CALIBRATION PROGRAM
Sections
5.20.03 Legal and Proprietary Matters
5.20.04 Delegation of Authority
5.20.09 Procedures for Setting Fees
5.20.10 Information System to Support Calibrations (ISSC)
Appendix A – Calibration Services on NIST Internal Devices
Appendix B – Calibration Services for Foreign Entities
Appendix D – Establishment of NIST Calibration Services
Appendix E – Termination of NIST Calibration Services
5.20.01
PURPOSE
This subchapter states NIST policies and procedures for administering
calibration services.
5.20.02
SCOPE
The policies and procedures outlined in this subchapter apply to NIST-Gaithersburg
and NIST-Boulder. For purposes of this subchapter, the term “Calibration
Program” refers to the NIST-level Calibration Program and to the support
provided by the Measurement Services Division (MSD) in Technology Services
(TS)
(see Section 5.20.05b). In addition, unless specified otherwise,
the term “calibration service” refers to the three types of services available,
calibration services, measurement assurance programs (MAPs), and special
tests (see Section 5.20.11 for definitions).
This subchapter represents the decisions of the Measurement Services
Advisory Group (MSAG) (see Section 5.20.05g).
5.20.03
LEGAL AND PROPRIETARY MATTERS
a. Calibration services are performed under the authorization granted
by Title 15 United States Code (U.S.C.) Section 3710a. To the extent
permitted by law, NIST will protect these results from disclosure for a
period of up to five years pursuant to Title 15 U.S.C. 3710a(c)(7)(A) and
(7)(B).
b. NIST reserves the right to decline any request for service if the work would interfere with existing commitments or priorities.
c. The obligation of NIST to furnish a service is expressly limited to that which is possible with the funds provided by the customer.
d. Requests for the calibration of any instrument may be declined if, in the opinion of the technical person responsible for the calibration and with the concurrence of the division chief, the equipment is not suitable for its intended purpose, its capabilities and features are not compatible with NIST procedures and standards, or it does not meet additional criteria set forth in the NIST Special Publication (SP) 250, NIST Calibration Services Users Guide (see Section 5.20.12, References).
e. NIST may provide consulting, advisory, and calibration services for specific public entities on a reimbursable basis as long as similar requests for such services from other parties will also be honored.
f. Services not offered to the public via advertisement in the SP 250 should be handled as work performed for outside organizations and must follow the policies and procedures in Subchapter 8.05, Federal Government/Non-Federal Government-Sponsored Work and CRADAs.
g. NIST employees must refer inquiries to the Counsel for NIST regarding
NIST calibrations, tests, or other technical work related to legal actions.
5.20.04
DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
a. The authority to sign Reports of Calibration or Reports of Test
(see Section 5.20.11) is delegated to Laboratory Directors, who may re-delegate
the authority to division chiefs or other Division officials as specified
in the NIST Quality Manual.
b. The decision to decline a request for service and subsequent notification correspondence requires the approval of the Laboratory Director, except for cases covered in Section 5.20.03 above.
c. Fees for services to customers external to NIST may be waived only by the Laboratory Director after approval by the Budget Division. The request for approval to waive the fee should include where the costs for the service will be charged if the waiver is approved.
d. Final approval of calibration fixed fees is delegated to the NIST Budget Officer.
e. Requests from members of Congress for tests of materials or devices
should be promptly referred to the NIST Director through the Laboratory
Director before any action is taken or promised.
5.20.05
RESPONSIBILITIES
a. Laboratory – (1) Is responsible for the realization and dissemination
of U.S. National Measurement Standards for specified quantities; (2) decides
whether and when to offer a calibration service; (3) provides the technical
and scientific work involved in the development, maintenance, and provision
of calibration services; (4) determines the scope and estimates the level
of each service; (5) establishes and maintains a quality system that assures
quality in the results of its measurement services; (6) recommends annual
calibration fees to ensure full cost recovery (see Section 5.20.08); (7)
maintains records to justify calibration fees when offering measurement
or calibration services to the public; (8) performs continuous assessment
of customer needs; and (9) provides customer technical support as needed.
