Only IP provides sufficient revenue.

National Fire Protection Association, “Benefits of Standards Development Organizations,” NFPA, 04-18-2024, https://www.nfpa.org/for-professionals/codes-and-standards/standards-development/the-value-of-standards-development-organizations/benefits-of-sdos#

Consensus-based and user-accepted

Voluntary, independent consensus-based SDOs provide a value to society and to government that not fully noticed or appreciated by most citizens or officials. SDOs provide hundreds of technical, industry and scientific standards to the federal government each year, supporting market standardization and business innovation, promoting health, safety and the environment, and saving time and money for governments at all levels. Our consensus-based approach ensures that all stakeholders - including (depending on the subject) users, manufacturers, insurance providers, consumers, government regulatory agencies, enforcers, independent experts and academics - can participate and that no special interest can predominate.

Flexible

There is no "one size fits all" approach to the adoption of private sector and non-profit standards by governments. NFPA works to make sure that the "incorporation by reference" standard is used in such a way to provide the public and governments with the access needed to protect public safety, health, the environment and markets in a manner that is open and transparent. As intellectual property protection is the lifeblood of the standards we produce, we literally cannot afford to make all our property available for free: we must continue to work with government to be flexible and align the needs of the public with the rights of property holders.