Overview of ANSI and the U.S. Standards System

1
Overview of ANSI and the U.S. Standards System
2
Importance of Standards

• The international language of commerce is
  Standards
• Source
• Donald L. Evans, Former U.S. Secretary of
  Commerce,
• From Standards Competitiveness Coordinating
  for Results

3
WTO/TBT Definitions

• Standard - Document that provides, for common and
  repeated use, rules, guidelines or
  characteristics for products or related processes
  and production methods, with which compliance is
  not mandatory. It may also include or deal
  exclusively with terminology, symbols, packaging,
  marking or labelling requirements as they apply
  to a product, process or production method.
• Technical Regulations Document which lays down
  product characteristics or their related
  processes and production methods, including the
  applicable administrative provisions, with which
  compliance is mandatory.
• Conformity Assessment (Conformance) Any
  procedure used, directly or indirectly, to
  determine that relevant requirements in technical
  regulations or standards are fulfilled. (e.g.,
  testing, certification)
• World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to
  Trade Agreement, Annex 1
• http//www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/17-tbt_
  e.htm

4
The ANSI Federation
5
What is ANSI?

• ANSI is the Umbrella Organization for
• and coordinator of the U.S. voluntary
• standards and conformity assessment systems.
• Duties and responsibilities include
• Develop and promote U.S. policies and positions
• Accredit SDOs and approve American National
  Standards (ANS)
• Accredit certifiers of products, personnel and
  management systems
• Provide standards and compliance solutions
  domestically and internationally

6
What is ANSI?
A Federation of members representing . . .

• Academia
• Individuals
• Government
• Manufacturing
• Trade Associations

• Professional Societies
• Service Organizations
• Standards Developers
• Consumer and Labor Interests
• and many more

A Private- and Public-Sector Partnership Since
1918
ANSI is not a government agency or a standards
developer
7
ANSI A Private-Sector Organization

• ANSI is an independent not-for-profit (501(c)3)
  organization.
• ANSI does not receive government oversight or
  subsidization.
• Advantages
• Public and private sectorsare coequal partners
• Impartiality
• Market relevance

8
ANSI International Interaction

• ANSI serves as the official U.S. member and sets
  policy for U.S. participation in several
  international and regional organizations,
  including
• International Organization for Standardization
  (ISO)
• International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)
• Pacific Area Standards Congress (PASC)
• ANSI communicates U.S. positions on standards and
  conformity assessment with its peer organizations
  around the world. (e.g. Standardization
  Administration of China, etc.)
• ANSI members also engage with foreign
  counterparts, advocating for the positions of
  their individual organizations and engaging in
  sector and issue-specific cooperation. ANSI
  supports these efforts.

9
The U.S. Standards System
10
ANSIs Member-Driven Policy Development
Approach in the U.S.
Approach in many other countries
National Standards Body (e.g. ANSI, SAC)
ANSIs strength comes through effective
representation of member interests
Standards Developers (Including Consortia)
Standards Users (e.g. regulators, companies,
etc.)
Other National Standards Bodies receive authority
and funding through legal mandate
11
The U.S. System Comparisons

• Compared with many other countries, the U.S.
  system
• Emphasizes private-sector solutions to ensure
  quality and protect Environment, Health and
  Safety (EHS)
• Places a higher degree of confidence in
  private-sector conformity assessment activities
  for regulatory and non-regulatory functions
• Provides a stronger voice and greater authority
  to standards users and individual stakeholders
• Relies on a strong judicial system, brand-name
  recognition, open media and corporate social
  responsibility
• Is highly decentralized

12
The U.S. System Benefits

• Speed and flexibility solutions are delivered
  to market and implemented quickly
• Participation able to accommodate input from a
  wide spectrum of stakeholders
• Efficiency prevents unnecessary or costly
  regulation and allows multiple approaches to
  ensure health, safety, and quality
• The U.S. approach facilitates economic
  development and innovation

13
U.S. Regulatory Reliance on Voluntary Standards

• U.S. regulators use voluntary standards to offset
  the need for additional regulations or to enhance
  existing regulations.
• When regulations are necessary, U.S. regulators
  are required by law to use voluntary standards
  whenever possible.
• When appropriate voluntary standards do not
  exist, regulators work in partnership with
  private-sector SDOs to develop suitable
  standards.

