Standards and

Conformity Assessment Bodies

of the United States

[version 2006-07-21]

1
 Standards and Conformity Assessment Bodies of the U.S.

Introductory note:
The information contained in this presentation was compiled by the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) in collaboration with the ANSI membership which includes many of the private
and public sector entities of the U.S. standardization and conformity assessment systems. The
primary purpose of the chart is to attempt to portray, in high-level, block diagram form, the entities
of the standards and conformity assessment systems of the United States, their and primary inter-
relationships and relationships to international and regional organizations – on one slide.
The U.S. systems are complex, and so subsequently is the chart.
While many organizations have many subdivisions, only those subdivisions most directly related
to standards and conformity assessment are shown.
The chart is one perspective of the systems, with emphasis on identification and representation of
the various entities. The chart would look different if the entities were drawn proportional to their
relative work volumes in the systems, or if they were drawn proportional to their respective
standards and conformity assessment revenues or budgets.
Such a representation will have inaccuracies which will require correction. The chart is a work in
progress and we welcome comments and suggestions for consistent improvement for purposes of
accuracy and education.
Thank you,
The ANSI International Policy Department
Please send comments or suggestions to: info@ansi.org

2005 © ANSI
Slide 2
 Standards and Conformity Assessment Bodies of the U.S.
(Accreditation of (Accreditation of
Laboratories) (Standardization
Recognition (via ISO/IEC Certifiers)
) NSBs Other iSDOs
(Metrology) 17011) PAC
APLMF COPANT
APMP ILAC Others
APLAC IAAC PASC ISO JTC1 IEC
OIML IAF
BIPM ESOs
SIM
(Accreditation of Accreditatio ANSI Standardizati
DOC Laboratories) n on
NACLA Policy Technical
ITA TA ASQ (Accreditation of Certifiers) (Accreditation CAPC IPC NPC IPRPC
of SDOs)

PRI-Nadcap
Standards NIST US USNC

ACLASS
Liaison IEC
ISO
IEC IEC
IEC
IEC

Others
AIHA
FQS-I

L.A.B
A2LA
Laboratories / AIC USNC TAGs
TAGs
TAGs TAGs
TAGs
TAGs

IAS
MAS Metrology * Institute policy
Board
committees
& councils Members
MAC TS
SSD
US&FCS ISO/IEC ISO/IEC
200+ FCS
NVCASE ISO/IEC
17025
Guides
62 / 66 Guide ISO/IEC
17024
ANSI
Essential
(17021) 65 Requirements
Officers
worldwide NVLAP
including 4 Accredited ANAB ANSI ANSI SDOs with SSOs & US Private &
Regional Laboratories accredited accredited accredited ANSI Consortia Government
Standards NCSCI QMS/EMS Product Personnel accredited without Sectors:
Attachés Certifiers Certifiers Certifiers procedures ANSI Organizations,
accreditatio Government,
n Companies,
US Trade
Inquiry point

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)n
Private Associations,
Sector
) gni t s eT(

ITAC16 QMS/EMS Certified ANSs Consumers,

oi t aci fi tr e C(
Tested
WTO Certified Products Certified (American Non-ANS Educational

oi t azi dr adnat S(
Products Product/
TBT
(Processes, Service
(Processes, Personnel National Standards Institutions,
Services) Services) Standards)
Providers Individuals,
Others
SPS (Standardization-
SPS) FA
Inquiry point O ICSP
USD CODEX (Standardization-
Telecom)
A Other SDOs (Members) APEC/
FAS IPPC APEC-TEL SCSC
ITU
FSIS USCO OIE CITEL Sector
Members TPSC
APHIS PPQ ITU ITAC ACICIP
SC-S&TB
Legend
Executive Office
Cabinet Departments Other Agencies
Of the President Regional
DOL OSHA

DHS FEMA
DOE ES&H

NHTS
FDA

NASA TSP
DOD DSP

International
State EB CIP

A
Treasury
USDA

Government
DOEd

USTR

USPS
CPSC
DOC

OMB
HUD
HHS

DOT

NRC
GSA

NSF
EPA

FCC

FTC
DOJ
DOI

ITC
VA

Non-Government

Program / Body
 ANSI Accredited Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs)
3-A ASC X9 ASA ACCA AMCA ARI ATIS AA AAMA AAMVA ABMA ABYC ABMA ACC ACI ADA AFPA AGA

