As per the Accreditation Policy section 8.2
Prior to the re-accreditation date, the Organization is required to demonstrate that the Accredited Certification Program continues to meet all applicable Accreditation Requirements. This is to ensure that:
- All Interpretations that have been granted since the previous accreditation and any new revisions or updates to the Accreditation Requirements issued more than 90 days prior to the re-accreditation date are reflected in the program
- There are no other changes to the Accredited Certification Program’s core documents that change the certification criteria or process in a way that would cause the Accredited Certification Program to no longer meet the Accreditation Requirements
- Within the scope of accreditation, the program is being operated according to the Accredited Certification Program’s written procedures and criteria
- The Organization is operating the quality system as defined to ensure the Accredited Certification Program operates as documented
- The Accredited Certification Program is maintaining Certification Records up-to-date, including:
- Re-certification
- De-certification under the conditions for ceasing to be certified as defined in the Certification Policy
- Certified Professionals who have left the employment of the Accredited Certification Program’s Organization
- The Accredited Certification Program is participating in Peer Review Board quality and equivalence activities on an ongoing basis within the last accreditation period, including:
- Providing one or more Peer Review Board members to Direct Certification Peer Review Boards on request
- Observation and review of one or more of the Accredited Certification Program’s Peer Review Boards
Program’s ongoing internal audit program and a check on any changes to Accredited Certification Program documentation that have taken place since the last Assessment.
The steps are as follows:
At or before 90 calendar days prior to the re-accreditation date, the Certification Authority will notify the Certification Program Manager within the Organization that re-accreditation is due.
If the Organization wishes to re-accredit their certification program, the Certification Authority will share a list of documents and records that must be submitted for review. If the Accredited Certification Program has not yet been subject to one or more Certification Authority observation or Peer Review Board reviews over the last accreditation period, the Organization will need to schedule such a review with the Certification Authority to ensure a review is completed prior to the re-accreditation deadline.
All documents and any additional information requested by the Certification Authority must be submitted to the Certification Authority at least 45 calendar days prior to the re-accreditation date.
The Certification Authority will review all information submitted to ensure that it is complete and correct. If an error or inconsistency is found, the Organization will be required to correct such errors or inconsistencies before the re-accreditation process can continue.
Once the submission is found to be complete, the Certification Authority will share it with an Assessor(s).
An Assessor(s) will perform the Assessment and document the outcome in an Assessment report. The Assessor(s) will determine whether any corrective action is required before accreditation can proceed, and the Organization will know precisely what is required. The Assessor may recommend that re-accreditation proceed after clearance of corrective action or may recommend re-accreditation take effect immediately subject to such corrective action.
The Certification Authority will confirm the re-accreditation to the Organization. The Certification Authority will update the Accreditation Register and issue an updated Certificate of Accreditation to reflect that accreditation has been extended.
An Organization with an Accredited Certification Program has a responsibility to act in good faith to facilitate completion of the re-accreditation process by the re-accreditation date.
In the event that a non-conformance is identified during the re-accreditation process, the Organization has at most 60 calendar days after the re-accreditation date to rectify the non-conformity and satisfy the Certification Authority of the efficacy of the rectification.