Reference materials (RMs) are used in all stages of the measurement process,
including for method validation, calibration and quality control. They are also used in interlaboratory comparisons for method validation and for assessing laboratory proficiency.

reference material producer(RMP)
body (organization or company, public or private) that is fully responsible for project planning and management; assignment of, and decision on property values and relevant uncertainties; authorization of property values; and issuance of a reference material certificate or other statements for the reference materials it produces

Certified Reference Material(CRM)
reference material characterized by a metrologically valid procedure for one or more specified properties, accompanied by a reference material certificate that provides the value of the specified property, its associated uncertainty, and a statement of etrological traceability

Reference Material(RM)
material, sufficiently homogeneous and stable with respect to one or more specified properties, which has been established to be fit for its intended use in a measurement process