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National Voluntary Conformity Assessment Systems Evaluation (NVCASE)
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), through the Standards Coordination Office (SCO), offers a voluntary program to evaluate and recognize qualified U.S. conformity assessment organizations that demonstrate conformance with specific regulatory requirements. This program is titled the National Voluntary Conformity Assessment Systems Evaluation (NVCASE) Program and it is described in Code of Federal Regulations, 15 CFR, Part 286.
NIST/NVCASE recognition:
- Provides regulatory authorities with a basis for having confidence in U.S. conformity assessment organizations
- Facilitates the acceptance of U.S. products in foreign regulated markets based on U.S. conformity assessment results.
Operational areas (sub-programs) are established in accordance with the NVCASE requirements and include a public notice process.
EMC/Telecommunication Equipment Sub-Program
NIST formally recognizes accreditation bodies that accredit telecommunications equipment certification bodies for U.S. and selected foreign telecom regulatory schemes. The accreditation bodies must meet ISO/IEC 17011. Additionally, the accreditation bodies must demonstrate that they can competently assess conformity assessment bodies to ISO/IEC 17065 and the applicable technical requirements of the telecom regulatory schemes of the following economies:
United States
Canada
Hong Kong
Japan
Singapore
This NVCASE sub-program supports:
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Telecommunications Certification Body (TCB) Program
- Selected Telecommunication Equipment Conformity Assessment Mutual Recognition Agreements/Arrangements (MRAs) signed by the U.S.
- APEC TEL MRA Phase II Economies (Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore)
- US-Japan MRA
Table 1: NIST/NVCASE Recognized Accreditation Bodies
| Accreditation Body Name | Terms of Recognition |
| American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) | A2LA Terms of Recognition |
| ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) | ANAB Terms of Recognition |
Organic Production and Processing Sub-Program
This program was terminated on January 1, 2016. See Termination Notice.
NVCASE Resources
NVCASE Program Handbook: Procedures for Obtaining NIST Recognition as an Accreditor
15 CFR, Part 286 sets forth the regulations for NVCASE
Federal Register Notice for establishment of the NVCASE Program