ASHRA
AGMA AH&LA AIHA AIAA AISC AITC AISI ALI ANS ANLA API ASNT ASQ ASAE ASB ASCE ASME
E

ASSE AWWA AWS AWEA ATA ACMI ASIS AIIM AMT NPES AAMI ACDE AHAM ARMA ASTM AIM AGRSS ALI

BHMA BICSI BOMA BIFMA CCPA CSAA CAPA CLSI CFPMI CAP CPA CAGI CGA CAM-I CEA CSPA CEMA CTI

EOS/ GTEEM
CSA DISA DASMA EIMA EASA EIA ESTA EIA FCI FM GICC GEIA GEI HPVA HIBCC HL7
ESD C

HPS HFES HI IESNA ITSDF IEEE IEST IIE INMM 12AMA IAF IAAMC IAPMO ICPA ICC ITI NETA I3A

NAHBR
IIAR ISEA ISA ISANTA IWCA IPC ISA JCSEE KCMA LIA MSS MHI MBC NACE NAAMM NBBPVI NBFAA
C

NIST/
NCMA NCSL NCPDP NECA NEMA NFPA NGA NGCMA NISO NIMS NPPC NSC NSAA NADCA NERC NAESB NALFA
ITL

NASPO NSF NIRMA OLA OPCC OEOSC OPEI PMMI PSA PCA PWMA PMI RPTIA RSTC RVIA RESNA RIA RMA

SIA SSFI SIA SMA SPRI SBS SAE SCTE SMPTE SVIA SAAMI SES SDI SJI SSCI TIA TCATA CI

TMS SPI TCA TOY-TIA TAPS TCIA TPI USDA USPRO UL UAMA UAMA UCC VITA WQA WDMA WCMA WMMA

Click here for a full list of U.S. Standards Developers and Activities
Non-Governmental (U.S.) Organizations

Accreditors
 American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
 www.ansi.org
 A private, non-profit organization (501(c)3) that administers and coordinates the private-sector led U.S. voluntary
standardization and conformity assessment system. Among other roles, ANSI is the sole U.S. representative and dues-
paying member of the two major non-treaty international standards organizations, the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO), and, via the U.S. National Committee (USNC), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
ANSI is also the sole accreditor of developers of American National Standards (ANSs). (Click here for more info)
 ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB)
 www.anab.org
 The U.S. accreditation body for management systems. ANAB accredits certification bodies (CBs) for ISO 9001 quality
management systems (QMS) and ISO 14001 environmental management systems (EMS), as well as a number of industry-
specific requirements.
 American Society of Quality (ASQ)
 www.asq.org
 A 100,000-member professional association with expertise in quality.
 RABQSA international (RABQSA)
 www.rabqsa.com
 Provides recognition to individuals, who have demonstrated competence to RAB QSA International approved schemes.
 Assured Calibration and Laboratory Accreditation Select Service (ACLASS)
 www.aclasscorp.com
 An accreditation body providing quality and reliable accreditation services and a member of the IAAC.
 National Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation (NACLA)
 www.nacla.net
 Founded by representatives of public and private-sector organizations to provide coordination and focus for laboratory
accreditation programs in the U.S.

2005 © ANSI
Slide 5
Non-Governmental (U.S.) Organizations (continued)

Accreditors (continued)
 International Accreditation Service (IAS)
 www.iasonline.org
 A subsidiary corporation of the International Code Council (ICC). IAS has assumed all accrediting duties earlier performed by
the Field Services Group of ICBO Evaluation Service.
 American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA)
 www.a2la.org
 A non-profit, public service membership society, A2LA is dedicated to the formal recognition of competent testing and
calibration laboratories, inspection bodies, proficiency testing providers and reference material producers.
 American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)
 www.aiha.org
 One of the largest international associations serving the needs of occupational and environmental health professionals
practicing industrial hygiene in industry, government, labor, academic institutions, and independent organizations.
 Performance Review Institute (PRI-Nadcap)
 www.asq.org
 A provider of manufacturing processes, product assessments and certification services.
 Forensic Quality Service (FQS-I)
 www.forquality.org
 A provider of ISO accreditation to forensic science testing laboratories.

