SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background Information: As the NMI of the United States, NIST is responsible for all measurement standards in the United States. NIST is a signatory to the CIPM MRA. Section 6.1 of the MRA provides for cases where an NMI chooses to nominate a laboratory other than itself to be responsible for the national measurement standards relevant to that particular measurand. Under the provisions of the MRA, NIST may designate a U.S. organization other than itself to be the DI responsible for certain national measurement standards and associated services that are not covered by the activities of NIST in accordance with the terms of the MRA.

The DI is responsible for the following tasks: Maintaining the United States' national measurement standard for a specific measurand; disseminating standards for that measurand to industry, government, and academia in the United States; submitting its quality system for review by the NIST Quality Manager and the NIST Measurement Services Council, or their designees; and maintaining its National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) accreditation with a scope that covers the intended measurement capability. When it is determined by NIST to be appropriate, the DI is responsible for these additional tasks: Participating, in partnership with NIST, in activities of the MRA; establishing and maintaining calibration and measurement capabilities (CMCs) that address the scope of designation for inclusion in the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) Key Comparison Database; and participating in BIPM and Regional Metrology Organization Key Comparisons.

The status and performance of a DI will be reviewed annually by the NMSC (or their designees). NIST will consider comments received in response to this notice as one element of this review. If the DI does not meet the responsibilities as specified above, or if the identified scientific need or trade barrier is determined to no longer exist, NIST may revoke the designation of a DI.

Underwater Acoustics Measurements: NUWC Division Newport provides research, development, test and evaluation, engineering, analysis, and assessment, and fleet support capabilities for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, and offensive and defensive undersea weapon systems, and stewards existing and emerging technologies in support of undersea warfare. NUWC Division Newport is headquartered in Rhode Island, has detachments in West Palm Beach, Florida and Andros Island in the Bahamas, and has facilities in Seneca Lake and Fisher's Island in New York, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.

The need for a DI for an underwater acoustics measurand was identified by the Director of NIST's Physical Measurement Laboratory as a need for ( printed page 26909) the national security of the United States. This need cannot be addressed by NIST's current activities because NIST does not possess the facilities to perform underwater acoustic measurements. The need for a DI was reviewed and approved by the NMSC and NIST's Associate Director for Laboratory Programs. Based on the foregoing, NIST designated the NUWC Division Newport as the U.S. Designated Institute for Underwater Acoustics Measurements to effectively and efficiently fulfill the need in the United States for underwater acoustic measurements to meet the needs of the national security of the United States.

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 272(b) & (c).

86 FR 26908