AC800 Final 20211214
AC800 Final 20211214
AC800 Final 20211214
AC800
December 2021
Effective March 1, 2022
PREFACE
The attached accreditation criteria have been issued to provide all interested parties with
guidelines on implementing performance features of the applicable standards referenced herein.
The criteria were developed and adopted following public hearings conducted by the
International Accreditation Service, Inc. (IAS), Accreditation Committee and are effective on the
date shown above. All accreditations issued or reissued on or after the effective date must
comply with these criteria. If the criteria are an updated version from a previous edition, solid
vertical lines (|) in the outer margin within the criteria indicate a technical change or addition
from the previous edition. Deletion indicators (→) are provided in the outer margins where a
paragraph or item has been deleted if the deletion resulted from a technical change. These
criteria may be further revised as the need dictates.
Copyright © 2021
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ACCREDITATION CRITERIA FOR VALIDATION AND VERIFICATION BODIES (VVBs)
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Scope: These criteria set forth the requirements for obtaining and maintaining International
Accreditation Service, Inc. (IAS), Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs) accreditation. The
criteria supplement the IAS Rules of Procedure for Validation and Verification Bodies.
1.2. Normative and Reference Documents: Publications listed below refer to current editions
(unless otherwise stated).
1.2.1. ISO/IEC 17029:2019, Conformity assessment — General principles and requirements for
validation and verification bodies;
1.2.2. ISO 14065:2020, General principles and requirements for bodies validating and verifying
environmental information;
1.2.3. ISO 14066:2011, Greenhouse gases — Competence requirements for greenhouse gas
validation teams and verification teams.
1.2.4.ISO 14064-1:2018, Greenhouse gases — Part 1: Specification with guidance at the
organization level for quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and
removals.
1.2.5.ISO 14064-2:2019, Greenhouse gases — Part 2: Specification with guidance at the project
level for quantification, monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emission reductions or
removal enhancements
1.2.6. ISO 14064-3:2019, Greenhouse gases — Part 3: Specification with guidance for the
verification and validation of greenhouse gas statements.
1.2.7.IAF MD 4:2018 IAF Mandatory Document for the Use of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) for Auditing/Assessment Purposes
1.2.8.IAF MD 6:2014 Application of ISO 14065:2013
1.2.9.IAF MD 12:2016 Accreditation Assessment of Conformity Assessment Bodies with Activities
in Multiple Countries
1.2.10. IAF MD14:2014 Application of ISO/IEC 17011 in Greenhouse Gas Validation and
Verification (ISO 14065:2013)
1.2.11. IAF MD 20:2016 Generic Competence for AB Assessors: Application to ISO/IEC 17011
1.2.12. IAF Resolutions related to accreditation bodies and transitions as available on the IAF
website.
1.2.13. IAF ID 3:2011 Informative Document for Management of Extraordinary Events or
Circumstances Affecting ABs, CABs and Certified Organizations
1.2.14. ISO/IEC Standard 17000, Conformity assessment – Vocabulary and general principles.
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2. DEFINITIONS
2.1. Applicable definitions found in ISO/IEC Standard 17000 series apply.
2.2. APAC: Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation
2.3. CAB: Conformity Assessment Body
2.4. GHG: Greenhouse Gases
2.5. IAF: International Accreditation Forum
2.6. Remote Assessments: Accreditation Body’s assessment of the physical location or virtual site
of a CAB office or CAB’s client, using electronic means
2.7. VVB: Validation and Verification Body applicant or accredited by IAS
2.8. Validation: Confirmation of a claim, through the provision of objective evidence, that the
requirements for a specific intended future use or application have been fulfilled.
2.9. Verification: Confirmation of a claim, through the provision of objective evidence, that
specified requirements have been fulfilled.
2.10. Virtual site: An online environment allowing persons to execute processes, e.g., in a cloud
environment.
2.11. Witness Assessments: Validation/Verification activities/audits that are observed by an IAS
assessor
3. ELIGIBILITY
3.1. Accreditation services are available to all validation and verification bodies that meet the
following requirements:
3.1.1. Have at least a minimum of one certified project completed in the requested scope of
accreditation.
3.1.2. Have completed at least one Internal Audit and one Management Review.
3.1.3. Have a complete and demonstrable management system based on the requirements of
ISO/IEC 17029:2019.
3.1.4. Demonstrate compliance with all applicable IAF Mandatory Documents (MD).
3.1.5. Have competent validation/verification teams in the requested scope of accreditation.
3.1.6. All office and witness assessments are conducted onsite unless agreed by IAS for
remote or virtual assessments or mandated by IAF under special circumstances.
3.2. All documents submitted to IAS must be in English.
3.3. The VVB or any part of the same legal entity or any entity under the organizational control of
the VVB cannot offer or provide consultancy.
3.4. The IAS Accreditation cycle for VVBs is 4 years (see Annex A)
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4.1 ISO/IEC Standard 17029 and level 4 standards, as applicable.
4.2 All relevant IAF Mandatory Documents (MD).
(http://www.iaf.nu/articles/Mandatory_Documents_/38)
4.3 IAF relevant Resolutions related to accreditation bodies and transitions as available on the IAF
website.
4.4 All IAF Informative Documents (ID). (http://www.iaf.nu/articles/Informative_Documents_/32)
4.5 ISO/IEC Standard 17000, Conformity assessment – Vocabulary and general principles.
4.6 Relevant IAS policy documents.
4.7 IAS Policy on the Restricted Use of IAS Endorsement by Accredited Organizations.
4.8 IAS Policy on the use of the ILAC/IAF/IAS Combined Marks.
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Annex A
IAS ACCREDITATION CYCLE
Initial Assessment
Reassessment
Surveillance 3 Surveillance 1
Surveillance 2
1st Cycle
Example of Initial Accreditation Surveillance 1 Surveillance 2 Surveillance 3
VVB Decision date to next Assessment Date to Assessment date to assessment date to
Assessment Surveillance Surveillance 2 Surveillance 3 Reassessment 1 date
Schedule Assessment 1 date Assessment Date Assessment date (12 (12 months apart)
(12 months apart) (12 months apart) months apart)
June 1, 2024 to June 1,
June 1, 2022 to June 1, June 1, 2023 to June 1, 2025
June 1, 2021 to June 1, 2023 2024
2022
2nd Cycle
Example of Reassessment 1 date Surveillance 1 Surveillance 2 Surveillance 3
VVB to next Surveillance Assessment Date to Assessment date to assessment date to
Assessment Assessment 1 date Surveillance 2 Surveillance 3 Reassessment 2 date
Schedule (12 months apart) Assessment Date Assessment date (12 (12 months apart)
(12 months apart) months apart)
June 1, 2028 to June 1,
June 1, 2025 to June 1, June 1, 2026 to June 1, June 1, 2027 to June 1, 2029
2026 2027 2028
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