SD-9 Dod Guidance On Participating In The Development And Use Of Non-Government StandardsThe purpose of this document is to promote more effective DoD use of nongovernment standards NGSs and participation in their development.To achieve this purpose, this document describes the different types of NGSs and the organizations that develop them, provides general guidance and practices relative to DoD┬┐s involvement in developing or using NGSs, identifies criteria that should be considered regarding requirements and verification before developing an NGS or replacing an existing military or federal document with an NGS, clarifies the roles and responsibilities of DoD personnel when participating in NGS activities, and explains the meaning of DoD adoption of an NGS and its importance.

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NGS Environment

What Is a Standard?

While the Department and some other organizations distinguish between "standards" and "specifications," most organizations use the generic term "standard" to refer to a wide variety of technical documents intended to establish common solutions to repeti- tive requirements. OMB Circular A-119 defines a standard as "common and repeated use of rules, conditions, guidelines, or characteristics for products or related processes and production methods and for related management systems practices."According to OMB, a standard can be "definition of terms; classification of components; delineation of procedures; specification of dimensions, materials, performance, designs, or opera- tions; measurement of quality or quantity in describing materials, processes, products, systems, services, or practices; test methods and sampling procedures; or descriptions of fit and measurements of size or strength."

What Is a Voluntary Consensus Standard?

Voluntary consensus standards are developed or adopted by domestic and international NGSBs in compliance with practices and procedures that include provisions requiring the owners of relevant intellectual property agree to make their intellectual property available on a nondiscriminatory and royalty-free (or for a reasonable royalty) basis to all interested parties.

The following standards are not voluntary consensus standards:

•  Industry standards, company standards, de Jacto standards, or other standards devel- oped in the private sector but not through the full consensus process

•  Government-unique standards, which are developed by the Government for its own uses but not through the full consensus process

•  Standards mandated by law.

While the term "voluntary consensus standard" is widely used among standards developing organizations, industry, and Government, the term has caused confusion

and even created some resistance to their use.The term "voluntary" means the decision

to use it is voluntary and it is voluntarily developed. However, once a voluntary con- sensus standard is placed on contract, cited as a requirement, or required by law or reg-

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