The Standards Development Unit is the arm of the Dominica Bureau of Standards (DBOS) responsible for facilitating the development of national standards. The Unit also coordinates Dominica's participation in Regional and International Standards Development activities.
Our unit consist of a staff of three (3):
- One Program Manager; and
- Two Technical Officers
What do we do?
- Coordinate the development of National Standards;
- Formulate, through consultation with stakeholders, Dominica's positions on draft Regional and International Standards;
- Act as the point of contact for Regional and International Standards development activities;
- Manage and coordinate the work of Standards Development Technical Committees (SDTCs);
- Conduct periodic consultations with producers, service providers, Government Agencies, private sector, consumer representatives, special interest groups and the general public to promote the concept and importance of standardization in national development;
- Adopt, adapt and promote standards that will enhance competitiveness of products and services;
Affiliations
- What is a Standard?
A standard is a document established by consensus and approved by a recognized body that provides, for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context.
It ensures that materials, products, processes/methods and services are safe, reliable and of good quality.
There are three (3) types of Standards:
- International Standards – these are Standards developed and approved by International Organisations, e.g., ISO, IEC, Codex
- Regional Standards – developed and approved by Regional Organisations, e.g., in Europe – Standards are developed by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) while for the CARICOM Member States, Regional Standards are developed by the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ); and
- National Standards – developed or adopted and approved by a National Standards Body (NSB) like the Dominica Bureau of Standards
- Benefits of Standards
- They support the economy and ensure the more efficient use of national resources to improve our quality of life
- Standards ensure goods and services consistently perform the way in which they are intended
- Standards give businesses and consumers confidence that the goods and services they are developing or using are safe, reliable and will do the job they are intended for
- Standards provide a platform on which to build new and exciting ideas. As our world changes, new Standards are introduced to reflect the latest technologies, innovations and community needs while redundant Standards are discarded
- Products that comply with Standards have a competitive edge over products that do not - Exporters using International Standards have a head start when they penetrate overseas markets
- Standards reduce Technical Barriers to International Trade, increase the size of potential markets and position companies to compete in the world economy. Standards ensure products manufactured in one country can be sold and used in another
- Technical Committees
Standards are developed by Technical Committees or Task Forces facilitated by the Dominica Bureau of Standards. They are key bodies of standardization and membership is open to all. A Technical Committee is a group responsible for developing and drafting standards which are then ratified by Standards Development Organisations. A Task Force is a Technical Committee; however, they are established to develop a specific standard after which they are disbanded. Technical Committees are balanced and comprise an appropriate mix depending on standards to be developed.
Members can come from:
- Industry and commerce
- Government and authorities
- Consumer
- Labour
- Academia and research bodies
- Conformity assessment bodies
- Users of Standards, not covered otherwise
- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) National Technical Committees
Bureau of Standards Technical Committees
Committee Code Technical Committee CBM Construction and Building Materials CG Consumer Goods FPPS Food Products, Processes and Services LPPF-NMC Labelling of Pre-Packaged Foods - National Mirror Committee NCC National Codex Committee NEC National Electrotechnical Committee NTTC National Tourism Technical Committee NTWG National Technical Working Group SDTF-OFPS Standards Development Task Force - On-Farm Pack Sheds SDTF - Tires Standards Development Task Force - Tires We would like to thank the organizations and individuals for their participation.
View our Standards Catalogue: https://catalog.dominicastandards.org.
- How are Standards Developed?
Standards are developed through a process which utilizes seven (7) stages and can take up to 24 months. This process is based on six (6) guiding principles:
![Principles of Standards Development]()
Principles of Standards Development ![Standards development stages]()
- Stage 1: Proposal Stage
A New Work Item Proposal (NWIP) is received. It is evaluated by stakeholders based on need. Once the Project is approved, we move to Stage 2 - Stage 2: Preparatory Stage
The Officers at the Bureau conduct a document search and prepare aWorking Draft. A Technical Committee (TC) is established, if one does not exist, or the Project is assigned to an existing Committee - Stage 3: Committee Stage
The Technical Committee (TC) reviews the Working Draft and develops a Committee Draft. The Bureau registers the Committee Draft as a Draft - Dominica National Standard - Stage 4: Enquiry Stage
The Draft- Dominica National Standard is circulated to the general public for comments for a period of sixty (60) days. All comments received are reviewed by the TC and a Final Draft document is developed. The Bureau registers document as a Final Draft - Dominica National Standard - Stage 5: Approval Stage
The Final Draft - Dominica National Standard is submitted to the National Standards Council for endorsement and then to the Minister with responsibility for the Bureau for approval - Stage 6: Publication Stage
The notice of approval is gazetted and the Approved Dominica National Standard is published - Stage 7: Review/Withdrawal Stage
After five (5) years, the Standard is reviewed based on changes in technology, relevance, need, etc. Based on the review, the Standards may be revised or withdrawn
- Stage 1: Proposal Stage
- How Can You Get Involved in the Standards Development Process
You are an invaluable asset to the development of standards as you bring a unique perspective to the creation of standards that are used in the production of many of goods and services. There a number of ways you can contribute to the standards development process. These include:
- Submission of a request for new areas for standardisation;
- Participation in Technical Committees;
- Provision of feedback/comments on draft standards;
When a standard is available for comment, the Bureau will inform the public through press releases in the media, on its website and its radio programme.
In addition to individuals, stakeholder organizations are also encouraged to support and contribute to the standards development process by:
- participating in technical committees;
- commenting on drafts that are available for comment; and
- presenting their members' interests, expert opinions and analysis to ensure sound and effective standards are developed
- How Can Stakeholders Get Involved in the Process
Stakeholder organizations are also encouraged to support and contribute to the standards development process by participating in technical committees and commenting on drafts that are available for comment. These organizations support the standards development process by presenting their members' interests, expert opinions and analysis to ensure sound and effective standards are developed.