2005 © ANSI
Slide 6
Governmental Organizations / Committees / Programs

Executive Office of the President

 U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)
 www.ustr.gov
 Responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy, and overseeing
negotiations with other countries. USTR is part of the Executive Office of the President. Through an interagency structure, USTR
coordinates trade policy, resolves disagreements, and frames issues for presidential decision.
 Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
 www.whitehouse.gov/omb
 OMB's predominant mission is to assist the U.S. President in overseeing the preparation of the federal budget and to supervise its
administration in Executive Branch agencies. OMB evaluates the effectiveness of agency programs, policies, and procedures,
assesses competing funding demands among agencies, and sets funding priorities. OMB ensures that agency reports, rules,
testimony, and proposed legislation are consistent with the President's Budget and with Administration policies. In addition, OMB
oversees and coordinates the Administration's procurement, financial management, information, and regulatory policies. In each of
these areas, OMB's role is to help improve administrative management, to develop better performance measures and coordinating
mechanisms, and to reduce any unnecessary burdens on the public.

Interagency
 Trade Policy Staff Committee / Subcommittee Standard & Technical Barriers (TPSC SC-S&TB)
 The TPSC SC-S&TB is one of the Subcommittees of the TPSC.
 USTR consults with other government agencies on trade policy matters through the Trade Policy Review Group (TPRG) and the
Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC). These groups, administered and chaired by USTR and composed of 19 Federal agencies
and offices, make up the sub-cabinet level mechanism for developing and coordinating U.S. Government positions on international
trade and trade-related investment issues. The TPSC is the primary operating group, with representation at the senior civil service
level. Supporting the TPSC are more than 90 subcommittees responsible for specialized areas and several task forces that work on
particular issues.
 Industry Trade Advisory Committees (ITAC 16)
 www.ita.doc.gov/itac
 The ITACs are a set of committees in a unique public-private partnership jointly managed by the U.S. Department of Commerce
and the Office of United States Trade Representative established to engages business leaders in formulating U.S. trade policy.
ITAC16 is the ITAC that deals with Standards and Technical Barriers to Trade issues.
 Interagency Committee for Standards Policy (ICSP)
 http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/210/sccg/icspdes.htm
 Advises the Secretary of Commerce and other Executive Branch agencies in standards policy matters. The committee reports to
the Secretary of Commerce through the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

2005 © ANSI
Slide 7
Governmental Organizations / Committees / Programs (ctd.)
Cabinet Departments
 Department of Agriculture (USDA)
 www.usda.gov
 Click here for more detail
 Department of Commerce (DoC)
 www.commerce.gov
 Click here for more detail
 Department of Defense (DoD)
 www.dod.gov
 DoD Defense Standardization Program:
http://dsp.dla.mil
 Department of Energy (DoE)
 www.doe.gov
 DoE Technical Standards Program:
www.eh.doe.gov/techstds
 Department of Education (ED)
 www.ed.gov
 Department of Health and Human Service (HHS)
 www.hhs.gov
 U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
www.fda.gov
 Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD)
 www.hud.gov
 Department of Interior (DoI)
 www.doi.gov
 Department of Justice (DoJ)
 www.justice.gov
 Department of Labor (DoL)
 www.dol.gov
 Occupational Safety and Health Administration:
www.osha.gov
 Department of State (DoS)
 www.state.gov
 Click here for more detail
 Department of Transportation (DoT)
 www.dot.gov
 DOT Regulations and Standards:
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules
 Department of the Treasury (Treasury)
 www.treasury.gov
 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
 www.va.gov
 Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
 www.dhs.gov
 Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA)
www.fema.gov
2005 © ANSI
Slide 8
Governmental Organizations / Committees / Programs (ctd.)

