Core Metrology and Measurement Services

What this funds

As the National Metrology Institute of the United States, NIST has the sole responsibility for the realization and dissemination of the authoritative values for the International System of Units (SI) base units in the United States. NIST is also the only entity in the United States with the mission to deliver the measurement science necessary for U.S. competitiveness and economic security. NIST conducts core measurement science research across all areas of technology, including measurements and standards efforts that underpin critical and emerging technologies. NIST disseminates measurement-related standards through its calibration services, a critical link in the chain of traceability to international standards. In these services, NIST calibrates measurement equipment using techniques and products traceable to the seven fundamental units of measurement. NIST currently provides over 575 calibration services that impact us every day, including assurances of: the accuracy of altitude measurements in airplanes, the accuracy of GPS devices, and the safety of patients undergoing X-ray imaging. Calibration services cover nine areas: biomedical, dimensional, electromagnetic, environmental, ionizing radiation, mechanical, optical radiation, thermodynamic, and time and frequency. In this manner, calibration services fortify our domestic and international commerce. NIST also supports accurate and compatible measurements by certifying and providing more than 1,000 Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) and Reference Materials (RMs) with well-characterized compositions, properties, or both. These materials developed and maintained at NIST address specific stakeholder needs and are used to perform instrument calibrations as part of overall quality assurance programs, verify the accuracy of specific measurements, support the development of new measurement methods, and help U.S. companies meet regulatory requirements. NIST develops and distributes high-quality Standard Reference Data (SRD) to assist industry, academia, and government researchers. SRM and SRD program products help industries ranging from semiconductor and healthcare companies to materials and chemical manufacturers, while supporting diverse measurements like food nutritional values and water or soil pollution levels. NIST-32 Exhibit 12 NIST also has responsibility over coordinating the federal government's activities in documentary standards development and conformity assessment. NIST supports Administration priorities addressing trade, technology, innovation, and competitiveness. NIST directly supports standards development by the participation of over 400 NIST technical staff in over 100 standards organizations, on more than 1600 different standards committees. NIST supports U.S. private sector engagement in international standards development for critical and emerging technology areas. NIST serves as the administrator for U.S. mirror committees (U.S. Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) to International Technical Standards Committees, including in leadership positions within these areas. Within this budget program, NIST manages recognition programs for U.S. conformity assessment bodies (through the Telecommunications Mutual Recognition Agreements Program) and U.S. accreditation bodies (through the National Voluntary Conformity Assessment Systems Evaluation Program) that demonstrate conformance with specific regulatory telecommunications equipment requirements, facilitating regulatory acceptance of U.S. conformity assessment results and easing trade of telecommunications products by U.S. manufacturers in many countries.

Extracted from National Institute of Standards and Technology, p. 15. Verbatim; nothing here is paraphrased.

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