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15 U.S. Code § 272. Establishment, functions, and activities
(a) Establishment of National Institute of Standards and Technology
There is established within the Department of Commerce a science, engineering, technology, and measurement laboratory to be known as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (hereafter in this chapter referred to as the “Institute”).
(b) Functions of Secretary and InstituteThe Secretary of Commerce (hereafter in this chapter referred to as the “Secretary”) acting through the Director of the Institute (hereafter in this chapter referred to as the “Director”) is authorized to serve as the President’s principal adviser on standards policy pertaining to the Nation’s technological competitiveness and innovation ability and to take all actions necessary and appropriate to accomplish the purposes of this chapter, including the following functions of the Institute—
(1)
to assist industry in the development of technology and procedures needed to improve quality, to modernize manufacturing processes, to ensure product reliability, manufacturability, functionality, and cost-effectiveness, and to facilitate the more rapid commercialization, especially by small- and medium-sized companies throughout the United States, of products based on new scientific discoveries in fields such as automation, electronics, advanced materials, biotechnology, and optical technologies;
(2)
to develop, maintain, and retain custody of the national standards of measurement, and provide the means and methods for making measurements consistent with those standards;
(3)
to facilitate standards-related information sharing and cooperation between Federal agencies and to coordinate the use by Federal agencies of private sector standards, emphasizing where possible the use of standards developed by private, consensus organizations;
(4)
to enter into and perform such contracts, including cooperative research and development arrangements and grants and cooperative agreements or other transactions, as may be necessary in the conduct of its work and on such terms as it may determine appropriate, in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter;
(5)
to provide United States industry, Government, and educational institutions with a national clearinghouse of current information, techniques, and advice for the achievement of higher quality and productivity based on current domestic and international scientific and technical development;
(6)
to assist industry in the development of measurements, measurement methods, and basic measurement technology;
(7)
to determine, compile, evaluate, and disseminate physical constants and the properties and performance of conventional and advanced materials when they are important to science, engineering, manufacturing, education, commerce, and industry and are not available with sufficient accuracy elsewhere;