b. Technology Services (TS) / Measurement Services Division (MSD) – (1) Provides guidance, upon request, to the NIST Laboratories performing calibration services; (2) maintains customer, technical, and financial records related to every NIST calibration transaction; (3) maintains the Information System to Support Calibrations (ISSC) (see Section 5.20.10); (4) prepares and updates the SP 250 NIST Calibration Services User Guide and fee schedule appendix; (5) maintains, in consultation with the NIST Laboratories and NIST financial and legal organizations, NIST calibration administrative procedures; (6) provides the necessary information, reports, and administrative support to NIST customers and Laboratories; and (7) develops, maintains, and updates the internal and external calibration websites.
c. Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) Statistical Engineering Division (SED) – Supports Laboratories providing calibration services with statistical analysis, advice, and guidance in the development of technically sound estimates of uncertainty in realizing National Measurement Standards and in the procedures used for their dissemination.
d. Budget Division – (1) Reviews and approves the annual MSD Calibrations Operations budget as proposed by TS/MSD; (2) reviews and sets NIST-level calibration surcharge rates; (3) provides to TS/MSD the estimated cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) rate and NIST-, laboratory-, and division-level start-of-year rates for calculation of the annual calibration fees; (4) approves annual calibration fixed-fee computations for conformance to cost recovery policy; and (5) monitors expense and income activities for the Calibration Program.
e. Finance Division – (1) Handles billings and collections for all calibration services performed; (2) handles deferral of Service Development income in excess of expenses at year-end; and (3) serves as liaison for all financial audit activities regarding the Calibration Program.
f. Chief Information Officer (CIO) – (1) Operates and maintains the database server that stores ISSC technical, administrative, and financial data regarding calibrations performed at NIST, and (2) operates and maintains the web servers where the ISSC websites are located.
g. Measurement Services Advisory Group (MSAG) – (1) Develops, adopts, reviews, and revises NIST-wide policies, procedures, practices, and plans related to the quality, relevance, and performance of NIST measurement services (which include NIST calibration services); (2) documents these policies, procedures, practices, and plans in the NIST Administrative Manual and other venues, as necessary; (3) oversees the NIST-wide implementation of these policies, procedures, practices, and plans; and (4) reports on at least an annual basis to the NIST Director on key issues related to measurement services. (The charter for the MSAG appears in Subchapter 3.01, Appendix A, Administrative Committees.)
h. ISSC Oversight Committee (ISSCOC) – Serves as the mechanism for ISSC users to provide input into the development and enhancement of the ISSC and to identify any problems encountered while using the ISSC. The ISSCOC meets monthly at a minimum, unless committee members agree otherwise (also see Sections 5.20.10 and 5.20.11 regarding the ISSC and definitions, respectively).
i. Acquisition and Logistics Division – (1) Receives instruments
shipped to NIST for calibration; (2) delivers them to the responsible technical
division; and (3) ships instruments back to customers.
5.20.06
CALIBRATION RESOURCES
The following describes the types of funding and resources available
to support NIST calibration activities. Refer to Subchapter 8.02
for more information regarding the NIST funding structure.
a. STRS appropriated funds support all research and long-term developmental work leading to the establishment of NIST calibration services. A Laboratory allocates its own STRS funding to calibration activities according to the Laboratory’s strategic priorities.
b. Service Development (SD) funds support the development of future calibration services and improvements in existing calibration services (see Section 5.20.08h(2)). The Budget Division determines the amount of SD funds available for each Laboratory in any given year based on the NIST anticipated SD collections for that year, adjusted for prior-year carryover, and on that Laboratory’s share of total calibration income for the previous three years.
c. Expense and Income (E&I) funds support the Laboratory’s technical expenses of providing the calibration service. Refer to Subchapter 8.06, Expense and Income Activities, for policies and procedures to be followed in the operation of E&I projects.
(1) A Laboratory’s technical costs incurred while conducting calibration
services are charged to calibration E&I projects and reimbursed through
fees that are billed to customers. These fees are either fixed or
at-cost and set based on the algorithm in Section 5.20.08 of this subchapter.
(2) Each Laboratory establishes E&I projects for the calibration
services it anticipates conducting during the fiscal year. The authorization
level for these projects equals the estimated amount of work to be performed
during the fiscal year.
(3) The calibration services that will be charged to each E&I project
are identified on Form NIST-607, Request for Authorization of an Expense
and Income Cost Center.
