Mar 03, 2021
That’s a question every task group, subcommittee, or main committee asks at one time or another. It’s an integral part of strategic planning and moving standards and related work forward.
If you’d like support in strategic planning, research, stakeholder/staff connections, or the exploration and implementation of new programs and services, tap into the extensive knowledge and experience of ASTM International’s business development (BD) team. That’s what they’re here for. And they emphasize that no project is too small.
The BD team encourages you and your group to make plans. Start with what will be useful to your industry and consider its needs both now and longer term in relation to research, industry collaboration, standards, certification, training, and other needs. What do you need a year from now, five years from now, and even further out? Consider your priorities and think about whether there are gaps.
Also, consider any related services that could be needed or helpful right at the beginning: training (courses or video), proficiency testing, product or personnel certification, partnerships. Remember to use that strategic planning to guide your work, but be flexible, however, as any planning or roadmapping might need adjustments.
BD can help with this process.
In addition to planning, BD support — helping to provide solutions to your industry’s needs — can also help your committee or subcommittee think about:
On an ongoing basis, business development:
Have a question? Interested in adding your industry sector to BD’s current priorities of aviation, exo, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies? Contact: Lissy Vélez, program manager, ASTM Business Development, tel +1.610.832.9518, bizdev@astm.org.
The Regulations Governing ASTM Technical Committees guides how groups do their work. In the section, “Rules for Conduct of Business,” committee and subcommittee meetings are stipulated to be open to visitors when technical matters related to standards development are discussed. Executive subcommittee meetings may be closed to discuss other matters. In this section, the Regs also directs that meeting minutes, which summarize the status of standards, negative resolution, and action items, be sent to headquarters. And electronic recording of meetings is prohibited. (This section also addresses election of officers and proxies for voting, not covered here.) ■
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