IT Standards Committee

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ITSC Policies and Procedures

(v2.3 effective 1 November 2004)

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1.0 ITSC ORGANISATION CHART

2.0 ITSC MISSION AND GOALS

Mission

To champion and lead in the national adoption, deployment and development of INFOCOMM standards for the social and economic betterment of Singapore.

 

Goals

ITSC aims to impact the industry and ICT standards bodies through the ACE strategic thrusts:

• Awareness – to promote ITSC’s standardisation efforts, and communicate as well as demonstrate the value of standards to our stakeholders and the industry
• Collaboration – to strengthen our collaboration and engagement with the international standards organisations and industry
• Execution – to drive standards development and facilitate its implementation through projects and interoperability testing

3.0 TYPES OF MEETINGS

With ITSC structured into the Council and Technical Committees, there are various types of meetings:

3.1 Council Meeting

This is conducted 3-4 times a year with the ITSC Council members coming together to set directions for the committee, and to resolve any issues when necessary.

3.2 Plenary Meeting

This meeting brings together the Council members, Technical Committee (TC) Chairs, Deputy Chairs and Secretaries 1-2 times a year to share information and report on the TCs' activities. Issues that cannot be resolved at the TC level shall be brought up for discussion in this meeting.

3.3 TC Workplan Meeting

This is conducted in April or May each year with the ITSC Council and TC Chairs, Deputy Chairs and Secretaries coming together to review and agree on the TC workplans for each new financial year. Please refer to 5.1 for information on the ITSC workplanning and reporting cycle.

The ITSC Secretariat shall plan and co-ordinate the ITSC Council, Plenary Meetings and TC Workplan Meetings.

 

3.4 Technical Committees (TCs) and Working Groups (WGs) Meetings

The TCs and WGs shall meet regularly to plan and implement their activities such as establishing Singapore Standards and Technical References as well as promoting standards to the industry. It is recommended that the meetings be held once every 2 months or more frequently, where necessary. The TC/WG secretaries shall plan all TC and WG meetings. For the Conduct and Proceedings of the TC and WG meetings, please refer to clause 9.7, 9.8, 10.5 and 10.6 respectively.

4.0 PROCEEDINGS FOR ITSC COUNCIL AND PLENARY MEETINGS

4.1 Notice of Meeting

The ITSC Secretariat shall plan and co-ordinate the ITSC Council, Plenary and TC Workplan meetings.

In the event when a change to the meeting plan is required, at least 7 calendar days notice shall be given before the meeting is convened. For urgent cases, ITSC Chair or one-third of the ITSC members may convene a meeting with less than 7 calendar days' notice.

The ITSC members shall respond to the ITSC Secretariat on their meeting attendance, items to be tabled for the meeting, and to submit the necessary reports according to the schedule set forth.

4.2 Conduct of Meeting

The quorum for meetings shall be one-third of the members, including the Chair.

4.3 Evidence of Meeting

The records of the ITSC meetings shall be maintained by the Secretariat for 7 years.

4.4 Participation in Committee

An individual shall not hold concurrent positions as a council member and technical committee Chair. Exceptions can be made by ITSC Council on an extenuating basis.

5.0 ITSC WORKPLANNING / REPORTING CYCLE

5.1 Submission of TC Workplan

ITSC workplanning is usually done annually for a period from 1st April of each year to 31st March of the following year.

1. ITSC Secretariat to call for submission of workplan.
2. TC Chair shall submit workplans with major activities/milestones, (or calendar of events) planned for the year, benefits or expected outcome of these activities and the resource requirements within a timeframe specified by the ITSC Secretariat. The TC workplan shall also include the work plans of its WG(s).
3. ITSC Secretariat shall collate all work plans and table for review at the TC Workplan meetings.

5.2 Progress Reporting

Progress reports of achievement versus plan shall be submitted 1-2 times a year to the ITSC Secretariat, for discussion at the Plenary meeting . The submission can also be called for by the ITSC Secretariat based on the needs of the Standards Council and ITSC.

ITSC Secretariat shall prepare an overall ITSC progress report to the Standards Council on a half-yearly or yearly basis when required. This is usually done in March for the yearly progress reporting and in October for the half-yearly reporting.

5.3 Term Reporting and Workplanning

The ITSC secretariat shall prepare a term report before the end of each ITSC term for the Standards Council’s review. The ITSC Secretariat shall also assist the Council in preparing the new term workplan for the Standards Council.

6.0 GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES

6.1 Criteria to Establish/Dissolve a TC/WG

A TC/WG is formed according to the priority for standardisation as defined in clause 6.3 below and strives to model the organisation structure of the ISO/IEC JTC1.

The TC/WG can be dissolved due to changes in business needs and interest of Singapore. The dissolution shall be directed by the ITSC Chair or for the following reasons and according to the votes cast as defined in clause 6.5:

1. The standards have been well established and received and not much effort is required to maintain them, until the 5-year's review period is up.
2. There is strong professional support for the standards that an ad-hoc group can be formed to manage its standardisation without much difficulty.

 

6.2 Procedures to Form a TC

The procedures to form a TC are:

1. The interested industry players to propose to ITSC Council on the need to form a protem committee to study the industry needs for some Singapore Standards, which would require a new TC to be established.
2. ITSC Council shall assess and approve the formation of the protem committee, and a 3-month period would be given for the protem committee to do the study. ITSC Secretariat shall then send the Letter of Appointment to the protem committee Chair.
3. At the end of the 3-month period, the protem committee may propose to ITSC Council on the need to establish a new TC. The proposal shall include the objective, scope and planned activities and its implementation of the new TC, inclusive of information on at least 5 organisations or more that would actively participate in this new TC.
4. ITSC Council shall evaluate the proposal for the formation of the new TC. Upon approval by the Council, ITSC Secretariat shall prepare the Letter of Appointment to the new TC Chair.