(4) Several similar calibration services may be grouped together on
one E&I project.
d. MSD calibration operations funds support the Measurement Services Division’s administrative support and centralized business and information services expenses related to calibrations (see Section 5.20.08h(1)).
e. Federal and non-federal government agency-sponsored work is
covered by policies and procedures in Subchapter 8.05. The Counsel
for NIST must be consulted if circumstances arise that are not covered
by this subchapter or Subchapter 8.05.
5.20.07
CALIBRATION PROCESS
The following describes the major steps in providing a NIST calibration
service.
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a. Customer contacts NIST
(1) Customers contact either the technical division or MSD regarding
a requested calibration service. If the customer contacts MSD, MSD
staff will refer the customer to the technical division.
(2) The technical division provides technical and administrative guidance
to the customer, as appropriate.
b. Technical division provides cost and turnaround time to customer
(1) Based on the service requested, the technical division provides
to the customer the estimated time it will take the technical division
to deliver the requested services to the customer.
(2) If the requested service is a fixed-fee calibration service, the
technical division notifies the customer of the approved fee as listed
in the Calibration Services Users Guide Appendix and Fee Schedule and on
the calibration external website (see Section 5.20.12h(1) for web address).
(3) If the requested service is an at-cost calibration service, the
technical division provides to the customer the estimated cost, based on
the customer’s needs. Form NIST-77 Calibration and Test Fee
Computation form, available in the ISSC, is used to calculate and justify
the cost of conducting the at-cost calibration service. Note that
Form NIST-77 is not saved in the ISSC because it contains salary information
and therefore, must be printed by the technical division and retained in
the hard copy of the test folder (see Section 5.20.11) for audit purposes.
c. Customer sends an authorization in the form of a purchase order or a purchase request and the instrument to NIST
(1) Customers may send authorizations to the technical division or to
MSD. Note that authorization from customers may come in the form
of either a purchase order or purchase request.
(2) Current ISSC procedures allow each technical division to elect
either to enter their authorization information directly into the ISSC
themselves or to have the information entered by MSD. Either way, orders
or requests should be entered into the ISSC within one working day of the
responsible data-entry division receiving the order or request.
(i) If the order or request is sent to MSD but it is the technical division’s
responsibility to enter the information into the ISSC, MSD will fax the
order or request information to the technical division’s appropriate contact
for that service as defined in the division’s Quality Manual within one
working day of receiving the authorization. The technical division
will then enter the information into the ISSC according to its own established
procedures. Otherwise, MSD will enter the information directly into
the ISSC.
(ii) If the order or request is sent to the technical division but
MSD handles entering that division’s information into the ISSC, the technical
division will fax the order or request to MSD within one working day of
receiving the authorization. MSD will then enter the information
into the ISSC. Otherwise, the technical division will enter the information
directly into the ISSC and then fax the order or request to MSD within
one working day for documentation purposes.
(3) Once the authorization information is entered into the ISSC and
MSD has received a hard copy of the order or request, MSD staff validates
that all information entered in the ISSC electronic version of the test
folder is correct, including the customer address and customer type.
(4) MSD then mails a hard copy of the test folder to the technical
division.
(5) The NIST financial system, referred to as CAMS (Commerce Administrative
Management System), uses a CAMS customer number to identify each customer
uniquely. The CAMS number must be entered in the ISSC as part of the electronic
version of the test folder before the customer can be billed.
(i) If a CAMS customer number already exists in the division’s
ISSC database, the number is displayed when the customer is selected during
the order or request entry process.
(ii) If a CAMS customer number does not exist in the division’s
ISSC database, the technical division must go to the CAMS Customer Web
Lookup (https://webapp01.nist.gov:4444/cams/portal/index.html
and select “customer lookup”) to obtain a number. If the CAMS customer
number already exists in the CAMS database, the technical division obtains
the CAMS customer number and enters it into the ISSC. If no CAMS
customer number is in the CAMS database for the customer, the technical
division fills out the CAMS customer maintenance form to request a CAMS
customer number. All inquiries regarding the CAMS customer number
are directed to the CAMS Customer Interaction Center (CIC).
d. Customer sends instrument to NIST
(1) Instruments are received by the Acquisition and Logistics Division
and delivered directly to the technical division providing the service.
(2) Upon receiving the instrument, the technical division unpacks,
inspects, and evaluates the instrument to ensure that it is in adequate
condition for the calibration service to be performed.
