Comprehensive Guide to Purchasing Engineering Industry Standards and Compliance Management

What is a Standard?

A standard is a document that provides guidelines, specifications, or procedures to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, processes, or systems. Developed by governments, alliances, national standards bodies (NSB), or standards-developing organizations (SDO), standards are essential in promoting fair trade, ensuring interoperability, and maintaining public safety. While standards are voluntary in some cases, some are legally binding because they are referenced in law or incorporated by reference (IBR), with potential legal implications for non-compliance. Many contracts will cite standards and those standards also become legally binding through a private contract.

History of Standards

The concept of standards dates back to ancient times, where consistent measurements and quality were essential in trade and construction. Over the centuries, standards evolved from informal guidelines to structured, universally recognized documents.

In the modern era, the development of international standards has accelerated with technological advances. Today, standards govern everything from electrical safety to environmental management, to testing methodologies and technical specifications for nearly every product we use –  making them indispensable in our globalized and connected world. Over 93% of all products are subject to standards and a product that has many components is likely subject to a variety of critical engineering standards.

The process of creating a standard involves collaboration between industry experts, regulators, and other stakeholders, ensuring that the end product addresses both industry needs and public welfare. Standards are continuously refined to keep pace with innovation, making them vital to modern industry.

National Standards Bodies (NSB)

Each country has its own National Standards Body (NSB). Some NSBs create standards and also regulate organizations within their boundaries. NSBs typically represent ISO and IEC at the national level. Some NSBs include:

• ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
• Standards Council of Canada (SCC)
• AFNOR (France)
• AENOR (Spain)
• DIN (Germany)
• SIS (Sweden)
• BSI (United Kingdom)
• SAC (China)
• A full list can be found on the ISO website here (though it also includes some SDOs).

CEN-CENELEC (Europe)

This organization gathers European NSBs in one place to create harmonized European Norms (ENs).  These European norms are then adopted by the national standards bodies of each country. 

Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs)

Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs) are responsible for creating and maintaining standards. Some well-known SDOs include:

• ISO (International Organization for Standardization): Develops international standards for a wide range of industries.
• ASTM (American Society of Testing and Materials): Publish a wide variety of standards related to testing. 
• IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission): Specializes in electrical and electronic standards.
• CSA (Canadian Standards Association): Covers a wide variety of topics.
• API (American Petroleum Institute): Specializes in Oil & Gas and is a critical publisher for that industry.

These organizations collaborate globally to ensure standards are comprehensive and applicable across different regions and industries.

See a full list of Nimonik’s coverage on its Standards Store here.

See a full list of Nimonik’s engineering standards subscription offering here.

Adoption of International Standards

Many countries adopt international standards to harmonize regulations and promote global trade. For example, BSI frequently adopts ISO standards, which allows businesses in the UK to access international guidelines at a lower cost. This adoption makes it easier for companies to comply with both local and global standards, reducing complexity and expense.

It should be noted that purchasing adoptions of ISO standards through a National Standards Body is possible and through bundles, some cost benefits can be obtained. NSBs will not necessarily adopt all ISO standards and NSBs also typically take 3-8 months to adopt international standards and this can cause a delay in their availability. It is therefore typically safer to purchase the original ISO document rather than an adoption. With increasing risks linked to non-compliance, having up-to-date ISO documents is critical for many organizations.

Certain other organizations will work together to form joint or adopted standards, such as JEDEC and IPC, ASME and CSA or others. It can be cost effective to purchase these joint standards in lieu of the original standard. A professional from Nimonik can help you navigate your options and optimize your costs.

Why Standards Cost Money

Standards require significant resources to develop, including research, consultation with industry experts, and public reviews. Standards-developing organizations (SDOs), such as ISO, ASTM, API and IEC, rely on sales of standards to fund this process. The fees cover the costs of maintaining, updating, and distributing standards globally, ensuring that they remain relevant and up-to-date.

It should be noted that Standards are used broadly in this document and the engineering document we are discussing include guides, manuals, technical papers and other documents that engineers and managers require to ensure compliance for their operations and products.

Resellers

In 2024, there are three primary resellers of industry standards who can offer broad coverage for print, PDF and subscription to engineering standards.

