U.S. Standards System: U.S. Regulators (Government)

U.S. regulators are called to safeguard the environment, health, safety, and national security. Under U.S. law – the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (NTTAA) (Public Law 104-113) – U.S. regulatory agencies are required to use private sector standards whenever possible, to work with the private sector to develop appropriate standards where none exist, and to develop government-unique standards only as a last resort. There are approximately 6,000 references to private sector standards in U.S. federal regulations.

Staff of U.S. regulatory agencies – including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) – provide significant technical information for the development of a wide array of voluntary standards in areas critical to the health, safety and well-being of citizens.

Regulatory agencies participate in the development of standards in areas that fall within their mandate. These experts participate in private-sector standards development activities as equal partners with private-sector stakeholders.

 A roster of ANSI’s government members including regulatory agencies is available on the ANSI website.

 View a directory of some U.S. government agencies that play a role in standards and conformance in the U.S.

The role of U.S. Procurement Agencies