(3) If the technical division finds that the instrument is not in acceptable
condition, the technical division prepares the instrument to be shipped
back to the customer by the Acquisition and Logistics Division at the expense
of the customer.
e. Technical division makes measurements, evaluates data, and writes report
(1) Upon receipt of the purchase order and receipt and acceptance of the instrument:
(i) the technical division begins conducting the measurements and evaluating
the data and
(ii) the first two pages of Form NIST-64, Test Record, referred
to as the “acceptance copies” or copy number 1, are generated by the ISSC
and sent to the customer by either the division or MSD, depending on which
division entered the authorization information into the ISSC (see Section
5.20.07c(2)). The acceptance copies provide the customer with information
such as the estimated costs, estimated completion date, comments intended
for the customer, the customer’s calibration status web page address, a
username and password to gain access to the customer’s calibration status
web page, each item that will be calibrated, the test number(s), the technical
staff member's contact information, and other contact information to obtain
additional information.
(2) The final results of the calibration are documented by the technical
staff in a written report called a Report of Calibration or Report of Test
(see Section 5.20.11g). The ISSC can generate portions of such Reports
as well as cover letters. Some divisions use these features while
others prepare their own Reports.
(3) The technical division prepares the instrument to be shipped back
to the customer by the Acquisition and Logistics Division.
(4) The technical division closes the electronic version of the test
folder in the ISSC.
f. Customer is billed for calibration service
(1) After the technical division closes the electronic version of the
test folder in the ISSC, the division generates the “fee sheets” of Form
NIST-64, Test Record, through the system for all calibration services,
regardless of the type of fee (fixed or at-cost).
(2) Copy number 2 of the fee sheets is for the technical division’s
files and displays the item(s) calibrated, special invoicing instructions
and remarks, a breakdown of costs by project and task, and the total cost.
(3) Copy number 3 is the Fee Record that is signed by the technical
division and sent to the Receivables Group in the Finance Division and
contains the same information as copy number 2. The technical division
also makes a copy of the signed Fee Record (copy number 3) to be maintained
in the hard copy of the test folder. Upon receipt of copy number
3 and if the customer’s CAMS number has been assigned (see Section 5.20.07c(5))
the Finance Division bills the customer. Note that the ISSC allows
the technical division to conduct the calibration even if a CAMS customer
number has not been assigned. However, the CAMS customer number must
be entered in the ISSC as part of the electronic version of the test folder
before the customer can be billed.
(4) Copy number 4 is attached to the instrument for the Acquisition
and Logistics Division and contains shipping comments as entered and a
list of items to be shipped to the customer.
(5) Copy number 5 is the Packing Slip and is sent with the items being
returned to the customer.
(6) Upon notification by the technical division, the Acquisition and
Logistics Division picks up the instrument from the technical division
and arranges for delivery to the customer.
g. Test folder retention
(1) The technical division decides on the appropriate retention period
and marks the front of the hard copy of the test folder to destroy the
test folder either three years or 20 years after the date of the Report
of Calibration or Test.
(2) Three-year disposition applies to test folders for calibration
services of a routine nature having a short-term value as determined by
NIST procedures or by the staff member conducting the calibration service.
(3) 20-year disposition applies to test folders for calibration services
that have a long-term value as established by NIST procedures or by the
staff member conducting the calibration service and relate to (i) the development
of new and significant testing techniques, (ii) new and significant arts
and materials, or (iii) basic national standards and international agreements.
(4) Permanent retention may be selected by the U.S. National Archives
and Records Administration if the calibration service (i) becomes the subject
of a Congressional investigation or comes under intensive public scrutiny
or (ii) becomes involved in court decisions or legislative actions affecting
the functions and activities of NIST.
(5) In Gaithersburg, upon closing the electronic version of the test
folder in the ISSC, the technical division sends the hard copy of the test
folder to MSD for documentation and file retention purposes. MSD
retains all Gaithersburg test folders on-site for three years. Annually,
MSD sends test folders older than three years to the NIST Forms and Records
Management Office. The NIST Forms and Records Management Office destroys
test folders with a three-year disposition and transfers test folders with
a 20-year disposition to the Federal Records Center in Suitland, Maryland.
(6) In Boulder, test folders are not sent to MSD. Presently,
a minimum 20-year disposition is applied to all test folders, and they
are retained on the Boulder site.
