Comment on FR Doc # 2010-04991

We object to the requirement of NVLAP being the only accreditor of testing laboratories for ISO/IEC 17025. There are 4 other laboratory accreditation bodies in the United States that are considered equivalent to NVLAP under the ILAC MRA. As a signatory to the ILAC MRA, NVLAP is obligated to promote the acceptance of other ILAC signatory MRA partners' accreditations as being equivalent to their own. My organization, ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board is an ILAC MRA signatory for calibration and testing laboratories. This requirement of NVLAP being the only accreditor of testing laboratories should be stricken and replaced with ILAC recognized accreditation bodies. Why could not my organization, or another U.S. ILAC signatory accreditation body, accredit the labs and NIST acknowledge the accreditation the way it was done in the USGv6 precedent? In addition, there are labs and accreditation bodies in the U.S. market place (e.g. ANAB/ACLASS and ICSA Labs) capable of acquiring the needed accreditations and therefore it is appropriate to require those accreditation and certifications in the permanent program as the proposed rule outlines.