Certification Process
There are the following step involved in STARCERT certification Process :
1. ENQUIRIES
The enquiries are procured through phone, mail, online application through website or any other means which are recorded in the Enquiry Register (F01). In response of enquiry a physical Application form (F05) or online Application link is provided to the prospective client.
2. APPLICATION
Client has to submit the filled application form online or filled physical copy and send to the STARCERT by mail or by post as the case may be. The STARCERT shall check the application form and the scope is within the accreditation or not. STARCERT can ask any further information, if required from the applicant.
3. APPLICATION REVIEW
After getting the application form with desired information STARCERT shall forward the same to the Application Reviewer for the application review who is competent in the technical area. The application reviewer will assess the man days, Scope, Audit Team competency, Exclusion etc and send back to the STARCERT to choose the Audit Team and their availability.
4. SELECTION OF AUDIT TEAM
STARCERT is responsible to select the audit team as per the competence required as per the scope from the auditing personnel file. Once the audit team is appointed then STARCERT shall send the quotation and copy of agreement.
5. ACCEPTANCE OF QUOTATION AND AGREEMENT
Client will provide the acceptance of quotation and sign an contractual agreement with STARCERT which is having legal sanctity and binding to both of the parties i.e client organization and STARCERT.
6. NOTICE OF INITIAL AUDIT
STARCERT shall send a notice to the date of Stage 1 audit to the applicant and Audit team. The Date shall be mutually agreed by client as well as audit team. STARCERT shall provide the particulars of the audit team members and audit plan to the client organization. The Client organization can raise its objection of any team member and STARCERT shall change the composition of audit team accordingly. The stage 2 audit date shall be mutually agreed between the audit team and client at the end of the stage 1 audit and STARCERT shall send the Notice of Stage 2 audit accordingly. The notice shall be given atleast 5 days before of audit but audit can be conducted on short notice audit in case client and audit team are agreed.
7. INITIAL AUDIT(STAGE-1 AND STAGE-2 AUDIT)
Audit Team shall conduct the stage 1 audit at the specified date as per audit plan. Audit plan can be changed onsite as per the situation and circumstances by the Team leader. The observation raised during stage 1 shall be discussed with the client organization representatives and provide time to close and mutually decide the time for the stage -2 audit. The stage-2 audit shall be conducted within 60 days of the stage-1 audit. In case the time interval between the stage 1 and stage 2 is more than 60 days than stage 1 shall be conducted again. Team Leader shall recommend to STARCERT to grant or not to grant the certification.
8. AUDIT REPORT REVIEW
Audit Team shall submit the stage 1 and stage 2 audit report to STARCERT which shall be reviewed by the competent personnel as defined and submit its recommendation to STARCERT to grant or not to grant the certification.
9. CERTIFICATION DECISION
CM is responsible to take the certification decision and on the basis of the recommendation of audit team and audit reviewer and after consideration of the information which is required to take the certification decision, he/she will take the certification decision to grant or not to grant the certificate.
10. SURVEILLANCE AUDIT
The surveillance audit shall be conducted for each client atleast once in a year. There shall beat least two surveillance audit in the certification cycle of three years. The first surveillance audit shall be conducted with 12 months of the last day of stage 2 audit. The second Surveillance audit shall be conducted with 12 months of last day of first surveillance audit.
11. RECERTIFICATION AUDIT
There shall be Recertification audit in the third year and before the expiry of the certification.
