The Route to Accreditation
Application for accreditation
Before applying for accreditation, all organizations should have obtained a copy of the relevant Accreditation Standards in order to prepare their application to IEI (see paragraph on Accreditation Standards at the end of this document).
To apply for accreditation, please complete the Application Form and appropriate AC inserts and return them, together with the other documentation requested in the Application Form and the Application Fee.
Organizations based outside the Asia and Europe should contact info@iso-certificate.us in the first instance before submitting any documentation or fee.
The Application Form lists in detail what you are required to submit with your application in order for it to be processed without delay. We regret that incomplete applications will be subject to delay until all information is received.
Upon receipt, an Accreditation Manager who will allocate an Assessment Manager to your case will review your submission. The Assessment Manager is the case officer responsible for taking you through the accreditation process and for maintaining and renewing your accreditation in the future. The Assessment Manager will contact you after studying the documentation you have submitted and will discuss with you the need for a pre-assessment visit and the composition of the proposed assessment team.
There is normally a lead-in time of approximately three months to arrange the first visit to your organization.
Pre-assessment visit
IEI normally recommends a pre-assessment visit by the IEI Assessment Manager (and possibly a technical assessor). This visit addresses the scope of accreditation requested and will normally involve between 1 and 4 man-day work. It is designed to confirm your organization’s readiness for full assessment.
The Assessment Manager will provide you with a quotation for the work involved and a report on the findings of the pre-assessment following the visit.
Initial assessment visit
This will be conducted by a Lead Assessor (normally your Assessment Manager) supported, as necessary, by technical assessors with the expertise to cover your scope of accreditation. The length of the visit will depend upon the scope of accreditation requested. Again, the Assessment Manager will provide you with a quotation for the work involved. Prior to the visit, you will receive a visit plan, which provides a proposed timetable for the work to be assessed. Any improvement actions identified against accreditation requirements will be notified to you in writing during or immediately following the assessment visit. You will then be asked to advise IEI on how you intend to address them. Once the improvement actions have been implemented to the satisfaction of IEI, you will be granted accreditation.
Maintenance of accreditation
Your accreditation will be confirmed on an annual basis by surveillance visits, with a full reassessment every fourth year. The first surveillance visit takes place 6 months after the Grant of Accreditation.
At the initial assessment stage, you will be provided with an estimate of the work involved for the four-year cycle. At any time during the life of your accreditation, if the estimated effort changes (for example, if you have an extension to scope granted which affects the effort required in subsequent assessments), then you will be provided with an amended estimate. A quotation for each year’s assessment will be provided.
Extending your scope of accreditation
You may extend your scope of accreditation at any time, but costs can be minimized if extensions are assessed as part of the on-going surveillance program. You are advised to submit any application for extension to scope at least three months before your annual visit is due to ensures it can be included in the assessment (where on site assessment is required). An additional fee for an extension to scope will be charged where extra assessor or administration time is involved. Your Assessment Manager will provide you with a quotation in advance of the visit.
Measurement Audit
IEI usually requires accredited calibration laboratories to participate in measurement audits as part of the initial assessment process. There is also an ongoing program of audits that corresponds with the four year assessment cycle.
The IEI Measurement Audit service is a valuable tool that supports the technical assessment of calibration laboratories. Its purposes are:
. To provide confirmation that the “Calibration and Measurement Capability” can be supported by “real” measurements. This gives both IEI and the participating laboratories confidence in calibration results.
. To assist IEI in assessing the manner in which results are reported to customers.
. To assist laboratories to address the requirements of Section 5.9 of ISO/IEC17025:2005.
Laboratories will be advised by their Assessment Manager of the extent of measurement audit activities required in specific cases.
Accreditation Standards
All organizations also need to be familiar with the appropriate Standards (See Accreditation Standards).
The Standards can be purchased from the IEI (Please contact IEI Information Desk).
