AS9100 certification is a must-have for any business in the aerospace supply chain and our specialist consultancy practice VAELO helps many businesses achieve and maintain certification.
What many people might not realise is that you can transfer your AS9100 certification to another provider following an established process, and we can help.
Why do people change AS9100 Certification Bodies?
Our certification management team conducts an annual survey of the reasons people change certification bodies (ISO and AS) and here is what we found:
Price
Perhaps not surprising but the number one reason people change certification bodies is down to price. Although they are accredited under the same schemes, there is a competitive market within certification which leads to differences in day rates and other things such as admin fees, management fees, travel costs etc.
Taking your existing certification contract to the market can be a good way to explore cheaper options and ensure you are getting the best from your current provider.
Accreditation Issue
We see this less in the aerospace industry because it is so heavily regulated, however accreditation issues come up as number two generally across certification. This includes certification bodies not having an appropriate accreditation from an IAF member, like UKAS, or not having the required industry codes.
Poor Customer Service
Some of the common complaints we hear about certification bodies are that they are slow to respond to queries, send too much paperwork and arranging audits is difficult.
Many of these issues come down to the back office staff but also the experience of the auditor on site can cause clients to consider a change of certification body.
Auditor Rotation
This is particularly an issue in AS9100 where external auditors must go through a rigorous IAQG mandated competence process to achieve Authenticated Auditor (AA) or Authenticated Experienced Auditor (AEA) status, which in itself requires verifiable industry experience and completion of IAQG-sanctioned training.
Leading to a relatively small pool of auditors being available. Which, this can be a benefit if you have developed a good relationship with your auditor, familiarity can also be an audit risk leading to gaps that might later be uncovered by your clients.
Competence is key for us in AS9100 Consultancy too. Read more: What to look for when choosing an AS9100 Consultant?
What is the AS9100 Transfer Process?
There is a well established process for transferring accredited certificates, set out in IAF MD 2: Transfer of Accredited Certification of Management Systems.
In addition to this, AS9100 transfers must also comply with the aerospace sector requirements contained within the AS9104 series and IAQG OASIS rules.
This is where Assent and our VAELO practice come in. We understand these requirements and can guide you through the process by working with your current certification body and introduce you to suitable alternatives. Contact us to get started!
AS9100 Certificate Transfer Process
The AS9100 certificate transfer process typically follows this process:
- Approaching Alternative Certification Bodies for a Quote
We can help you with this by facilitating contact with relevant bodies and helping you to complete quotation forms. - Application to the new certification body
Once you decide on a new certification body you’ll need to go through a formal application process which includes providing previous certificates, reports, nonconformance data and OASIS Database information. We can help you collate this data and complete the necessary forms. - Transfer Audit or Transfer Review
Not every transfer requires a separate audit but it is at the discretion of the new certification body whether to combine this into the next surveillance audit or conduct a desktop review or an additional audit. - Certification Decision
Although you are already certified to AS9100 the new body needs to formally make the certification decision before issuing a new AS9100 certificate. The audit cycle remains the same and the certificate date and expiry date stays the same. - OASIS Database Update
For AS9100, the new certification body updates the organisation’s record in the IAQG OASIS database.
Conditions for Transfer
The receiving certification body must verify that:
- The certificate is currently valid.
- The certificate was issued by an accredited certification body.
- The scope of certification remains the same (or is reduced).
- There are no outstanding major nonconformities.
- The certificate is not suspended or under threat of suspension.
- Previous audit reports are available for review.
If the certificate is suspended, withdrawn, expired, or issued by an unaccredited body, it generally cannot be transferred and the organisation may need a fresh certification audit.
Considering Changing AS9100 Certification Bodies?
Contact our aerospace compliance experts to guide you through the process.
