Accreditation Procedures

GAC
BD-091007-05
AC 9.0 Assessment Report

9.1 Purpose

This procedure explains the process and content of a final Assessment Report that
includes commentary on the close out of any nonconformities and
recommendations on whether or not to grant or maintain accreditation, with or
without conditions.

9.2 Scope

There are two report stages during an accreditation assessment:

(1) an interim Assessment Report provided to the conformity assessment body
(CAB) at the closing meeting of the on-site assessment; and
(2) a final Assessment Report issued by GAC after consideration of post on-site
actions, such as the close out of any nonconformities and subsequent
comments from the assessment team.

This procedure applies to all final Assessment Reports issued by GAC for any form of
assessment activity.

9.3 Responsibilities
The Lead Assessor is responsible for the preparation of the final Assessment Report
after consultation with the technical assessors.

A technical assessor may provide a separate report on a specialised aspect of the

assessment and is entitled to provide a dissenting report to GAC in the event of
irreconcilable differences within the team. In such cases, the Technical and Quality
Manager must resolve the matter.

The final Assessment Report is an internal document and contains a

recommendation on whether or not the accreditation should be granted. The final
Assessment Report does not go the CAB at this time.

The final Assessment Report is then sent to the Accreditation Decision Manager for
review and decision.

9.4 Procedure

9.4.1 GAC seeks reports from its assessment teams that are concise, accurate and
objective.

9.4.2 When the Lead Assessor considers that the assessment team have enough time to
consider the evidence collected during the assessment, and that the Applicant on
accredited conformity assessment body has had sufficient time to inform the Lead

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Date: 11 October 2015
Approved by: Brahim Houla
Accreditation Procedures
GAC
BD-091007-05
AC 9.0 Assessment Report

Assessors of corrective actions proposed or undertaken, he shall prepare the final

Assessment Report.

Normally the final Assessment Report should be sent to the Accreditation Decision
Manager within 40 working days from the end of the on-site assessment.

9.4.3 Final Assessment Reports shall contain commentary on the following:

a) a summary of the assessment;

b) a list of major and minor non-conformances found;
c) the corrective actions proposed or under taken by the CAB;
d) a conclusion regarding the suitability of those actions;
e) a statement of general compliance, or otherwise, with requirements;
f) whether or not to grant accreditation;
g) any conditions for accreditation;
h) the scope of accreditation to be granted (if any);
i) any improvements deemed desirable by the assessment team.

9.4.4 Final Assessment Reports should also contain evidence that supports the above
commentary including previous reports from the advisory visit, document review,
interim Assessment Report, evidence about corrective actions etc.

9.4.5 Other documents that should accompany the Final Assessment Report should
include the Application (where relevant), commentary on the selection of assessors
and evidence of the CABs agreed to the composition of the assessment team and
any separate reports from individual assessors.

9.4.6 In terms of recommended scopes of accreditation, scopes serve two purposes.

Firstly, they define the range of competence of the CAB in technically precise way.
Secondly, they describe, for the benefit of potential users and in terms meaningful
to them, the range of work carried out in that establishment.
The format for scopes of accreditation is given in the GAC subordinate documents
for each area of conformity assessment.
Scopes are initially requested by the CAB and subsequently accepted or modified by
GAC following assessments and reassessments. Where requested scopes are varied
by GAC, reasons must be given.

9.4.7 In terms of suggestions for improvement it is important when communicating

opportunities for improvement that provision of specific advice is avoided. Specific
advice (i.e., on matters other than compliance) affects impartiality since the
activities for which advice is being provided will eventually be reviewed again by
GAC, thereby undermining the impartiality of the advice. However, it is possible and

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Date: 11 October 2015
Approved by: Brahim Houla
Accreditation Procedures
GAC
BD-091007-05
AC 9.0 Assessment Report

often desirable to suggest possible solutions to problems or options for change that
might promote efficiency within the CAB.
Providing positive feedback can also be a valid component of presenting a balanced
summary of findings but good judgment is required to ensure that the feedback can
be substantiated by the assessment findings and does not appear condescending in
any way.

9.4.8 The Lead Assessor shall submit the final Assessment Report and all associated
evidence to the Accreditation Decision Manager.

9.5 Distribution

This procedure is for internal distribution only and may be published via the intranet.

9.6 Records, filing, archiving and disposal

Record Filing location Archive period Disposal

Assessment Customer For the entire time Secure document
Checklist and files/Individual the customer destruction
Report customer remain accredited,
files/Sites/Applications and until 7 years
after the
accreditation
expires

9.7 Associated forms and documents

- AC 9.1 Assessment and nonconformity Report ISO 17025

- AC 9.2 Assessment and nonconformity Report ISO 17020
- AC 9.3 Assessment and nonconformity Report ISO 17065

Version: 2 Page 3 of 3
Date: 11 October 2015
Approved by: Brahim Houla