Interagency Committee on Standards Policy (ICSP)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (DOC)

CHARTER OF THE INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS POLICY (ICSP)

Establishment

1. The Interagency Committee on Standards Policy (herein after referred to as the Committee) is established to advise the Secretary of Commerce and the heads of other Federal agencies in matters relating to standards policy.

2. The Committee fulfills the mandates set out in paragraph 13.b of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular No. A-119, "Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities," in its revision of February 19, 1998.

3. The Committee reports to the Secretary of Commerce through the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Purpose

The purpose of the Committee is to ensure effective participation by the Federal Government in domestic and international standards and conformity assessment activities and to promote the adherence to uniform policies by Federal agencies in the development and use of standards and in conformity assessment activities. Well-considered Federal policies reflecting the public interest can expedite the development and adoption of standards that stimulate competition, promote innovation, and protect the public safety and welfare. The establishment and application of appropriate standards for the characteristics or performance of goods, processes, and services can contribute significantly to national and international prosperity, economic growth, and public health and safety. The establishment of such standards can also further national goals for environmentally sound and energy efficient materials, products, systems, services, or practices. Heightened national and international awareness of the importance of standards activities, as reflected by enactment of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-113, signed into law March 7, 1996), and recommendations presented in the National Research Council's report "Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Trade into the 21st Century" (National Academy Press, 1995) call for the Committee to intensify its efforts to identify the broad roles and appropriate interactions of agencies in exercising the Government's authority.

Objective

The objective of the Committee shall be to promote effective and consistent standards and conformity assessment policies in furtherance of U.S. domestic and foreign goals and, to this end, to foster cooperative participation by the Federal Government and U.S. industry and other private organizations in standards activities, including the related activities of product testing, management system registration, certification, and accreditation programs.

Functions

1. As appropriate, the Committee shall gather, analyze, and maintain current information about standards; product testing; management system registration; accreditation and certification; and related regulations, rules, policies, and activities:

(a) conducted within or established by Federal agencies;
(b) conducted by private domestic and foreign national standards bodies and by regional and international private and intergovernmental organizations engaged in such programs; and pertaining to the relationships among agencies of the Federal Government with industry and the various national, regional, and international organizations engaged in such programs.

2. On the basis of such information and when appropriate with respect to the activities named in paragraph one above, the Committee shall make recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce to:

(a) strengthen coordination of standards-related and conformity assessment-related policies and activities among the Federal agencies;
(b) improve the efficiency within the Federal Government of standardization efforts with the U.S. private sector, as well as with regional and international organizations, both private and governmental; promote standards-related policies, including directories of personnel participating in standards activities, within the Federal Government consistent with statutory obligations in regard to interactions with non-Federal Government organizations;
(d) ensure effective representation of the Federal Government at significant regional and international standards-related meetings and conferences;
(e) promote the use of internationally acceptable standards and related activities with a view to increasing trade and economic integration and development;
(f) monitor U.S. technical obligations as a signatory to the World Trade Organization, the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement, the North American Free Trade Agreement, and other treaties encompassing standards-related trade issues; (g) encourage the development of agency strategic plans for managing and monitoring use of voluntary standards and participation in standards-related activities;
(h) promote the use of standards that serve national goals related to increased use of the metric system of measurement and environmentally sound and energy efficient materials, products, systems, services, and practices; and
(i) assess and improve the adequacy of such agency plans and activities.

Membership

1. Together with the Department of Commerce the following agencies constitute the membership of the Committee:

Department of Agriculture
Department of Defense
Department of Education
Department of Energy
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of the Interior
Department of Justice
Department of Labor
Department of State
Department of Transportation
Department of the Treasury
Department of Veterans Affairs
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Communications Commission
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Trade Commission
General Services Administration
International Trade Commission
Office of Management and Budget
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Archives and Records Administration
National Communications Systems (Dept. of Defense) (non-voting member)
National Science Foundation
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
U.S. Agency for International Development
U.S. Government Printing Office (legislative liaison - non-voting member)
U.S. Postal Service
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Special Note: With the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and its associated government re-organization, the Membership listed here is being updated. After this charter is updated, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Communications Systems will be represented by the Department of Homeland Security. [Dated: 1/10/2005]

The head of each member agency shall ensure representation by a responsible high-level policy official (Senior Executive Service or higher) that serves as the agency representative on the Committee. Such agency representative shall also serve as the "Standards Executive" as defined in section 15 of OMB Circular No. A-119. Appointments to the Committee shall be for an indefinite term.

2. Agency representatives may designate alternates of equivalent senior status to serve in their absence.

3. Experts from organizations within the member agency may be designated by agency representatives to serve on task groups established by the Committee.

4. Other Federal agencies may become members of the Committee upon application to or invitation by the Secretary of Commerce.

Administrative Provisions

1. The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) or the Director's designee shall chair the Committee.

2. NIST shall provide administrative arrangements for the Committee including secretarial services, calling of meetings, arranging for a meeting place, and preparation of an agenda, discussion material, and reports.

3. The Committee shall meet at least three times each year. Other meetings may be called at the discretion of the Chair or at the written request of five (5) members of the Committee.

4. The Committee may establish task groups as appropriate.

5. Attendance at Committee meetings by at least one half of the designated members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. Decisions internal to the Committee's operations, such as formation of a task group, shall be made by a majority of those present and voting. Voting on Committee business and proposals shall be limited to designated agency members. Decisions concerning Committee recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce on governmental policy or other matters set out in paragraph two of the section entitled "Functions" shall require ratification by two-thirds of the members present and voting. Dissenting positions of the decision may be made a matter of record. The Chair shall not vote except in the case of a tie vote.

6. The annual cost of operating the Committee is estimated at $25,000 (with overhead), which includes 0.10 staff year for staff support.

7. The Committee shall submit an annual report to the Secretary of Commerce so that the Secretary may satisfy the reporting requirements set forth in OMB Circular No. A-119, as applicable to the Secretary, and in P.L. 104-113, as applicable to the head of each agency. Each such report shall also summarize the Committee’s activity during the period covered and shall include a listing of all recommendations formulated by the Committee during that period.

Duration

The need and mission of the Committee shall be reexamined three years after the date of this Charter to determine the need for the Committee's continuation.



/signed/
Secretary of Commerce

Dated: October 26, 2000