ICSP Conformity Assessment Work Group (CAWG) Charter

Purpose

Conformity Assessment has become increasingly important to federal agencies. Federal agency programs have been and are increasingly leveraging conformity assessment programs and activities in support of regulatory, procurement and other mission objectives in order to meet their responsibilities with ever shrinking resources. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has coordinated with the Interagency Committee on Standards Policy (ICSP) to establish an ICSP task group, the Conformity Assessment Work Group (CAWG).

The ICSP promotes effective and coordinated standards and conformity assessment policies in the federal government for U.S. domestic and foreign goals and fosters cooperative participation by the Federal Government and U.S. industry and other private organizations in standards activities, including the related activities of inspection, product testing, management system registration, certification and accreditation. The ICSP may establish task groups as appropriate.

Objective

The objective of the CAWG is to facilitate coordination of government agency activities and develop recommendations relating to conformity assessment policy matters to the ICSP. The CAWG reports to the Chair of the ICSP and advises the members of the ICSP on relevant issues.

The CAWG is responsible for the following:

• Assisting the ICSP in promoting effective and consistent federal policies in the area of conformity assessment.
• Advising the ICSP on effective means of coordinating conformity assessment activities with those of the private sector and recommending ways to eliminate unnecessary duplication and complexity in the development and promulgation of conformity assessment requirements at the federal level.
• Sharing best practices in conformity assessment among federal agencies.

Membership

Participants include representatives across federal agencies with expertise in the development and implementation of conformity assessment programs. CAWG participants are general designated by their agency’s ICSP Standards Executive or alternate.

The ICSP Chair will designate NIST staff to Chair the CAWG and serve as secretariat.

Meeting Frequency

The Work Group will follow a similar meeting schedule as the ICSP and will meet at least three times each year. Other meetings may be called at the discretion of the Chair.

Approved June 25, 2013