The International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) was set up by the Metre Convention and has its headquarters near Paris, France. It is financed jointly by the Member States of the Convention and operates under the exclusive supervision of the CIPM.
Its mandate is to provide the basis for a single, coherent system of measurements throughout the world, traceable to the International System of Units (SI). This task takes many forms, from direct dissemination of units (as in the case of mass and time) to coordination through international comparisons of national measurement standards (as in length, electricity and ionizing radiation).
The BIPM has an international staff of over 70 and its status vis-a-vis the French Government is similar to that of other intergovernmental organizations based in Paris. The budget for 2006 is over ten million euros.

Postal address: Pavillon de Breteuil, F-92312 Sevres Cedex

Street address: 12bis Grande Rue, F-92310 Sevres
webmaster@bipm.org