14
The U.S. System A Toolbox

• Rather than mandating a one-size fits all
  solution, the U.S. system allows players to find
  the tools and solutions that best fit their
  needs.
• Approaches, philosophies and positions often vary
  across industry sectors. Such variations are
  seen as beneficial and are promoted in the U.S.
  Standards Strategy.

15
Standards Used in the U.S. Different tools for
different market needs

• National Participation
• Treaty Organizations
• Non-Treaty Organizations

• Direct Participation
• Nationally Accepted
• Internationally Accepted

Consortia
Examples ISO, IEC, ITU, CODEX, etc. Features Forma
lity in process One country, one vote
Examples ASTM International, ASME, SAE,
etc. Features Direct link between technical
experts and SDOs
Examples SNIA, W3C, IGRS, etc. Features Wide
range of processes and procedures allows
flexibility
16
Standards Used in the U.S.National Participation

• Treaty Organizations U.S. government agencies
  serve as national bodies. For example
• CODEX (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
• ITU (U.S. Department of State)
• OECD (U.S. Department of State)
• Non-Treaty Organizations ANSI Serves as
  national body and coordinates broad spectrum of
  private-sector input
• International Organization for Standardization
  (ISO)
• International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

17
Standards Used in the U.S. Different tools for
different market needs

• National Participation
• Treaty Organizations
• Non-Treaty Organizations

• Direct Participation
• Nationally Accepted
• Internationally Accepted

Consortia
Examples ISO, IEC, ITU, CODEX, etc. Features
Formality in process through one country, one
vote system
Examples ASTM International, ASME, SAE,
etc. Features Direct link between technical
experts and SDOs
Examples IGRS, SNIA, W3C, etc. Features Wide
range of processes and procedures allows
flexibility
18
Standards Used in the U.S.Accredited/Approved
Standards

• ANSI is responsible for accrediting SDOs and
  approving standards as American National
  Standards.
• National and international SDOs voluntarily
  choose to receive ANSI accreditation/approval
  (the U.S. has no legal requirement)
• Accreditation and approval do not guarantee U.S.
  market acceptance individual users have complete
  freedom to choose which standards best suit
  their needs.
• ANSI accreditation and approval processes do not
  evaluate a standards technical merit, but only
  evaluate the process by which a standard was
  developed.

19
WTO/TBT Principles for the Development of
International Standards

• Transparency
• Openness
• Impartiality and Consensus
• Effectiveness
• Coherence
• Development Dimension
• World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to
  Trade Agreement Second Triennial Review, Annex 4
• http//docsonline.wto.org/DDFDocuments/t/G/TBT/9.
  doc

