The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) recently awarded the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) ANSI a contract to implement Phase IV of the U.S.-China Standards and Conformance Cooperation Program (SCCP). Each phase of the program calls for the organization of 20 workshops, mostly in China, over a three-year period that cover a wide range of sectors and issues related to standards and conformity assessment. ANSI was previously awarded the contract to implement Phase III of the U.S.-China SCCP in 2013 and has since organized 19 of the 20 workshops.
This award reflects ANSI's record of organizing workshops on relevant issues with strong attendance and tangible benefits for U.S.-China commercial relations and standards cooperation. ANSI is proud to continue to offer the U.S.-China SCCP as an engagement vehicle for members interested or already active in the China market. The transition between Phase III and Phase IV will not impact the opportunity for interested U.S. private-sector organizations to co-sponsor a workshop anytime between now and the end of Phase IV in 2018. To start the process, ANSI invites such organizations to submit a Commercial Benefit Questionnaire, available for download on the program website.
In the second half of 2015, ANSI organized the following five U.S.-China SCCP workshops:
"U.S.-China Energy Performance Contracting Workshop," which was organized in cooperation with the U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Program (ECP). The event took place July 28 in Beijing. Topics addressed include opportunities and challenges of energy performance contracting (EPC) and EPC policy standards and pilot projects. The workshop facilitated dialogue in a sector where a number of these pilot projects are open to U.S. companies.
"China Brownfields Remediation Workshop," which was organized in cooperation with the International City/Country Managers Association and NIST's Standards in Trade program. The event took place September 1 in Chicago. Topics addressed include site conceptual models and management of contaminated sites, among others. The workshop took place on the sidelines of the National Brownfields Conference, which allowed Chinese participants to network with many U.S. organizations, including a number of SMEs.
"U.S.-China Meat Product Safety Seminar," which was organized in cooperation with the U.S.-China Food and Agriculture Partnership. The event took place September 19 in Qingdao. Topics addressed include food chain quality assurance and quality control. The workshop strengthened the cooperative programs between public and private sectors in both countries, enhanced collaboration and dialogue between U.S. and China meat industries, and built momentum for the upcoming major government-to-government events.
"U.S.-China Railway Life Cycle Cost Analysis Workshop," which was organized in cooperation with the U.S. Commercial Service and a number of U.S. companies. The event took place September 24 in Beijing. Topics addressed include track maintenance, railway tools and locomotive life cycle cost analysis. The workshop provided a platform for U.S. companies to introduce cost-saving solutions in a sector that is crucial to China's economic development.
"4th Electrostatic Protection and Standardization International Conference," which was organized in cooperation with the Electrostatic Discharge Association and the China National Institute of Standardization. The event took place November 6 in Tianjin. Discussion topics included ESD as it relates to Internet of Things and automotives, among others. Notably, the workshop facilitated the discussion on ANSI/ESD S20.20 between the experts in both countries and furthered cooperation between the U.S. and Chinese ESD industry.
Proceedings from these, and all Phase III and IV U.S.-China SCCP workshops, are available for download on the program website. Please contact [email protected] with any questions.