Certification Information

Granting or Refusing Certification

Following the initial certification audit (Stage 1 / Stage 2), the lead auditor will make a recommendation of whether to grant or refuse certification. If no nonconformances were identified during the audit, or upon acceptable resolution of any nonconformances, the audit report will be sent for decision on registration.

 

All nonconformances must be resolved within six (6) months from the end of the Stage 2 audit; failure to do so will result in automatic denial of registration, and the client organization must conduct a new initial audit (Stage 1 / Stage 2) to be reconsidered for registration.

The registration decision maker is a qualified individual who was uninvolved in the audit. Based on the recommendation of the lead auditor, and an independent review of the audit documentation (including nonconformance resolution), the decision maker will grant or refuse certification.

All registration decisions may be appealed by the client organization. For more information, see the Appeals Process.

Maintaining Certification

Certification typically lasts for three years less one day from the day that the certificate is issued, barring circumstances requiring the suspension or withdrawal of certification (see the Suspending or Withdrawing Certification policy below). Certification is maintained through the performance of periodic surveillance audits during the period of certification. These surveillance audits must be performed at least annually, and may be required more frequently based on poor audit results or client customer requests.

At the end of each surveillance audit, the lead auditor will make a recommendation of maintaining, suspending or withdrawing certification. Maintaining certification is dependent upon acceptable resolution of all nonconformances found during the surveillance audit. The final decision of whether to maintain certification lies with PRI Certification.

Renewing Certification

Certification is valid for no more than three (3) years. Approximately two (2) to three (3) months prior to the expiration of certification, a recertification audit must be performed in order to consider the client organization for renewal of certification. The recertification audit is a full system audit, and is approximately the length of the initial Stage 2 audit. Decisions on whether to grant renewal of certification follow the same process as the initial granting of certification (see Granting or Refusing Certification above).

The recertification audit must be performed prior to the expiration of the certificate of registration; failure to schedule and perform the audit by this date will result in the loss of certification, and will require a new Stage 1 / Stage 2 to regain certification.

If the recertification audit is performed before the expiration of certification, but any nonconformances are not acceptably resolved prior to the expiration date, the client’s certification will be suspended until such time as the nonconformances are resolved.

Suspending or Withdrawing Certification

The client may terminate its registration at any time by providing written notice of its intention to PRI Certification. This must be accompanied by the return of the Certificate of Registration and immediate termination of the use of the Registration Mark and National Accreditation logo(s).

Registration may be suspended by PRI Certification for a limited time period for any of the following reasons:

• Surveillance reveals a nonconformance to the requirements that is judged insufficient to warrant withdrawal.
• Repeated failure to adequately address the same nonconformance over the course of multiple audits.
• Misuse of the certificate or logo that is not suitably retracted and corrected with measures instituted to prevent recurrence.
• An Aerospace client fails to maintain accurate information in the OASIS database; including, but not limited to, supplier name and address, supplier OASIS administrator, additional locations and/or facilities as they are added, and corrections or changes to any or all information required in OASIS.
• Any other violation of the procedures of PRI Certification.

In the event of suspension of registration for a limited time period, PRI Certification shall advise the Client by certified mail to suspend the use and display of the certificate and logo(s) until such time as the deficiencies are corrected. Aerospace certificates will be marked as suspended in the OASIS database. Corrective actions will be necessary for the restoration of registration.

Registration shall be withdrawn for any of the following reasons:

• Nonconformance to the requirements.
• Insufficient corrective actions taken for restoration of suspended registration within 90 days of suspension.
• Any violation of Clients agreement with PRI Certification, including failure to pay the prescribed fees.
• The process, product, or service is no longer offered by the Client.
• The Client wishes to discontinue registration or is going out of business.

A withdrawn Certificate of Registration shall be canceled and not reissued.

Should the registration be withdrawn or expire, the Client shall be notified by certified mail to immediately terminate all use and publication of the logo(s) and to return all copies of the Certificate of Registration to PRI Certification. The Client shall also be instructed to destroy any literature bearing the registration marks. Aerospace certificates will be marked as withdrawn in the OASIS database.

If the Client ceases to do business within the scope of registration it must notify PRI Certification immediately. The Certificate of Registration may be revised or the registration withdrawn by PRI Certification, as appropriate.

The Client may appeal suspension or withdrawal according to the Appeals Process.

Restoring Certification

In the event that the client’s certificate has been suspended (see Suspending or Withdrawing Certification above), certification may be restored by resolving the cause of suspension within the agreed-upon time period.  Failure to resolve the issue within this time period will result in the withdrawal of certification. 

Upon restoration of certification, clients may once again display their certificate and may resume use of marks and logos. Aerospace certificates will be restored in the OASIS database.

Modification of Scope of Registration and Other Relevant Company Information

The Client is responsible for maintaining their management system in the manner as registered. During the registration period, the Client must notify PRI Certification of any changes to their management system or the scope of registration.  Examples of scope changes might be the expansion of the registration to cover new processes or sites not originally included, or reduction of scope to remove processes sites.  

PRI Certification will evaluate these changes and notify the Client whether or not they affect the approval of registration. A surveillance assessment may be scheduled at the Client’s expense if the changes are considered major by PRI Certification. 

Additionally, all changes related to location and audit contact changes must be reported to your Account Specialist.  The client is responsible for alerting the Account Specialist when any changes occur in conjunction with the “main” contact indicated in RMS or adding a “secondary” contact.