Other Agencies

 Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

 www.cpsc.gov
 International Trade Commisstion (ITC)
 www.usitc.gov
 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
 www.epa.gov
 National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA)
 Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
 www.nasa.gov
 www.fcc.gov
 NASA Technical Standards Program:
http://standards.nasa.gov
 Federal Trade Commission (FTC)  Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
 www.ftc.gov  www.nrc.gov
 NRC Standards Development website:
 General Service Administration (GSA) www.nrc.gov/what-we-do/regulatory/standards-dev.html
 www.gsa.gov
 National Science Foundation (NSF)
 www.nsf.gov
 United States Postal Service (USPS)
 www.usps.com

2005 © ANSI
Slide 9
Governmental Organizations / Committees / Programs (ctd.)

U.S. Department of Commerce (DoC)

www.commerce.gov
 International Trade Administration (ITA)
www.ita.doc.gov
 Standards Liaison
www.ita.doc.gov/td/standards
 Manufacturing and Services (MAS)
www.ita.doc.gov/td/td_home/tdhome.html
 Market Access and Compliance (MAC)
www.mac.doc.gov
 U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (US&FCS)
www.export.gov/comm_svc

 Technology Administration (TA)

www.technology.gov
 Technology Services
http://ts.nist.gov
 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
www.nist.gov
– Standards Services Division (SSD)
http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/210/ssd.htm
» National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP)
» http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/210/214/214.htm
» Provides third-party accreditation to testing and calibration laboratories.
» National Center for Standards and Certification Information (NCSCI)
» http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/210/ncsci/about.htm
» Provides standards-related assistance, information, and knowledge. WTO/TBT inquiry point.
» National Voluntary Conformity Assessment System Evaluation (NVCASE) Program
http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/210/gsig/nvcase.htm
» A voluntary program to evaluate and recognize organizations which support conformity assessment activities. NVCASE
recognition (1) provides regulatory authorities with a basis for having confidence that qualifying U.S. conformity assessment
bodies are competent, and (2) facilitates the acceptance of U.S. products in foreign regulated markets based on U.S.
conformity assessment results

2005 © ANSI
Slide 10
Governmental Organizations / Committees / Programs (ctd.)

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

www.usda.gov
 Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)
 www.fas.usda.gov
 FAS coordinates and directs USDA’s responsibilities in international trade negotiations, working closely with the
U.S. Trade Representative’s office. Trade policy experts at FAS help identify—and work to reduce—foreign trade
barriers and other practices and policies that hinder U.S. agricultural exports. FAS is the U.S. enquiry point for
World Trade Organization (WTO) sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues and technical barriers to trade (TBT).
As such, the agency serves as the official conduit for notifications and comments about these measures.
 Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
 www.fsis.usda.gov
 FSIS enhances public health and well-being by protecting the public from food borne illness and ensuring that
the nation's meat, poultry and egg products are safe, wholesome, and correctly packaged.

U.S. Codex Office (USCO)
 www.fsis.usda.gov/Regulations_&_Policies/Codex_Alimentarius/index.asp
 The Animal and Plant Health inspection Service (APHIS)
 www.aphis.usda.gov
 APHIS is responsible for protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health, administering the Animal Welfare Act,
and carrying out wildlife damage management activities.

Plant Protection and Quarantine Program (PPQ)

www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq

APHIS-PPQ safeguards agriculture and natural resources from the risks associated with the entry,
establishment, or spread of animal and plant pests and noxious weeds.

2005 © ANSI
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Governmental Organizations / Committees / Programs (ctd.)

U.S. Department of State (State)

www.state.gov
The U.S. State Department is the official U.S. member to international and regional treaty-based organizations.

 Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs

 www.state.gov/e/eb
 International Communication and Information Policy (CIP)
 www.state.gov/e/eb/cip
 The CIP group is one of seven issue-oriented organizations within the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs at the U.S. Department
of State. CIP advocates internationally policies for expanded access to information and communication technologies (ICT), improved
efficiency in the worldwide ICT and telecommunications market through increased reliance on free-market forces, and fair opportunities
for U.S. companies to participate in this sector around the globe.

 Advisory Committee on International Communications and Information Policy (ACICIP)

 www.state.gov/e/eb/adcom/c667.htm
 ACICIP serves the Department of State in an advisory capacity concerning major economic, social and legal issues and problems in
international communications and information policy. These issues and problems involve users and providers of information and
communication services, technology research and development, foreign industrial and regulatory policy, the activities of international
organizations in communications and information, and developing country interests.

