National Institute of Standards and Technology April 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Technology Innovation Program Advisory Board, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will meet in open session on Tuesday, May 11, 2010, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Eastern daylight savings time.

NIST publishes this notice to extend the deadline for proposal submission for its Fiscal Year 2010 NCNR Comprehensive Grants Program competition to 5 p.m. EDT, Thursday, May 13, 2010.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Technology Innovation Program (TIP) announces that it will hold a single fiscal year 2010 competition and is soliciting high-risk, high- reward research and development (R&D) proposals for financial assistance. TIP also announces that it will hold three public meetings (Proposers' Conferences) for all interested parties. TIP is soliciting proposals under this fiscal year 2010 competition in the area of critical national need entitled ``Manufacturing'' as described in the Program Description section below.

The International Code Council (ICC), promulgator of the International Codes and Standards, maintains a process for updating the entire family of International Codes based on receipt of proposals from interested individuals and organizations involved in the construction industry as well as the general public. The codes are updated every three years (2009current edition, 2012, 2015 editions, etc.). In the past, the codes were updated on 2-18 month cycles, with an intervening supplement between cycles. Starting with the 2009/2010 Cycle, ICC is transitioning to a development cycle where there will only be a single cycle of code development with the codes split into two groups. For each group of codes, there are two hearings for each code development cycle; the first where a committee considers the proposals and recommends an action on each proposal and the second to consider comments submitted in response to the committee action on proposals.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) seeks comments on the second draft of NISTIR 7628, Smart Grid Cyber Security Strategy and Requirements. This second draft has been updated

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app. 2, notice is hereby given that there will be a joint meeting of the Panel of Judges and the Board of Overseers of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award on June 16, 2010. The Panel of Judges and the Board of Overseers are each composed of twelve members prominent in the fields of quality, innovation, and performance management and appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, assembled to advise the Secretary of Commerce on the conduct of the Baldrige Award. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss and review information received from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and from the Chair of the Judges Panel of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The agenda will include: Baldrige Program (BNQP) Update, Baldrige Fellows Program Discussion, Baldrige Program Changes in 2010 and 2011, and Implementation of the Strategic Plan Actions.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announces voluntary product standard DOC PS 20-10 ``American Softwood Lumber Standard'' which will supersede DOC PS 20-05. The Standard establishes standard sizes and requirements for developing and coordinating the lumber grades of the various species of softwood lumber, the assignment of design values, and the preparation of grading rules applicable to each species. Its provisions include implementation of the Standard through an accreditation and certification program; establishment of principal trade classifications and lumber sizes for yard, structural, factory/shop use: Classification, measurement, grading and grade-marking of lumber; Definitions of terms and procedures to provide a basis for the use of uniform methods in the grading, inspection, measurement and description of softwood lumber; commercial names of the principal softwood species: Definitions of terms used in describing standard grades in lumber; and commonly used industry abbreviations. The Standard also includes the organization and functions of the American Lumber Standard Committee, the Board of Review, and the National Grading Rule Committee.