(2) A succinct statement explaining the need for the development of the standard through the Department of Commerce procedures; and

(3) Technical, marketing, or other appropriate data or information essential to discussion and development of the proposed standard, including, but not limited to, physical, mechanical, chemical, or performance characteristics, and production figures.

(d) Upon receipt of an appropriate request and, after a determination by the Department that a Voluntary Product Standard would not be contrary to the public interest, the Department may initiate the development by requesting that a draft of the suggested standard be prepared by an appropriate committee, provided such a draft has not previously been submitted under paragraph (a) of this section.

(e) The Department may initiate the development of a Voluntary Product Standard, if such action is deemed by the Department to be in the public interest, notwithstanding the absence of a request from an outside source. A voluntary standard initiated by the Department shall be processed in accordance with all requirements of these procedures and shall be developed in the same manner as a voluntary standard initiated by any group referred to in paragraph (a) of this section.

§ 10.2 Development of proposed standard.

(a) A proposed standard as submitted to the Department:

(1) Shall be based on adequate technical information, or, in the case of size standards (including standards covering the quantities for packaged consumer commodities), on adequate marketing information, or both, as determined to be appropriate by the Department;

(2) Shall not be contrary to the public interest;

(3) Shall be technically appropriate and such that conformance or nonconformance with the standard can be detemined either during or after the manufacturing process by inspection or other procedures which may be utilized by either an individual or a testing facility competent in the particular field;

(4) Shall follow the form prescribed by the National Bureau of Standards (Copies of the recommended format may be obtained upon request from the Office

of Engineering Standard Services, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C. 20234.);

(5) Shall include performance requirements if such are deemed by the Department to be technically sound, feasible, and practical, and the inclusion of such is deemed to be appropriate; and

(6) May include dimensions, sizes, material specifications, product requirements, design stipulations, component requirements, test methods, testing equipment descriptions, and installation procedures. The appropriateness of the inclusion in a standard of any particular item listed in this subparagraph shall be determined by the Department.

(b) A proposed standard that is determined by the Department to meet the criteria set forth in paragraph (a) of this section may be subjected to further review by an appropriate individual, committee, organization, or agency (either government or nongovernment, but not associated with the proponent group).

(c) A proposed standard may be circulated by the Department to appropriate producers, distributors, users, consumers, and other interested groups for consideration and comment as well as to others requesting the opportunity to comment.

(d) The proponent group or appropriate committee which drafted the initial proposal under § 10.1(d) shall consider all comments and suggestions submitted by the reviewer designated under paragraph (b) of this section, and those received by the Department as a result of any circulation under paragraph (c) of this section, and may make such adjustments in the proposal as are technically sound and as are believed to cause the standard to be generally acceptable to producers, distributors, users, consumers, and other interested parties. The proposal will then be submitted to the Department for further processing. § 10.3

Establishment of the Standard Review Committee.

(a) The Department will establish and appoint the members of a Standard Review Committee within a reasonable time after receiving a proposed standard. The committee will consist of qualified representatives of producers, distributors, and users or consumers of the product for which a standard is sought and of any other appropriate general interest groups such as State and Fed

eral agencies. Representatives of Federal agencies shall be advisory, nonvoting members. (Alternates to committee members may be designated by the Department.)

(b) A Standard Review Committee may remain in existence for a period necessary for the final development of the standard, or for 2 years, whichever is less.

(c) The Department will be responsible for the organization of the committee. Any formal operating procedures developed by the committee shall be subject to approval by the Department. The comimttee may conduct business either in a meeting or through correspondence, but only if a quorum participates. A quorum shall consist of two-thirds of all voting members of the committee. A majority of the voting members of the committee participating shall be required to approve any actions taken by the committee except for the action of recommending a standard to the Department, the requirements for which are contained in § 10.4(b),

(a) The Standard Review Committee, with the guidance and assistance of the Department and, if appropriate, the reviewer designated under § 10.2(b), shall review a proposed standard promptly. If the committee finds that the proposal meets the requirements set forth in § 10.2(a), it may recommend to the Department that the proposal be circulated for acceptance under § 10.5. If, however, the committee finds that the proposal being reviewed does not meet the requirements set forth in § 10.2(a), the committee shall change the proposal, after consulting with the proponent group, so that these requirements are met, before recommending such proposal to the Department.

(b) The recommendation of a standard by the Standard Review Committee must be approved by at least threequarters, or rejected by more than onequarter, of all of the members of the committee eligible to vote. The voting on the recommendation of a standard shall be conducted by the Department if conducted by letter ballot. If such voting is accomplished at a meeting of the committee, the balloting shall be either by roll call or by signed written ballot conducted by the Department or the Chairman of the committee. If conducted by

the Chairman, a report of the vote shall be made to the Department within 15 days. If the balloting at the meeting does not result in either approval by at least three-quarters of all members (or alternates) eligible to vote (whether present or not), or rejection by more than onequarter of the members (or alternates) of the committee eligible to vote, the balloting shall be disregarded and the Department will subsequently conduct a letter ballot of all members of the committee.

