ASTM has an effective and efficient process in place for organizing new activities and for managing existing ones. The ASTM Director of Developmental Operations and the staff of the Technical Committee Operations Division handle the administrative and management aspects involved in establishing a new activity, such as meeting arrangements, membership promotion to interested parties, facilitating meetings, assisiting with project planning, publicizing activity, etc. All technical decisions regarding a proposed activity are made by the appropriate committee members who are technical experts from industry, government, academia, and consumers, not by the ASTM staff. Specific staff resources include:

• Staff management and administrative support for all technical committees
• Professional editors
• Templates for new standards
• Web-based collaborative areas for pre-ballot standards work
• Web conferencing
• Electronic submittals and balloting of standards
• Product and Personnel Certification Services
• Proficiency testing programs
• Interlaboratory study program
• Training and symposia services