1. Accuris (formerly IHS and Techstreet) who are owned by KKR Private Equity
2. Intertek Inform (formerly SAI Global) who are owned by Intertek
3. Nimonik who are an independent company owned and operated by engineers and scientists.

Other options on the market, with limited coverage include ASTM Compass, BSB Edge, CSA Advantage and a few others.

DRM (Digital Rights Management) in Standards

To protect intellectual property, many standards publishers enforce Digital Rights Management (DRM). DRM restricts how documents are accessed, shared, and printed. These restrictions are required by the publishers. Any attempts to remove DRM are illegal and an infringement of intellectual property. DRM ensures that standards are used according to licensing agreements, preventing unauthorized distribution and maintaining the integrity of the content.

There are two DRM models. 

Plugin

Some publishers and resellers will apply a DRM through a plugin that restricts access to a PDF and may remove access after a certain time period or through other criteria. Another downside of plugins such as FileOpen or LockLizard is that they must be installed on each computer or device and in a corporate environment, this typically requires the assistance of the IT department.

Application Ecosystem

Another form of DRM leverages online and offline viewing, restricting access based on users needing to login to their account. Nimonik and Nimonik Standards uses this approach and allows buyers of standards to access their standards through the Nimonik system and its mobile applications on iOS and Android, ensuring a seamless experience that protects the publishers rights.

It should be noted that most publishers prohibit the addition of their intellectual property onto 3rd party systems for file sharing or into Large Language Models and other Artificial Intelligence tools. 

Pricing Models for Buying Standards

There are two ways to purchase standards: Retail (one-time purchase) and Subscription format. Let’s explore both options in more detail. 

Retail – One-Time Purchases

1. Single Standard Purchase: One-off purchases of individual standards. This is suitable for individuals who need specific standards and do not need to share the standard with collaborators. This is very much like purchasing a book for personal use.
   1. Standards can be purchased in electronic format – PDF
   2. Standards can be purchased in paper format
   3. Some publishers offer a Bundle discount if you purchase both the PDF and Print copies of the same standard
2. Multi User Standard Purchase: Purchase a standard in PDF format for up to five users. This can be more cost effective than purchasing the same standard five times. Only certain publishers offer this option.

Nimonik Standards offers these purchasing options whenever they are permitted by the publisher. Nimonik Standards guarantees the best price for all the standards it offers.

Subscriptions

Many organizations opt for annual subscriptions, providing access to multiple people through an online system. The advantages of a standards subscription are numerous and are outlined here. 

Pricing for subscriptions vary substantially from publisher to publisher, but are generally offered in the following formats:

1. Block Pricing: Select a block of 10, 20, 50 or 100 documents from a publisher. You can add documents until you reach the total block size. On the Nimonik platform (2025), you will be able to add documents to your blocks without making a request to Nimonik staff. Pricing is typically a function of the average document price and the size of the block. This also allows companies to have flexibility for future project needs that arise when a specific publisher is most likely going to be needed.
2. Collections: These are predefined sets of documents, typically organized by topic, that are offered by the publisher. It can be more cost effective to purchase a collection if you need most of the documents within the collection. The key point between collection and custom is knowing the “tipping point” and the team at Nimonik will happily assist you in this process.
3. Custom Collections: Select specific standards you wish to subscribe to and a package will be proposed by the reseller. Tailored to the unique needs of a business, these packages allow organizations to pay only for what they need, controlling costs while maximizing value. Small and medium size organizations often focus on custom collections, but more and more larger companies build custom collections with Nimonik to find cost optimization.
4. Packages: Some companies such as Accuris will offer packages of standards from multiple SDOs put together. These pre-built packages often contain too many documents for smaller and medium size organizations. Companies will try to sell their packages to improve their profitability at the expense of the client.

The price for these items is then typically multiplied based on two key factors:

1. Simultaneous Users: This is the number of users at an organization who can look at documents from the same publisher at the same time. This number affects pricing. 
2. Locations: This is the total number of offices, manufacturing locations or other business locations with staff who need to access a given standard. In the past more focus was based on total users for each site to gauge how many locations to justify for pricing. This has become strictly enforced in the last 12 months. A site is a site regardless of how many total users unless the publishers/SDO approves beforehand.