6.3 Priority for Establishing and Reviewing of Standards

Priority to establish the standards should be given to:

1. Standards that are critical to the well functioning and interoperability of IT systems and processes that support the national IT programmes, national information infrastructure, Singapore as an Infocomm hub, businesses, schools and homes.
2. Standards that increase the capability and ability of companies in Singapore to compete internationally.
3. Demands of the government, regulations and industry.

Priority to review the standards should be given to:

1. Standards that have high priority as in paragraph above.
2. Standards which were found to be in conflict with regulations in force.
3. Standards where proposals for amendments or revision have been received.
4. Standards where the international or overseas national standards referred to or endorsed have been superseded or withdrawn.

The Singapore Standards shall be reviewed at least once every 5 years.

6.4 Guidelines for Organising and Funding Standards Events

6.4.1 Organising a Standards Event

The TC may make proposals for a yearly budget (inclusive of its WGs' needs) during the workplanning period, subject to ITSC Council's approval. Information such as the TC's activities, events, resources and funds needed shall be included in the workplan. Whenever possible, the TCs are encouraged to garner industry sponsorship and the budget proposed to ITSC Chairman shall include such considerations.

As ITSC is a neutral platform to promote the awareness and adoption of standards to the industry, events organised by ITSC are vendor neutral. Hence, the publicity of any company's products or services is strictly not allowed. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis, for example, company sponsoring ITSC events, subject to approval from ITSC.

 

6.4.2 Funding for a Standards Event

ITSC activities are mainly funded by SPRING Singapore, IDA Singapore and the industry. As such, sponsorship for any standards events will require approval from the ITSC Council prior to commencement of such activities. The criteria for TCs to request for ITSC sponsorship are as follows:

1. Activities that have impact to Singapore's economy/competitiveness.
2. Attending or hosting the relevant international JTC1 subcommittee meetings, with indications of the significance of the hosting in assisting the Singapore industry.
3. Attending relevant Standards Bodies/Consortia meetings.
4. Organising seminars/conferences to benefit local industry.

6.5 Voting

6.5.1 Voting by Council

It is mandatory for all Council members to vote. Co-opted Council members are not eligible to vote.

6.5.2 Voting by TC and WG

For the TC and WG, each member and Chair shall have one vote. Regardless of the representation of participation, each company is entitled to only one vote. In the absence of a member, the alternate to the member shall have the right to vote. When voting, whether at meetings or by letter ballot, at least two-thirds of the members must cast their votes. From the votes cast, for any proposal to be approved, two-thirds of the members have to vote in favour of the proposal. Abstentions are excluded when the votes are counted, as well as negative votes not accompanied by technical reasons. Late votes are also not counted.

 

6.6 Participation at International Meeting

6.6.1 Guiding Principles

6.6.1.1

The ITSC Council and TCs shall review Singapore’s memberships in ISO/IEC JTC1 and its Subcommittee (SCs) using the following guidelines:

For participating (P) membership

1. There shall be at least 3 organisations in Singapore who are experts/active contributors of the local TC and possibly at international group.
2. At least one of the organisations shall come from the industry.
3. It is an area of interest and importance to Singapore.

For observing (O) membership

1. There shall be at least 3 organisations in Singapore who are interested in tracking, deploying and promoting the use of standards in Singapore.
2. At least one of the organisations shall come from the industry.
3. It is an area of interest and important to Singapore.

 

6.6.1.2

Attendances at ISO/IEC JTC1, its SCs or Working Groups (WG) meetings are strongly encouraged, where Singapore is a 'P' member. A P-member will be obliged to comment and/or vote on all questions formally submitted for voting by the SC of JTC1, and to participate in the SC meetings. P-members of the SCs could nominate experts to participate in its WGs. Failure to fulfil P member obligations such as voting could result in downgrading of membership.

 

6.6.1.3

The TC Chair is responsible to identify suitable candidate(s) from his/her committee to attend the international meetings. The ITSC Council or its Chair shall decide whether to support the registration and/or sponsorship to attend these meetings.

 

6.6.1.4

The Head of Delegation (HOD) shall be the Chair of the TC, or his delegated committee member. He shall be a Singapore resident or citizen.

 

Note:

1. Participation is applicable to all levels of the committee (i.e. Standards Committee, Technical Committee or Working Group)
2. Observers do not have any voting rights
3. HOD - Head of Delegation for international standardisation meetings

 

6.6.1.5 Presentation of National Views at International Meetings

Prior to attending the JTC1, its SC or WG meetings, the Singapore delegates should discuss with the national committee on Singapore's positions. If there is more than one delegate attending the meetings, the appointed HOD shall be the spokesman during the meeting.

The HOD shall present the national position at these meetings and not present his/her individual views or the views of his/her organisation. On matters which have not been previously deliberated, the HOD should try to delay a formal decision to be taken at the meeting so that the national committee can be consulted on their views. If however, a decision is required, the HOD may request for an adjournment to consult with other members of the delegation on Singapore's position.

6.6.2 Procedure to Register for Participation in International Meetings

6.6.2.1

TC chair shall submit the following information to ITSC Secretariat for ITSC Chair's approval, to register as Singapore experts to participate in the international meetings:

1. Name, email, phone and fax number of the secretariat and convenor of international working group
2. Head of delegation and /or list of Singapore delegates and their contact information.

 

6.6.2.2

Only ITSC members may participate in international meetings.