(c) Any member of the committee casting a negative ballot shall have the right to support his objection by furnishing the Chairman of the committee and the Department with a written statement setting forth the basis for his objection. The written statement of objection must be filed within 15 days after the date of the meeting during which the voting on the standard was accomplished, or, in the case of a letter ballot, within the time limit established for the return of the ballot.

(d) At the time a recommended standard is submitted to the Department, the Chairman of the Standard Review Committee shall furnish a written report in support of the committee's recommendation. Such report shall include a statement with respect to compliance with the requirements as established by these procedures, a discussion of the manner in which any objections were resolved, and a discussion of any unresolved objections together with the committee's reasons for rejecting such unresolved objections.

(2) The Department determines that all criteria and procedures set forth herein have not been met satisfactorily or that there is a legal impediment to the recommended standard.

(b) Distribution for acceptance or rejection for the purpose of determining general concurrence will be made to a list compiled by the Department, which, in the judgment of the Department, shall be representative of producers, distributors, and users and consumers.

(c) Distribution for comment will be made to any party filing a written request with the Department, and to such other parties as the Department may deem appropriate, including testing laboratories and interested State and Federal agencies.

(d) The Department will analyze the recommended standard and the responses received under paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section. If such analysis indicates that the recommended standard is supported by a consensus, it will be published as a Voluntary Product Standard by the Department, provided that all other requirements listed in these procedures have been satisfied.

(e) The following definitions shall apply to the terms used in this section:

(1) "Consensus" means general concurrence and, in addition, no substantive objection deemed valid by the Department.

(2) "General concurrence" means acceptance among those responding to the distribution made under paragraph (b) of this section in accordance with the conditions set forth in paragraph (f) of this section.

(3) "Substantive objection" means a documented objection based on grounds that one or more of the criteria set forth in these procedures has not been satisfied.

(4) "Average industry acceptance" means a percentage equal to the sum of the percentages of acceptance obtained from responses to distribution of the recommended standard in the producer segment, the distributor segment, and the user and consumer segment, divided by three. No consideration will be given to volume of production or volume of distribution in determining average industry acceptance.

(5) "Producer segment" means those persons who manufacture or produce the product covered by the standard.

(6) "Distributor segment" means those persons who distribute at whole

sale or retail the product covered by the standard.

(7) "User and consumer segment" means those persons who use or consume the product covered by the standard.

(8) "Acceptance by volume of production" means the weighted percentage of acceptance of those responding to the distribution in the producer segment. The weighting of each response will be made in accordance with the volume of production represented by each respondent.

(9) "Acceptance by volume of distribution" means the weighted percentage of acceptance of those responding to the distribution in the distributor segment. The weighting of each response will be made in accordance with the volume of distribution represented by each respondent.

(f) A recommended standard shall be deemed to be supported by general concurrence whenever:

(1) An analysis of the responses to the distribution under paragraph (b) of this section indicates:

(i) An average industry acceptance of not less than 75 percent;

(ii) Acceptance of not less than 70 percent by the producer segment, the distributor segment, and the user and consumer segment, each segment being considered separately; and

(iii) Acceptance by volume of production and acceptance by volume of distribution of not less than 70 percent in each case: Provided, That the Department shall disregard acceptance by volume of production or acceptance by volume of distribution or both unless, in the judgment of the Department, accurate figures for the volume of production or distribution are reasonably available and an evaluation of either or both of such acceptances is deemed necessary by the Department; or

(2) The Department determines that publication of the standard is appropriate under the procedures set forth in paragraph (g) of this section and, in addition, an analysis of the responses to the distribution under paragraph (b) of this section indicates:

(i) An average industry acceptance of not less than 663 percent;

(ii) Acceptance of not less than 60 percent by the producer segment, the distributor segment, and the user and consumer segment, each segment being considered separately; and

(iii) Acceptance by volume of production and acceptance by volume of distribution of not less than 60 percent in each case: Provided, That the Department shall disregard acceptance by volume of production or acceptance by volume of distribution or both unless, in the judgment of the Department, accurate figures for the volume of production or distribution are reasonably available and an evaluation of either or both of such acceptances is deemed necessary by the Department.

(g) A recommended standard which fails to achieve the acceptance requirements of paragraph (f) (1) of this section, but which satisfies the acceptance criteria of paragraph (f) (2) of this section, will be returned to the Standard Review Committee for reconsideration. The committee, by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters of all members eligible to vote, may resubmit the recommended standard without change to the Department with a recommendation that the standard be published as a Voluntary Product Standard. The Department shall then conduct a public rule-making hearing in accordance with the requirements of law as set forth in section 533 of Title 5, United States Code, to assist it in determining whether publication of the standard is in the public interest. If the Department determines that publication of the standard is in the public interest, the standard will be published as a Voluntary Product Standard.