5.20.08
DETERMINATION OF FEES
Fees are set to recover the full cost of providing a calibration of
a customer’s instrument and include the Laboratory’s direct technical costs
as
well as various indirect costs as described below. Whether fees are
pre-determined (fixed-fee) or determined on a case-by-case basis (at-cost),
the algorithm is essentially the same.
Fixed-fees are computed by MSD and approved by the Budget Division based on information supplied by the technical divisions and are adjusted annually to reflect any changes that may have occurred during the year. At-cost fees are determined by the technical divisions using a NIST-77, Calibration and Test Fee Computation form, and include all the items listed below except actual, rather than estimated, other objects and hours of direct labor are always used.
Refer to Appendix A of this subchapter regarding fees for calibration
services performed on NIST-internal devices. Calibration service
fees include the following items, except as cited above:
| Salary (S) | {hourly rate x number of hours} |
| + Leave (L) | {[Sum(S)] x leave surcharge} |
| + Indirect division costs (IDC) | {[Sum(S) + L] x IDC rate} |
| + Benefits (B) | {[Sum(S) + L + IDC] x benefits rate} |
| = Total Direct Labor Costs (DLC) | |
| + Overhead (OH) | {DLC x (NIST + laboratory + division + use rates)} |
| + Other Objects (OO) | |
| + Contingency (C) | {(DLC + OH + OO) x contingency surcharge} |
| = Division Fee (DF) | |
| + MSD Calibration Operations | {DF x MSD calibration operations surcharge} |
| + Calibration SD Surcharge | {DF x calibration service development (SD) surcharge} |
| = Total Fee (rounded to the nearest dollar) |
a. Salary costs include the Laboratory’s technical labor hours and hourly rates spent in conducting the calibration service.
(1) At-cost fees reflect the actual salary and number of hours
required for technical division personnel to provide the calibration service.
(2) Fixed-fees reflect the current actual salary (at the time
the fixed-fees are prepared) and estimated number of hours required
for technical division personnel to provide the service. However,
fixed-fees may use an average value for the type of service involved so
that the variations in actual time throughout the year will balance out.
In addition, if several people work interchangeably for a variety of services,
fixed-fee calculations may use the salary of the “average” worker based
on the total salary and total hours.
(3) All fees include the time spent in preparing the instrument for
the test, the set up and check out of equipment and standards, the measurements,
the data handling, and report writing.
(4) Time for direct supervision, secretarial services, or other labor
may also be included in the direct labor of both at-cost and fixed-fees
or, because these costs apply to all calibration services or a series of
services in a division, they may be included under the indirect division
costs (see item c below).
b. Leave surcharge is applied to the total salary costs for the calibration service. Subchapter 8.08, Appendix F, contains the current NIST leave surcharge rate.
c. Indirect division cost (IDC) rate covers a division’s costs that apply to all calibration services or a series of services in that division and are not recovered in the direct labor portion of the fee.
(1) The IDC rate is applied to the calibration service’s total salary
and leave surcharge expenses.
(2) Appropriate costs include, for example, supervision, training,
recalibration of standards, maintenance of equipment, and record keeping.
(3) The rate is determined by summing the annual labor costs of all
appropriate indirect division charges and dividing by the total annual
direct labor costs of all calibration services in the division that the
IDC costs will support.
(4) Records of how the indirect division costs and rate are determined
must be maintained by the division and should be reviewed annually to ensure
cost recovery. The Laboratory provides this information to MSD annually
to pass on to the Budget Division for review and approval as part of the
Budget Division’s review of calibration fixed-fees.
d. Benefits rate is applied to the total of the calibration service’s salary, leave, and indirect division costs. Subchapter 8.08, Appendix F, contains the current NIST benefits rate.
e. Overhead rates include division, laboratory, and NIST overheads, as well as the use (building depreciation) surcharge, and are applied to the calibration service’s total salary, leave, IDC, and benefits costs, also referred to as the total direct labor costs. Subchapter 8.08, Appendix F, contains the current overhead rates.
f. Other objects (itemized supplies and materials) include special items of material or equipment that are needed for each test or are supplied to the customer.
(1) At-cost fees include the actual other objects expenses incurred
in providing the calibration service.