 

6.6.2.3

ITSC Secretariat seeks approval from ITSC Chair, and forwards the application to SPRING Singapore for registration.

 

6.6.3 Procedure to Seek Funding for International Trips

6.6.3.1

TC members shall submit their trip funding proposal through their TC Chair to the ITSC Secretariat within one month of receipt of the notice of meeting or as soon as the meeting is known. Information to be included in the proposal shall include:

1. Name, organisation and contact information of nominee.
2. Name, date, venue and agenda of the meeting.
3. Estimated cost (total & breakdown of economy airfare & lodging - medium cost).
4. Purpose and benefits of attending the meeting and the impact to the Singapore industry.

Note:

1. Sponsorship is usually given to a deserving nominee who has contributed significantly to the standardisation work, e.g. number of years of volunteer service, active promotion of standards, projects of significance, etc.
2. Upon returning from the trip, the participant shall submit a trip report to ITSC, and share his observations and findings of the meeting at ITSC meetings such as the Plenary or TC meetings.

ITSC may fund:

1. for private sector companies - 50% of economy airfare & lodging cost, up to a maximum of S$2,500;
2. for SMEs, Institutes of Higher Learning (Universities, Polytechnics, Institutes of Technical Education) and Research Institutes - 80% of economy airfare & lodging cost, up to a maximum of S$2,500.

 

6.6.3.2

ITSC secretariat verifies the nominee's membership in the ITSC technical committee, and Singapore's JTC1/SC membership status.

 

6.6.3.3

ITSC secretariat seeks decision from the ITSC Chair for sponsorship support. The proposal is generally supported if the meeting participation is part of the workplan endorsed by ITSC Council.

Note: At least 30 calendar days are required for the ITSC and SPRING’s approval process. ITSC Secretariat shall apply to SPRING Singapore/IDA Singapore on the nominee's behalf, if ITSC Chair supports the trip sponsorship.

 

6.6.3.4

IDA/SPRING Singapore processes the sponsorship requests and informs the ITSC Secretariat, TC Chair and the nominee of the approval or otherwise.

 

6.6.3.5

Nominee applies for reimbursement from SPRING Singapore/IDA Singapore after the trip, with receipts of air-tickets/itinerary, boarding passes, and lodging forwarded to ITSC Secretariat for verification.

6.7 Application for Funding of Events Held Locally

6.7.1

TC/WG Chair shall write in to the ITSC Secretariat of the required funding at least one month prior to the day of event. The funding request should be in line with the budget request included in the TC's annual workplan.

 

6.7.2

The following information is required:

1. Target audience
2. Objective of the event
3. Industry benefit
4. Event to be funded
5. Duration of event
6. Expected number of participants
7. Usage of fund applied for

 

6.7.3

The Secretariat will evaluate the request based on criteria defined in clause 6.4, and by taking into consideration the possible sources of sponsorship.

 

6.7.4

ITSC Council shall have final approval of the funding request.

 

6.7.5

The Secretariat will inform TC Chair of the decision.

 

6.7.6

The claims should be made to the relevant sponsoring organisations within 14 days after the day of event, using the actual bills/receipts or certified true copies of the original bills/receipts.

 

6.7.7

Application for funding of other TC activities shall be approved on a case-by-case basis.

 

6.8 Proposal of Singapore Standards

6.8.1

TC Chair shall inform ITSC Secretariat of any proposed new standards work item, and the review or revision of existing standards. The TC Chair shall use the "Proposed New Work Item" form for putting up the proposal. This form can be found in the "Singapore Standardisation Programme" website at http://www.standards.org.sg managed by SPRING Singapore.

 

6.8.2

ITSC Council shall have the final decision on whether to support the proposal.

6.9 Standardisation Procedure

TCs that wish to establish new standards shall develop the content based on the template provided by SPRING Singapore. The standardisation procedure comprises of several stages:

1. Content development of draft standard.
2. Clearance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and other copyrights.
3. Submission of necessary documents for public comment.
4. Public Comment Period.
5. Approval by ITSC Council.
6. Publishing of approved Singapore standards.

 

6.9.1 Content Development of Draft Standard

The respective TC is responsible to develop the content of draft standard, to be proposed for establishment as Singapore standard. The TC is required to adhere to the format indicated by SPRING Singapore. ITSC Secretariat shall advise the TC should the TC secretariat encounter problem during the content development process.

6.9.2 Clearance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Other Copyrights

The TC/WG secretariat is responsible to obtain clearance of IPR from the respective company(ies) or standards body(ies) should the draft standard uses information pertaining to them. Clearance shall be obtained formally in writing and it should be completed prior to sending the draft standard for public comment. A copy of all correspondences shall be forwarded to ITSC Secretariat for information and reference. The ITSC Secretariat shall also forward a copy of the letter granting copyright permission to SPRING Singapore for reference.

6.9.3 Submission of Necessary Documents for Public Comment

The TC secretariat needs to submit the following documents in soft copy to ITSC secretariat, who will in turn, check and submit them to SPRING Singapore:

1. Fully formatted and completed draft standard
2. Scope of the standard
3. Reasons for establishment/revision/withdrawal (and any replacement) and leading partners
4. Salient points of the standard
5. For review of existing standards, to indicate reasons and leading partners
6. Potential users of the standard
7. Completed organisation list (template as provided by SPRING Singapore), to indicate which organisations that SPRING Singapore needs to inform about the public comment.

The TC secretariat shall observe the deadline for submission of the above information to ITSC Secretariat for the public comment of the draft standard.

6.9.4 Public Comment Period

The public comment period is two months for newly established draft, withdrawal and amendments of standard; except for reviews which is only one month. If there are comments on the draft standard that require major amendments to the draft, the TC will have to re-work and start from clause 6.9.1 again. Any comment received after the public comment period will be considered during subsequent review of the standard.

