[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66900-66901]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-31108]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
[Docket No. 99102-0281-9281-01]
RIN 0693-XX48
National Voluntary Conformity Assessment System Evaluation
(NVCASE) Program
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
hereby announces the establishment of a sub-program under the National
Voluntary Conformity Assessment System Evaluation (NVCASE) program to
recognize accreditors that accredit laboratories that test
telecommunications equipment and/or perform electromagnetic
compatibility testing. The sub-program is being established pursuant to
NVCASE regulations in response to a request from a Federal Agency, the
Federal Communications Commission. Accreditation bodies recognized by
[[Page 66901]]
NIST may then accredit laboratories to perform specified testing to
satisfy designated foreign or domestic government regulatory (i.e.,
mandated) requirements. NIST will explore with the National Cooperation
for Laboratory Accreditation a cooperative and joint approach for
recognizing applicant laboratory accreditors.
The action being taken under this notice addresses both generic and
specific NVCASE requirements relating to two sectoral annexes
(telecommunications equipment and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC))
of the United States (U.S.)/European Union (EU) Mutual Recognition
Agreement (MRA) and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Mutual
Recognition Arrangement for the Conformity Assessment of
Telecommunications Equipment. If additional MRAs covering these areas
are negotiated between the United States and another country or region,
any additional specific requirements will be included under this NVCASE
activity.
Sub-program requirements have been developed in accordance with
NVCASE regulations and with public consultation.
Public input was obtained at two open meetings on April 27 and
April 28, 1999 and from comments received through May 30, 1999.
DATES: Applications will be received beginning November 30, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Applications for recognition may be obtained from, and
returned to, Robert L. Gladhill, NVCASE Program Manager, NIST, 100
Bureau Drive, Mailstop 2100, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2100, by fax (301)
975-5414, or email at robert.gladhill@nist.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert L. Gladhill, NVCASE Program
Manager, at NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Mailstop 2100, Gaithersburg, MD
20899-2100, telefax: (301) 975-5414, email: robert.gladhill@nist.gov
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NVCASE sub-program to recognize
accreditation bodies that accredit laboratories to test
telecommunications equipment and/or perform electromagetic
compatibility testing is being established in accordance with the
NVCASE Regulations (15 CFR Part 286.2(b)(3)(ii)) and in response to
requiements as described in FCC GEN Docket 98-68 (FCC 98-338) adopted
on December 17, 1998 and FCC Public Notice DA 99-1640 released August
17, 1999. The generic and specific requirements are also being
established pursuant to NVCASE regulations (15 CFR Part 286.5). Public
consultation on these requirements was conducted at two workshops held
at the Department of Commerce on April 27 and 28, 1999. These workshops
were announced in the Federal Register Sol. 64, No. 53/Friday, March
19, 1999. Follow-up comments were accepted from the public through May
30, 1999.
This program is also being established to support NIST's
responsibilities as a designating authority for the United States in
both the Telecommunication Equipment and EMC Sectoral Annexes of the
U.S./EU MRA (which may be located at http://www.iep.doc.gov/mra/
mra.htm) and the APEC MRA for Conformity Assessment of
Telecommunications Equipment (which may be located at http://
www.apii.or.kr/telwg/mraTG/mraTG-frame.html).
Telecommunications equipment testing as referenced in this notice
covers tests of equipment for network terminal attachment and other
equipment subject to telecommunications regulation, including wire and
wireless equipment, transmitters, and terrestrial and satellite
equipment, whether or not connected to a Public Telecommunications
Network. EMC testing relates to measuring the electromagnetic emissions
from the product under test, both intended and unintended, and their
effect on other products (emissions testing), as well as the effects of
electromagnetic emissions from other products on the product under test
(immunity testing).
NIST will apply the generic requirements contained in the
International Organization for Standardization/International
Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) Guide 58--``Calibration and
Testing Laboratory Accreditation Systems--General Requirements for
Operation and Recognition,'' to all applicant accreditation bodies. All
laboratories applying to recognized accreditors shall be assessed
against the requirements of ISO/IEC Guide 25--``General Requirements
for the Competence of Calibration and Testing Laboratories.'' These
generic requirements will be supplemented by specific technical
requirements contained in individual NVCASE handbooks, available on
request from NIST.
NIST will accept applications from interested accreditation bodies
for recognition to accredit laboratories under the U.S./EU MRA or the
APEC MRA. Evaluation of an initial group of applicant accreditation
bodies for NVCASE recognition will begin on or about December 30, 1999.
All accreditation bodies that have submitted a complete application and
required fees to NIST by December 15, 1999, will be included in this
initial group. Applications received subsequently will be considered on
an as-received basis for evaluation after the initial group of
applicants has been considered.
NIST expects to announce recognition of qualified accreditation
bodies on or about April 1, 2000. At about the same time, NIST also
expects to identify and list an initial group of qualified laboratories
for each of the areas noted. Each laboratory listed under the
provisions of the U.S./EU MRA or under the APEC MRA will be designated
by NIST as a conformity assessment body (CAB).
This notice contains a collection of information requirement
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. This collection of information
has been approved by OMB under the following control Number: 0693-0019.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required
to respond nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to
comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of
the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information
displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget Control
Number.
Dated: November 19, 1999.
Karen Brown,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 99-31108 Filed 11-29-99; 8:45 am]
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