Why should government agencies at the federal, state and local levels adopt voluntary consensus standards developed in the private sector?
OMB Circular A-119 – Federal Participationin the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in ConformityAssessment Activities states the following: “The use of [voluntary consensus] standards, whenever practicable and appropriate, is intended to achieve the following goals: • Eliminate the cost to the Government of developing its own standards anddecrease the cost of goods procured and the burden of complying with agencyregulation. • Provide incentives and opportunities to establish standards that servenational needs. • Encourage long-term growth for U.S. enterprises and promote efficiencyand economic competition through harmonization of standards. • Further the policy of reliance upon the private sector to supply Governmentneeds for goods and services.” These benefits can accrue to state and local governments as well. For example: Governments become “friendlier” for their suppliers of goodsand services to deal with since the suppliers need not be concerned withmodifying
