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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Funding Participation

To support ongoing activities, most NGSBs require all participants, industry and Government alike, to pay a fee for taking part in the document development process. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular A-119, DoD individuals who par- ticipate at Government expense do so as representatives of DoD or their DoD activity.

A few years ago, a legal interpretation of  5 U.S.C. Section 5946,"Membership fees; expenses of attendance at meetings; limitations," dated 1912, prohibited the use of appropriated funds to pay for membership fees or dues.To clarify the intent of the

1912 law, Congress included in Section 1115 of the 2002 Defense Authorization Act

(S. 1438) a statement that the 1912 law does not apply when an employee is participat- ing in agency-related standards activities.This change in the law allows DoD to pay individual administrative, participation, or membership fees when an employee is offi- cially participating in NGS activities.

In instances where a DoD activity (command, base, station) pays administrative, par- ticipation, or membership fees for individual representatives, the DoD activity retains the right to substitute alternate representational personnel. Even though an individual may be named as a regular participant and receive benefits of participation, the fee has been paid by the DoD activity to have a representative involved in NGS efforts.The DoD activity reserves the right to designate the individual who can most appropriately represent DoD's interests in NGS efforts. It should be noted any benefits of participa- tion accrue to the activity rather than the individual representative.There are no stipu- lations in either policy or law precluding a DoD employee from joining and partici- pating in any NGSB at his or her own expense.

Organizational Membership

Sometimes it is in DoD's best interest to acquire organizational memberships in an NGSB. DoD organizations may seek membership in an NGSB at an activity, service, agency, or DoD level, depending on the particular situation. In making membership decisions, the organization should consider the benefits to DoD such as free or dis- count publications, technical reports, voting privileges, and participation on planning

boards.

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