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Background
It is essential that the methods in the Official Methods of Analysis remain the best solution that
addresses the real needs of the AOAC INTERNATIONAL analytical communities and
stakeholders. The Board of Directors (BoD) has approved a new Working Group (WG) initiated
process(12/9/2014). This process ensures that the methods in OMA are approved in
conformance with voluntary consensus standards. It envisions that an individual or entity who
expresses a need for a method should form a Working Group with the assistance of
AOACINTERNATIONAL’s business development office and the assistance of the Chief
Scientific Officer to develop those standards. A stakeholder panel (SP) that ratifies the SMPRs
would be an existing SP either one under contract that agrees to extend their work product, or
one of the panels funded by the Association such as ISPAM or SPSFAM.
Authorities:
Community – These are members of industry, academia and regulatory bodies that need
standards or analytical methods to perform their professional duties.
WG – The WG drafts the appropriate Standard Method Performance Requirements.
SP- Final decisions on the acceptance of SMPRs remain with the appropriate Stakeholder Panel.
ERP- All methods are reviewed and approved for First Action and recommended for approval
for Final Action or repeal by an Expert Review Panel.
OMB- Final decisions on acceptance of Final Action or Repeal for Official Methods of
Analysisremains with the Official Methods Board (OMB). All decisions on Official
Methods require a minimum2/3 vote of the OMB members.
BoD - The Board of Directors reserves all decisions on Policy and Association responsibility to
the Board of Directors.
Flow of Work
Applicant identifies
need for an
analytical solution
Form
Working
Group
WG creates SMPRs
to reflect the needs
of the analytical
community.
SP reviews.
SMPRs
approved?
SMPRs are published.
If needed, a call for
methods issued, an ERP is
formed, etc.
Yes
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