Guide for Measurements 2007-08-20 Data This well-formed "measurements" standard serves as a guide for program managers facing measurement issues. The purpose of the American National Standard for Nuclear Materials, Nondestructive Assay Measurement Control and Assurance (ANSI N-15.36 Draft 2007) is to provide an acceptable and uniform basis for the establishment, operation, and review of a measurement control program. The standard is directed to the scientist or engineer with appropriate technical training, who is responsible for establishing, maintaining, or supervising a nondestructive assay (NDA) measurement control program. In the context of ET.gov, the standard can serve to guide measurement program managers. The goal of a measurement control program is to provide assurance that the measurement quality objectives are met. Two of the ways this is accomplished are through the monitoring of measurement system stability and by estimating the measurement uncertainties. The measurement control program oversees the measurement processes and provides for their administration, evaluation, and control. The measurement control program defines the goals to be met by the measurement process, that is, the measurement control program ensures the measurement process provides results of sufficient quality for facility operations. The measurement process, in turn, supports facility operations by providing certain qualifying statements about outputs from these operations. A measurement control program should provide for the administration of a variety of control measures relating to measurement processes and equipment, personnel qualifications, measurement methods, information flow, and records, and program reviews and audits. A measurement control program is an integral part of all nuclear measurement programs, and is a critical element of the nuclear materials accounting program. Establishing a nuclear materials inventory requires measurement of material. The cumulative effect of uncertainties inherent in measuring quantities of nuclear material typically results in non-zero inventory differences. A key questions in testing for possible theft or other unrecorded losses is whether the observed inventory difference is significantly different, in a statistical sense, from zero. Hence, a measurement control program, including careful evaluation and control of measurement processes, provides information essential to the interpretation of nuclear materials accounting data. Analysis and Statistics Component Framework Data Management Reporting and Analysis ANSI N15.36 Draft in the "Energy Community" @ http://www.visualknowledge.com/wikikey/A55566S2547820 Jim Disbrow JIM.DISBROW@eia.doe.gov