHA)
• Recognition of manufacturer declaration of
  conformity (FCC DOT)
• Recognition of laboratory accreditation bodies
  (NIST)

7
Federal Government Programs

• There are about 28 Federal conformity assessment
  programs in various agencies
• Department of Agriculture food safety, grain
  inspection, etc.
• EPA drinking water, vehicle emissions, etc.
• NIST laboratory accreditation required by FCC,
  HUD, DOE, EPA, NRC, etc.

8
U.S Laboratory Accreditation

• Historically, a mix of programs
• No formal recognition between/among programs
• Overlapping and redundant assessments
• National Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation
  created in 1998 under NTTAA
• NIST MOU with NACLA recognizes process for
  recognizing competent laboratory accreditation
  bodies - supports Trade Agreements
• DOT chairs recognition committee
• Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) among 3 U.S.
  bodies provides framework for recognizing
  technical competence
• Stakeholder members of ILAC

9
Desired NTTAA Outcomes

• Increased Federal use of standards greater
  coordination with private sector
• Improved participation in relevant standards and
  conformity assessment activities
• Web access to standards referenced in regulations
• Coordination of Federal conformity assessment
  activities to reduce duplication
• Improved linkage with state activities

10
Planned NTTAA Activities for 2002

• Workshops and Training
• NTTAA Workshop - Oct 11
• Conformity Assessment Workshop - Dec 3
• How to participate in standards - for NIST/DOC
  staff
• Federal Level
• Impart understanding, improve compliance for all
  member agencies
• Coordinate activities in conformity assessment,
  including support for NACLA
• Outreach to states
• Evaluate needs, effort Use California as test
  case