SD-1, Standardization Directory, has just been updated. This is a U.S. Department of Defense administrative document. The 188-page publication gives you complete information on who’s responsible for standardization activity within the DoD. This includes names and addresses for caretakers and other relevant personnel. This information is sorted by the forces and by FSC (Federal Supply Classification) categories.
Why use the SD-1? The SD-1 is important to all of you using Mil Specs and Standards. This is because it contains contact information for every administrator responsible for your documents. If you identify an error or the need for an update, you’ll use the SD-1 to get the contact information needed to report your concerns.
You’ll find that each entry in the SD-1 has the name of each point of contact, the address, phone and fax numbers, along with a description of that person’s responsibilities. Some of them work with documents in a wide range of FSC categories!
SD-1 information relates to the information you’ll find on your Mil Specs and Standards in the ASSIST database, as well. If you’re not registered as an ASSIST user, you can still use the information in the Responsibilities field. Just search for the Lead Standardization Activity contact by number in the SD-1.
The contacts in the SD-1 are usually helpful to those of us in the general public. Getting feedback on the validity and accuracy of the specs and standards they’re responsible for is an important part of their job. So you can consider these folks to be additional resources after your contracting officers and the guidance included in your contracts.
You should also be aware that not all of the people listed in the SD-1 are government employees. The Standardization Program at the DoD is dependent on a number of civilian contractors as well.
Defense standardization relies on both internal and industry documentation in order to manage the procurement cycle for our armed services. This is a professional organization, with a large number of dedicated individuals involved in a complex process. Understanding the standards system can be exceptionally helpful to those of us who support the military and other government branches as suppliers.
Let us know if you have questions. We have been working with Mil Specs and Standards since 1982. Through our work as standards suppliers and experts, we have a network of contracts and a breadth of knowledge not often found. We help many individuals just like you with issues that crop up when using compliance documentation. So reach out to us by phone (650-591-7600) or email (info@document-center.com).
You’re welcome to search for and order standards from our webstore, www.document-center.com. Our site has many tools for understanding standards and finding the documents you need. You’ll soon see why so many people make us their Standards Experts!