OSAC Registry Implementation Open Enrollment

What is OSAC's Registry Implementation Open Enrollment?

Many employers allow staff to update their health insurance or benefit information during an open enrollment period that typically occurs at the same time each year and operates in a predictable fashion providing employees with a consistent approach to an important annual activity.

OSAC is taking a similar approach and providing a focused “open enrollment” period where forensic science service providers (FSSPs) are encouraged to update or initiate their standards implementation activities. The OSAC Registry Implementation Open Enrollment period will occur during the summer season each year. The 2024 Open Enrollment event is from July 8 - September 2024. While OSAC will continue to accept implementation information throughout the year, this period is designated as an opportunity for FSSPs to establish a regular cadence to standardize their annual voluntary implementation submissions or updates. 

How can your organization participate? 

*new this year*

To make the implementation process easier and improve on reporting metrics, OSAC has established a new electronic submission survey! You can access this survey through the OSAC Registry Implementation Survey link or the QR code seen here. 

• Is your organization an existing OSAC Registry Implementer? Update your information to note any changes in your implementation activities. For your convenience, your previous implementation data has already been entered into the new data collection system and will prepopulate when you login. All you need to do is review the information since your last submission, make any necessary updates, and hit submit!
• Is your organization new to implementation? Whether your organization has just started to implement standards on the OSAC Registry or has been implementing them for years, this is a perfect time to begin filling out the implementation survey and get familiar with the process! Even if you are a FSSP that has only implemented one standard (either fully or partially) in one discipline, you are eligible and encouraged to complete the survey. The key is just to get started! 

We are requesting that one implementation survey be submitted per FSSP location. For example, a state laboratory with multiple regional laboratories should submit one implementation survey for each of its locations. 

Submit your updated or initial implementation information by September 2, 2024 to be included in OSAC's 2024 Registry Implementation Report (available later this fall). 

View additional instructions and tips on how to complete the survey. 

What will OSAC do with this information? 

After the open enrollment period closes, OSAC will compile the data and compare it against previously submitted implementation results. OSAC will then use this information to prepare reports covering the number of new and updated implementation surveys received, general implementation trends, and which standards are being implemented. When the results of the survey are published, presented to the forensic science community, or discussed in conferences, no identifiable information will be used.

Why is OSAC doing this?

As more standards are being added to the Registry, OSAC wants to better understand how they are being used and the impact they are having on the forensic science community. 

In 2021 and 2022, OSAC disseminated a Registry Implementation Survey to assess the state of standards implementation. As the number of FSSPs self-declaring implementation has increased, we recognize that these implementers have surpassed the number of past survey respondents.

In 2023 OSAC moved to this "open enrollment" approach to track the implementation of standards on the OSAC Registry on an annual basis. We will continue to accept implementation submissions throughout the year, especially from new implementers, but encourage existing implementers to set aside time to update their status during this defined period each summer. 

To date, over 159 FSSPs have self-declared their use of standards on the OSAC Registry. This is a solid foundation, however, it represents only a minority of the FSSPs for which these standards are applicable. 

Help us demonstrate the impact that standards are having on the forensic science community by participating in the 2024 Open Enrollment event! By sharing your implementation status, you will be providing valuable information to forensic science stakeholders nationwide. Signaling a healthy and forward-leaning forensic science enterprise will reassure those stakeholders that the U.S. has a fair, equitable, and progressive criminal justice system. 

Have questions?

Please email OSAC (forensics [at] nist.gov (forensics[at]nist[dot]gov)) with any questions or if you need assistance. 

For more information see:

• 2024 OSAC Registry Implementation Open Enrollment Information Sheet and Consent Sheet
  • NOTE: These forms pertain to both FSSPs and academic institutions. A separate survey will be available in the fall of 2024 to assess the state of implementation in the academic setting.
• List of standards on the OSAC Registry (Word version and Excel version) 
• OSAC Registry Implementation webpage
• OSAC Registry Implementation Survey: 2021 Report
• OSAC Registry Implementation Survey: 2022 Report 
• Measuring the Impact of Implementation: 2023