After the measure submission deadline, the relevant standing committee conducts a detailed review of all submitted measures, sometimes with the help of a technical advisory panel.
Standing Committee and Technical Advisory Panel Meetings
During this review process, the standing committee may meet several times to discuss and evaluate the submitted measures. If there is a technical advisory panel, the panel also may meet during this review process and provide specific technical advice to the standing committee. Both bodies may meet in-person or via conference call. There is no predetermined number of meetings required.
All meetings and conference calls of a standing committee and any associated technical advisory panel(s) are open to NQF members and the public. Information about each of these meetings, including the agenda and the location or the dial-in information, is posted on the project’s site and is also available through the events calendar. Each meeting of a standing committee and of a technical advisory panel features a specific period during which NQF members and interested members of the public may make comments regarding the committee’s deliberations.
Achieving Consensus
During its evaluation of the measures submitted for NQF endorsement, the relevant standing committee is expected to achieve consensus, as defined in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-119, regarding the committee's draft recommendations. The OMB defines consensus as:
general agreement, but not necessarily unanimity, and includes a process for attempting to resolve objections by interested parties, as long as all comments have been fairly considered, each objector is advised
of the disposition of his or her objection(s) and the reasons why, and the consensus body members are given an opportunity to change their votes after reviewing the comments.
Based on their detailed evaluation, a standing committee can recommend either:
- A candidate measure continue through the consensus development process toward possible endorsement by NQF; or
- A candidate measure be returned to the standard steward and/or developer for further development and/or refinement.
