Weights and Measures Service
Published on AidPage by
IDILOGIC on Jun 24, 2005
Purpose of this program:
To provide leadership and technical resources to assure the accuracy of the quantities and quantity representations in all commercial transactions in the United States, to promote a uniform national weights and measures system, to promote harmonization of national and international legal metrology standards, and to facilitate the transition to the metric system.
Possible uses and use restrictions...
This program provides education, technical advice, and assistance to States, State and industry metrologists, manufacturers of weights and measures devices, and other device users; manages U.S. representation and participation in the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) and in regional legal metrology organizations to harmonize legal metrology standards; provides leadership and assistance on metric use and conversion to businesses, state and local governments, standards organizations, trade association, and the education community; coordinates the metric transition activities of all Federal agencies; develops model laws and regulations; upgrades State laboratories; conducts technical studies; and provides technical support to the National Conference on Weights and Measures. It includes publications, related activities, special studies, technical advice, technology transfer through audit of State laboratories, technical training, and development of training material. There are no restrictions on the use of this material.
Who is eligible to apply...
States, political subdivisions of States, private industry, and the general public.
Credentials/Documentation
None.
Note:This is a brief description of the credentials or documentation required prior to, or along with, an application for assistance.
About this section:
This section indicates who can apply to the Federal government for assistance and the criteria the potential applicant must satisfy.
For example, individuals may be eligible for research grants, and the criteria to be satisfied may be that they have a professional or scientific degree,
3 years of research experience, and be a citizen of the United States. Universities, medical schools, hospitals, or State and local governments may also be eligible.
Where State governments are eligible, the type of State agency will be indicated (State welfare agency or State agency on aging) and the criteria that they
must satisfy.
Certain federal programs (e.g., the Pell Grant program which provides grants to students) involve intermediate levels of application processing, i.e., applications
are transmitted through colleges or universities that are neither the direct applicant nor the ultimate beneficiary. For these programs,
the criteria that the intermediaries must satisfy are also indicated, along with intermediaries who are not eligible.
How to apply...
Application Procedure:
Letter requesting services should be sent to Chief, Weights and Measures Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 2600, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2600.
Note: Each program will indicate whether applications are to be submitted to the Federal headquarters, regional or local office, or to a State or local government office.
Award Procedure:
Not applicable.
Note: Grant payments may be made by a letter of credit, advance by Treasury check, or reimbursement by Treasury check.
Awards may be made by the headquarters office directly to the applicant, an agency field office, a regional office,
or by an authorized county office. The assistance may pass through the initial applicant for further distribution by
intermediate level applicants to groups or individuals in the private sector.
Deadlines and process...
Deadlines
None.
Note:
When available, this section indicates the deadlines for applications to the funding agency which will
be stated in terms of the date(s) or between what dates the application should be received.
When not available, applicants should contact the funding agency for deadline information.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Not applicable.
Preapplication Coordination
None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Note:
This section indicates whether any prior coordination or approval is required with governmental or nongovernmental units
prior to the submission of a formal application to the federal funding agency.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Note:
In some cases, there are no provisions for appeal. Where applicable, this section discusses appeal procedures or allowable rework time for resubmission
of applications to be processed by the funding agency. Appeal procedures vary with individual programs and are either listed in this section or
applicants are referred to appeal procedures documented in the relevant Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Renewals
Not applicable.
Note:
In some instances, renewal procedures may be the same as for the application procedure, e.g., for projects of a non-continuing nature renewals will be treated as new, competing applications; for projects of an ongoing nature, renewals may be given annually.
Who can benefit...
States, political subdivisions of States, private industry, and the general public.
Beneficiaries
About this section:
This section lists the ultimate beneficiaries of a program, the criteria they must satisfy and who specifically is not eligible. The applicant and beneficiary will generally be the same for programs that provide assistance directly from a Federal agency. However, financial assistance that passes through State or local governments will have different applicants and beneficiaries since the assistance is transmitted to private sector beneficiaries who are not obligated to request or apply for the assistance.
What types of assistance...
Provision of Specialized Services
Programs which provide Federal personnel directly to perform certain tasks for the benefit of communities or individuals. These services may be performed in conjunction with nonfederal personnel, but they involve more than consultation, advice, or counseling.
Advisory Services and Counseling
Programs which provide Federal specialists to consult, advise, or counsel communities or individuals to include conferences, workshops, or personal contacts. This may involve the use of published information, but only in a secondary capacity.
Dissemination of Technical Information
Programs which provide for the publication and distribution of information or data of a specialized or technical nature frequently through clearinghouses or libraries. This does not include conventional public information services designed for general public consumption.
Training
Programs which provide instructional activities conducted directly by a Federal agency for individuals not employed by the Federal government.
How much financial aid...
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Not applicable.
Note:
This section lists the representative range (smallest to largest) of the amount of financial assistance available. These figures are based upon funds awarded in the past fiscal year and the current fiscal year to date. Also indicated is an approximate average amount of awards which were made in the past and current fiscal years.
Obligations
(Operating expenses) FY 03 $4,791,000; FY 04 est $4,332,000; and FY 05 est $4,332,000.
Note:
The dollar amounts listed in this section represent obligations for the past fiscal year (PY), estimates for the current fiscal year (CY), and estimates for the budget fiscal year (BY) as reported by the Federal agencies. Obligations for non-financial assistance programs indicate the administrative expenses involved in the operation of a program.
