ANSI eliminates Annex B from essential document requirements.
Press Release Summary:
The ANSI has announced that Annex B: Draft American National Standards for trial use (DTSU) of the ANSI Essential Requirements has been eliminated as an option for announcing documents through ANSI. This does not preclude an ANSI-accredited standards developer from developing, approving, and disseminating its own draft standards for trial use, however, such documents may not be announced or promoted as DTSU. Existing documents that do may no longer carry that label or be promoted that way.
Original Press Release:
ANSI Announces the Elimination of Annex B: Draft American National Standards for Trial Use from the ANSI Essential Requirements
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has announced that Annex B: Draft American National Standards for trial use of the ANSI Essential Requirements has been eliminated as an option for announcing documents through ANSI.
In response to numerous inquiries and comments during 2008, the ANSI Executive Standards Council (ExSC) considered the existing procedures contained in Annex B, feedback from standards developers that are current or potential users of this option, and public comments. Upon conclusion of its review, the ExSC recommended to the ANSI National Policy Committee (NPC) the deletion of Annex B. On September 25, 2008, the ANSI NPC agreed that Annex B shall be deleted as an option within the ANSI Essential Requirements.
Deletion of Annex B does not preclude an ANSI-accredited standards developer from developing, approving, and disseminating its own draft standards for trial use; however, such documents may not be announced as or otherwise promoted as "Draft American National Standards for Trial Use" (DSTU). Existing documents that are labeled or promoted as "Draft American National Standards for Trial Use" may no longer carry that label or be promoted as such.
In connection with the elimination of Annex B and this notice, the following apply:
Procedures: A developer whose ANSI-accredited procedures include a DSTU provision associated with the current Annex B as contained in the ANSI Essential Requirements shall revise its procedures to eliminate the DSTU option through ANSI in accordance with the 2009 ANS Compliance Form cycle. That is, developers will have one year from the 2009 Compliance Form deadline date to submit procedures for approval by the ANSI ExSC that eliminate this option.
Removal of references to "Draft American National Standard for Trial Use" on existing DSTUs that have been announced/published as such: Any designation or other labeling of a document as a "Draft American National Standard for Trial Use" shall be removed. Developers are not required to recall such documents or otherwise send specific notifications to those to whom such a document has been distributed. Developers with such documents must provide written confirmation of required changes to the Secretary to the ANSI Executive Standards Council (ExSC) by December 1, 2008.
PINS Requirement: If a standards developer wishes to process any document previously announced as a Draft American National Standard for Trial Use as a candidate American National Standard and a project initiation notification system (PINS) form has not yet been submitted, a PINS is now required.
Recommendation to ANSI-Accredited Standards Developers that sponsor "Draft American National Standards for Trial Use" to provide public notice: It is recommended that sponsors of current Draft American National Standard for Trial Use announce publicly that any current "Draft American National Standards for Trial Use" will no longer be referred to or maintained as such. (Whether or not a developer retains such documents as DSTUs within its own system is up to the developer.)
All questions should be directed to Anne Caldas, ANSI director of procedures and standards administration for accreditation services and secretary of the ExSC (212.642.4914, acaldas@ansi.org).