(2) Fixed-fees include the estimated other objects expenses
expected to be incurred when providing the calibration service.
g. Contingency surcharge is unique to the Calibration Program and covers unanticipated fluctuations in costs, such as changes in overhead rates and pay raises, that may occur during a fiscal year for fixed-fee services or while an at-cost calibration service is being performed. The surcharge is applied to the direct labor, overheads, and other objects costs of each calibration service.
h. Calibration surcharges are unique to the Calibration Program and are applied to the division fee (labor, leave, IDC, benefits, overheads, other objects, and contingency) of both fixed-fee and at-cost calibration services in determining the total fee.
(1) MSD Calibrations operations surcharge funds the Measurement
Services Division (MSD) administrative support and centralized business
and information services activities related to calibrations.
(2) Service Development (SD) surcharge recovers costs associated
with the development of new or the improvement of existing calibration
services. All SD funds collected are returned directly to the Laboratories.
See Section 5.20.06b.
5.20.09
PROCEDURES FOR SETTING FEES
a. Fees for services carried out at-cost (see Section 5.20.08)
are determined using Form NIST-77, Calibration and Test Fee Computation
form, to calculate and justify the cost of conducting the calibration service.
Form NIST-77 is available online in the ISSC but is not saved in the system
because it contains salary information. Therefore, the form must
be printed by the technical division and retained in the hard copy of the
test folder for audit purposes.
b. Fees for each item listed in the SP 250 Appendix at a fixed-fee are established according to the following annual process and schedule for setting the predetermined calibration fees to ensure that the technical divisions are able to recover their actual costs.
(1) The Measurement Services Division (MSD) prepares the appropriate
spreadsheets by the beginning of the fiscal year for each technical division
based on the previous fiscal year’s (FY) fee schedule.
(2) MSD contacts the Budget Division by the beginning of the fiscal
year for the estimated cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) rate, NIST-level
start-of-year surcharge rates, and each Laboratory’s and technical division’s
start-of-year overhead rates (see Subchapter 8.08, Cost Accounting).
(3) MSD asks Human Resources Management Division (HRMD) by the beginning
of the fiscal year for salary data with updated pay for performance data.
(4) HRMD provides MSD with salary information within one month of the
start of the fiscal year.
(5) MSD performs the necessary calculations and sends the individual
spreadsheets to the technical divisions and Laboratories within two weeks
of receiving all the necessary data.
(6) The Laboratories and technical divisions review the spreadsheets
and verify service providers, etc. and updated information is returned
to MSD by the first week of December.
(7) MSD prepares the final fee schedule, incorporating changes made
by the Laboratories and technical divisions, and obtains additional salary
information from HRMD as needed. The final fee schedule is sent to
the Budget Division by the end of the second full week of December for
review and approval.
(8) The Budget Division approves the fees by the start of the new calendar
year.
(9) MSD immediately informs the technical divisions and posts the new
fee schedule on the Calibration website.
5.20.10
INFORMATION SYSTEM TO SUPPORT CALIBRATIONS (ISSC)
The ISSC is a web-based database system that provides access to technical,
financial, and administrative data on calibrations performed by NIST and
includes the following functions.
a. Automation of most of the administrative workflow, ranging from providing data entry forms for inputting purchase orders to generating invoices after calibrations have been completed.
(1) The status of each calibration job is tracked through the ISSC.
(2) NIST managers and technical staff are automatically sent email
warnings of impending late jobs.
(3) Most of the paperwork required for calibration services, such as
forms, reports, invoices, and letters to customers, is generated by the
system.
b. Secure access for NIST Calibration customers to obtain information on the status of their calibration via a web page that is password protected. This web page also contains a link for customers to provide feedback on the calibration service received from NIST. Customer comments are sent to the technical contacts specified in the corresponding test folder as well as to the calibrations@nist.gov and issc@nist.gov email list members.
c. Procedures to open an ISSC NIST user account
(1) New NIST users may either contact MSD directly for an ISSC
User Request Form or download the form by selecting “NIST ISSC Quality
System Documents” then “ISSC Users” from the calibration intranet (see
Section 5.20.12h(3) for web address).
(2) The new user completes and signs the request form. Note that
the new user’s signature acknowledges receipt of the security policies
and agreement to abide by the specified responsibilities.
(3) The completed request form is then approved and signed by the prospective
user's division chief or administrative officer.
(4) The signed request form is sent to MSD.