 

6.9.5 Approval by ITSC Council

Balloting is necessary on the draft standard by ITSC Council after it clears through the public comment period. ITSC Secretariat shall initiate a two-week balloting process to all Council members. A one-week balloting process will be permissible in urgent cases and upon approval by ITSC Chairman.

It is mandatory for all Council members to vote. Upon receiving two-third of approved votes cast, the draft standard is considered approved by the Council as a Singapore Standard. ITSC Secretariat shall inform SPRING Singapore of the approval, so that SPRING Singapore may arrange for the standards to be edited and gazetted.

 

6.9.6 Publishing of Approved Singapore Standard

Once the standard is gazetted and edited, SPRING Singapore shall send it for printing and publishing. All draft and final copies of the Singapore Standards and Technical References come under SPRING Singapore's copyright.

 

6.10 Development of Web Pages

Standards websites are usually sponsored by organisations. The following serves as guidelines on hosting and maintaining standards websites in the ITSC community.

1. TC Chair is responsible for the contents of the website.
2. The website shall not be used for commercial purposes. Name of the sponsor can be indicated in small print.
3. ITSC logo shall be included in the home page of TC.
4. Pages should be up-to-date to reflect current and accurate information.
5. Copyright laws shall be observed, including publishing standards documents.
6. TC Chair shall inform ITSC Secretariat to review the website prior to its launch.
7. ITSC Secretariat maintains the hotlink from ITSC website to the TC website. TC maintains the reverse links.

(Note: The ITSC website is also linked to the homepage of the website on "The Singapore Standardisation Programme" maintained by SPRING Singapore at http://www.standards.org.sg.)

7.0 ITSC COUNCIL TERMS OF REFERENCE

7.1 Key Roles of ITSC Chairman

The responsibilities of the ITSC Chairman are:

1. Provide leadership to ITSC to ensure that it discharges its work appropriately in accordance to the Terms of Reference of ITSC
2. Spearhead the development of the Business Plan for ITSC and ensure that the key outcomes of the plan are delivered.
3. Be key party to report on the progress of the work of the ITSC to the Standards Council on a regular basis.

 

7.2 Functions

The functions of the ITSC Council are as follows:

1. To provide directions and drive the Infocomm standardisation in Singapore.
2. To determine the policies, strategies, priorities, and procedures for ITSC's standardisation programmes.
3. To keep abreast of strategic developments in international standardisation on Infocomm and to align ITSC's efforts with these developments to safeguard and advance the interest of the local Infocomm industry.
4. To lead and drive ITSC initiatives and programmes to heighten the awareness on standards on and/or the adoption of standards.
5. To appoint Technical Committees (TC) in tandem with the Standards Council term or as it may deem necessary to undertake the standardisation work relevant to the Infocomm industry.
6. To guide and monitor the work of TCs and to take actions as deemed appropriate to further Singapore's active adoption and development of Infocomm standardisation. The ITSC Council will:
   • provide a formal link between TCs and the Standards Council and establish general policy direction.
   • advise on the strategies for future standards development.
   • develop framework and Business Plans outlining the key outcomes and priorities for standardisation work during the Committee term.
   • assist in the identification of new work items.
   • advise on allocation of resources to ensure priorities are met.
   • approve workplans and commencement of work on a standard or Technical Reference by TCs, and consider the need for co-ordination of work with other Standards Committees, if applicable.
   • approve the final draft of a Singapore Standard or Technical Reference.
   • review and deal with reports and recommendations of the TCs and to submit the recommendations to Standards Council on matters requiring their decision.

7.3 Composition

7.3.1

ITSC Council shall comprise representatives from the industry, associations, academia, research institutes, government and other interest groups as may be decided by the Standards Council. However, in situations where the contribution of a company or a particular individual is critical for the success of the work being undertaken, ITSC may allow for participation of individuals and companies up to 30% of its membership.

 

7.3.2

ITSC Council shall have the power to co-opt additional members where necessary, to participate in its deliberations and formulation of national Infocomm standardisation strategies, policies and programmes. The co-opted members shall not be eligible to vote.

 

7.3.3

Chair, ITSC shall be a member of the Standards Council appointed by SPRING Singapore Board of Management. Such appointment shall be in tandem with the three year Standards Council term. Each appointment will be subject to a maximum of two terms. However, further extension of a third consecutive term may be considered for approval by the SPRING Singapore Board of Management.

 

7.3.4

All Singaporean citizens or Permanent Residents, whether located/worked in Singapore or overseas, are allowed to participate as members except for those who work in foreign-owned companies overseas. This group of individuals can only participate as Observers in the Council, TC or WG.

 

7.3.5

The term of office of ITSC Council members shall be three years.

 

7.3.6

The term of office of a co-opted member shall be one year.

7.4 Proceedings

7.4.1

The quorum for meeting shall be one-third of the members of the Council.

 

7.4.2

Voting is done through balloting, either by letter or at meetings. Members absent at meetings would be given forms to exercise voting by a given date.

 

7.4.3

The entitlement to vote shall be as follows:

1. ITSC Chairman - one vote
2. ITSC Deputy Chairman (if exist) - one vote
3. 1 Council member representing 1 organisation - one vote
4. More than 1 Council member representing the same organisation - one vote

 

7.4.4

When voting is called for, at least two-thirds of those who are eligible for voting must cast their votes. Otherwise, the motion will lapse unless the voting period is extended. Vote cast in favour and negative votes accompanied by technical reasons are considered as valid votes whilst abstained votes and negative votes not accompanied by technical reasons are considered as invalid votes. Two-thirds of the votes cast have to be in favour for the proposal to be approved or endorsed.

