CCMC Data Acceptance Program manual

1. Introduction

1.1. Purpose

When conducting product certification activities and making its certification decisions, the Canadian Construction Materials Centre (CCMC) relies heavily on externally generated information (data).

This data comes to CCMC in many forms, including:

• testing reports generated by third-party testing laboratories;
• sampling reports issued by third-party engineers or laboratories;
• factory inspection reports produced by inspection bodies;
• technical analyses and opinions provided by subject matter experts;
• personnel competence reports verified by personnel certification bodies; and
• management system audit reports assessed by management system certification bodies.

Therefore, it is crucial that CCMC has a means of qualifying, recording and monitoring the competence of all sources of data that support or inform certification decisions. Additionally, it is important that the data provided be submitted in a way that meets the needs of CCMC.

The CCMC Data Acceptance Program (DAP) is the mechanism CCMC utilizes to ensure that all providers of the data used in the certification process are recognized by an impartial, competence-based system.

The CCMC DAP has four primary components:

1. the process for the qualification and maintenance of organizations and individuals as data providers;
2. the requirements for demonstrating competence and acceptable data submission;
3. the terms and conditions for qualification, suspension, termination and withdrawal of recognition; and
4. the publication of CCMC-recognized data providers.

As part of the federal government of Canada, CCMC has a responsibility to the health and safety of the Canadian public. The CCMC DAP is a key component in safeguarding the integrity of CCMC certifications and, therefore, in supporting authorities across Canada in the protection of Canadians in the built environment.

1.2. Scope

All organizations and individuals who submit data in support of CCMC certification must be members in good standing of the CCMC DAP at the time of submission of the data.

This includes:

1. testing laboratories;
2. inspection bodies;
3. management system certification bodies;
4. personnel certification bodies; and
5. experts and/or consultants.

For information on CCMC DAP members in good standing, please contact the CCMC at ccmc@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca or 613-993-6189.

1.3. Terms and definitions

applicant

an organization or individual formally seeking recognition as part of the CCMC DAP, usually having submitted a CCMC DAP Application Form

data

all submissions to CCMC, including letters, e-mails, reports, documents, or other written forms of communication in which information related to a CCMC certification is provided

data provider

an organization or individual currently recognized by, and in good standing with, the CCMC DAP

IAF MLA

a multilateral agreement issued by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) (more information at www.iaf.nu)

ILAC MRA

a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) issued by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) (more information at www.ilac.org)

2. CCMC DAP eligibility

2.1. Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for recognition in the CCMC DAP, all applicants must:

1. objectively demonstrate, in accordance with Section 3.2 below, their competence in the technical area(s) for which they are seeking recognition by the CCMC DAP;
2. be either an individual (expert and/or consultant) seeking acceptance based on personal competence or an organization that maintains records of the competence of its employees; and 
3. agree to abide by and be held to the CCMC DAP as provided in this document by signing the CCMC DAP Agreement.

The decision as to the eligibility of any person and/or organization based on any of the above requirements is at the sole discretion of CCMC. 

3. Recognition process

The CCMC DAP has five (5) major steps from application to recognition. Once recognition has been achieved, ongoing maintenance requirements must be satisfied to maintain the achieved recognition.

The process is shown in the diagram below: Long description follows.

Application and recognition in the CCMC DAP are free of charge to data providers.

3.1. Application

All applicants seeking recognition in the CCMC DAP must:

1. submit a CCMC DAP Application Form indicating the domain of their competence;
2. meet the CCMC DAP eligibility requirements (see Section 2.); and
3. provide evidence that demonstrates competence (see Section 3.2.).

Once the above is submitted, CCMC will review the application and submitted evidence and provide the applicant with next steps based on the result of the review (see Section 3.3.).

3.2. Demonstration of competence

To be considered for recognition in the CCMC DAP, an objective demonstration of competence must be submitted to CCMC in writing, as follows:

3.2.1. Requirements for individuals

For an individual (e.g., expert, consultant, etc.), a curriculum vitae (CV) must be submitted for the individual seeking recognition.

The CV must include:

1. the individual's name and contact information;
2. supporting evidence, such as copies of certificates, degrees, diplomas, etc., for any qualifications or designations the individual has claimed that are related to the technical domain for which recognition is sought;
3. a list of any publications to which the individual has contributed that are relevant to the technical domain for which recognition is sought;
4. a list of the standards development committees of which the individual is a member;
5. a summary (in 500 words or less) of the individual's relevant technical experience, expounding the specific contributions the individual has made to the domain for which recognition is sought; and
6. evidence of the individual's possession of current and valid professional liability insurance, with at least $2,000,000 CAD in liability protection.

Note: At the discretion of CCMC, an interview (by phone or in person) may be requested to obtain additional information about the applicant.

