Metric Conversion: Future Progress Depends Upon Private Sector and Public
Support (Chapter Report, 01/13/94, GAO/RCED-94-23).

Metric use among the United States government, private sector, and
public is only inching along, despite the fact that Congress sanctioned
the use of the metric system in this country as far back as 1866.  Most
federal agencies have made great strides in establishing guidelines and
issuing reports on metric conversion but still face hurdles in putting
their plans into practice.  For instance, under the procurement system,
most products are nonmetric and the government's total market share is
too small to stimulate private industry conversion.  These difficulties
have prompted the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the
Pentagon to request waivers from metric requirements in cases affecting
entire ships and satellites.  Mixed progress has been made toward metric
conversion in the areas of federal grants and other business activities.
GAO notes that the federal government alone cannot achieve the goal of
metric conversions.  A broader national dialogue between the government,
the private sector, and the public is needed to discuss the next steps
in the metric conversion process.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  RCED-94-23
     TITLE:  Metric Conversion: Future Progress Depends Upon Private 
             Sector and Public Support
      DATE:  01/13/94
   SUBJECT:  Federal agencies
             Metric conversion
             Planning
             Interagency relations
             Policy evaluation
             Standards evaluation
             Educational programs
             Non-government enterprises
             Public relations
             Mathematics
IDENTIFIER:  FHwA Federal-Aid Highway Program
             Comanche Helicopter
             NASA Tropical Rainfall Mapping Mission
             
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