 The United States International Telecommunication Advisory Committee (ITAC)

 www.state.gov/e/eb/adcom/c668.htm
 The ITAC (not to be confused with the DoC-USTR International Trade Advisory Committees) advises the Department of State in the
preparation of U.S. positions for meetings of international treaty organizations, develops and coordinates proposed contributions to
international meetings as U.S. contributions, and advises the Department on other matters to be undertaken by the U.S. at these
international meetings. The international meetings addressed by the ITAC are those of the International Telecommunication Union, the
Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) of the Organization of American States, the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Members of the ITAC are drawn from the
government, network operators, service providers, and manufacturers involved in the telecommunications sector.

 Click here for a link for more information on Telecom Standardization

2005 © ANSI
Slide 12
International and Regional Organizations

International Standardization
 International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
 www.iso.org
 World's largest developer of standards formed in the per-country member structure. ANSI is the sole U.S.
representative and dues-paying member to ISO from the United States.
 International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
 www.iec.ch
 An international developer of standards formed in the per-country member structure that prepares and
publishes international standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies. ANSI, via the United
States National Committee to the IEC (USNC), is the sole U.S. representative and dues-paying member to the
IEC from the United States.
 Joint Technical Committee (JTC1)
 www.jtc1.org
 The joint ISO and IEC technical committee that develops, maintains, promotes and facilitates IT standards
 International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
 www.itu.int
 An international organization within the United Nations System where governments and the private sector
coordinate global telecom networks and services (click here for more info).
 international Standards Developing Organizations (iSDOs)
 iSDOs are those Standards Developing Organizations which meet the WTO-TBT “former Annex 4” criteria
defining the principles of an international standards developing organization (click here for more info).
 World Standards Cooperation (WSC)
 ISO, IEC, and ITU
 National Standards Bodies (NSBs)
 NSBs are the several hundred non-U.S. national standards bodies, ANSI’s peers in ISO and IEC with whom
ANSI meets on an ongoing basis in international and regional fora and bilaterally. They are a mix of private-
sector organizations such as ANSI (which is a 501c3 non-profit organization but which also has government
members), organizations with higher levels of public-sector ownership and funding, and entities which are
100% government, usually being part of a country’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, or Development.
 Click here for a list of the ISO member body NSBs.
 Click here for a list of the IEC member body National Committees.
2005 © ANSI
Slide 13
International and Regional Organizations (continued)

Regional Standardization
 Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC)
 www.pascnet.org
 PASC is the forum of the 21 national standards bodies of the economies of the Asia Pacific region. PASC strengthens
international standardization programs of the ISO and the IEC and improves the ability of its members to participate in these
programs effectively. PASC is one of the five Specialist Regional Bodies (SRBs) of the APEC-SCSC (together with PAC,
APLAC, APMP, APML). ANSI is the U.S. member to PASC.
 Pan American Standards Commission (COPANT)
 www.copant.org
 COPANT is the regional standards organization for the Americas, formed by the 28 national standards bodies of the western
hemisphere. COPANT promotes the development of technical standardization and related activities in its member countries
with the aim of promoting their industrial, scientific and technological development in benefit of an exchange of goods and the
provision of services, while facilitating cooperation in intellectual, scientific and social fields. COPANT is one of three
Specialist Regional Bodies (SRBs) of the Americas (together with the IAAC and SIM). ANSI is the U.S. member to
COPANT.
 European Standards Organizations (ESOs)
 The regional standards organizations for the European region are:
 The European Committee for Standardization (CEN)
 www.cenorm.be
 The European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC)
 www.cenelec.org
 The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)
 www.etsi.org
 They are the regional mirror bodies to the ISO, IEC, and ITU respectively and are known collectively as the European
standards organizations (ESOs). ANSI, the U.S. peer to the ESOs and each of its country members, has held 19 dialogues
since 1989 with the ESOs. ANSI now meets every 18 months with the ESOs and every nine months with the
ESO-Joint Presidents Group (JPG).