 

7.4.5

At least seven day's notice shall be given before every meeting. However, in urgent cases, Chairman, ITSC or one-third members of the Council may convene a meeting with less than seven days' notice. Every notice to convene a meeting shall specify generally the agenda of the meeting.

 

7.4.6

Membership of the Council shall be evidenced by records to be kept by the ITSC Secretariat which shall at all times contain the names and addresses of all the members.

 

7.4.7

Observers are allowed to attend ITSC meetings at the discretion of Chairman, ITSC.

8.0 ITSC SECRETARIAT TERMS OF REFERENCE

8.1

Provide key support to the Chairman, ITSC in implementing the Business Plan of the ITSC.

 

8.2

Organise ITSC Council, Plenary and TC Workplan meetings and be the liaison point with the Standards Council.

 

8.3

Provide the necessary guidance to ITSC on policies and procedures associated with the standardisation programme.

 

8.4

Assists in the identification of composition of ITSC Council for Standards Council's approval.

 

8.5

Ensure the timely execution of the following:

1. Preparation of the meeting
2. Recording of decisions taken in a meeting and making these decisions available in writing for confirmation during the meeting.
3. Preparation and follow-up of minutes of meeting.
4. Preparation of reports to Standards Council.

 

8.6

Assists ITSC in the prioritisation of standards work including assessment of the impact of standards to be developed/reviewed and facilitates the implementation of these standards.

 

8.7

Where relevant, to research and prepare proposals for new projects or areas for standardisation for consideration and approval by ITSC Council. To evaluate and recommend proposed new work items that are submitted to the ITSC Secretariat, for consideration and comments before circulation to ITSC Council for approval.

 

8.8

Assists ITSC in the development of the standardisation programmes in areas covered and plans initiatives for the promotion of standards. Also assists in identifying key areas for participation in international standardisation.

 

8.9

Work in close liaison with the ITSC Chair, TC Chairs, Council, TC secretaries and the SPRING Singapore Secretariat, as the secretariat assigned to facilitate IT standardisation activities comes under the national standardisation programme. To prepare monthly progress reports of the work of ITSC and its committees for progress reporting at the corporate and ministry level. Requests for relevant standardisation information from SPRING Singapore may also be required on an ad hoc basis to meet corporate and ministry requests.

 

8.10

Oversees the work activities and active progress of all TCs or WGs, ensuring that standards or Technical References are developed on a timely basis in accordance to their workplans and the Singapore standardization process. Guides and assists the TC Secretary to carry out their secretariat functions in these TCs effectively and to an early and satisfactory conclusion.

 

8.11

Promotes use of Singapore Standards and industry participation in international standardisation activities, e.g. ISO/IEC, through talks, seminars or other suitable fora.

 

8.12

Proposes and implements improvements to the standardisation process.

9.0 MATTERS SPECIFIC TO TECHNICAL COMMITTEES (TCs)

9.1 General Terms of Reference of TC

9.1.1

Technical committees are established and dissolved by the ITSC Council.

 

9.1.2

A new TC shall agree on its title and scope as soon as possible after its establishment. The scope is a statement precisely defining the limits of the work of the TC. The agreed title and scope shall be submitted by the TC Chair to ITSC Council for approval.

 

9.1.3

A TC may modify its title or scope subject to the approval of the ITSC Council.

 

9.1.4

All Singaporean citizens or Permanent Residents, whether located/worked in Singapore or overseas, are allowed to participate as members except for those who work in foreign-owned companies overseas. This group of individuals can only participate as Observers in the Council, TC or WG.

This is the General TOR for all TCs. Because each TC focuses on a different area, each TC will define its scope, work plan, resource commitments as an addendum to this general TOR.

9.2 Functions

9.2.1 Standards Review, Development and Alignment

1. To monitor developments in international standardisation in Infocomm area which are relevant to its subject area and formulate Singapore's position where appropriate. Where applicable, adopt the international standards.
2. To develop and review Singapore Infocomm standards and keep them up to date, and work towards alignment with existing international standards, wherever practical and relevant.
3. To identify and, where relevant, participate in key international standardisation meetings that are of importance to Singapore. The endorsement of ITSC Council shall be sought on its participation.
4. To submit all draft, new or reviewed Singapore standards to the ITSC Council for approval.

 

9.2.2 Standards Awareness and Adoption

To promote the awareness and use of Singapore standards.

 

9.2.3 Operations

1. To develop and submit workplans to ITSC Council for approval.
2. To submit status reports on the progress of the TC's work to the ITSC Council.
3. To appoint Working Groups (WGs) of technical experts to assist in standardisation in priority areas, where necessary.

9.3 Terms of Reference of TC Chair

9.3.1

Is responsible for the overall management of that TC, including any WGs. He shall advise the ITSC Council on important matters relating to the TC, including its plans and targets.

 

9.3.2

To provide leadership to the TC to ensure that it discharges its work on a timely basis in accordance with the Terms of Reference of the TC.

 

9.3.3

To nominate a Deputy TC chair to be appointed by ITSC Council. The Deputy TC chair shall act on behalf of the Chair in his absence.

 

9.3.4

To appoint a TC secretary to assist him in the administrative management of the TC.

 

9.3.5

To work in close liaison with the Deputy TC Chair and the TC secretary and provide guidance to them in fulfilling their responsibilities. This includes informing all TC members about ITSC policies and procedures, and standardisation process.

 

9.3.6

To ensure that any proposals to change the scope of work/work items are brought to the attention of ITSC Council.

