Directory of Federal Government Certification and Related Programs, 1999 Edition

Published

August 1, 1999

Author(s)

Maureen A. Breitenberg

Abstract

This directory is the fourth edition of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) directory of federal government procurement and regulatory conformity assessment of programs which may affect product and services in the marketplace. Prior editions include: NBS SP 714, Federal Government Certification Programs for Products and Services, published in April 1986: and NBS SP-739, Directory of Federal Government Certification Programs, published in April 1998; and SP - 739, Directory of Federal Government Certification and Related Programs, published in December 1998. The 1998 edition was published as an interim edition to allow federal program managers to identify any missing programs and make additional changes in their entries before the publication was more extensively distributed. The scope of this directory was greatly expanded in the 1998 edition and many new programs were included. The 1998 edition allowed managers to review their entries in the context of the other programs within their agency and within other agencies. The 1998 and 1999 editions include not only certification programs, but also other related types of federal programs which impact on the marketplace. The 1999 edition of the directory is available on the NIST website at: http://ts.nist.gov/gsp.We have not attempted to include programs operated by the U.S. Government to accredit or assess laboratories unless they are an integral part of a product or service regulatory or procurement program. Laboratory accreditation programs are included in a separate publication, NIST SP 808, Directory of Federal Government Laboratory Accreditation/Designation Programs. Federal, state, and local government officials, manufacturers, distributors, foreign governments, researchers, and others may find the information contained in this directory useful in identifying pertinent federal product/service programs and in finding the appropriate agency contact points.Federal conformity assessment procedures are a means of providing assurance that the products and services regulated or procured by federal agencies have the required characteristics and/or perform in a specified manner. The methods used by federal agencies to ensure conformance can be very different from those traditionally employed by the private sector and by third party certifiers. Agency conformity assessment procedures may include: sampling and testing, inspection, and/or certification by the agency or other specified organization; licensing; product listing; the submission to an agency or other specified organization; licensing; product listing; the submission to an agency of manufacturing, operational and related data for review; manufacturer self-declaration of conformity to agency requirements; mandatory labeling and advertising requirements; establishment of national requirements which are adopted/enforced at state and local government levels; issuance of regulatory guidelines; pre-marketing approval requirements; post-marketing monitoring requirements; and the conduct of environmental impact assessments.Interest in federal certification and related programs arises from many different sectors and may be motivated by economic, procurement, safety, environmental or other considerations. Such programs have also increased in significance due to growing awareness of their impact on trade and the increasing obligations placed on federal agencies to consider the impact of their regulatory and procurement actions on the United States as well as the international marketplace.This directory is part of ongoing efforts to establish and maintain comprehensive databases on standards, regulations, conformity assessment programs and related information. This material has been compiled to meet the needs of government, industry, and the public for information on U.S. Government procurement and regulatory programs which affect products and services in the marketplace certification and related programs.

Citation

Special Publication (NIST SP) - 739

Report Number

739

NIST Pub Series

Special Publication (NIST SP)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Keywords

accreditation, advertising, certification, conformity assessment, grading, inspection, labeling, licensing, listing

Citation

Breitenberg, M. (1999), Directory of Federal Government Certification and Related Programs, 1999 Edition, Special Publication (NIST SP), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (Accessed July 21, 2024)