National-level Standards or Project-level Procurement Specifications

National-level Standardsor Project-level Procurement Specifications

Some countries may have regulatory controls in place that prohibit the installation and/or use of certain products unless they are compliant with relevant national product standards.   These national-level standards may recognize unique performance and safety requirements for the specifying country.  The specifiers should include such national-level standards in procurement specifications when required by client countries. In the absence of international and national standards for specific products, project-level procurement specifications may need to be provided (examples of such project-level specifications are those used in World Bank assisted PV projects in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Bangladesh and China).  Specifiers should exercise care to ensure that requirements for compliance with national standards or project-level specifications do not unnecessarily or unfairly restrict competition for qualified products. 

In the event that two or more partner countries require product certification to national standards or project-level specifications that have similar content and requirements, Bank Group staff could facilitate arrangements for reciprocal acceptance of products.    For example, if a product is certified and approved for use in country A, based on that country’s national standard (or project specifications), and if the same product is procured in country B, subject to similar national standards (or project specifications) in Country B, then by reciprocal arrangements, country A products can be accepted in country B without recertification. 

In order to do so, it will be important to ensure that there is harmony between the standard for the specific product between the countries and that the testing institute is of acceptable quality, competence and credibility (usually laboratories accredited according to ISO/IEC 17025:2005, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, and have those specific standards within their scope of accreditation). In addition to testing, some countries may also require national-level certification issued by a national certification body accredited to ISO/IEC Guide 65, General requirements for bodies operating product certification systems.