National Voluntary Conformity Assessment Systems Evaluation (NVCASE)

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), through the Standards Coordination Office (SCO), offers a voluntary program to evaluate and recognize qualified U.S. conformity assessment organizations that demonstrate conformance with specific regulatory requirements.  This program is titled the National Voluntary Conformity Assessment Systems Evaluation (NVCASE) Program and it is described in Code of Federal Regulations, 15 CFR, Part 286.  

NIST/NVCASE recognition:

1. Provides regulatory authorities with a basis for having confidence in U.S. conformity assessment organizations
2. Facilitates the acceptance of U.S. products in foreign regulated markets based on U.S. conformity assessment results.

Operational areas (sub-programs) are established in accordance with the NVCASE requirements and include a public notice process. 
 

EMC/Telecommunication Equipment Sub-Program

NIST formally recognizes accreditation bodies that accredit telecommunications equipment certification bodies for U.S. and selected foreign telecom regulatory schemes.  The accreditation bodies must meet ISO/IEC 17011.  Additionally, the accreditation bodies must demonstrate that they can competently assess conformity assessment bodies to ISO/IEC 17065 and the applicable technical requirements of the telecom regulatory schemes of the following economies: 

United States
Canada
Hong Kong
Japan
Singapore 

This NVCASE sub-program supports:

1. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Telecommunications Certification Body (TCB) Program
2. Selected Telecommunication Equipment Conformity Assessment Mutual Recognition Agreements/Arrangements (MRAs) signed by the U.S.
   1. APEC TEL MRA Phase II Economies (Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore)
   2. US-Japan MRA 

Table 1:   NIST/NVCASE Recognized Accreditation Bodies  

Organic Production and Processing Sub-Program

This program was terminated on January 1, 2016.  See Termination Notice.

NVCASE Resources

NVCASE Program Handbook: Procedures for Obtaining NIST Recognition as an Accreditor

15 CFR, Part 286 sets forth the regulations for NVCASE

Federal Register Notice for establishment of the NVCASE Program