The Accreditation Process
The purpose of this document is to outline the process you can expect when you apply for acreditation with DAC. DAC is currently experiencing an increase in applications. Therefore, It can take up to 15 working days before your application will be reviewed and assigned to an Assessment Manager. You can expect to have contact from your Assessment Manager within 30 working days. Apologies for any inconvenience.
Application Stage
- Applications are submitted online ONLY,
- Contact us to be issued with a link to access the DAC CRM online system.
- Log on and complete application upload signed statement and relevant documents (Quality Manual).
- The appropriate application fee will be billed on submission of your application.
- An accreditation officer, appointed by the DAC Manager, will contact you once your application has been received and reviewed. Other supporting documentation may be requested at this stage.
- Please expect a lead time of approx 3 months to arrange the first visit to your organisation from receipt of application.
Pre-Assessment Stage
- A pre-assessment is designed to evaluate your organisation's readiness for full assessment.
- The DAC accreditation officer will assemble a peer assessment team appropriate to the scope applied for.
- You will be notified of the proposed team prior to the visit.
- Typically, a pre-assessment visit takes 1 day.
- You will receive a report after the visit outlining the findings of the team
Assessment Stage
After the pre-assessment the organisation has the opportunity to address the findings of the pre-assessment.
An assessment visit is organised. The duration of the visit and composition of the peer assessment team is dependent upon the scope of accreditation requested.
The assessment determines an organisations compliance with the applicable standard(s), DAC requirements and other mandatory documents. This encompasses quality systems and technical competence.
At the end of the visit the team makes a recommendation on accreditation.
After the pre-assessment the organisation has the opportunity to address the findings of the pre-assessment.
An assessment visit is organised. The duration of the visit and composition of the peer assessment team is dependent upon the scope of accreditation requested.
The assessment determines an organisations compliance with the applicable standard(s), DAC requirements and other mandatory documents. This encompasses quality systems and technical competence.
At the end of the visit the team makes a recommendation on accreditation.
Clearance of Nonconformities
- A normal consequence of an assessment visit is that nonconformities are raised.
- The organisation is then required to submit evidence of corrective actions to address any nonconformities raised within 3 months of the assessment.
- When all corrective actions have been accepted and all non-compliances have been cleared, the peer assessment team's recommendation is presented to the DAC Board.
- This process is managed through the DAC CRM system
Recommendation to the DAC Board
- The DAC Board meet approximately 6 times a year.
- The DAC Accreditation Officer presents a report containing the recommendation to the Board who then make the decision on accreditation.
- When all corrective actions have been accepted and all nonconformities have been cleared, the peer assessment team's recommendation is presented to the DAC Board.
- This process is managed through the DAC CRM system.