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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Adopting an NGS

DoD policy and guidance governing DoD participation in NGSBs and adoption of NGSs are contained in DoD 4120.24-M, Appendix 3. Participants in NGSBs can access this document by selecting "Library" on the DSP website found at www.dsp. dla.mil. Participants should always refer to this resource for the definitive guidance on participation and NGS adoption.

What Is Adoption?

Adoption is the process by which DoD expresses formal acceptance of an NGS for use in direct procurement, as a reference in another document, or as guidance in the

design, manufacturing, testing, or support of materiel. Adopted NGSs are not mandato-

ry.These documents are available for use by DoD activities.

Advantages of Adoption

Adopting an NGS document offers the following advantages:

•  Adoption provides visibility for the document through its appearance in ASSIST.

This visibility is of great value to DoD users since it can narrow the search for an acceptable standard from a very broad one to a much narrower one.

•  Adoption provides a measure of confidence in the standard since the NGS is being used in DoD.

•  The adoption notice identifies a DoD point of contact if there are questions or problems with the standard.

•  The adoption notice can provide application and other use guidance to DoD

personnel.

Adoption Criteria

Before adopting an NGS, review DoD 4120.24-M, Appendix 3 guidance and ensure the following questions are addressed:

•  Does the NGS meet DoD's requirements? If yes, then the NGS should be adopt- ed. It is important to remember that an adopted NGS is not a mandatory docu- ment; it is simply available for use by DoD activities. In some cases, the NGS may

not fully meet DoD's requirements. It may be necessary to develop another type

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