Consensus Standard

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Discussion

A consensus standard results from a standards development process based on c

The term describes how the responsible body developed or adopted the standard. It does not identify whether the standard is mandatory, voluntary, national, international, governmental, or privately developed.

A law, regulation, contract, procurement instrument, or organisational policy may require conformance with a consensus standard. Such use does not change the consensus basis through which the responsible body developed the standard.

A consensus standard is broader than a voluntary consensus standard. A voluntary consensus standard satisfies the additional process and organisational attributes identified by applicable federal standards policy.

Definition

Standard developed or adopted through a consensus-based process.

Source

Office of Management and Budget, Circular A-119: Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities International Organization for Standardization and International Electrotechnical Commission, ISO/IEC Guide 2, Standardization and related activities — General vocabulary

Note

The designation of a document as a consensus standard does not, by itself, establish:

Legal applicability Regulatory authority Technical suitability International status Voluntary consensus status Conformance with OMB Circular A-119

The applicable authority evaluates these characteristics separately.

Example

A standards organisation develops a technical specification through committee review, public comment, objection resolution, and consensus-based approval. The resulting specification is a consensus standard.

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