To optimize your subscription, it is important to purchase the right standards for the right locations and in the correct quantities. Some SDOs offer discounts for broader access or multi-year commitments.

Details on Simultaneous Users

Some publishers wish to limit the number of users that have access to their standards for two reasons:

1) The concept of purchasing “seats” (simultaneous users) has been around for a long time in the engineering world, in particular for CAD software, where standards are heavily used.  

2) Traditionally many engineering colleges had physical engineering libraries. Let’s say in a library they had purchased two copies of a standard.  That is essentially the physical equivalent to purchasing two simultaneous users — in other words, at any given time only one person can hold a physical book in their hands. So from the SDO and Publisher point of view, when the concept of subs started.

The simultaneous user settings are not at the document level, they are at the SDO level. So picture an order form configuration like this:

In this example, this would imply that a company is subscribing to 35 API standards and at any given time only 3 people across 15 locations can access any of the content.

So if a fourth person at any of the locations tries to access any of the API publications, they should be turned away until a seat is freed up. It is therefore important to properly determine the number of simultaneous users you truly require.

Purchasing Standards Subscriptions

When purchasing a standards subscription, consider the following to obtain the best value and functionality for your organization:

1. Content Location Matrix: Many publishers restrict access based on location, and royalties are calculated accordingly. Know which locations need specific content to control costs and avoid unnecessary licensing fees.
2. Tailor Content to Your Needs: Work with your partner such as Nimonik to determine whether your organization benefits most from standard packages, custom content, or a hybrid mix. Understanding your needs and return on investment (ROI) is key to selecting the right subscription model. Unfortunately, this is a complex process.
3. Annual License Renewals: Most licenses are one-year contracts, but longer agreements can be arranged. Plan for annual renewals early to ensure a sustainable long-term program that boosts efficiency and ROI. It should be noted that publishers adjust their pricing annually and typically increase prices 1-3%, but these changes are unpredictable. 
4. Know Your Tipping Point for Customization: Striking the right balance between standard packages and customized content is essential. Misjudging this can lead to unnecessary costs over time.
5. Essential Features and Updates: Ensure your subscription includes critical features such as updates, redline, alerts, access to historical versions, and usage reporting. Factor in any additional costs for mid-term content updates into your budgeting. Nimonik offers these functionalities free of charge while competitors such as Accuris charge a premium of 10-50% for these features. 
6. Onboarding and Training: Effective onboarding and training are crucial for user adoption. Understand how training will be rolled out and communicated for widespread acceptance and efficient platform use. Nimonik will continue to work with your team to ensure your organization obtains the full value of its subscription.
7. Consider Historical Versions: Some companies charge extra for access to historical versions of standards. Evaluate if your organization needs access to backfiles for ongoing projects or continuity in operations. Access to all historical documents is likely not necessary, it is important to focus on the standards and the versions that matter for your organization.
8. Balance Hosted Platforms and One-Off Purchases: Decide whether your organization needs a company-wide hosted platform or if one-off purchases are more suitable for specific needs. Flexibility in your buying strategies helps prevent oversubscription and ensures alignment with budget and business goals. An integration between the two platforms allows companies to have both a subscription and conduct one time purchases and track spending across both accounts.
9. User Support through Webinars and Training: Look for platforms offering webinars, self-paced training, and video tutorials to provide users with efficient access to tools and support.
10. Platform Capacity and Integration: Ensure the platform supports Single Sign-On (SSO) and APIs for seamless integration with your existing systems, maximizing usability and security. Nimonik offers both SSO and API access to data. Nimonik is also certified to the ISO 27001 standard for Information System Security Management.
11. Administrative Features: Evaluate the platform’s administrative features to ensure it meets your needs for managing subscriptions, users, and access rights efficiently.
12. Usage Statistics: Ensure the platform you select offers usage statistics to see how many times standards are viewed, downloaded and used. This allows you to optimize your subscription and reduce costs.
13. Redline: Ensure the platform includes redline functionality so you can easily see the differences between versions of a standard.
14. Regulatory Data: Ensure the platform offers other data that is related to standards, such as regulatory data, military specifications or other information.