 

9.3.7

To work closely with the Deputy TC chair and TC Secretary in carrying out the TC's activities e.g. planning of work programme.

 

9.3.8

To be impartial, i.e. the TC Chair has to take a neutral position and does not represent the interest of the organisation that he belongs to. In taking the views of the members, he should remind them of their representation when supporting particular points under discussion and aim for the TC to reach the best decision through consensus.

 

9.3.9

To report on the progress of the work of the TC to ITSC on a regular basis such as at ITSC plenary meetings, including updates on the TC/WG membership.

 

9.3.10

In the interests of committee solidarity, the TC Chair should not criticise the TC work or findings in public.

 

9.3.11

The TC Chair has the capacity to present an official interpretation of provisions in the Singapore Standard that his TC has been involved in.

 

9.3.12

In the event that the TC Chair is unable to reasonably discharge his duties within the specified timeframe, he should inform the ITSC Council to nominate a replacement. Meanwhile, the Deputy TC Chair can take over temporarily in an acting capacity until the new TC Chair is being appointed.

9.4 Terms of Reference of Deputy TC Chair

9.4.1

To assist the TC chair in ensuring that the TC discharges its work on a timely basis in accordance with the Terms of Reference of the TC.

 

9.4.2

In the event that the TC Chair is unable to reasonably discharge his duties within the specified timeframe, the Deputy TC Chair should take over the role of TC Chair temporarily until the new TC Chair is appointed.

 

9.4.3

A Deputy Chair may be considered as a possible candidate for replacing an outgoing TC Chair, subject to the appointment by ITSC Council.

9.5 Terms of Reference of TC Secretary

9.5.1

Is responsible for the monitoring, reporting and active progress of TC work.

 

9.5.2

Ensure the timely execution of the following:

1. Preparation of the meeting including:
   • establishing the agenda;
   • arranging for the circulation of all documents on the agenda, including reports of TC/WGs and indicating all other documents which are necessary for discussion during the meeting.
2. Recording of decisions taken in a meeting and making these decisions available in writing for confirmation during the meeting.
3. Preparation and follow-up of minutes of meeting.
4. Proofreading associated with the printing of Singapore Standards.

 

9.5.3

Provides necessary guidance to the TC on the policies and procedures of the national standardisation programme.

 

9.5.4

Works in close liaison with the ITSC Secretariat, TC Chair, Deputy TC Chair and WG Convenors/Chairs regarding TC activities, including those of its WGs. He/she shall also maintain contact with the members of the TC regarding its activities, including those of its WGs.

 

9.5.5

Keeps records of TC activities and prepares related reports as required.

 

9.5.6

Compiles technical information required for study by TC. This may require library research and sourcing for information overseas as well as conducting comparative studies on available relevant standards.

 

9.5.7

Assists in the prioritisation and assessments of the impact of the standards to be developed/reviewed and facilitates the implementation of standards.

 

9.5.8

Ensures that the TC work is carried out as scheduled. To highlight early to ITSC Secretariat, cases where the completion of the standard is expected to exceed the planned time frame (12 months for Specification or 24 months for Code of Practice).

 

9.5.9

Monitors progress of WGs and provide necessary assistance.

 

9.5.10

Monitors/supports the TC or working group participation in international standardisation activities in the relevant area.

 

9.5.11

Disseminates information on standardisation activities taking place in Singapore and overseas which are of interest to industry.

 

9.5.12

If the TC Secretary wishes to relinquish his/her duties, he/she must immediately inform the TC Chair and ITSC Secretariat. The TC Chair shall decide on the transfer of the TC Secretariat to another individual and communicate the transfer to ITSC Secretariat.

9.6 Terms of Reference of TC Member

9.6.1 Appointment

The TC member is appointed by TC Chair and plays an important role in the drafting or review of standards. The member could serve on the TC as:

1. An individual because of his technical knowledge and expertise; OR
2. A representative of an organisation, association or institution. [Note: A TC member shall continue to remain on the Committee unless otherwise advised by the nominating organisation.]

 

9.6.2 Responsibilities

The role and responsibilities of a TC member are as follows:

1. Endeavours to attend meetings at all times. If unable to attend, the member should, as far as possible inform the TC Secretary. Comments should be sent in to facilitate discussion wherever required. Otherwise, the member has to provide a stand-in where possible. However, this should not be exercised frequently. If the member is unable to attend three consecutive meetings or to observe deadlines for completion of work as may be assigned by the TC, the nominating organisation may be requested to find a replacement. If the representation of the member is on an individual capacity basis, then the member's participation may be withdrawn from the TC.
2. Assist in the implementation and promotion of the standards established by the TC(s).
3. Consults with the nominating organisation, where applicable and be in a position to recommend on the technical details of standards under preparation and to ensure that the standards being developed are in line with the overall objectives of the TC, including the national interest.
4. Provides where possible, the required technical information such as test data for study by the TC and any other assistance as required by the TC.
5. Adheres to the time frame for completion of standards as set out by the TC.
6. Plays an active role in the TC. To identify new work items that are of impact and are needed by the industry. The TC members should also be prepared to take on the role of WG convenorship/chairmanship, if requested.
7. Represents the views of his nominating organisation at meetings, where applicable. The member should ensure that his nominating organisations are regularly informed of TC activities. This may include providing minutes of meeting to his nominating organisation.
8. Provides full information to the committee and must not improperly withhold relevant information within the scope of the draft standard. Any omission of relevant information could contribute to the production of a false or misleading document.
9. While a TC member may reasonably express his own points of view on the background and intent of standards with which he has been involved, he does not have the authority to present an official interpretation of provisions in the Singapore Standards.
10. In the interest of committee solidarity, the TC member should not criticise the TC work or findings in public.

