International Certification Accreditation Council

5 Depot Street, Greencastle, IN 46135  Phone: 800-288-3824  Fax: 765-653-4287

 

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International Certification Accreditation Council

Program Accreditation Procedures for the ICAC

The International Certification Accreditation Council (ICAC) is an organization of organizations that offers accreditation to individual members' certification program(s).

 

To receive an accreditation for a certification program, an association must make application to the ICAC, present all required exhibits, and undergo an evaluation by specifically appointed representatives from the ICAC's Accreditation Review Committee (ARC) or a subcontractor appointed by ICAC.

 

Following this evaluation, a recommendation will be made to the ARC for a vote on program accreditation. If the majority of the ARC votes in favor of accreditation, the President of the ICAC or his designated representative will authorize and sign the program certificate of accreditation.

 

The program accreditation will be valid for a period of five (5) years from the date of issue.

 

Should the ARC determine that unqualified accreditation of the evaluated program is not appropriate, they may take one of two actions:

 

1. Grant provisional accreditation for a period of one year detailing the discrepancies that precluded full accreditation. Following a period of no less than six (6) months, and no longer than one year, the association may request a program re-evaluation. If all original discrepancies have been satisfied, the association will receive the program accreditation for the remainder of the five (5) year period. If any of the original discrepancies still exist at the time of re-evaluation, the provisional program accreditation will be revoked and the association must wait one year to reapply.

 

2. Deny accreditation. In denying program accreditation, the ARC must advise the association of all discrepancies which preclude accreditation. After a period of six months and no longer than one (1) year, the association may apply for program re-evaluation. If all discrepancies have been satisfied, the ARC will recommend program accreditation. If at the time of re-evaluation all discrepancies have not been satisfied, program accreditation will be denied and the association must wait one year to reapply.

 

If at any time during the period of program accreditation, serious allegations are made against a particular certification program, the President of the ICAC will convene a team to investigate the allegations. Should the allegations prove to be justified, the ARC will make a determination and decision on reducing, withdrawing or suspending the program accreditation. An association which loses the accreditation of a certification program will not be allowed to reapply for a period of one year. Prior to this re-application, the ARC must be provided with convincing evidence from the association that any and all conditions which led to the reduction, suspension, or withdrawal of the program accreditation have been corrected.  The ARC also may request reduction or withdrawal of a certification if material alterations are made to the accreditation program during the period of accreditation with ICAC.

 

In the event that a currently accredited program is expanded, the certified body may have the certification extended by means of submitting an abbreviated re-application detailing the changes in the certification program.

 

ICAC Accreditation Procedures:

Any association which has a certification program may seek accreditation by the ICAC. The application, required exhibits, and the accreditation fees are as follows.

 

• The Application Process
• The Evaluation Process
• 10 Things to Consider Before Submitting Your Application
• Fees
• Request an Application Form

 

The ARC will convene not less than once a year and as appropriate to assure the timely processing of accreditation program recommendations by the evaluating teams. Certification programs receiving an accreditation recommendation from the ARC will receive accreditation documentation signed by the President of the ICAC.

 

Certification programs for evaluation will be placed in one of four categories:

1. Program candidate for accreditation: An association who is a member of the ICAC in good standing and who has applied for accreditation of a certification program. This certification program may be in any stage of the accreditation process from initial application to ARC vote on accreditation.
2. Accredited Program: a certified program of an association which has formally been accredited by the ICAC and stands anywhere in the five year time frame for validation of the accreditation.
3. Provisional program accreditation: A certification program which has been evaluated by the ARC and found to have certain practices and procedures with minor discrepancies. In the opinion of the Evaluating team and the ARC these minor discrepancies can be corrected within a six month period.
4. Program accreditation inappropriate: A certification program which has been evaluated by the ARC and found to have discrepancies of a magnitude sufficient to warrant a recommendation for no accreditation at this time. Certification programs falling into this category must wait one year before reapplying for accreditation.

Accreditation Process