Certification Standards Information
On March 30, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (ICOOS Act). Among the requirements in the Act is a directive to the IOOC to develop contract certification standards and compliance procedures for all non- Federal assets, including regional information coordination entities, to establish eligibility for integration into the System and to ensure compliance with all applicable standards and protocols established and to ensure that regional observations are integrated into the System on a sustained basis.
The IOOC seeks public comment on both the proposed process to create these standards and on the scope and structure of the standards. The proposed certification design process and additional background information are available on the IOOC and IOOS Web sites or by contacting the IOOC Support Office or the IOOS Program Office. The IOOC is the Federal interagency group established in accordance with the ICOOS Act to lead the interagency planning and coordination of ocean observing activities including IOOS. The IOOC is comprised of representatives of eleven Federal agencies. The ICOOS Act identifies NOAA as the lead Federal agency. As defined in the IOOC charter, the purpose of the IOOC is to advise and assist national ocean governance bodies like the Ocean Science and Technology Interagency Policy Committee, called for in the National Ocean Policy, on matters relating to a national, end-to-end ocean observing system.
Please visit the Certification Standards webpage to submit comments and receive additional background information on the Federal Register notice addressing the certification design process.
