[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-11395]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 11, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[Docket No.: 920521-4095]

 

National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program

agency: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

action: Notice of establishment of a Laboratory Accreditation Program 
(LAP)--NVLAP Calibration Laboratories Accreditation Program.

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summary: The National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program 
(NVLAP), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will 
accept applications from laboratories seeking accreditation under the 
Calibration Laboratories Accreditation Program. The program is in 
accord with the intent of the original request by the National 
Conference of Standards Laboratories as announced previously in the 
Federal Register.
    Due to the large number of anticipated responses to this program, 
applications will be processed in order of the date received.
    Accreditation will be offered to all applicant laboratories that 
fulfill the requirements of the National Voluntary Laboratory 
Accreditation Program (NVLAP).

for further information contact: Persons desiring to obtain an 
application package or further information concerning the Calibration 
Laboratories Accreditation Program should contact the National 
Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program by mail at the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, Building 411, room A162, 
Gaithersburg, MD 20899; or by telephone (301-975-4016) or FAX (301-926-
2884).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    This notice is issued in accordance with NVLAP Procedures (15 CFR 
part 7). In a Federal Register Notice dated May 18, 1992, (57 FR 
21073), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 
announced the decision to develop the program, ``Accreditation for 
Calibration Laboratories,'' requested from the National Conference of 
Standards Laboratories in a letter dated June 13, 1991, announced in 
the Federal Register of August 21, 1991, (56 FR 41526).
    Administrative and general technical criteria have been developed 
and incorporated into a Procedure and General Requirements Handbook 
(NIST Handbook 150). A companion draft Calibration Laboratories 
Technical Guide (NIST Handbook 150-2) contains amplifying technical 
information for each of the eight fields of calibration. Technical 
experts, selected and trained by NVLAP, will use the NIST Handbook 150 
and the Technical Handbook to conduct the on-site assessment. They will 
present their findings to the applicant calibration laboratory at the 
time of assessment; however, the final evaluation will be made by 
NVLAP-selected panels.
    Proficiency testing will be used, along with an on-site assessment, 
to determine the competence of the applicant calibration laboratories 
to perform calibrations at the claimed levels of uncertainty. 
Proficiency testing will be conducted annually in at least one 
parameter for each field of calibration for which a laboratory applies.
    An application package consisting of the NIST Handbook 150, 
Technical Guide, application forms (OMB Control No. 0693-003) and fee 
schedule will be provided on request. Fees are charged to laboratories 
seeking accreditation in two stages. The Stage I fee is standard and is 
charged to all applicant laboratories. It covers the cost of initial 
review of the application, quality manual, and related documentation. 
The Stage II fee is variable, based on the scope of accreditation 
desired by the applicant laboratory.
    After the laboratory has successfully fulfilled Stage I, the fees 
for Stage II will be established to include administrative/technical 
support, on-site assessment, and proficiency testing costs.
    NVLAP will publish a directory of all accredited calibration 
laboratories and the accreditation will be renewable annually.

    Dated: May 5, 1994.
Samuel Kramer,
Associate Director.
[FR Doc. 94-11395 Filed 5-10-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-M