[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 18, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26908-26909]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-10394]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Selection of Naval Undersea Warfare Center Newport Division as 
the Designated Institute for Underwater Acoustics Measurements

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an 
agency of the United States Department of Commerce, has designated the 
Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport as the U.S. 
Designated Institute (DI) for Underwater Acoustics Measurements to meet 
the needs of the national security of the United States. This 
designation is in accordance with the Mutual Recognition Arrangement 
(MRA) of the Comit[eacute] International des Poids et Mesures (CIPM), 
to which NIST is a signatory as the National Measurement Institute 
(NMI) of the United States. Section 6.1 of the MRA allows NIST to 
designate a laboratory other than itself to participate in the CIPM key 
comparisons on behalf of its nation and to be responsible for 
disseminating the national measurement standards relevant to a 
particular measurand if a substantial and demonstrable scientific need, 
trade barrier to an industry in the United States, or a national 
security need is addressed by such designation and such need cannot be 
addressed by NIST.

DATES: NIST's designation of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) 
Division Newport as the U.S. Designated Institute for Underwater 
Acoustics Measurements will expire on March 31, 2024. NIST will 
consider comments from the public regarding this designation received 
by that date as part of an annual review of the status and performance 
of the DI.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding NIST's designation or any requests for 
further information may be sent to James Fedchak, Associate Director 
for Measurement Services, Physical Measurement Laboratory, National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, by mail to 100 Bureau Drive, 
Mail Stop 8400, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, or by electronic mail to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, please 
contact James Fedchak, Associate Director for Measurement Services, 
Physical Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and 
Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 8400, Gaithersburg, Maryland 
20899, or by electronic mail to [email protected] or (301) 975-
8962.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background Information: As the NMI of the United States, NIST is 
responsible for all measurement standards in the United States. NIST is 
a signatory to the CIPM MRA. Section 6.1 of the MRA provides for cases 
where an NMI chooses to nominate a laboratory other than itself to be 
responsible for the national measurement standards relevant to that 
particular measurand. Under the provisions of the MRA, NIST may 
designate a U.S. organization other than itself to be the DI 
responsible for certain national measurement standards and associated 
services that are not covered by the activities of NIST in accordance 
with the terms of the MRA.
    The DI is responsible for the following tasks: Maintaining the 
United States' national measurement standard for a specific measurand; 
disseminating standards for that measurand to industry, government, and 
academia in the United States; submitting its quality system for review 
by the NIST Quality Manager and the NIST Measurement Services Council, 
or their designees; and maintaining its National Voluntary Laboratory 
Accreditation Program (NVLAP) accreditation with a scope that covers 
the intended measurement capability. When it is determined by NIST to 
be appropriate, the DI is responsible for these additional tasks: 
Participating, in partnership with NIST, in activities of the MRA; 
establishing and maintaining calibration and measurement capabilities 
(CMCs) that address the scope of designation for inclusion in the 
International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) Key Comparison 
Database; and participating in BIPM and Regional Metrology Organization 
Key Comparisons.
    The status and performance of a DI will be reviewed annually by the 
NMSC (or their designees). NIST will consider comments received in 
response to this notice as one element of this review. If the DI does 
not meet the responsibilities as specified above, or if the identified 
scientific need or trade barrier is determined to no longer exist, NIST 
may revoke the designation of a DI.
    Underwater Acoustics Measurements: NUWC Division Newport provides 
research, development, test and evaluation, engineering, analysis, and 
assessment, and fleet support capabilities for submarines, autonomous 
underwater systems, and offensive and defensive undersea weapon 
systems, and stewards existing and emerging technologies in support of 
undersea warfare. NUWC Division Newport is headquartered in Rhode 
Island, has detachments in West Palm Beach, Florida and Andros Island 
in the Bahamas, and has facilities in Seneca Lake and Fisher's Island 
in New York, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.
    The need for a DI for an underwater acoustics measurand was 
identified by the Director of NIST's Physical Measurement Laboratory as 
a need for

[[Page 26909]]

the national security of the United States. This need cannot be 
addressed by NIST's current activities because NIST does not possess 
the facilities to perform underwater acoustic measurements. The need 
for a DI was reviewed and approved by the NMSC and NIST's Associate 
Director for Laboratory Programs. Based on the foregoing, NIST 
designated the NUWC Division Newport as the U.S. Designated Institute 
for Underwater Acoustics Measurements to effectively and efficiently 
fulfill the need in the United States for underwater acoustic 
measurements to meet the needs of the national security of the United 
States.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 272(b) & (c).

Alicia Chambers,
NIST Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2021-10394 Filed 5-17-21; 8:45 am]
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