JCPDS INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR DIFFRACTION DATA

JCPDS INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR DIFFRACTION DATA specializes in the development, licensing, and distribution of reference X-ray diffraction (XRD) databases and associated software tools critical for materials characterization in scientific and industrial laboratories. Their core capability centers on providing authoritative, curated crystalline structure data used for phase identification, quantitative analysis, and material validation across analytical chemistry, forensic science, and environmental testing. The contractor’s technical expertise lies in crystallographic database management, diffraction pattern indexing, and software integration for laboratory instrumentation, serving as a trusted source for standardized reference data essential to XRD instrument calibration and result accuracy. Their unique value lies in maintaining the International Centre for Diffraction Data (ICDD) PDF® database, the globally recognized gold standard for powder diffraction reference patterns, enabling precise material identification in complex matrices. The contractor has delivered services to the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency, supporting forensic analysis and environmental sample characterization. For the DOJ, this includes licensing XRD databases used in evidentiary materials analysis, while for the EPA, it involves providing licensed software tools to regional laboratories for identifying hazardous substances and contaminants in environmental samples. Their primary industry focus is in analytical laboratory instrument manufacturing and software publishing, where they enable instrumentation vendors and end-user labs with standardized diffraction data infrastructure. This positions them as a niche but indispensable provider in the materials analysis supply chain, serving government and private-sector labs requiring traceable, peer-reviewed crystallographic references. JCPDS INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR DIFFRACTION DATA is a non-profit entity headquartered in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, with no federal certifications on record. Despite lacking formal small business or socio-economic designations, its longstanding role as the steward of the ICDD database grants it authoritative status in the global materials science community and deep institutional trust within federal scientific agencies.