[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4673-4674]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-01606]


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OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET


Revision of OMB Circular No. A-119, ``Federal Participation in 
the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in 
Conformity Assessment Activities''

AGENCY: Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the 
President.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has revised Circular 
A-119, ``Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary 
Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities,'' in light 
of changes that have taken place in the world of regulation, standards, 
and conformity assessment since the Circular was last revised in 1998. 
The revised Circular is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg_infopoltech.

DATES: Effective upon publication as of January 27, 2016, OMB is making 
revised Circular A-119 available to the public.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jasmeet Seehra, Office of Management 
and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Law 104-113, the ``National 
Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995,'' codified the 
existing policies in A-119, ``Federal Participation in the Development 
and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment 
Activities,'' established reporting requirements, and authorized the 
National Institute of Standards and Technology to coordinate conformity 
assessment activities of the agencies. In 1998, OMB revised the 
Circular in order to make the terminology of the Circular consistent 
with the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995, to 
issue guidance to the agencies on making their reports to OMB, to 
direct the Secretary of Commerce to issue policy guidance for 
conformity assessment, and to make changes for clarity.
    OMB has issued a revision of Circular A-119 in light of changes 
that have taken place in the world of regulation, standards, and 
conformity assessment since the Circular was last revised in 1998. The 
revised Circular is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg_infopoltech. OMB's revisions are meant to provide more detailed 
guidance to agencies to take into

[[Page 4674]]

account several issues, including the Administration's current work in 
Open Government, developments in regulatory policy and international 
trade, and changes in technology.

Howard Shelanski,
Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2016-01606 Filed 1-26-16; 8:45 am]
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