ANSI provides and administers the only recognized system in the United States for establishing standards - no matter what their origin - as American National Standards. Approval by ANSI informs the user that the standard may be applied with confidence because those directly affected have reached agreement on its provisions.
One of the three procedures used for developing and coordinating American National Standards is the canvass method. When a standard is developed using this method, all those (organizations, companies, government agencies, individuals, and the like) who have a direct and material interest in the creation or revision of a standard have an opportunity to participate in the review and approval process.
The first step using this approach is to develop a canvass list of those who are known to be, or have indicated that they are or would be, directly and materially affected by a standard specifying the Data Format For the Interchange of Fingerprint, Facial, & SMT Image Information. The canvass list may not be dominated by any single interest category. Dominance means a position of dominant influence, by reason of superior leverage, to the exclusion of other viewpoints. As part of the "Due Process" requirement for the development of an ANSI standard, the body of participants, as a whole, must represent a balance of interest and shall not be dominated by any single interest category. Individuals and organizations interested in participating as registered canvassees must declare their specific interest category classification. This list is expected to consist primarily of vendors, organizations, and associations and includes standards developers known to be developing standards in similar fields. No individual shall represent more than one canvassee.
Proposed standards that are developed will be transmitted to all on the canvass list with appropriate supplemental information and a letter ballot. The ballot form will provide opportunity for the canvassee to indicate concurrence, objection, or abstinence (with reasons). In order to receive consideration, objections must be accompanied by supporting written reasons and, where possible, proposals for a solution to the problems raised.
The conduct of the ballot and disposition of any views and objections are handled in accordance with the Procedures for the Development and Coordination of American National Standards as approved by the ANSI Board of Directors on April, 1998.
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Accredited groups that submit standards to ANSI for approval are required to provide evidence that they were developed under an open process that gave directly and materially affected interests an opportunity to express their views. They must also demonstrate that these views have been carefully considered.
Further evidence is obtained though ANSI's public review process. Every proposed standard that is a candidate for approval is announced in Standards Action. During a specified period, usually sixty days, any one may obtain a copy of the proposal and submit comments. The standards developer is required to consider the comments and act on them. Comments and responses become part of the evidence of consensus.
ANSI's Board of Standards Review (BSR) is responsible for verifying that due process requirements have been met and that consensus - substantial agreement - has been reached. Substantial agreement is more than a simple majority but is not necessarily unanimity. If BSR is satisfied, it approves the proposal as an American National Standard or takes action to reaffirm or withdraw existing standards.
Created July 8, 1999.
Last modified October 17, 2000.
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