Tag: FED-STD-595C

FED-STD-595 Officially Cancelled

FED-STD-595, Colors Used in Government Procurement, has been officially cancelled.  The Cancellation Notice 2 for Revision C has been released and can be purchased from Document Center Inc. if needed.  The cancellation makes the transition to the AMS-STD-595 official.  All procurement using the FED-STD-595 should now be made using the AMS-STD-595 instead.

You will note that the AMS-STD-595 was released back in 2015.  However, there has been a recent update to the publication.  This is the Revision A released 2/10/2017. You’ll note that the transition become official only after the new Revision A was released for the AMS edition by SAE.

If you’d like to learn more about the AMS-STD-595 Revision A, please see my previous post: New AMS Standard AMS-STD-595 Revision A – Color Standard Updated.  In that post, I review the changes that have been recently made to the  document.

For those of you used to using the FED-STD-595, I’m sure there’s a number of questions that remain.  First of all, why did the document need to change?  I believe that the costs associated with publishing and distributing the publication became difficult for GSA (the original caretaker) to support.  This was an unusual Federal Standard, with the color chips included in the publication.  Finding an industry organization willing to take on the maintenance and distribution costs was in line with the federal government’s mandate to use external standards where ever possible.

Also, FED-STD-595 was widely used throughout industry, not only for DoD and Federal procurement.  So having an industry association maintain the document allows for broader input during the revision cycle.  Migration to SAE International (formerly the Society of Automotive Engineers) is a natural fit.

What’s the downside for users of the FED-STD-595?  Of course, it’s the increased cost of the publication.  And the fact that the color chips are no longer included along with the text portion of the document.  The AMS-STD-595 does not include any color chips.  These must be purchased separately, as the traditional fanbook or individual color chips.

What’s the upside?  The underlying color reference media information has been expanded.  The use of the CIE L*a*b* color values is now a part of the standard.  So moving forward, the fundamental values of colors are likely to be linked to more commonly used color systems.

Should you need a copy of the cancellation notice for FED-STD-595, please get in touch with us by phone (650-591-7600) or email (info@document-center.com).  We can provide it to you in either paper format or for pdf download for a nominal fee.  To order the AMS-STD-595 or any of the color chips, try using the Document Center Inc. webstore at www.document-center.com.  Here is a direct link to the order page for the AMS-STD-595.  If you’d like to see an expanded catalog of the color chip choices, please review this AMS-STD-595 options page.

Document Center Inc. has been selling standards since 1982 and working with SAE under contract since the 1980’s.  We have a wide range of support services to help you with your Standards Requirements.  And we have the knowledge to assist you with the various questions that routinely come up.  Make us your Standards Experts!

AMS-STD-595 replaces FED-STD-595

FED-STD-595, “Colors Used in Government Procurement,” has just been replaced by AMS-STD-595 of the same title.  It is important to note that the new publication does not contain any color chips yet.  It is just the text component of the document that’s been re-issued by SAE.

Exactly what’s going on?  FYI:  The FED-STD-595 (the last issue was Revision C with Change Notice 1 from 2008) was printed and distributed by the GSA (General Services Administration).  A couple of years ago, the GSA decided that it didn’t want to be the “caretaker” of the standard any more and stopped distributing it on July 31, 2014.  Ownership has now been transferred to SAE.

The color chips themselves remain stable.  The last Revision C and it’s Notice 1 just added chips to the earlier Revision B, making the grand total 658.  The chips have been available in three formats in the past – affixed in 3 columns on 8 1/2 by 11 sheets of paper, in flip-book format, and as 3 by 5 individual chip cards.  Most colors are presented in 3 finishes, gloss, semigloss, and lusterless.  The set is arranged according to the color pallette: browns, reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, grays, miscellaneous, and fluorescents.  Each chip is given a unique 5 digit code for identification.

Since these colors are used for all Federal level procurement, included DoD contracts, they are an important resource.  Indeed, many prime contractors require the chips themselves be replaced every couple of years.  It can’t be emphasized enough that government contracts for products with some type of coating require colors and finishes to match these chips exactly.  So you’ll want to make sure that you’ve got a way to confirm you’re in compliance for any government contractual work you do.

At the present time, SAE states the following for the use of the new AMS-STD-595:

  1.  The document has been taken directly from the FED-STD-595C and contains only minor editorial and format changes in order to make it an AMS document.
  2. This new 2015 Edition of AMS -STD-595 is intended to replace FED-STD-595C.
  3. All colors in the old FED-STD-595C (with Notice 1) remain current.

Do you need a copy of AMS-STD-595?  Since there are no technical changes (or any changes to the color chips), it is not essential from a technical point of view.  And certainly neither the DoD or the GSA has issued any official notice adopting the SAE publication yet.  However, if you do any government contract work involving coatings (colors), you may be well advised to get your copy of AMS-STD-595 now.

As for those chips, SAE as the new caretaker will have a strategy for replacing them soon I’m sure.  I have been checking in with them every couple of days since the new standard was released, but as yet there is no official word on when the chip situation will be clarified.  I expect an answer in the next 1 to 2 weeks and will let you know at that time.

And how do you get your copy of AMS-STD-595?  Luckily, it’s available now from Document Center Inc. in either paper format or for pdf download.  Here’s the order page for AMS-STD-595 and here’s the link to our Standards Store www.document-center.com.  If you have more questions, just get in touch with us by phone (650-591-7600) or by email (info@document-center.com).  We’ve been selling standards since 1982 and our mission is to help folks use standards more effectively.  Make us your Standards Experts!

FED-STD-595, the Federal Color Standard, is available in three formats

FED-STD-595 Revision C with Notice 1 from 2008 is titled “Colors used in Federal Procurement.”  We sell it in three different formats here at Document Center Inc., depending on the requirements of each individual customer.

The most common format is the FED-STD-595 standard itself.  It’s printed on 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper.  It starts with the usual scope paragraph, referenced documents section and so on.  After the 5 pages of standard material, Appendix I then describes the pigments used in the master standard, as an informational list only.  Appendix II lists the new color chips added in 2007.  Appendix III is CIELAB values.  Appendix IV is the Master Color List.  Lastly Appendix V provides detailed notes.

Following this section, the actual color chips are divided into tabbed sections by color.  Each page contains three columns, Gloss, Semigloss, and Lusterless.  The 1/2″ by 1″ color chips are arranged by number into the appropriate columns.

The other two formats are simply collections of the color chips themselves, without the actual standard itself.  They are the FED-STD-595 Flip book and a complete set of FED-STD-595 Color Chips.

The flip book is like a color fan deck that you might find at any paint store.  It’s a little over 10″ long and 2″ wide and is a collection of the colors from light to dark on each page.  There is a further division by gloss, semigloss and lusterless (matte).  The colors themselves are 2″ by 1/2″.

The complete set of color chips is a boxed set of 5″ by 3″ chips, each in their own envelope.  Each chip may also be purchased separately.

To purchase the FED-STD-595 in any of the formats, or any publicly distributed (not classified) Federal Standard, please use our website, www.document-center.com.  Or phone us (650-591-7600), fax us (650-591-7617) or send us an email (info@document-center.com).  We’re glad to be able to assist you with any of your standards requirements.