Registry Approval Process

OSAC works to ensure the highest-quality standards are available to the forensic science community. To do this, we evaluate published and proposed standards using two processes:

• Registry Approval Process for OSAC Proposed Standards. This process is used to review OSAC drafted standards (i.e., OSAC proposed standards) for technical quality and placement on the Registry before they are sent to a standards developing organization (SDO) for further development and publication (effective October 1, 2020). 
• Registry Approval Process for Published Standards (legacy process). This process is used to review existing, SDO published standards for technical quality and placement on the Registry (effective February 2020 - present).

Registry Approval Process for OSAC Proposed Standards

The Registry approval process starts when there is a need to draft a new forensic science standard or revise an existing one. After a standard has been drafted or revised, and if applicable, a Scientific & Technical Review Panel (STRP) will review it according to set criteria and provide their comments to the drafting subcommittee in the form of an interim report. The subcommittee will then have an opportunity to revise the standard based on the feedback from the STRP. The STRP will review the revised standard, if applicable, and develop a final report.

Stakeholders from the forensic science community will then be invited to submit additional technical and editorial comments on the standard during a 30-day open comment period. After the open comment period closes, the subcommittee will review and adjudicate any comments that were received. At this time, the FSSB has an opportunity to appeal adding the standard to the Registry. If there is no opposition, the standard will be listed on the Registry as an "OSAC Proposed Standard" and then sent to an SDO for further development and publication. OSAC encourages the forensic science community to implement proposed standards in anticipation of their being published.

After the standard has been published by an SDO, the subcommittee can approve to add the SDO published standard to the Registry. The FSSB will have one final opportunity to appeal, and if there is no opposition, the SDO published standard will replace the "OSAC Proposed Standard" on the Registry. OSAC shares any public comments that were associated with the standard from the STRP and open comment period. 

OSAC subcommittees looking to start the Registry approval process should complete and submit the Proposed Standard Request Form (OSAC Form-01) found on our internal site.