Standardization of biometric technology, while important, cannot alone ensure reliability and interoperability of biometric implementations. Biometric systems and system components must conform to recognized and adopted standards. However, vendor claims of conformance and first-party (vendor) testing are not sufficient to achieve a high level of assurance that systems and components conform to standards.

Conformity assessment programs based on standardized conformance testing methodologies and corresponding testing tools must be established. To support this activity, the Biometrics Task Force (BTF) is contributing to the development of conformance testing methodologies and, as needed, a conformity assessment program(s). Since 2004, the BTF is working on establishing the DoD-wide Conformity Assessment program, which would allow the DoD testing laboratories to establish to what extent vendor products conform to the requirements specified in the published biometric standards.