Mary Saunders Discusses Standards and Policy Issues at September ANSI Caucus

On September 9, the American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) September Caucus welcomed special guest speaker Mary Saunders, director of the standards coordination office at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Ms. Saunders highlighted standards policy coordination at NIST and recent efforts within the agency to improve federal engagement in standards activities, particularly with regard to areas of national priority.

Ms. Saunders provided an overview of a recent meeting of the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Subcommittee on Standards (SOS), which seeks to engage government agencies on standards policy issues, articulate the U.S. model of public-private cooperation in standards setting to domestic and international audiences, and increase awareness within the federal government of best practices in addressing standards policy issues.

Attended by more than a dozen federal officials at the assistant secretary level, the June 30 SOS meeting focused on current standardization activities and coordination efforts among agencies and the private sector. Pat Gallagher, Under Secretary for Standards and Technology, and Aneesh Chopra, Chief Technology Officer, led a discussion on the U.S. government's role in standardization and the importance of coordinating the use of standards-based solutions to address public policy issues that involve multiple federal agencies. According to Ms. Saunders, a policy memo setting forth U.S. government operational policy principles for utilizing standardization tools and processes is expected to be issued shortly.

Ms. Saunders also discussed the role of the Interagency Council on Standards Policy (ICSP) in developing and disseminating best practices related to standardization. The ICSP works to promote effective and consistent standards policies, fostering cooperation between government, industry, and other private organizations involved in standards activities. Members of the ICSP play an important role, Ms. Saunders said, in identifying private sector-led standards solutions to address policy issues.

Held monthly, ANSI Caucus luncheons address key policy activities affecting the standardization community and are free for ANSI members. For more information, contact [email protected].

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