Regional Economic and Trade-Related Committees

 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation/Subcommittee on Standards and Conformance (APEC/SCSC)
 www.apec.org/apec/apec_groups/committees/committee_on_trade/sub-committee_on_standards.html
 Assists the Committee on Trade and Investment to achieve the standards and conformance related components of APEC's
trade and investment liberalization and facilitation agenda. USTR is the U.S. representative to the APEC/SCSC.

2005 © ANSI
Slide 14
International and Regional Organizations (continued)

Telecom Standardization
 International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
 www.itu.int
 An international organization within the United Nations System where governments and the private sector
coordinate global telecom networks and services. The U.S. representative to the ITU is the U.S. Department
of State. The ITU also has sector members. The complete list of U.S. members to the ITU is available by
clicking here.
 APEC-TEL
 www.apec.org/apec/apec_groups/working_groups/telecommunications_and_information.html
 The Telecommunications and Information Working Group (TEL) aims to improve telecommunications and
information infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region by developing and implementing appropriate
telecommunications and information policies, including relevant human resource and development
cooperation strategies. The U.S. representative to APEC-TEL is the U.S. Department of State.
 CITEL
 www.citel.oas.org
 CITEL, an entity of the Organization of American States (OAS), is the main forum in the hemisphere in which
the governments and the private sector meet to coordinate regional efforts to develop the Global Information
Society according to the mandates of the General Assembly of the Organization and the mandates entrusted
to it by Heads of State and Government at the Summits of the Americas. The U.S. representative to CITEL is
the U.S. Department of State.

 Other SDOs
 There are hundreds of other international, regional, and national entities and organizations involved in
telecommunications standardization.

2005 © ANSI
Slide 15
International and Regional Organizations (continued)

WTO-Related Standardization
 World Trade Organization / Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO/TBT)
 www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tbt_e/tbt_e.htm
 A committee of the WTO that deals with the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade
(TBT Agreement) which ensures that regulations, standards, and testing and certification
procedures do not create unnecessary obstacles to trade.
 The so-called WTO-TBT “Annex 4” criteria defining the principles of an international standards
developing organization are now known as either (a) “The Decision of the (TBT) Committee
on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations
with relation to Articles 2, 5 and Annex 3 of the Agreement” or also as (b) “The Decisions and
Recommendations adopted by the (TBT) Committee since 1 January 1995 (G/TBT/1/Rev.8,
23 May 2002, Section IX).” The WTO-TBT criteria are: Transparency, Openness, Impartiality,
Effectiveness, Relevance, Consensus, Performance-based, Coherence, Due Process and
Technical Assistance.
 World Trade Organization / Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (WTO/SPS)
 www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/sps_e/sps_e.htm
 A committee of the WTO that deals with the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary
and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement). The agreement is aimed at minimizing the
negative effects of unjustified health barriers on international trade. The Agreement requires
Member Countries - with a view to achieving the widest possible harmonization of food safety,
animal and plant health measures - to establish those measures on the basis of international
standards, guidelines and recommendations.

2005 © ANSI
Slide 16
International and Regional Organizations (continued)

Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS)

 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
 www.fao.org
 The FAO's mandate is to raise levels of nutrition, improve agricultural productivity, better the lives of rural populations and
contribute to the growth of the world economy.
 World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
 www.oie.int
 The OIE develops normative documents relating to rules that Member Countries can use to protect themselves from the
introduction of diseases and pathogens, without setting up unjustified sanitary barriers. For animal health and zoonoses,
the WTO-SPS Agreement refers to the 'standards, guidelines and recommendations developed under the auspices of the
OIE'. The U.S. representative to the OIE is the Animal and Plant Health inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture.
 Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex)
 www.codexalimentarius.net
 Created by the FAO and WHO to develop food standards, guidelines and related texts such as codes of practice under the
Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Program. The U.S. representative to Codex is the U.S. Codex Office (USCO) of the
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
 International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)
 www.ippc.int
 The International Plant Protection Convention is an international treaty relating to plant health, to which 139 governments
(as of 17 August) currently adhere. The Convention has been deposited with the Director-General of the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) since its initial adoption by the Conference of FAO at its Sixth
Session in 1951. Click on the link to see IPPC contracting parties. The U.S. representative to the OIE is in the Plant
Protection and Quarantine Program (PPQ) of the Animal and Plant Health inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture.
 The “Three Sisters”
 Codex, IPPC, and the OIE are the three international standards organized recognized by the WTO-SPS committee.

