Bulletin 2017-13

Bulletin date:
Bulletin number:
2017-13

SCC’s Standards and International Relations Branch recently updated the  Requirements & Guidance – Accreditation of Standards Development Organizations (R&G 2017) following SCC’s Council approval on April 5, 2017 and this documents has now been published on SCC’s corporate website.


Affected Customers

Standards Development Organizations participating in the SCC’s Accreditation Program (SDOAP)
 

Background

The updates to the R&G were conducted in 3 separate sections with the following objectives:

  1. Improvements to the Duplication Resolution Mechanism process;
  2. Framework to facilitate Self-Declaration of National Standards of Canada (NSC); and,
  3. Requirements Simplification-Consolidation.

 

The revised requirements are outlined as follows and form the basis of the Gap analysis between the 2015 and 2017 version of the Requirements and Guidance (R&G) Document:

 

Identification of Canadian Interest & Need (R&G: 2017, Cl. 4.2)

  • Clarified items SDOs need to consider and National Interest form was updated:
    • Need for standard (4.2.1);
    • Language need (4.2.2); and
    • Geographical representation (4.2.3).

 

Duplication (R&G: 2017, Cl. 4.3)

  • Clarified to allow standards with similar technical content in the system based on need.
  • Introduction of specific evaluation criteria and an action plan for Duplication Resolution Mechanism process.

 

Self- Declaration (R&G: 2017, Cl.  4.18)

  • Self-declaration: The process by which an SCC-accredited SDO publishes their standard which they deem is in compliance with SCC’s Requirements & Guidance for SDOs.
  • Implemented framework using existing controls (annual assessments, project review, non-conformance [NCR] resolution process) and the Operational criteria SDOs must meet to self-declare. 
  • Quarterly reporting: NSCs self-declared; exceptions processed; and NCRs against requirements.
  • The Operational Criteria for SDOs to Self-Declare are as follows:
    • SCC-SDO accreditation in good standing;
    • Five (5) successful NSC approvals to the 2017 R&Gs by the Standards and International Relations Branch (SIRB). Once successful, SIRB will inform Accreditation Services Branch (ASB);
    • Document review by ASB to confirm SDOs policies and procedures are updated to align with revised 2017 R&Gs for SDOs; and,
    • Evidence that SDO staff have been trained on the updated policies and procedures submitted to ASB.

 

Public Review 45 Days (R&G: 2017, Cl. 6.6.2.1)

  • Added direction on shortened public review period.

 

Technical Committee Approval (R&G: 2017, Cl. 6.7)

  • Moved numerical voting rules from the 2015 NSC R&Gs.

 

Maintenance of Standards (R&G: 2017, Cl. 6.10)

  • Updated periodic maintenance (6.10.1).
  • Added direction on continuous maintenance (6.10.2).
  • Added direction on stabilized maintenance (6.10.3).

 

Maintenance Outcomes (R&G: 2017, Cl. 6.11)

  • Introduced “revision” equivalent to “amendment” (6.11.2).

 

Format Requirements (R&G: 2017, Cl. 7)

  • Moved from the 2015 NSC R&Gs:
    • Normative Content (7.1);
    • Units of Measure (7.2);
    • Date and Time (7.3);
    • Number and Title – Use of “CAN” descriptor (7.4);
    • Front Cover Page (7.5); and
    • Introductory Pages (7.6).

 

Action required

SCC has determined that the 2017 update to the R&G will require a separate transition desk review, billable to the SDO.  It will assess each SDO’s transition readiness to the new 2017 R&G via completion of a questionnaire focused on the new or changing requirements and submission of relevant supporting evidence. The due date for all SDOs to complete the transition to the 2017 Requirements & Guidance – Accreditation of Standards Development Organizations has been set for October 31st, 2017.

 

Your Accreditation Services Account Manager and Customer Service Coordinator will provide each SDO with the transition questionnaire immediately following the release of this bulletin. Qualified assessors will perform a desk assessment on your submission to determine whether you are successfully transitioning to these new requirements.  In order to meet the transition deadline, SCC requests that accredited SDOs submit their completed questionnaire and supporting evidence no later than Monday, September 25th, 2017. Submission of said information should be made through the SCC’s Sitescape forum within the SDO Corporate Information folder labelled “Transition R&G: 2017”.

 

Further verification of implementation and effectiveness of the SDO’s transition will be conducted during regularly scheduled assessment and/or on a case by case basis.

 

Should you anticipate not being able to meet the identified compliance timeline, please inform your ASB Account Manager.

 

Deadlines

SDOs to submit evidence no later than September 25, 2017.

 

Transition deadline is October 31, 2017.

 

Questions?

Please communicate with your assigned account manager.

 

Other technical questions can be directed to Karyn Crawford, SCC Program Manager- Technical Services, at kcrawford@scc-ccn.ca or +1 613 238 3222 for more information.