​NIJ’s Standards Development Process

This figure is a flowchart. It begins with "Engagement with practitioner community identifies the need for new or revised standard."

1. Then Question: "Can an existing standard be adopted?"
   1. If "Yes," then "NIJ does not develop the standard."
   2. If "No," then Question: "Will another organization develop the standard?"
      1. If "Yes," then "NIJ does not develop the standard."
      2. If "No," then NIJ proceeds.
2. Then "NIJ establishes a special technical committee and a stakeholder advisory working group"
3. Then "The special technical committee develops or revises standards documents."
   1. During standards document development, "Vendor workshops are held to gather feedback."
   2. During standards document development, "Test methods are developed, adapted or adopted."
4. Then "The special technical committee sends documents to advisory working group."
5. Then "The advisory working group reviews documents from the special technical committee."
6. Then Question: "Does the advisory working group have comments on the documents?"
   1. If "Yes," then return to 3, "The special technical committee revises standards documents."
   2. If "No," then "The documents are published in the Federal Register for public comment."
7. Then Question: "Are there comments from the public requiring revision?"
   1. If "Yes," then return to 3, "The special technical committee revises standards documents."
   2. If "No," then "Test methods are independently evaluated."
8. Then Question: "Are revisions needed to the test methods?"
   1. If "Yes," then return to 3, "The special technical committee revises standards documents."
   2. If "No," then "Standards documents are published."
9. Then "A conformity assessment program is established."
10. Then the flowchart returns to the beginning, "Engagement with the practitioner community identifies the need for new or revised standard."