Standards Subscription in a Single Solution or in Multiple Solutions

When you purchase a standards subscription you can opt to have all of your standards hosted in one location or you can purchase multiple subscriptions from different vendors. There are advantages and disadvantages with both options.

A single solution will simplify procurement and user experience as all standards will be in a single tool. However, if you purchase many standards (more than 6 publishers), your only option for a single solution may be Accuris. Depending on your needs, Nimonik or Intertek Inform may be able to offer a single solution. If you purchase from more than 12 publishers, Accuris may be the only solution as they have exclusive agreements with organizations such as NFPA, AWS, AIA and PIP.

Purchasing two solutions offers a number of advantages. First and foremost you can ensure you obtain competitive pricing from your vendors by comparing their prices. You can also test various user experiences and optimize your spending and standards based on your needs. By splitting your solution, you also do not have all of your eggs in one basket. It should be noted that if you have Single Sign On (SSO) for both solutions, users can easily navigate from one solution to the others without logging in. You can create hyperlinks to documents in both systems and with SSO, users will not be inconvenienced. The reality is that most large companies have multiple solutions and the advantages outweigh the costs.

Standards Incorporated by Reference (IBR) into Law

Standards can be incorporated by reference into laws and regulations. This a common practice as it allows government to point to industry standards and avoid developing their own standards. There is a lot of debate that standards incorporated by reference into law should be freely available. For example, the United States Code of Federal Regulations has over 25,000 references to standards and the Canadian regulations have over 6,500 references to standards.

Most standards bodies have made the standards incorporated by reference freely available in their online reading rooms. The standards are generally available via the publisher’s website and can be viewed, but functionality such as copy-pasting or downloading are often disabled. You can see a list of IBR standards on ANSI’s website here. Other jurisdictions have similar situations, though there are few countries where there is a free and publicly available list of standards incorporated by reference into law. Nimonik has a list of Canadian regulations that reference standards and Nimonik will publish this list in 2025.

Learn more about this IBR situation on the NIST website here.

Implementing Standards in an Organization

Successfully implementing standards in your organization ensures their proper integration into daily operations and helps achieve regulatory compliance. Follow these best practice steps:

1. Identify Relevant Standards: Begin by identifying the standards applicable to your industry and operations, such as patient safety standards in healthcare or safety protocols in manufacturing.
2. Gain Leadership Commitment: Secure leadership support to provide the necessary resources and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Management’s backing is critical for success.
3. Conduct a Gap Analysis: Perform a gap analysis to compare current practices against the chosen standards. Identify where improvements are needed to meet the requirements. Providers such as Nimonik can help with this.
4. Develop Implementation Procedures: Define clear roles and responsibilities. Establish processes that align with the standards, ensuring all employees understand their compliance duties.
5. Provide Employee Training: Implement regular training programs to educate staff about their roles in maintaining compliance with the standards.
6. Establish Verification Processes: Introduce regular audits and reviews to ensure standards are being used in your organization.
7. Utilize Metrics for Usage Tracking: Develop metrics that allow for effective performance tracking. These should be visible to management for continuous assessment. Below a certain usage level, you may want to remove a standard from your subscription.
8. Continuous Improvement: Maintain and refine your standards management system by collecting feedback and making necessary adjustments to enhance performance.
9. Seek External Certification (if applicable): If applicable, pursue certification to validate your compliance with recognized standards.

Once standards are implemented, it’s essential to set up a robust compliance management system that ensures everyone understands their role in maintaining compliance. This can be achieved by following the ISO 37301 standard and using a commercial product such as Nimonik.

Revision Frequency

Standards are regularly reviewed and revised to ensure they reflect the latest technology, safety protocols, and industry practices. Standard Development Organizations and other Publishers follow specific review cycles, with major standards undergoing a review every 3 to 5 years. In certain cases a new version or a revision will be issued, which creates a new standard that should be obtained and analyzed. In other cases a committee will reaffirm a standard, which means they do not make any changes, but note that it is still a valid standard. This review process ensures that standards remain relevant and effective in addressing emerging challenges in various industries. By having a standards subscription, you will be notified of new versions and obtain access. 

With the Nimonik Standards Store, you can subscribe to updates about standards free of charge and be notified when new versions are released. At that time you can opt to purchase the standard in Print, PDF or Subscription format.

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