Interagency Committee on Standards Policy (ICSP)

The Interagency Committee on Standards Policy (ICSP) brings together officials from each of the relevant federal agencies to foster standardization activities—such as standards development, product testing, quality system registration, certification, and accreditation.

The Interagency Committee advises federal agencies on matters related to standards policy, as required under the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (NTTAA). It reports to the Secretary of Commerce through the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Director of NIST’s Standards Coordination Office (SCO).

The ICSP seeks to promote effective and consistent standards policies plus foster cooperation between government, industry, and other private organizations involved in standards activities. 

The ICSP includes a Committee Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretariat that coordinate and manage the activities of the ICSP. Finally, from time to time the ICSP may authorize the creation of Working Groups to investigate and recommend policy decisions or actions that support ICSP activities. 

Authority

The Committee's authority is set out in Section 13 b of OMB Circular A-119 Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Circular establishes policy to be followed by executive agencies in participating in activities of voluntary standards organizations and in adopting and using voluntary standards. The Circular was last revised on January 27, 2016. 

Objective

The ICSP seeks to promote effective and consistent standards policies in furtherance of U.S. domestic and foreign goals and, to this end, to foster cooperative participation by the Federal government and U.S. industry and other private organizations in standards activities, including the related activities of product testing, quality system registration, certification, and accreditation. 

Implementation of OMB Circular A-119

To view all current and previous National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) reports that detail the use of voluntary consensus standards by the Federal government, please visit the NTTAA Reports page.