The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is requesting feedback on a new draft roadmap released Wednesday to implement the U.S. Government National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology (USG NSSCET).
In May 2023, the Biden-Harris administration released the USG NSSCET, which aims to strengthen both the United States’ foundation to safeguard American consumers’ technology and U.S. leadership and competitiveness in international standards development.
To support the strategy, NIST published a request for information in the Federal Register in fall 2023 seeking public input on how best to implement the USG NSSCET, partner with relevant stakeholders, remove barriers to participation in international standards development, and enhance the U.S. government’s support for an international standards system that is open, consensus-based, and led by the private sector.
The White House described standards as “the common and repeated use of rules, conditions, guidelines, or characteristics for products or related processes, practices, and production methods.”
“They enable technology that is safe, universal, and interoperable,” the White House said. “Standards define the requirements that make it possible for mobile phones sold in different countries to communicate across the world, for bank cards issued in one country to be recognized at ATMs in another, and for cars to run on fuel purchased from any gas station.”
The draft roadmap NIST released on June 26 sets forth actions and outcomes for the Federal government to increase investment in pre-standards development activities for CETs, broaden CET standards participation, grow a CET standards-savvy workforce, and ensure inclusivity and integrity in developing CET standards.
“The strategy is a call to action to build on what has made the U.S. approach to standards successful while ensuring that the United States is effectively positioned to address emerging challenges in international standards development,” said NIST Director Laurie Locascio.
To accomplish the goals of the USG NSSCET, the government must continue existing coordination efforts, and NIST recommended four immediate actions in investment, participation, workforce, and integrity and inclusivity.
NIST’s draft implementation strategy also outlines seven long-term actions for the government:
- Increase investment in CET R&D and standardization to sustain U.S. technical leadership;
- Increase support for Federal programs to remove barriers and promote U.S. stakeholder participation in international standards development;
- Enhance coordination across departments and agencies to sustain and grow participation in standardization;
- Expand communication, information sharing, and other cooperative efforts between the government and private sector;
- Enhance educational efforts to inform current and future standards leaders;
- Enhance the U.S. government and like-minded nations’ representation and sustain influence in the international standards system; and
- Enhance academia engagement providing critical partnerships to sustain the standards innovation ecosystem of the world.
NIST is seeking feedback by July 12 on the 26-page document’s accuracy and ways to further clarify actions that directly promote the U.S. standards system.
