Standards Resources

Whether you’re new to standards or already engaged in the development and Registry approval processes, OSAC has compiled some resources to help you.

GENERAL STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT

• Access to Standards. Learn more about the standards developing organizations (SDOs) OSAC works with and how to access forensic science standards.
• NIST Standards.gov website. Get a better understanding of documentary standards and conformity assessment by visiting this website maintained by the NIST Standards Coordination Office. 
• OSAC Standards Bulletin. Published the first Tuesday of each month, this OSAC communication provides information about the forensic science standards that are moving through the Registry approval and SDO processes. 

DRAFTING STANDARDS

• A Guide to Writing World Class Standards. Available from European Standards Organization, ETSI, this document provides information about the standards development process, how to write good requirements, and other resources.

COMMENTING ON STANDARDS

• Standards Open for Comment. Visit this OSAC webpage to see a complete list of the OSAC proposed and SDO published standards that are being considered for the Registry and those open for public comment at SDOs. OSAC updates this information weekly – check back often and provide your input! 
• Best Practice Recommendations for Submitting Comments on Draft Standards. Learn more about how to review and effectively comment on draft standards in this article written by Karen Reczek, FSSB NIST Ex Officio. 

USING STANDARDS

• OSAC Registry Implementation. Explore this OSAC webpage to learn more about the strategies, resources, and other tools forensic science service providers can use to help them implement the standards on the OSAC Registry.  
• OSAC Registry Implementation Resources. Check out this webpage to view articles, webinars, and workflows to help your implementation efforts. Also read some implementation success stories and sign-up to become a mentor to help other organizations on their implementation journey. 
• As part of NIST’s cooperative agreement with AAFS, standards factsheets and checklists are available to support standards implementation.
  • Standards factsheets provide a concise summary of a standard and facilitate a broader understanding of its purpose, why it is needed, and the benefits of adoption. These factsheets summarize the contents of standards on the OSAC Registry. They are not intended to provide an interpretation for any portion of a standard. 
  • Standards checklists provide a tool for a forensic science service provider to evaluate the level of implementation and/or audit conformance to a standard. A checklist is a supplementary tool and should not be used independently - it must be used in conjunction with the standard. Copies of standards are available through the SDO. Each checklist is specific to a version of a standard and not all sections of a standard may be included in a checklist. Checklists are not intended to provide an interpretation for any portion of a standard.