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| How to get certified |
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THE REGISTRATION PROCESS
The Quoting/Offer Process:
The first step will be to fill out a customer profile form. Usually, this will involve a questionnaire about your company and an application for pre-assessment, registration, or transfer of registration. The customer receives a contract with forms regarding certification.
The First Step:
After the contract is signed, a lead auditor will be assigned to your company. He or she will contact you to describe the audit stages. An optional step at this point is the pre-assessment. This is when the registrar sends one or two auditors to look over your company for any glaring non-conformances to the registration standard. QMS will charge for this service. The result will be a brief written report on what the auditors found.
The Certification/Registration Audit:
Next, QMS Ltd. schedules the registration audit. This is the assessment to see if you conform to the registration standard you selected. Typically, it lasts from one to three days, depending on the size and nature of your company. The registration audit begins with an opening meeting, where your company meets the auditors. The meeting is typically brief and usually covers the audit schedule and what is expected. During the audit the auditors collect evidence of conformance by interviewing people, looking at documents, and watching your processes in action. We are interested in confirming your conformance. We are not on a hunt for obscure problems. The registration audit by QMS is fair and complete. At the end of the audit, there will be a closing meeting. Here, the lead auditor will give his or her findings and summarize by saying whether you are in conformance or not. If not fully in conformance, he or she will work with your management to develop a rough time line of corrective actions. Later, a written report of the findings will be sent to you (typically within a week).
After Registration:
Once approved, the certification of assessment is issued and the three-year surveillance cycle begins. If at any time you are found out of conformance you will be put into a corrective action cycle. In addition, to surveillance, the standards require you to perform internal quality system audits on a regular basis. Also, the effectiveness of your system is a key issue during assessment. Therefore, continuous improvement of your system is clearly stated in most management systems. Most registrars recommend that a steady pursuit of continuous improvement is in your best interest. After three years, the registrar will submit new contracts for re-assessment and further surveillance. |
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