FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                  Roger Rensberger
Feb. 22, 1994                           (301) 975-2762

                                        TN-5967

                U.S., CANADA RENEW LABORATORY ACCREDITATION
                   AGREEMENT TO SPUR INTERNATIONAL TRADE

     The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of
Standards and Technology and the Standards Council of Canada
today renewed an agreement to help facilitate trade between the
world's two largest trading partners.

     The agreement--signed by Arati Prabhakar, NIST director, and
Michael McSweeney, SCC executive director--provides mutual
recognition of testing laboratories located within the
territorial United States that are accredited by the NIST
National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program, and for
testing laboratories within Canada that are accredited by SCC's
Program for Accreditation of Laboratories, Canada.

     NIST and SCC base their decision to accredit a testing
laboratory on similar but not always identical criteria.  Both
programs meet the requirements of international standards for
accrediting laboratories under ISO/IEC Guide 25:  1990--General
Requirements for the Competence of Calibration and Testing
Laboratories, and the operation of accrediting programs under
ISO/IEC Guide 58:  1993--Calibration and Testing Laboratory
Accreditation Systems-General Requirements for Operation and
Recognition.  Officials responsible for administering each system
have participated in assessment visits to testing laboratories
accredited under the other national program.

     Established in 1976, the NVLAP program is a U.S. system
whereby organizations and individuals request NIST to establish a
laboratory accreditation program.  On an individual basis,
laboratories seek accreditation for demonstrating competence to
perform specific test methods.

     Among the many benefits of NVLAP accreditation are a
quality-assurance check on laboratory performance, substantive
advice for improving performance and national recognition of
competency.  Accreditation also helps users from industry,
government and other sectors to identify providers of assured
quality of testing services.

     NVLAP currently accredits more than 900 laboratories in the
following fields of testing:  acoustical, asbestos fiber
analysis, carpet, commercial products (paint, paper, plastics,
plumbing, and seals and sealants), computer applications,
construction materials, electromagnetic compatibility and
telecommunications, energy-efficient lighting, ionizing radiation
dosimetry, solid-fuel room heaters and thermal insulation.

     The Canadian PALCAN program was established in 1980. 
Accreditation of competence to manage and perform specific tests
has been granted to 150 private-sector and government
laboratories in scientific, engineering and technological fields
including:  food and agricultural products, chemicals and
chemical products, construction materials, elastomers and
coatings, electrical and electronic products, environmental
testing, marketplace products (consumer and business), medical
systems, metallic ores and products, metrology, non-destructive
examination, non-metallic minerals and products, textiles and
fibrous materials, and wood products.  Laboratories accredited
under the SCC PALCAN program form part of the National Standards
System of Canada.

     For information on PALCAN, contact the Manager, Testing
Division, Standards Council of Canada, 1200 - 45 O'Connor 
Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1P 6N7, (613) 238-3222, 
fax: (613) 995-4564.

     For information on the U.S. National Voluntary Laboratory
Accreditation Program, contact NVLAP, A162 Building 411, NIST,
Gaithersburg, Md. 20899-0001, (301) 975-4016, fax:  (301) 926-
2884.

     As a non-regulatory agency of the Commerce Department's
Technology Administration, NIST promotes U.S. economic growth by
working with industry to develop and apply technology,
measurements and standards.

                                  - 30 -