Account Identification
13-0500-0-1-376; 13-4650-0-4-376.
Note:
Note: This 11-digit budget account identification code represents the account which funds a particular program.
This code should be consistent with the code given for the program area as specified in Appendix III of the Budget of the United States Government.
Examples of funded projects...
Awards not available. Funds support standards development for devices and packaging, the development of training materials for State and local weights and measures officials, and the delivery of weights and measures related training to weights and measures officials, industry representatives, and State and industry laboratory metrologists.
About this section
This section indicates the different types of projects which have been funded in the past. Only projects funded under Project Grants or Direct Payments for Specified Use should be listed here. The examples give potential applicants an idea of the types of projects that may be accepted for funding. The agency should list at least five examples of the most recently funded projects.
Program accomplishments...
Ensures economic equity and uniformity in commerce. The agency provides classroom training, computer-based training, and technical assistance to State weights and measures laboratories to help assure that State measurement standards are traceable to national standards. It also develops device performance and commodity packaging standards with representatives of manufacturers, packagers, distributors, consumer groups, and officials in Federal, State, and local jurisdictions who enforce laws and regulations governing packages and measuring devices. The agency provides technical support to the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) and aids in the development of uniform and compatible State weights and measures laws and regulations, codes for measuring device design and performance, and the design and implementation of test procedures and prototype device evaluation. The Weights and Measures Division staff participates actively in NCWM affairs, and provides technical assistance to its members, to Federal, State, and local government, and to private manufacturing and service businesses. The Fourth Edition of NIST Handbook 133 was published in January 2003. A comprehensive CD-ROM-based training course in laboratory mass calibration procedures and concepts was completed in September, 2003. A CD-ROM-based training course in the use of electronic audit trails for commercial weighing and measuring devices will also be completed in Spring, 2004. Two workshops for weights and measures administrators were held in September and October 2001, to address management and budget issues confronting weights and measures enforcement program. A benchmark study of the national weights and measures system is in progress with completion expected in 2004.
Criteria for selecting proposals...
Not applicable.
Assistance considerations...
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Not applicable.
Formula and Matching Requirements
Not applicable.
Note:
A formula may be based on population, per capita income, and other statistical factors. Applicants are informed whether there are any matching requirements to be met when participating in the cost of a project. In general, the matching share represents that portion of the project costs not borne by the Federal government. Attachment F of OMB Circular No. A-102 (Office of Management and Budget) sets forth the criteria and procedures for the evaluation of matching share requirements which may be cash or in-kind contributions made by State and local governments or other agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals to satisfy matching requirements of Federal grants or loans.
Cash contributions represent the grantees' cash outlay, including the outlay of money contributed to the grantee by other public agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals. When authorized by Federal regulation, Federal funds received from other grants may be considered as the grantees' cash contribution.
In-kind contributions represent the value of noncash contributions provided by the grantee, other public agencies and institutions, private organizations or individuals. In-kind contributions may consist of charges for real property and equipment, and value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the grant program. When authorized by Federal legislation, property purchased with Federal funds may be considered as grantees' in-kind contribution.
Maintenance of effort (MOE) is a requirement contained in certain legislation, regulations, or administrative policies stating that a grantee must maintain a specified level of financial effort in a specific area in order to receive Federal grant funds, and that the Federal grant funds may be used only to supplement, not supplant, the level of grantee funds.
Post assistance requirements...
Reports
None.
Note:
This section indicates whether program reports, expenditure reports, cash reports or performance monitoring are required by the Federal funding agency, and specifies at what time intervals (monthly, annually, etc.) this must be accomplished.
Audits
None.
Note:
This section discusses audits required by the Federal agency.
The procedures and requirements for State and local governments and nonprofit entities are set forth in OMB Circular No. A-133.
These requirements pertain to awards made within the respective State's fiscal year - not the Federal fiscal year,
as some State and local governments may use the calendar year or other variation of time span designated as the fiscal year period,
rather than that commonly known as the Federal fiscal year (from October 1st through September 30th).
Records
None.
Note:
This section indicates the record retention requirements and the type of records the Federal agency may require.
Not included are the normally imposed requirements of the General Accounting Office.
For programs falling under the purview of OMB Circular No. A-102, record retention is set forth in Attachment C.
For other programs, record retention is governed by the funding agency's requirements.
Regulations...
Authorization
National Bureau of Standards Organic Act, Public Law 56-177, as amended, 15 U.S.C. 271 et seq.; 15 U.S.C. 201 et seq.
Note:
This section lists the legal authority upon which a program is based (acts, amendments to acts, Public Law numbers, titles, sections, Statute Codes, citations to the U.S. Code, Executive Orders, Presidential Reorganization Plans, and Memoranda from an agency head).
Regulations, Guidelines, And Literature
Model laws, regulations, codes, and test procedures relating to weights and measures enforcement, packaging and labeling, method of sale of commodities, unit pricing, open dating, field inspections, and registration of service persons, and service agencies, engine fuel quality, and weighmasters. Manuals for coordinating the system of State laboratories, testing specific measuring devices, and training State officials. Design and performance codes for scales, liquid and vapor meters, distance and time measuring devices, and other measuring equipment. Most publications available from the Government Printing Office. List of Publications is available from the Weights and Measures Program at no charge.