[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 15, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 15CFR10.3]

[Page 121-122]
 
                  TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADE
 
PART 10--PROCEDURES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF VOLUNTARY PRODUCT STANDARDS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 10.3  Development of a proposed standard.

    (a) A proposed standard as submitted to the Department:
    (1) Shall be based on adequate technical information, or, in the 
case of size standards (including standards covering the quantities for 
packaged consumer commodities), on adequate marketing information, or 
both, as determined to be appropriate by the Department;
    (2) Shall not be contrary to the public interest;
    (3) Shall be technically appropriate and such that conformance or 
nonconformance with the standard can be determined either during or 
after the manufacturing process by inspection or other procedures which 
may be utilized by either an individual or a testing facility competent 
in the particular field;
    (4) Shall follow the format prescribed by the National Institute of 
Standards & Technology. (Copies of the recommended format may be 
obtained from the Office of Product Standards Policy, National Institute 
of Standards & Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899.);
    (5) Shall include performance requirements if such are deemed by the 
Department to be technically sound, feasible, and practical, and the 
inclusion of such is deemed to be appropriate;
    (6) May include dimensions, sizes, material specifications, product 
requirements, design stipulations, component requirements, test methods, 
testing equipment descriptions, and installation procedures. The 
appropriateness of the inclusion in a standard of any particular item 
listed in this subparagraph shall be determined by the Department; and

[[Page 122]]

    (7) Shall be accompanied by rational statements pertaining to the 
requirements and test methods contained in the standard, if deemed 
necessary by the Department.
    (b) A proposed standard that is determined by the Department to meet 
the criteria set forth in paragraph (a) of this section may be subjected 
to further review by an appropriate individual, committee, organization, 
or agency (either government or nongovernment, but not associated with 
the proponent group).
    (c) A proposed standard may be circulated by the Department to 
appropriate producers, distributors, users, consumers, and other 
interested groups for consideration and comment as well as to others 
requesting the opportunity to comment.
    (d) The proponent group or appropriate committee which drafted the 
initial proposal under Sec. 10.1(d) shall consider all comments and 
suggestions submitted by the reviewer designated under paragraph (b) of 
this section, and those received by the Department as a result of any 
circulation under paragraph (c) of this section, and may make such 
adjustments in the proposal as are technically sound and as are believed 
to cause the standard to be generally acceptable to producers, 
distributors, users, consumers, and other interested parties. The 
proposal will then be submitted to the Department for further 
processing.

[51 FR 22497, June 20, 1986, as amended at 55 FR 38315, Sept. 18, 1990]