Michael Braukus
Headquarters, Washington, DC                    May 28, 1999
(Phone:  202/358-1979)

RELEASE:  99-67

NASA HQ RECOMMENDED FOR ISO 9001 CERTIFICATION

     An audit conducted by an internationally recognized registrar 
reports that NASA Headquarters will be recommended for ISO 9001 
certification, becoming the seventh NASA facility to gain ISO 
certification.

     ISO 9001 is the internationally accepted technical standard 
for managing all processes that affect an organization's ability 
to meet customer requirements for a quality service or product.  
The audit was conducted by Det Norske Veritas, Oslo, Norway, and 
Houston, TX.

     The drive for NASA to become ISO-certified was sparked by 
NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin, who in a letter to NASA 
officials said, "We are leaders in the world of science and 
technology.  We must also be leaders in the world of quality.  To 
this end, I am requiring that the agency be third-party certified 
in our key processes, by an internationally recognized registrar, 
to ISO 9001.  This commitment applies to all Centers and 
Headquarters.  I am also expecting that our suppliers will step up 
to this challenge." 

     The remaining three NASA field centers, Glenn Research 
Center, Cleveland, OH; Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD; 
and Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, are expected to be 
certified by the fall of 1999.

     More than 6,000 U.S. organizations and more than 70,000 
worldwide have been certified.  In addition, the Department of 
Defense, U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the big three 
automakers have adopted the ISO standard or parts of it in 
contracts.

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