(5) MSD creates a new user account in the ISSC, establishes the appropriate
levels of access, and emails the new user that the account is active and
that he or she will soon receive an initial password and instructions.
MSD retains user forms on file as long as the user requires access.
(6) MSD provides the user with an initial password. The new user
changes this password as soon as possible to a new NIST-compliant password.
d. Procedures to close an ISSC NIST user account
(1) The Laboratory (i.e., user or user’s secretary, administrative officer,
or management) notifies MSD that a user no longer requires access to the
ISSC.
(2) Upon notification, MSD deactivates the user account in the system.
If the user has data in the system pertaining to calibration services performed,
these data are not removed, but remain in the system for historical purposes.
(3) An ISSC NIST user account is also closed when a user leaves NIST
and is cleared by the NIST Central Computing Facility (CCF).
e. Technical division user functions
In most cases, each technical division involved in calibration services has its own ISSC website. Links are available on each website that allow users to report errors, request an enhancement or change, and send questions or comments to issc@nist.gov that go to the ISSC support team members in MSD. In addition, each website is divided into three functional areas: data entry, technical, and administrative. The ISSC offers user tutorials for each of these three functional areas by selecting “NIST ISSC Quality System Documents” then “ISSC Functions” from the calibration intranet (see Section 5.20.12h(3) for web address).
(1) Data entry options include entering purchase order information,
viewing and modifying Form NIST-64s, maintaining information on folders
and customer instruments, updating SP 250 test pricing by using Form NIST-77
to calculate calibration fees, and generating customer labels for shipping.
To help ensure the integrity of the data in the ISSC, procedures are available
online on each division’s website that must be followed when requesting
a change to the data. All signed data change requests are kept on
file in MSD.
(2) Technical options include displaying a list of pending calibration
services, entering calibration data, viewing historical data on equipment,
printing calibration reports, and using Form NIST-77 to calculate at-cost
calibration fees.
(3) Administrative options include generating reports, adding,
deleting, and modifying the list of staff members, and tracking test folder
dates.
f. MSD user functions
MSD has its own website for performing administrative functions and
generating reports including:
(1) viewing, modifying, adding, and deleting test folder numbers,
(2) viewing, modifying, adding, and deleting companies with delinquent
accounts,
(3) validating purchase orders,
(4) viewing billing information,
(5) generating yearly reports, and
(6) activating and deactivating users.
g. Finance Division user functions
The Finance Division has its own website for performing financial functions
including:
(1) viewing billing data,
(2) generating invoices, and
(3) adjusting invoice amounts.
5.20.11
DEFINITIONS
a. Calibration services are performed on instruments that are
metrologically suitable as reference or transfer standards and are designed
to help the manufacturers and users of precision instruments achieve the
highest possible levels of measurement quality and productivity.
Services directly link a customer's precision equipment or transfer standards
to national and international measurement standards using well-characterized,
stable and predictable measurement processes.
b. Information System to Support Calibrations (ISSC) is a web-based database system that provides access to NIST calibration technical, financial, and administrative data.
c. Intra-division calibration services are performed by a NIST technical division on a NIST-internal device that is the property of the division performing the work.
d. Inter-division calibration services are performed by one NIST technical division on a NIST-internal device for another NIST technical division.
e. ISSC Oversight Committee (ISSCOC) is made up of representatives from all technical divisions that perform calibrations, MSD, and the Finance Division and is chaired by an MSD ISSC developer. Meetings provide an opportunity for members to discuss problems encountered while using the ISSC, request enhancements to the system, and discuss calibration issues not directly related to the ISSC.
f. Measurement Assurance Programs (MAPs) are quality control programs for calibrating a customer’s entire measurement system. In a typical MAP, a stable artifact or set of artifacts called transfer standards is first measured by NIST and then sent to a customer’s laboratory for a series of measurements. The transfer standards are then returned to NIST for re-measurement, along with the participating laboratory’s results. NIST reports its comparative findings to the customer and, when necessary, offers guidance on achieving and maintaining measurement quality.
g. Report of Calibration and Report of Test document the results of calibrations or tests performed by NIST and apply only to the specific instrument or standard at the time the measurements were performed unless otherwise clearly stated. Reports are the property of the customer, and copies are supplied to other parties only as required by federal law or requested in writing by the customer (see Section 5.20.03a). Reports of tests should include the appropriate caveats concerning the results and their uncertainties to distinguish the test from a calibration service. (Note that the NIST Quality Manual lists information required in a Report of Calibration or Report of Test. See Section 5.20.12f for the NIST Quality System website reference.)
