IAF–EC–02-004
Page 1 of 5
International Accreditation Forum, Inc.
(IAF)
IAF Procedures Document
Procedure for Development of IAF
Comments on Special Recognition
Liaison Organisation Proposals
Issue 1 DRAFT
(FP_CSR_1)
Accreditation reduces risk for business and its customers by assuring them that accredited bodies are
competent to carry out the work they undertake. Accreditation bodies which are members of the
International Accreditation Forum, Inc. (IAF) are required to operate at the highest standard and to
require the bodies they accredit to comply with appropriate international standards and IAF Guidance
to the application of those standards.
Accreditations granted by accreditation body members of the IAF Mutual Recognition Arrangement
(MLA), based on regular surveillance to assure the equivalence of their accreditation programmes,
allows companies with an accredited conformity assessment certificate in one part of the world to have
that certificate recognised everywhere else in the world.
Therefore certificates in the fields of management systems, products, services, personnel and other
similar programs of conformity assessment issued by bodies accredited by members of the IAF MLA
are relied upon in international trade.
Issued: !DATE!
Application Date !DATE!
© International Accreditation Forum, Inc. 2002
106737488 12-Feb-16
IAF–EC–02-004
International Accreditation Forum, Inc.
Draft
Procedure for IAF Comments on Liaison Organisation
Proposals
Page 2 of 5
Procedure for Development of IAF Comments on Special Recognition Liaison
Organisation Proposals
CONTENTS
Section
Page
1.
Background
3
2.
Procedure for Developing and Submitting IAF Comments on Liaison Organisation Documents
3
Issue No: 1
Prepared by: The Secretary
Date: March 2002
Approved by The Executive Committee
Date:
Issue Date:
Application Date:
Name for Enquiries:
Noel Matthews, Secretary IAF
Contact
Phone: +612 6257 1962
Email:
<secretary@accreditationforum.com>
Issued: !DATE!
FAX: +612 6222 2761
Application Date !DATE!
© International Accreditation Forum, Inc. 2002
106737488 0-XXX-00
IAF–EC–02-004
International Accreditation Forum, Inc.
Draft
Procedure for IAF Comments on Liaison Organisation
Proposals
1.
Page 3 of 5
Background
1.1.1. IAF has granted Special Recognition status to a number of external bodies
with which IAF has reciprocal liaison relationships and which entitle IAF to submit
comments on draft documents and proposals considered in each of those
organisations. The Special Recognition organisations at the beginning of 2002
include ISO, including its subordinate committees relevant to IAF’s program, and the
QuEST Forum. Other organizations may be granted Special Recognition by IAF in
the future. From time to time the IAF Secretariat receives, as part of the general
circulation of documents by those organisations, documents circulated to the
members of the Committee for information or for comment.
1.1.2. In fulfilment of its responsibility to those organisations and because many IAF
Members do not have direct access to them, the IAF Secretariat places all
documents received from Special Recognition organisations in the All Members
Forum in the IAF web site, and Members are advised that they may access those
documents in that Forum.
1.1.3. As an A-Liaison member of ISO/CASCO and other ISO Technical Committees
IAF has a particular responsibility to submit comments on key draft ISO documents
prepared by ISO/CASCO and other ISO Technical Committees, i.e. those which will
significantly contribute to final documents meeting the needs of IAF, its Members and
the conformity assessment community or those which are of strategic interest to IAF.
2.
Procedure for Developing and Submitting IAF Comments on Liaison
Organisation Proposals
2.1.1. The IAF Secretariat shall, immediately upon receipt of any document from a
Special Recognition Liaison organisation, place that document in the All Members
Forum in the private section of the IAF web site, and arrange for all Members to be
advised of its availability for access.
2.1.2. The Technical Committee is responsible for identifying the specific new work
items and general categories of document to which IAF will formally respond.
2.1.3. When a document is received by the IAF Secretariat from a Special
Recognition Liaison organisation with an invitation to submit comments on the
contents of a draft document or proposal, the Secretariat shall seek confirmation from
the Chairman of the Technical Committee whether this a document or proposal for
which comments should be submitted.
Issued: !DATE!
Application Date !DATE!
© International Accreditation Forum, Inc. 2002
106737488 0-XXX-00
IAF–EC–02-004
International Accreditation Forum, Inc.
Draft
Procedure for IAF Comments on Liaison Organisation
Proposals
Page 4 of 5
2.1.4. When so decided, the secretariat shall advise Members of the invitation to
submit comments on the document and invite them to submit any comments they
wish to make to the Chairman of the Technical Committee with a closing date one
month earlier than the closing date for comments to be received by the Special
Recognition Liaison organisation.
2.1.5. Any member may draw any additional specific document to the attention of the
Chairman of the Technical Committee if s/he considers that it falls within the
categories outlined in 1.1.3. If agreed by the Technical Committee, the document
shall be processed as under 2.1.4 above. In the event of failure to agree on the need
to submit comments the matter shall be referred to the Executive Committee for
resolution.
2.1.6. The Chairman of the Technical Committee or his/her nominee shall
consolidate all comments received from Members. To ensure a consensus exists the
Chairman of the Technical Committee or the nominee shall consult with the selected
members, or all members, of the Technical Committee, and develop a proposed set
of IAF comments on the draft document.
2.1.7. The Chairman of the Technical Committee or nominee shall prepare a report
on the IAF comments and submit it to the Secretariat for display on the IAF website in
the All Members Forum. The report shall include copies of all comments received,
together with a proposed set of IAF comments and a summary outlining the basis for
the determining those comments to be forwarded on behalf of IAF.
2.1.8. The Chairman of the Technical Committee shall submit the report and
proposed IAF comments to the Secretary no less than 14 days before the closing
date for comments to be received by the Special Recognition Liaison organisation, to
allow opportunity for members to respond if they find the proposed consensus
position unsupportable.
2.1.9. The IAF Secretary shall draw any member responses to the attention of the
Chairman of the Technical Committee and the other members of the Executive
Committee no later than seven days before the submission deadline for comments.
2.1.10.
In the event of the Technical Committee Chairman being unable to
resolve any member’s reservations the matter will be referred to the Executive
Committee for decision.
2.1.11.
The IAF Secretary shall undertake submission of comments by the
due date in line with the agreed position of the Technical Committee or the Executive
Committee as appropriate.
Issued: !DATE!
Application Date !DATE!
© International Accreditation Forum, Inc. 2002
106737488 0-XXX-00
IAF–EC–02-004
International Accreditation Forum, Inc.
Draft
Procedure for IAF Comments on Liaison Organisation
Proposals
Page 5 of 5
2.1.12. After the IAF Comments have been submitted to the Special Recognition
Liaison organisation the Secretary shall arrange for a copy of the submitted IAF
comments to be placed in the All Members Forum for the information of Members.
End of Procedure for Development of IAF Comments on Special Recognition Liaison
Organisation Proposals
Further Information
For Further Information on this document or other IAF documents, contact any member of
IAF or the IAF Secretariat.
For contact details of members of IAF see - IAF Web Site - <http://www.iaf.nu>
Secretariat Noel Matthews,
Secretary IAF,
2 Marcus Clarke Street - #1801,
Canberra City ACT 2601, Australia
Telephone +612 6257 1962
Facsimile +612 6257 1965 and +612 6222 2761
email <secretary@accreditationforum.com>
Issued: !DATE!
Application Date !DATE!
© International Accreditation Forum, Inc. 2002
106737488 0-XXX-00