20
Accredited/Approved StandardsANSI Essential
Requirements

• Openness
• Transparency
• Consensus
• Due Process
• Balance

21
ANSI Accredited Standards Developing
Organizations (SDOs)
3-A
ASC X9
ASA
ACCA
AMCA
ARI
ATIS
AA
AAMA
AAMVA
ABMA
ABYC
ABMA
ACC
ACI
ADA
AFPA
AGA
AGMA
AHLA
AIHA
AIAA
AISC
AITC
AISI
ALI
ANS
ANLA
API
ASNT
ASQ
ASAE
ASB
ASCE
ASHRAE
ASME
ASSE
AWWA
AWS
AWEA
ATA
ACMI
ASIS
AIIM
AMT
NPES
AAMI
ACDE
AHAM
ARMA
ASTM
AIM
AGRSS
ALI
BHMA
BICSI
BOMA
BIFMA
CCPA
CSAA
CAPA
CLSI
CFPMI
CAP
CPA
CAGI
CGA
CAM-I
CEA
CSPA
CEMA
CTI
CSA
DISA
DASMA
EIMA
EASA
EIA
ESTA
EIA
EOS/ESD
FCI
FM
GTEEMC
GICC
GEIA
GEI
HPVA
HIBCC
HL7
HPS
HFES
HI
IESNA
ITSDF
IEEE
IEST
IIE
INMM
12AMA
IAF
IAAMC
IAPMO
ICPA
ICC
ITI
NETA
I3A
IIAR
ISEA
ISA
ISANTA
IWCA
IPC
ISA
JCSEE
KCMA
LIA
MSS
MHI
MBC
NACE
NAHBRC
NAAMM
NBBPVI
NBFAA
NCMA
NCSL
NCPDP
NECA
NEMA
NFPA
NGA
NGCMA
NISO
NIMS
NIST/ITL
NPPC
NSC
NSAA
NADCA
NERC
NAESB
NALFA
NASPO
NSF
NIRMA
OLA
OPCC
OEOSC
OPEI
PMMI
PSA
PCA
PWMA
PMI
RPTIA
RSTC
RVIA
RESNA
RIA
RMA
SIA
SSFI
SIA
SMA
SPRI
SBS
SAE
SCTE
SMPTE
SVIA
SAAMI
SES
SDI
SJI
SSCI
TIA
TCATA
CI
TMS
SPI
TCA
TOY-TIA
TAPS
TCIA
TPI
USDA
USPRO
UL
UAMA
UAMA
UCC
VITA
WQA
WDMA
WCMA
WMMA
22
Standards Used in the U.S. Different tools for
different market needs

• National Participation
• Treaty Organizations
• Non-Treaty Organizations

• Direct Participation
• Nationally Accepted
• Internationally Accepted

Consortia
Examples ISO, IEC, ITU, CODEX, etc. Features Forma
lity in process through one country, one vote
system
Examples ASTM International, ASME, SAE,
etc. Features Direct link between technical
experts and SDOs
Examples SNIA, W3C, IGRS, etc. Features Wide
range of processes and procedures allows
flexibility
23
Standards Used in the U.S.Consortia Standards

• Consortia consist of groups of like-minded
  participants who place a priority on developing
  standards quickly enough to meet market demands
  or to harmonize or differentiate specifications
  within an industry.
• Hundreds of consortia organizations operate in
  the global economy. Many have global membership,
  including both U.S. and Chinese companies.
• Consortia usually have a narrow focus, with some
  only developing a single specification. However,
  some consortia are very broad and develop a large
  number of standards (examples W3C, OASIS, etc.)
• Companies often rely on consortia standards in
  areas where the technology changes rapidly.

24
The U.S. Standards System Whos Who
Coordinates U.S. System and policy development Coordinates USG use participation Participates in U.S. policy development Provides technical input for standards development Independently runs standards development activities Legal metrology
ANSI v
Standards Developers (Including Consortia) v v
Companies v v
Government Agencies (regulators and procurement) v v
NIST v v v v
Documentary Standards, excluding national
participation models
25
The U.S. Standards System
Government
Private-Sector
Regulators CPSC, EPA. FCC, USDA, etc.
NGOs
Academics
Companies
Standards Developers
NIST coordinates Federal activities in voluntary
standards
Trade Associations
Consumers
Others
Government
NIST
Procurement Agencies DOD, NASA, USDA, etc.
Activities Carried out independent of the ANSI
Structure
Government Agencies are members of ANSI and of
SDOs. Agencies participate directly in voluntary
standards development and policy setting and
use voluntary standards when it supports their
missions
U.S. Policies and Positions
26
U.S. Standards System
The Drivers Companies, Government Agencies and
other Standards Users
The Vehicle Standards Developers (Including
Consortia)
The Road ANSI
27
Questions or Comments?
28
Annex 1 Common Acronyms
29
Common Acronyms used in the U.S.

• ANS- American National Standard
• ANSI American National Standards Institute
• EHS Environment, Health and Safety
• IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
• ISO International Standard Organization
• ITU International Telecommunications Union
• NGO Non-Governmental Organization
• PASC Pacific Area Standards Congress
• SC Standards and Conformance
• SAC Standardization Administration of China
• SCATR Standards, Conformity Assessment, and
  Technical Regulations
• SDO Standards Developing Organization
• TBT Technical Barriers to Trade (Agreement
  under WTO)
• WTO World Trade Organization