Application Review
Upon receiving an inquiry form, the details are reviewed by the Application Manager (AM) against relevant technical areas, NACE codes, or any other classifications, as well as TNV Product Certification’s accredited scopes. The capability of TNV to process the certification is evaluated in accordance with Procedure P-06: Review of Application and Contract Review. If the application is within TNV’s scope of accreditation, AM forwards it to the Quality Manager (QM) or Technical Manager (TM) for contract review and issuance of a quotation.
TNV ensures that sufficient information about the applicant organization and its management system is gathered to develop an effective audit program (Ref: TNV-F-001). Any differences in understanding between TNV and the applicant organization are resolved at this stage. TNV verifies the availability of competence to perform certification activities and considers factors such as scope of certification, site operations, required audit time, language, safety conditions, and impartiality concerns (Ref: TNV-F-01 & F-02).
Contract Review
The QM prepares a quotation after contract review, based on factors such as man-days, multi-site operations, and specific requirements. Man-day estimations are conducted per Procedure P-06: Contract Review. Once approved by the CEO, the quotation is sent to the client. If the client declines, the case is documented as "Lost Business," and the offer details are filed accordingly.
If the client accepts the quotation, they submit the registration fee. Upon receipt, the AM verifies the details of the client’s application, the fee quotation, and reconfirms the contract. Any discrepancies are addressed and resolved before final acceptance. Based on the contract review (as per Procedure P-05), TNV identifies the competencies required for the audit team and certification decision.
Audit Team Selection
The QM or AM, in consultation with the CEO, finalizes the audit team. Auditors and technical experts are selected based on their competencies to ensure the audit covers the applied scope of certification. The team composition adheres to Procedure P-03 & P-06, and both internal and external resources may be utilized. Individuals conducting certification decisions are appointed based on their expertise, with an official appointment letter (Ref: TNV-F-006).
Audit Time Determination
Audit time is calculated per the requirements of ISO 17021, applicable standards like ISO 22003 and ISO 27006, and procedures of accreditation boards, including IAF mandatory documents. Factors considered include:
- Complexity of the Organization: Nature and complexity of the management system processes.
- Scope of Certification: Activities covered under the certification.
- Size of the Organization: Number of employees and operational sites.
- Multi-Site Organizations: Number and geographic distribution of sites.
Key principles for audit time computation include:
- Minimum audit time includes Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits but excludes preparation and report writing.
- At least 50% of the minimum audit time is spent on-site for product or service realization.
- Time spent by team members in roles other than auditing (e.g., technical experts, observers) is not included in the total audit duration.
- Travel time to and from audited sites is excluded from audit time calculations.
Outcome of the Process
This procedure ensures that TNV Product Certification conducts thorough, impartial, and efficient reviews of applications and contracts, adhering to international standards. Each step is designed to deliver reliable and credible certification services, reinforcing trust and compliance for our clients.