[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 144 (Wednesday, July 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45020-45021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17103]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program Workshop for 
Laboratories Interested in the Help America Vote Act

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION: Workshop notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program 
(NVLAP) will hold a public workshop on August 17, 2004, at the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, MD. The 
purpose of the workshop is the exchange of information among NVLAP, 
laboratories interested in seeking accreditation for the testing of 
voting systems under the Help America Vote Act, and other interested 
parties. The results of the workshop discussions will be used in the 
development of the NVLAP Voting Systems Laboratory Accreditation 
Program (Voting LAP).
    There is no charge for the workshop but pre-registration is 
required. A registration form can be found at http://vote.nist.gov.

ADDRESSES: National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program, 100 
Bureau Drive/MS 2140, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2140.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Horlick, Program Manager, 
NVLAP, 100 Bureau Drive/MS 2140,

[[Page 45021]]

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2140, phone: (301) 975-4016 or e-mail 
[email protected]. Information regarding NVLAP and the 
accreditation process can also be viewed at http://www.nist.gov/nvlap.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-252) was 
signed into law by President Bush on October 29, 2002. Section 231 of 
the HAVA requires the Director of NIST to provide for the accreditation 
of laboratories that conduct testing on the hardware and software of 
voting systems. In response to the HAVA, the National Voluntary 
Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) is establishing a program for 
laboratories that test voting systems.
    NVLAP accreditation criteria is established in accordance with the 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR, Title 15, Part 285), NVLAP Procedures 
and General Requirements. Laboratories conducting this testing will be 
required to meet ISO/IEC International Standard 17025, General 
requirements for the competence of testing and calibration 
laboratories, the 2002 Voting System Standards, and any other criteria 
deemed necessary by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). For 
each new laboratory accreditation program (LAP), NVLAP works with the 
affected testing community to develop program-specific technical 
requirements. These requirements tailor the general accreditation 
criteria referenced in Sections 4 and 5 of NIST Handbook 150 to the 
tests and services in the new LAP. Program-specific requirements 
include the details of the Scope of Accreditation, test and measurement 
equipment, personnel requirements, validation of test methods, and 
reporting of test results.

PRA Clearance

    This action contains a collection of information requirements 
subject to review and approval by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. Collection 
activities for the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program 
are currently approved by the Office of Management and Budget under 
control number 0693-0003. Notwithstanding any other provision of the 
law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be 
subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.

Executive Order 12866

    This action has been determined to be not significant under 
Executive Order 12866.

    Dated: July 22, 2004.
Hratch G. Semerjian,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 04-17103 Filed 7-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P