3.2.2. Requirements for organizations

For an organization (e.g., inspection body (IB), testing laboratory (TL), etc.), a third-party accreditation to an acceptable criteria (i.e., ISO/IEC 17025) by an accreditation body acceptable to CCMC (e.g., an ILAC MRA signatory), must be submitted.

The accreditation must include:

1. a copy of the scope of accreditation that references relevant capabilities, expertise, knowledge, etc.;
2. evidence of a documented policy that maintains a record of personnel competence and limits their activities to within their domain of competence;
3. evidence of a documented policy of informing CCMC of changes to the scope of accreditation or competence of the organization due to changes in personnel that eliminate any particular domain (e.g., the only personnel recorded as competent in a domain leaves the company or is unavailable for an extended period).

Organizations that meet 3.2.2.(b), and therefore have a policy to record personnel competence, may still be rejected from the DAP, at the sole discretion of CCMC, if the demonstration of competence of employees within an organization is determined by CCMC to be insufficient.

Organizations that do not have a third-party verification of their competence by an internationally-recognized source cannot be recognized as part of the CCMC DAP as an organization. In such cases, the demonstration of competence must be submitted for each individual who will be responsible for the generation and/or approval of data.

3.3. Review

CCMC reviews all applications for recognition into the CCMC DAP once the following information has been provided:

1. a completed CCMC DAP Application Form; and
2. a written demonstration of competence satisfying all applicable requirements contained in Section 4. to the satisfaction of CCMC.

CCMC will conduct the review, which will result in one of the following outcomes:

1. CCMC will request additional information from the applicant;
2. CCMC will reject the application and provide justification to the applicant; or
3. CCMC will accept the application and grant the applicant recognition in the CCMC DAP.

3.4. Recognition

Once CCMC has accepted an application, the applicant becomes recognized as part of the CCMC DAP and the individual or organization is listed on the CCMC website as a recognized data provider.

If recognition of a data provider is terminated by the client or is withdrawn by CCMC, their information is removed from the CCMC website.

3.5. Maintenance

CCMC data providers are required to provide, at the request of CCMC, updated information supporting their competence. CCMC may make such requests for the following reasons:

1. to update expired or outdated information;
2. to meet new or altered requirements of the CCMC DAP;
3. to verify or validate existing submitted information; or
4. other reasons, at the discretion of CCMC.

Failure to satisfy the recognition maintenance requirements of CCMC in a timely manner may result in withdrawal of recognition by CCMC and removal from the CCMC DAP.

4. Program requirements

4.1. Testing laboratories (TLs)

4.1.1. Testing laboratory recognition requirements

In order to be recognized to provide data under the CCMC DAP, TLs must:

1. demonstrate their competence in accordance with Section 3.2.2., providing a scope of accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 issued by an ILAC MRA signatory that contains reference to the required test methods.

   Note: At the sole discretion of CCMC, TLs that do not carry an acceptable accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 may be recognized by the CCMC DAP only for testing that cannot practically be conducted at an accredited laboratory. In such cases, the organization must meet all requirements in Section 3.2.2, except 3.2.2.(a), and demonstrate the competence of their technical personnel under the requirements of Section 3.2.1. All data must comply with the requirements in Section 4.1.2., and be authorized and approved by personnel who are recognized by the CCMC DAP.

2. TLs are required to inform CCMC of any changes to their scope of accreditation or significant changes to their competence resulting from personnel changes.
3. TLs will be required to provide updated documentation on a periodic basis to maintain their recognition within the CCMC DAP.

4.1.2. Testing laboratory data submission requirements

All data submitted to CCMC by TLs must be in a report format that complies with the following data submission requirements:

1. All test reports must include:
   1. a sampling report that meets the requirements of 4.1.2.(b);
   2. a detailed description of any sample preparation conducted by the laboratory;
   3. a summary table of results, requirements, and a pass/fail statement for each test;
   4. a detailed presentation of test data for each test specimen;
   5. a description of any deviations or modifications from the specified requirements;
   6. a clear statement of the product's compliance with all of the specified requirements (pass/fail);
   7. a clear statement that all equipment used in testing was within its documented calibration period at the time of testing;
   8. a history of revisions to the report, including a rationale for each; and
   9. a clear statement that testing is intended for CCMC certification only.
2. All sampling reports (including those conducted by third parties) must include:
   1. the name of the organization that conducted the sampling;
   2. the number and name of the standard against which sampling was conducted;
   3. the date and location of sampling;
   4. the method of sampling (random selection, witnessed manufacturing, etc.);
   5. a description of any parameters not controlled by the plant's quality system;
   6. the chain of custody from the plant to the laboratory; and
   7. if sampling is part of surveillance, the CCMC number for the product being sampled.
3. All test data for a specified requirement (e.g., material specification) must be submitted in a single test report. CCMC may not accept test reports that were generated for other purposes and that contain irrelevant data, or data that is presented across several test reports.
4. All reports that fall under a TL's accreditation must contain a statement confirming that the report falls within the TL's scope of accreditation. Where the TL has multiple accreditations, the scope(s) of accreditation relevant to the testing performed must be indicated
5. All other documentation submitted to CCMC must be clear and unambiguous and be duly reviewed, approved, and released by the authoring organization.

