The Process includes:

1. Customer Meeting (this step is optional)

• process overview
• meet audit team
• site evaluation
• business review
• audit scope
• schedule review

2. Pre-Assessment (this step is optional, but recommended)

An on-site evaluation of the quality management system, on all or a portion of the standards requirements, to determine the level of system implementation and readiness for Registration audit.

3. Documentation/Quality System Review

A comparison of the quality management system documentation to the standard requirement to assurance that all are addressed in the system.  This review can be performed on or off-site.

4. Registration Audit

An on-site evaluation of the quality management system for compliance to all the standard requirements and verification of sufficient implementation.

The duration of this audit is based on:
number of employees
number of facilities/sites
number of registrations required

5. Surveillance Audits (Annual or Semi-Annual)

On-site evaluations of the quality management system, on a portion of the standard requirements, to monitor and verify continued system compliance, effectiveness, improvements, and changes.  Over a 3 year period all standard requirements will be evaluated.

 6. Recertification

An on-site evaluations of the quality management system to verify the continued fulfillment of all of the standard requirements.