§ 10.6 Procedure when a recommended standard is not supported by a con

bers from the Standard Review Committee, and will consist of qualified representatives of producers, distributors, and users or consumers of the product covered by the standard, and representatives of appropriate general interest groups such as municipal, State, and Federal agencies. Representatives of Federal agencies shall be advisory, nonvoting members. (Alternates to committee members may be designated by the Department.)

(b) Appointments to a Standing Committee may not exceed a term of 5 years. However, the committee may be reconstituted by the Department whenever appropriate, and members may be reappointed by the Department to succeeding terms. Appointments to the committee will be terminated upon the withdrawal of the standard.

(c) The Department will be responsible for the organization of the committee. Any formal operating procedures developed by the committee shall be subject to approval by the Department. The committee may conduct business either in a meeting or through correspondence,. but only if a quorum participates. A quorum shall consist of two-thirds of all voting members of the committee. A majority of the voting members of the committee participating shall be required to approve any actions taken by the committee except for the approval of revisions of the standard which shall be governed by the provisions of § 10.4 (b), (c), and (d).

(d) The members of a Standing Committee should be knowledgeable about: (1) The product or products covered by the standard;

(2) The standard itself; and

(3) Industry and trade practices relating to the standard.

(e) The committee shall:

(1) Keep itself informed of any advancing technology or marketing practices that might affect the standard;

(2) Provide the Department with interpretations of provisions of the standard upon request;

(3) Make recommendations to the Department concerning the desirability or necessity of revising or amending the standard;

(4) Receive and consider proposals to revise or amend the standard; and

(5) Recommend to the Department the revision or amendment of a standard.

§ 10.8

Publication of standard.

(a) A Voluntary Product Standard published by the Department under these procedures will be assigned an appropriate number for purposes of identification and reference. Public notice will be given regarding the publication and identification of the standard. A voluntary standard by itself has no mandatory or legally binding effect. Any person may choose to use or not to use such a standard. Appropriate reference in contracts, codes, advertising, invoices, announcements, product labels, and the like may be made to a Voluntary Product Standard published under these procedures. Such reference shall be in accordance with such policies as the Department may establish, but no product may be advertised or represented in any manner which would imply or tend to imply approval or endorsement of that product by the Department or by the Federal Government.

(b) A fee will be charged to the proponent group, when appropriate, to cover the initial publication expenses incurred in printing the final standard. This fee will entitle the proponent group to a thousand copies of the standard. Additional copies may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.

§ 10.9 Review of published standards.

(a) Each standard published under these procedures will be reviewed by the Department, with such assistance of the Standing Committee or others as may be deemed appropriate by the Department, within 5 years after initial issuance or last revision and at least every 5 years thereafter. The purpose of this review will be to determine whether the standard has become obsolete, technically inadequate, no longer acceptable to or used by the industry, or inconsistent with law or established public policy.

(b) If any of the above conditions is found to exist, the Department will initiate action to amend, revise, or withdraw the standard in accordance with § 10.10 or § 10.12. If none of the above conditions is found to exist, the standard will be kept in effect.

§ 10.10 Revision or amendment of a

standard.

(a) A published standard shall be subject to revision or amendment when it is

determined to be inadequate by its Standing Committee or by the Department for one or more of the following reasons or for any other appropriate

reason:

(1) Any portion of the standard is obsolete, technically inadequate, or no longer generally acceptable to or used by the industry;

(2) The standard or any part of it is inconsistent with law or established public policy; or

(3) The standard or any part of it is being used to mislead users or consumers or is determined to be against the interest of users, consumers, or the public in general.

(b) A revision of a standard shall be considered by the Department to include changes which are comprehensive in nature, which have a substantive effect on the standard, which change the level of performance or safety, or the design characteristics of the product being standardized, or which cannot reasonably be injected into a standard without disturbing the general applicability of the standard. Each suggestion for revision shall be submitted by the Department of the Standing Committee for appropriate consideration. The Standing Committee will serve the same functions in the revision of a standard as the Standard Review Committee serves in the development of a new standard. The processing of a revision of a standard will be dependent upon the age of the standard as computed from its effective date and will be accomplished as follows:

(1) A proposed revision of a standard older than 5 years at the time such proposed revision is submitted to the Standing Committee by the Department shall be processed as a new standard under these procedures and, when approved for publication, the standard shall be republished and reidentified to indicate the year in which the revision became effective. The revised standard will supersede the previously published standard.

(2) A proposed revision of a standard less than 5 years at the time such proposed revision is submitted to the Standing Committee by the Department shall be processed as a new standard except that:

(i) Distribution for acceptance or rejection shall be made to an appropriate list of producers, distributors, and users and consumers compiled by the Department;