American Society for Testing and Materials

Purpose: the Purpose of This Institutional Award Is to Establish and Maintain a Standardization Center of Excellence (SCOE) to Support U.s. Engagement in International Standardization for Critical and Emerging Technologies (CETS) That Are Essential to U.s. Economic Competitiveness and National Security. Activities to Be Performed: the Scope of This Cooperative Agreement Encompasses All Critical Areas of Standardization Such as Pre-standardization Engagement, Measurement Standards, Reference Standards, Documentary Standards, Conformity Assessment, and Management Systems in Three Distinct Phases Across Four Key Areas: Pre-standardization, Standards Acceleration, Workforce Capacity, and an Information Data Sharing Hub. Various Knowledge Dissemination Tools Such as Workshops, Webinars, Seminars, Conferences, and Training Programs Will Be Created. Expected Outcomes: a Standardization Center of Excellence Will Be Established and Maintained by the Awardee. Nist Personnel Will Actively Participate in the Project's Implementation, Offering Technical Assistance, Collaboration, and Oversight. This Will Include Working With the Recipient on Developing and Executing the Approved Scope of Work. Intended Beneficiaries: Nist, the Awardee, and the General Public Are the Intended Beneficiaries of This Award. in Subsection 10245 of Title Ii, Division B, Subtitle C of the Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation Act, Enacted Along With the Chips and Science Act of 2022, Pub. L. 117-167, Congress Authorized Nist to Support Private Sector-driven Engagement and Ensure Effective Federal Engagement in the Development and Use of International Technical Standards; and Support Capacity Building via Education and Workforce Development Efforts to Promote U.s. Participation in International Standards Organizations, and Engagement by More U.s. Stakeholders in International Technical Standards Development. This Award Will Allow Nist to Fulfill These Goals While Working With the Awardee and the U.s. Standardization Community. in Addition, This Work Will Allow the Awardee to Enhance Their Leadership Role in International Standardization, Which Will Allow Them to Foster Greater Engagement in Standardization and Workforce Capacity Building. This Award Is Intended to Remove and Prevent Barriers to Private Sector Participation in Standards Development; Improve Communications Between Public and Private Sectors on Standards; and Enhance U.s. and Like-minded Nations' Representation and Influence in International Standards Governance and Leadership. Subrecipient Activities: the Recipient Intends to Subaward Funding to Two Subrecipients: 1) American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) to Contribute to Standardization Frameworks, Facilitate Conferences, Publications, and Educational Programs. 2) Accuris to Serve on the Leadership Team, Enhance U.s. Participation in Global Standards Development, and Workforce Capacity Building.