Section 287.4 - Responsibilities of Federal agenciesEach agency should:
(a) Implement the policies contained in the guidance in this part. Agencies may rely on NIST Special Publication 2000-02 Conformity Assessment Considerations for Federal Agencies found free of charge at https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.2000-02.(b) Develop and implement conformity assessment in a manner that meets regulatory, procurement, and programmatic objectives; reduces unnecessary complexity for stakeholders; makes productive use of Federal resources; and meets international trade agreement obligations.(c) Provide a rationale for its use of specified conformity assessment in rulemaking, procurement actions, and agency programs to the extent feasible. Further, when notice and comment rulemaking is otherwise required, each agency should provide the opportunity for public comment on the rationale for the agency's conformity assessment decision.(d) Work with other Federal agencies to avoid unnecessary duplication and complexity in Federal conformity assessment activities.(e) Consider leveraging the activities and results of other governmental agency and private sector programs in lieu of creating government-unique programs or to enhance the effectiveness of proposed new and existing conformity assessment.(f) Give a preference for using voluntary consensus standards, guides, and recommendations related to conformity assessment in agency operations. Each agency retains responsibility for determining which, if any, of these documents are relevant to its needs. See OMB Circular A-119 for a description of voluntary consensus standards and recommendations for their development and use by Federal agencies.(g) Participate, as needed, representing agency and Federal viewpoints, in efforts to develop voluntary consensus standards, guideline, and recommendations related to conformity assessment.(h) Participate, as needed, representing agency and Federal viewpoints in efforts designed to improve coordination among governmental and private sector conformity assessment activities.(i) Work with NIST, other Federal agencies, ICSP members, and the private sector to coordinate U.S. conformity assessment needs, practices, and requirements in support of the efforts of the U.S. Government and U.S. industry to increase international trade of U.S. products and services.(j) Assign an Agency Standards Executive the responsibility for coordinating agency-wide implementation of the guidance in this part who is situated in the agency's organizational structure such that the Agency Standards Executive is kept regularly apprised of the agency's regulatory, procurement, and other mission-related activities, and has sufficient authority within the agency to ensure implementation of the guidance in this part.