9.7 Proceedings of TC Meeting

9.7.1

The quorum for meetings shall be one-third of the members of the TC.

 

9.7.2

Voting can be done through letter balloting or at the meetings. If voting is conducted at meetings, casting of votes should be exercised. Members absent at meetings should be given forms to exercise voting by a given date.

 

9.7.3

Each member and Chair shall have one vote while TC Secretary has no voting right. Regardless of the representation of participation, each company is entitled to only one vote. In the absence of a member, the alternate to the member shall have the right to vote. When voting, whether at meetings or by letter ballot, at least two-thirds of the members must cast their votes. From these vote cast, two-thirds of the members have to vote in favour of the proposal. Abstentions of votes, late votes, as well as negative votes not accompanied by technical reasons, are excluded when votes are counted.

 

9.7.4

At least seven days' notice shall be given before every meeting of any TC. However, in urgent cases, the Chair of the TC or one-third of the members of the TC may convene a meeting with less than seven days' notice. Every notice to convene a meeting shall specify generally the agenda of the meeting.

 

9.7.5

Membership of a TC shall be evidenced by records to be kept by the Secretary to the TC, which shall at all times contain the names and addresses of all the members.

 

9.8 Conduct of TC Meeting

When chairing a meeting, the TC Chair should observe the following:

1. Organise the order of discussion of items and the time allocated to each subject to ensure that the agenda can be completed without undue rush or time wasting on topics of minor importance.
2. Be impartial at all times to ensure that the opinions of all interests are heard. The TC Chair should limit discussion to the point under consideration and when a consensus of opinion has been reached, summarise the consensus view so that members understand what have been agreed. When agreement cannot be reached on matter, the TC Chair should sum up the key points of difference and the proposed action(s) to be taken to ITSC Council to resolve the deadlock.
3. Conduct meetings with a view to reaching agreement on draft standard.
4. Control private discussions and disagreements between members.
5. Strongly discourage members from reopening discussions on points, which have previously received thorough considerations, unless very good reasons exist. Members absent from meetings where a particular decision was taken should be discouraged from reopening the subject again and taking up valuable committee time. To allow proper consideration of their concerns and to enable the meeting to progress, members in these situations should be asked to submit their views in writing for review at the next meeting.
6. Strictly curtail discussions on editorial or purely drafting points.
7. Ensure that, where an existing standard from ISO or the IEC parallels the scope of the draft being prepared, the TC gives full consideration to its adoption. Where the TC decided that it is necessary to make any changes to the technical requirements of the international standard, then any differences included in the Singapore Standard will need to have substantial justification based on good and sound reasons. These departures from the international standards and the reasons for doing so must be recorded in the committee's minutes.
8. Encourage members to observe punctuality in meetings.
9. Ensure at meetings that all points of view expressed are adequately summarised so that they are understood by all present.
10. Ensure at meetings that all points of view and decisions are clearly and accurately recorded by the Secretary. These will be made available in written form for confirmation in subsequent meetings.
11. Conduct meetings on a regular basis.

 

10.0 MATTERS SPECIFIC TO WORKING GROUPS (WGs)

10.1 General Terms of Reference of WG

10.1.1

A TC may establish WGs for specific tasks. A WG shall report to its parent TC through a convenor/chair appointed by the parent TC. The title and scope of a WG shall be defined by the parent TC in collaboration with the WG Convenor/Chair and shall be within the defined scope of the parent TC.

 

10.1.2

All Singaporean citizens or Permanent Residents, whether located/worked in Singapore or overseas, are allowed to participate as members except for those who work in foreign-owned companies overseas. This group of individuals can only participate as Observers in the Council, TC or WG.

This is the General TOR for all WGs. Because WGs are formed to fulfil specific tasks assigned by the TC, each WG will be given a more specific TOR by its parent TC as an addendum to this general TOR.

 

10.2 Functions

10.2.1 Standards Review, Development and Alignment

1. To assist the TC in drafting and reviewing specific standards or aspects of a standard, and/or to promote awareness and use of standards. The members of the WG are technical experts who provide inputs for drafting of the standard.
2. Help to resolve comments received during public comment stage.
3. Members are required to help source for relevant reference documents.

 

10.2.2 Standards Awareness and Adoption

1. Help to promote the standard established.
2. To look into implementation aspect of standard from the start.
3. Identify organisations to obtain feedback on use of standard established.

 

10.2.3 Operations

1. To be responsible to the TC and undertake tasks assigned by the TC.
2. To submit progress and recommendations to TC on task(s) undertaken.

 

10.2.4 Composition

1. A WG shall comprise of a restricted number of experts, participating in their individual capacity, brought together to deal with the specific tasks allocated to the WG by its parent TC.
2. WG members are selected for their technical expertise.
3. WG members shall be appointed by the TC. A WG should be of a workable size, preferably smaller than the TC. The size of the WG may vary depending on the complexity of the standard.
4. The Convenor/Chair of the working group appointed by the TC shall report its progress of work to the TC. He shall lead the WG in the development or completion of the task(s) assigned by the TC and shall organise and chair any WG meetings. If the WG Convenor/Chair is not a TC member, he shall be co-opted to serve on the TC from the initiation till the completion of work.
5. The final composition of a WG (name, address, phone, fax, email) shall be circulated to and regularly updated by the WG members, members of its parent TC and ITSC Secretariat.
6. The WG shall be disbanded once its specified tasks have been completed.

10.3 Terms of Reference of WG Convenor/Chair

10.3.1

To provide leadership to the WG to ensure that it discharges its work on a timely basis in accordance with the Terms of Reference of the WG and the tasks assigned by the TC.

