National Voluntary Conformity Assessment System Evaluation Program: Accreditors that accredit laboratories that test telecommunications equipment and/or perform electromagnetic compatibility testing; recognition,

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Federal Register: November 30, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 229)NoticesPage 66900-66901From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr30no99-73

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Docket No. 99102-0281-9281-01RIN 0693-XX48

National Voluntary Conformity Assessment System Evaluation (NVCASE) Program

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) hereby announces the establishment of a sub-program under the National Voluntary Conformity Assessment System Evaluation (NVCASE) program to recognize accreditors that accredit laboratories that test telecommunications equipment and/or perform electromagnetic compatibility testing. The sub-program is being established pursuant to NVCASE regulations in response to a request from a Federal Agency, the Federal Communications Commission. Accreditation bodies recognized by

[Page 66901]NIST may then accredit laboratories to perform specified testing to satisfy designated foreign or domestic government regulatory (i.e., mandated) requirements. NIST will explore with the National Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation a cooperative and joint approach for recognizing applicant laboratory accreditors.

The action being taken under this notice addresses both generic and specific NVCASE requirements relating to two sectoral annexes (telecommunications equipment and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)) of the United States (U.S.)/European Union (EU) Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement for the Conformity Assessment of Telecommunications Equipment. If additional MRAs covering these areas are negotiated between the United States and another country or region, any additional specific requirements will be included under this NVCASE activity.

Sub-program requirements have been developed in accordance with NVCASE regulations and with public consultation.

Public input was obtained at two open meetings on April 27 and April 28, 1999 and from comments received through May 30, 1999.

DATES: Applications will be received beginning November 30, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Applications for recognition may be obtained from, and returned to, Robert L. Gladhill, NVCASE Program Manager, NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Mailstop 2100, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2100, by fax (301) 975-5414, or email at robert.gladhill@nist.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert L. Gladhill, NVCASE Program Manager, at NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Mailstop 2100, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2100, telefax: (301) 975-5414, email: robert.gladhill@nist.gov

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NVCASE sub-program to recognize accreditation bodies that accredit laboratories to test telecommunications equipment and/or perform electromagetic compatibility testing is being established in accordance with the NVCASE Regulations (15 CFR Part 286.2(b)(3)(ii)) and in response to requiements as described in FCC GEN Docket 98-68 (FCC 98-338) adopted on December 17, 1998 and FCC Public Notice DA 99-1640 released August 17, 1999. The generic and specific requirements are also being established pursuant to NVCASE regulations (15 CFR Part 286.5). Public consultation on these requirements was conducted at two workshops held at the Department of Commerce on April 27 and 28, 1999. These workshops were announced in the Federal Register Sol. 64, No. 53/Friday, March 19, 1999. Follow-up comments were accepted from the public through May 30, 1999.

This program is also being established to support NIST's responsibilities as a designating authority for the United States in both the Telecommunication Equipment and EMC Sectoral Annexes of the U.S./EU MRA (which may be located at http://www.iep.doc.gov/mra/ mra.htm) and the APEC MRA for Conformity Assessment of Telecommunications Equipment (which may be located at http:// www.apii.or.kr/telwg/mraTG/mraTG-frame.html).

Telecommunications equipment testing as referenced in this notice covers tests of equipment for network terminal attachment and other equipment subject to telecommunications regulation, including wire and wireless equipment, transmitters, and terrestrial and satellite equipment, whether or not connected to a Public Telecommunications Network. EMC testing relates to measuring the electromagnetic emissions from the product under test, both intended and unintended, and their effect on other products (emissions testing), as well as the effects of electromagnetic emissions from other products on the product under test (immunity testing).

NIST will apply the generic requirements contained in the International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) Guide 58--``Calibration and Testing Laboratory Accreditation Systems--General Requirements for Operation and Recognition,'' to all applicant accreditation bodies. All laboratories applying to recognized accreditors shall be assessed against the requirements of ISO/IEC Guide 25--``General Requirements for the Competence of Calibration and Testing Laboratories.'' These generic requirements will be supplemented by specific technical requirements contained in individual NVCASE handbooks, available on request from NIST.

NIST will accept applications from interested accreditation bodies for recognition to accredit laboratories under the U.S./EU MRA or the APEC MRA. Evaluation of an initial group of applicant accreditation bodies for NVCASE recognition will begin on or about December 30, 1999. All accreditation bodies that have submitted a complete application and required fees to NIST by December 15, 1999, will be included in this initial group. Applications received subsequently will be considered on an as-received basis for evaluation after the initial group of applicants has been considered.

NIST expects to announce recognition of qualified accreditation bodies on or about April 1, 2000. At about the same time, NIST also expects to identify and list an initial group of qualified laboratories for each of the areas noted. Each laboratory listed under the provisions of the U.S./EU MRA or under the APEC MRA will be designated by NIST as a conformity assessment body (CAB).

This notice contains a collection of information requirement subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. This collection of information has been approved by OMB under the following control Number: 0693-0019.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to respond nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget Control Number.

Dated: November 19, 1999. Karen Brown, Deputy Director.

FR Doc. 99-31108Filed11-29-99; 8:45 amBILLING CODE 3510-13-M

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