Office of Reference Materials

Industry, government, and academia use the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) reference materials to ensure the highest quality measurements. NIST Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) are key tools for verifying important measurement results, developing new measurement methods, and providing users with the means to establish traceability of their results to a stated reference, typically the SI.

OFFICE OF REFERENCE MATERIALS (640): Provides all of the business, administrative, service, product and technical support for the NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM) Program. It sells NIST SRM products to customers worldwide and prepares and distributes marketing material and information about NIST measurement services and products to our stakeholders. ORM operates and maintains the business information systems to support customer, financial, inventory, project tracking, and sales functions related to the SRM program. The office also provides business, sales, records of administrative expenses for the NIST SRM program, and customer information to NIST technical divisions to facilitate needs assessment for NIST measurement services and products. The office provides information to auditors upon request and is responsible for developing an annual budget for submission to the Budget Division. ORM maintains a material processing, packaging, and storage facility in support of the development and distribution of NIST Standard Reference Materials and strives to maintain state-of-the-art capabilities in these areas.

The office also establishes and maintains, in consultation with NIST technical, financial, and legal divisions, policies and procedures for NIST measurement services and products. It prepares, reviews, publishes, and distributes technical documentation, using data and information supplied by NIST technical divisions on the content and use of NIST SRM products. The office administers, in consultation with NIST and DOC legal authorities, NIST copyright and trademark policies, as specified in 15 U.S.C. 290 and other legislation. In addition, the Office provides NIST representation to national and international groups on issues and activities related to NIST measurement services and products.

News and Updates

An RM for Measuring Cannabinoids and Toxic Elements in Hemp

July 8, 2024

The Hemp Plant reference material (RM 8210) provides values for cannabinoids and toxic elements in a dried ground hemp plant material to help cannabis and

SIM Approval of the NIST Office of Reference Materials Quality Management System

July 3, 2024

The NIST Office of Reference Materials implements a quality management system (QMS) based on Standard ISO 9001:2015, Guide 31:2015 and relevant requirements of

A Standard for Quantifying Yohimbe in Dietary Supplements

April 17, 2024

SRM 3383 Yohimbe-Containing Solid Oral Dosage Form is part of a continuing collaboration with NIH-Office of Dietary Supplements to develop dietary supplement

An SRM for Measuring Arsenic in Shellfish

April 16, 2024

NIST has developed many environmentally relevant Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) over the years, including whale blubber, fish and mussel tissues, human