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International and Regional Organizations (continued)

International Metrology
 International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML)
 www.oiml.org
 An intergovernmental organization to promote the global harmonization of legal metrology procedures.
 International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM)
 www.bipm.org
 Provides the basis for a single, coherent system of measurements throughout the world, traceable to the International
System of Units (SI).

Regional Metrology
 Asia Pacific Metrology Program (APMP)
 www.apmpweb.org
 The APMP is responsible for developing international recognition of the measurement capabilities of the region's national
and territorial measurement laboratories (one of the five APEC-SCSC SRBs together with PASC, PAC, APLAC, APLMF).
 Asia Pacific Legal Metrology Forum (APLMF)
 www.aplmf.org
 The APLMF develops legal metrology and promotes free and open trade in the region through the harmonization and
removal of technical or administrative barriers to trade in the field of legal metrology (one of the five APEC-SCSC SRBs
together with PASC, PAC, APLAC, APMP).
 The Inter-American Metrology System (SIM)
 www.sim-metrologia.org.br
 The Inter-American Metrology System (SIM) resulted from a broad agreement among national metrology organizations
from all 34 member nations of the Organization of American States (OAS). Created to promote international, particularly
Inter-American, and regional cooperation in metrology, SIM is committed to the implementation of a Global Measurement
System within the Americas and working towards the establishment of a robust regional measuring system, essential for
making the development of a free trade area in the Americas (FTAA) possible. SIM is one of the three SRBs of the
Americas together with COPANT and the IAAC.

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International and Regional Organizations (continued)

International Accreditation
 International Accreditation Forum (IAF)
 www.iaf.nu
 World association of Conformity Assessment Accreditation Bodies in the fields of management systems, products, services, personnel
and other similar programs of conformity assessment. The U.S. member of the IAF is the American National Standards Institute -
American Society for Quality - National Accreditation Board (ANAB).
 International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC)
 www.ilac.org
 An international cooperation of laboratory and inspection accreditation bodies. The full members and MLA signatories from the United
States are: A2LA, IAS, and NVLAP. US IAF Stakeholders are: ACIL, AOAC International, NACLA, NCSL, UILI. U.S. Associate IAF
members are: ACLASS. U.S. Affiliate IAF members are: IAR, NFSTC, TUV.

Regional Accreditation
 Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC)
 www.apec-pac.org
 Association of accreditation bodies and other interested parties whose objective is to facilitate trade and commerce among economies
in the Asia Pacific region (one of the five APEC-SCSC SRBs together with PASC, APLAC, APMP, APLMF). The U.S. member to PAC
is ANSI.
 Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC)
 www.aplac.org
 Group of accreditation bodies in the Asia Pacific region responsible for accrediting calibration, testing and inspection facilities (one of
the five APEC-SCSC SRBs together with PASC, PAC, APMP, APLMF). U.S. members to APLAC are: A2LA, IAS, ACLASS, National
Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP-NIST), Perry Johnson Laboratories, and the Laboratory Accreditation Bureau.
 Inter American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC)
 www.iaac-accreditation.org
 An association of accreditation bodies in the Americas and other organizations interested in conformity assessment (one of the three
SRBs of the Americas together with COPANT and SIM). The U.S. full members to the IAAC are: A2LA (and MLA signatory), ACLASS,
ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB), American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors / Laboratory Accreditation Board
(ASCLD/LAB) (Associate), IAS, National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP-NIST). The U.S. IAAC stakeholder
members are: Intertek Testing Services (ITS).

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American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

General Information
 www.ansi.org
 The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private, non-profit organization (501(c)3) that administers and
coordinates the U.S. private-sector led voluntary standardization and conformity assessment systems.
 The Institute's mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by
promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their
integrity.
 Since its founding in 1918 by five private-sector Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs) and two U.S. federal
government agencies, ANSI has been a public-private sector partnership.
 Today, ANSI is comprised of nearly 1,000 businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers,
30+ government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. ANSI represents the diverse interests of more than
120,000 entities and 3.2 million professionals worldwide.
 ANSI is the sole U.S. representative and dues-paying member of the two major non-treaty international standards
organizations, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and, via the U.S. National Committee (USNC), the
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
 ANSI is the sole U.S. representative of two major regional standards organizations: the
Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC), and the Pan American Standards Commission (COPANT).
 ANSI is a U.S. member of the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC), and the
Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC). The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) is the U.S. member
of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
 ANSI is the sole accreditor of developers of American National Standards (ANSs).