h. Special test is either a unique or seldom-performed calibration or measurement requested by a customer.
i. Test folder is also referred to as the “blue folder” and is
a hard copy file that contains the unique calibration service number, the
name of the requestor, a brief description of the instrument submitted
(device, mechanism, standard, or material) to NIST for testing, and the
name and number of the NIST division and group performing the calibration
service. The contents of a typical test folder include a copy of
the purchase order, a copy of the signed Fee Record (copy number 3) of
Form NIST-64, Form NIST-77 for at-cost calibration services only, the Report
of Calibration or Report of Test, and other related correspondence or materials
as specified in the relevant section of the NIST Quality Manual.
Gaithersburg test folders are maintained in MSD and Boulder test folders
are maintained by the technical division (see Section 5.20.07g on test
folder retention).
5.20.12
REFERENCES
a. National Institute of Standards and Technology Organic Act
NIST fulfills its mission in a variety of ways, including the calibration of instruments and devices. The NIST Organic Act contains the following functions related to calibration services.
(1) Develop, maintain, and retain custody of the national standards
of measurement, and provide the means and methods for making measurements
consistent with those standards (15 U.S.C. 272b(2)).
(2) Assure the compatibility of United States national measurement
standards with those of other nations (15 U.S.C. 272b(8)).
(3) Construct physical standards (15 U.S.C. 272c(1)).
(4) Test, calibrate, and certify standards and standard measuring apparatus
(15 U.S.C. 272c(2)).
b. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
(1) 15 CFR 200.102 describes the types of NIST calibration and test
services.
(2) 15 CFR 200.113 restricts the use of calibration and test results
and reports.
c. Cost Recovery
(1) Authority to charge fees for calibration services, unless waived
by the NIST Director when deemed to be in the interest of the government,
is granted in Sections 275a and 275c of the National Institute of Standards
and Technology Organic Act.
(2) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-25 contains
federal policy regarding fees assessed for the “sale or use of Government
goods or resources” and provides the basis for setting those fees which
must be sufficient to recover full costs. In addition, it requires
a biennial review of fees; however, it is NIST policy to review fees annually.
d. Changes in Policies
15 U.S.C. 278i(b) requires that all changes in policies regarding fees for calibration services, except changes due to the costs of raw materials or of delivering calibration services, be justified in writing by the NIST Director to the Congress.
e. NIST Administrative Manual
(1) Subchapter 5.03 provides guidance on compliance in the use of the
NIST name in advertising by commercial firms.
(2) Subchapter 8.05 contains procedures involving federal government
and non-federal government-sponsored work.
(3) Subchapter 8.06 contains appropriate charges and billing instructions
for Expense and Income (E&I) activities at NIST including calibration
technical work as well as calibration surcharge-supported activities such
as service development and MSD operations.
f. NIST Quality System documentation, including NIST Quality Manual for Measurement Services (QM-1), is available at http://www-i.nist.gov/nistqs.
g. Calibration Catalog
(1) The NIST Calibration Services Users Guide (NIST SP 250) provides
detailed descriptions of the individual calibration services, data on uncertainty
and other technical references, and ordering instructions for both foreign
and domestic customers.
(2) The Calibration Services Users Guide Appendix and Fee Schedule
lists predetermined calibration fees and is updated and published annually
to reflect changes in prices and services.
h. Calibration websites
(1) The external calibration internet website is available at http://ts.nist.gov/calibrations
and contains a list by measurement area of the NIST calibration services
available, including technical contacts and current fees, ordering procedures
for domestic and foreign customers, exhibit schedule, NIST traceability
policy, and other standards-related links.
(2) The internal calibration intranet website is available at http://www-i.nist.gov/ts/tsintranet/calibrations/index.htm
and contains approved calibration policies and procedures and quality system
documentation.
(3) ISSC general information for NIST staff, including an overview,
user account information, and functionality, is available by selecting
“NIST ISSC Quality System Documents” from the calibration intranet (web
address above). In addition, each division involved in calibration
services has its own password-protected ISSC website (see Section 5.20.10
for more information on the ISSC).