4.2. Inspection bodies (IBs)

4.2.1. Inspection body recognition requirements

In order to be recognized to provide data under the CCMC DAP, IBs must:

1. demonstrate their competence in accordance with Section 3.2.2. by providing a scope of accreditation to ISO/IEC 17020 that is issued by an ILAC MRA signatory, which, at the discretion of CCMC, contains reference to the required domains of competence;
2. comply with all CCMC requirements for a particular inspection, provided in writing, prior to conducting the inspection (typically these requirements are based on a quality manual (however named) located at the inspection location);
3. agree to inform CCMC of any changes to their scope of accreditation or significant changes to their competence resulting from personnel changes; and
4. agree to periodically provide updated documentation to maintain their recognition within the CCMC DAP.

4.2.2. Inspection body data submission requirements

All data submitted to CCMC must be in a report format that complies with the following data submission requirements:

1. the name of the company being inspected;
2. the name(s) of the person(s) within the inspected company who is/are responsible for the inspection;
3. the location at which the inspection was carried out;
4. the date and time of the inspection (start and end times);
5. the name(s) of the products being considered as part of the inspection;
6. the name(s) (and numbers, as applicable) of the documents reviewed during the inspection;
7. the revision numbers and issue dates of all documents reviewed during the inspection;
8. a detailed report of the findings of the inspection that are categorized/grouped as on Table 1
9. a statement in the findings report that indicates the highest level of finding ("suggestion" being the lowest level and "technical–critical" being the highest);
10. the name of the company conducting the inspection;
    the name of the inspector and a statement of their competence in the relevant domain;
11. the name and signature of the approver of the inspection; and
12. a statement that the inspection was for CCMC certification purposes.

All other documentation submitted to CCMC must be clear, unambiguous and be duly reviewed, approved, and released by the authoring organization.

4.3. Management system certification bodies (MCSBs)

4.3.1. Management system certification body recognition requirements

In order to be recognized to provide data under the CCMC DAP, MSCBs must:

1. demonstrate their competence in accordance with Section 3.2.2, providing a scope of accreditation to ISO/IEC 17021, issued by an IAF MLA signatory, which, at the discretion of CCMC, contains reference to the required domains of competence;
2. agree to inform CCMC of any changes to their scope of accreditation or significant changes to their competence resulting from  personnel changes; and
3. agree to periodically provide updated documentation to maintain their recognition within the CCMC DAP.

4.3.2. Management system certification body data submission requirements

All data submitted to CCMC must be in a report format that complies with the following data submission requirements:

1. All submitted management system audit reports must include, at a minimum:
   1. the name of the company being audited;
   2. the name of the person(s) within the audited company's who is/are responsible for the audit;
   3. the location at which the audit was carried out;
   4. the date and time of the audit (start and end times);
   5. the name(s) (and numbers, as applicable) of documents reviewed during the audit;
   6. the revision number(s) and issue date(s) of all documents reviewed during the audit;
   7. the name of the company conducting the audit;
   8. the name of the auditor and a statement of their competence;
   9. the name and signature of the approver of the audit; and
   10. a statement that the audit was for CCMC certification purposes.
2. All other data submitted to CCMC must be clear, unambiguous and be duly reviewed, approved, and released by the authoring organization.

4.4. Personnel certification bodies (PCBs)

4.4.1. Personnel certification body recognition requirements

In order to be recognized to provide data under the CCMC DAP, PCBs must:

1. demonstrate their competence in accordance with Section 3.2.2., providing a scope of accreditation to ISO/IEC 17024 issued by an IAF MLA signatory, which, at the discretion of CCMC, contains reference to the required domains of competence;

   provide a copy of their personnel certification scheme;

   Note: PCBs, as part of their certification scheme, must only use IBs accredited to ISO/IEC 17020 by an ILAC MRA signatory when conducting inspections in support of their certification.

2. agree to inform CCMC of any changes to their scope of accreditation or significant changes to their competence resulting from personnel changes;
3. agree to periodically provide updated documentation to maintain their recognition within the CCMC DAP.