 

10.3.2

To ensure that any proposals to change the scope of work/work items are brought to the attention of the TC.

 

10.3.3

To work closely with the TC Chair, Deputy TC Chair and TC Secretary in carrying out the WG's activities e.g. planning of work programme.

 

10.3.4

To be impartial, i.e. the WG Convenor/Chair has to take a neutral position and does not represent the interest of the organisation that he belongs to. In taking the views of the members, he should remind them of their representation when supporting particular points under discussion and aim for the WG to reach the best decision through consensus.

 

10.3.5

To report on the progress of the work of the WG to its parent TC on a regular basis.

 

10.3.6

In the interests of group solidarity, the WG Convenor/Chair should not criticise the WG work or findings in public.

 

10.3.7

In the event that the WG Convenor/Chair is unable to reasonably discharge his duties within the specified timeframe, he should take on the responsibility to inform his TC to nominate a replacement. If he is not able to observe extended deadlines, the TC Chair, Deputy TC Chair or TC Secretary may recommend to the TC to find a replacement.

10.4 Terms of Reference of WG Member

10.4.1 Appointment

The WG member is appointed by the WG and plays an important role in the drafting or review of standards. The member serves on the WG as an individual because of his technical knowledge and expertise.

10.4.2 Responsibilities

The role and responsibilities of a WG member are as follows:

1. Endeavours to attend meetings at all times. If unable to attend, the member should, as far as possible inform the WG Convenor/Chair in advance. Comments should be sent in to facilitate discussion wherever required. Otherwise, the member has to provide a stand-in where possible. However, this should not be exercised frequently. If the member is unable to attend three consecutive meetings or to observe deadlines for completion of work as may be assigned by the WG, then the member's participation may be withdrawn from the WG.
2. Assist in the implementation and promotion of the standards established by the TC(s)/WG(s).
3. To recommend on the technical details of standards under preparation and to ensure that the standards being developed are in line with the overall objectives of the TC, including the national interest.
4. Provides where possible, the required technical information such as test data for study by the TC/WG and any other assistance as required by the TC/WG.
5. Adheres to the time frame for completion of standards as set out by the TC.
6. Plays an active role in the WG.
7. Provides full information to the WG and must not improperly withhold relevant information within the scope of the draft standard. Any omission of relevant information could contribute to the production of a false or misleading document.
8. While a WG member may reasonably express his own points of view on the background and intent of standards with which he has been involved, he does not have the authority to present an official interpretation of provisions in the Singapore Standards.
9. In the interest of committee solidarity, the WG member should not criticise the TC/WG work or findings in public.

10.5 Proceedings of WG Meeting

10.5.1

The quorum for meetings shall be one-third of the members of the WG.

 

10.5.2

Voting can be done through letter balloting or at the meetings. If voting is conducted at meetings, casting of votes should be exercised. Members absent at meetings should be given forms to exercise voting by a given date.

 

10.5.3

Each member and convenor/chair shall have one vote. Regardless of the representation of participation, each company is entitled to only one vote. In the absence of a member, the alternate to the member shall have the right to vote. When voting, whether at meetings or by letter ballot, at least two-thirds of the members must cast their votes. From these vote cast, two-thirds of the members have to vote in favour of the proposal. Abstentions of votes, late votes, as well as negative votes not accompanied by technical reasons, are excluded when votes are counted.

 

10.5.4

At least seven days' notice shall be given before every meeting of any WG. However, in urgent cases, the WG Convenor/Chair or one-third of the members of the WG may convene a meeting with less than seven days' notice. Every notice to convene a meeting shall specify generally the agenda of the meeting.

 

10.5.5

Membership of a WG shall be evidenced by records to be kept by the WG convenor/chair, which shall at all times contain the names and addresses of all the members.

10.6 Conduct of WG Meeting

When chairing a meeting, the WG Convenor/Chair should observe the following:

1. Organise the order of discussion of items and the time allocated to each subject to ensure that the agenda can be completed without undue rush or time wasting on topics of minor importance.
2. Be impartial at all times to ensure that the opinions of all interests are heard. The WG Convenor/Chair should limit discussion to the point under consideration and when a consensus of opinion has been reached, summarise the consensus view so that members understand what have been agreed. When agreement cannot be reached on matter, the WG Convenor/Chair should sum up the key points of difference and the proposed action(s) to be taken to the TC to resolve the deadlock.
3. Conduct meetings with a view to reaching agreement on draft standard.
4. Control private discussions and disagreements between members.
5. Strongly discourage members from reopening discussions on points, which have previously received thorough considerations, unless very good reasons exist. Members absent from meetings where a particular decision was taken should be discouraged from reopening the subject again and taking up valuable committee time. To allow proper consideration of their concerns and to enable the meeting to progress, members in these situations should be asked to submit their views in writing for review at the next meeting.
6. Strictly curtail discussions on editorial or purely drafting points.
7. Ensure that, where an existing standard from ISO or the IEC parallels the scope of the draft being prepared, the WG gives full consideration to its adoption. Where the WG decided that it is necessary to make any changes to the technical requirements of the international standard, then any differences included in the Singapore Standard will need to have substantial justification based on good and sound reasons. These departures from the international standards and the reasons for doing so must be recorded in the WG's minutes.
8. Encourage members to observe punctuality in meetings.
9. Ensure at meetings that all points of view expressed are adequately summarised so that they are understood by all present.
10. Ensure at meetings that all points of view and decisions are clearly and accurately recorded by the Secretary. These will be made available in written form for confirmation in subsequent meetings.
11. Conduct meetings on a regular basis.