About ANSI
 www.ansi.org/about_ansi/organization_chart/chart_text.aspx?menuid=1#Policy

ANSI Structure and Management

 ANSI’s governance structure includes a board of directors, six policy committees, and 15 oversight and Standing
Committees. ANSI additionally has four membership forums and seven standards panels.
www.ansi.org/about_ansi/organization_chart/chart_text.aspx?menuid=1

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American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Institute Policy Committees and Councils

 All ANSI members have the opportunity to participate in the policy-setting committees and councils
established to provide the strategic direction for defined program areas.

 National Policy Committee

The NPC is responsible for broad-based policy and position decisions regarding national standards development
process issues, government relations and public policy issues.
 Reporting to the NPC are the following program oversight committees:
 Appeals Board
 Board of Standards Review (BSR)
 Executive Standards Council (ExSC)
 Committee on Education (COE)

 Conformity Assessment Policy Committee (CAPC)

The CAPC is responsible for broad-based policy and position decisions on national, regional and international
conformity assessment issues This includes receiving policy recommendations from ACC, PCAC and ACAC
committees.
 Reporting to the CAPC are the following program oversight committees:
 International Conformity Assessment Committee (ICAC)
 Accreditation Committee (ACC)
 Personnel Certifier Accreditation Committee (PCAC)
 ANSI-CFP Personnel Certification Accreditation Committee (ACAC)

 Intellectual Property Rights Policy Committee (IPRPC)

The IPRPC is responsible for broad-based policy and position decisions regarding national, regional and international
intellectual property matters, including the global trade and public policy aspects of such matters. It also develops
Institute positions on the incorporation of essential patents or other proprietary intellectual property in standards,
copyright protection and the exploitation of copyright.
 Reporting to the IPRPC are the following standing committees:
 Patent Group
 Copyright Ad Hoc Group

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American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Institute Policy Committees and Councils (continued)

 International Policy Committee (IPC)
The IPC is responsible for broad-based policy and position decisions on international and regional standards, public
policy and related issues that are not exclusively related to either ISO or IEC
 Reporting to the IPC are the following regional standing committees:
 Regional Standing Committee – Americas (RSC-A)
 Regional Standing Committee – Asia Pacific (RSC-AP)
 Regional Standing Committee – Europe, Middle East, Africa (RSC-EMEA)

 United States National Committee (USNC) IEC Council

The USNC IEC Council coordinates the U.S. involvement in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and
other electrotechnical bodies associated with the IEC. It also coordinates USNC activities with appropriate standards
boards to promote consistency between those international and national activities that fall within the scope of the IEC.
 Reporting to the USNC IEC Council is the following program oversight committee:
 Technical Management Committee (TMC)

 ANSI ISO Council (AIC)

The AIC is responsible for developing ANSI policy positions on issues exclusive to the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) as well as preparing ANSI delegations to the ISO General Assembly, ISO Council and ISO
Technical Management Board (ISO/TMB).
 Reporting to the AIC is the following program oversight committee:
 ANSI International Forum (AIF)

 USTAGs
 Part of ANSI’s responsibilities as the U.S. member body to ISO include accrediting U.S. Technical Advisory Groups (U.S.
TAGs), whose primary purpose is to develop and transmit, via ANSI, U.S. positions on activities and ballots of the
international Technical Committee (TC). U.S. positions for the IEC are endorsed and closely monitored by the USNC
Technical Management Committee (TMC). For each ISO and IEC TC, there is a corresponing USTAG or “mirror
committee” which develops U.S. positions for input into the international TC on behalf of the United States.

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ANSI

Organization
Chart

2005 © ANSI
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 For more information:

American National Standards Institute

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2005 © ANSI
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