4.4.2. Personnel certification body data submission requirements

All data submitted to CCMC must be in a format that complies with the following data submission requirements:

1. All personnel certification data must include, at a minimum:
   1. the name and address of the PCB;
   2. reference to the PBC accreditation body and scope of accreditation;
   3. the name and signature of the approver of the data;
   4. a statement that the data is for CCMC certification purposes;
2. All other data submitted to CCMC must be clear, unambiguous and be duly reviewed, approved, and released by the authoring organization.

4.5. Experts and/or consultants

4.5.1. Experts and/or consultant recognition requirements

In order to be recognized to provide data under the CCMC DAP, experts and/or consultants must:

1. demonstrate their competence in accordance with Section 3.2.1. by providing a sufficient level of information to allow CCMC to assess the magnitude and scope of competence of the individual(s) listed within the organization;
2. when conducting sampling of product(s) for testing, the sampling report must meet all of the above requirements, and the requirements of Section 4.1.1.(b).
3. all other data submitted to CCMC must be clear, unambiguous and be duly reviewed, approved, and released by the author.
4. inform CCMC of any changes to their scope of accreditation, or significant changes to their competence resulting from personnel changes.
5. agree to periodically provide updated documentation in order to maintain their recognition within the CCMC DAP.

4.5.2. Experts and/or consultant data submission requirements

All data submitted to CCMC must be in a format that complies with the following data submission requirements:

1. the full name, contact information, and professional designations of the individual(s);
2. a summary of the data/analysis, including a clear statement of the result(s), where applicable;
3. a full, detailed presentation of all supporting work, and assumptions;
4. a statement that the report is intended for CCMC certification; and
5. signature block(s), including the individual's full name and signature and their title.

5. CCMC DAP terms and conditions

All CCMC DAP recognized data providers must agree to the following Terms and Conditions. Failure to comply with these Terms and Conditions may, at any time, and at the sole discretion of CCMC, be considered cause for removal of the data provider from the CCMC DAP.

5.1. Accurate representation

All applicants and data providers must truthfully and accurately represent their organizational, technical, and/or other information to CCMC and, on request, provide corroborating evidence to support such claims. All claims, including data submitted, must be made only by authorized officers of the organization who are both competent and authorized to make such claims.

Additionally, all data submitted to CCMC under the CCMC DAP must be duly reviewed and approved, and released to CCMC only as authorized by the data provider (either an individual or organization).

5.2. Suspension, termination and withdrawal

While unintentional errors may occur, serious or repeated violations may result in suspension or withdrawal of a data provider's recognition in the CCMC DAP.

Although the CCMC DAP is open to all competent organizations and individuals, CCMC reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to suspend or withdraw recognition at any time, for cause, which may be based on, but not limited to one or more of the following violations:

1.  failure of the data provider to follow CCMC DAP requirements;
2.  repeated submission^{Footnote 1} of erroneous data;
3.  repeated submission^{Footnote 1} of irrelevant data;
4.  repeated submission^{Footnote 1} of data in an unorganized manner;
5.  repeated submission^{Footnote 1} of data not following the CCMC DAP data submission requirements; 
6.  loss of confidence by CCMC in the data provider's competence (whatever cause); or
7.  failure to inform CCMC of changes to competence.

CCMC will inform data providers, in writing, of their suspension or withdrawal.

CCMC DAP data providers who wish to terminate their recognition as part of the CCMC DAP must submit their notice in writing to CCMC, clearly indicating the date of their termination. When termination is due to a change in competence of an organization or individual, the data provider must provide the date when competence was altered so that all data that may have been generated after that date may be invalidated.

5.3. Complaints and appeals

While CCMC does its best to work with industry partners, clients and associations to provide a valuable service to the Canadian public, those who disagree with CCMC's position are free to submit their complaint or appeal to CCMC as below;

5.3.1. Complaints

CCMC is a non-partisan, science- and evidence-based organization within the federal government of Canada and conducts its business following the National Research Council of Canada's Code of Conduct and the Treasury Board Secretariat Ethics Guidelines. Should an applicant or data provider wish to submit a complaint regarding the operation of the CCMC DAP or their interactions with CCMC staff, a complaint may be submitted via the CCMC Feedback and Complaints Process.

Note: Complaints are lodged with CCMC management, and are limited in scope to the policies or procedures that govern the operation of CCMC (e.g., a disagreement about a requirement in this document). However, if the resolution of a complaint is not satisfactory, or if the issue at hand is a decision made by CCMC (e.g., the rejection of an applicant to the CCMC DAP), it is considered an appeal, and should follow the process for an appeal (see Section 6.3.2.).

5.3.2. Appeals

All CCMC decisions are made in accordance with CCMC policies and procedures. However, should an applicant or data provider wish to appeal a CCMC decision with respect to their application to, recognition in, or suspension or withdrawal from the CCMC DAP, an appeal can be made following the CCMC Disputes and Appeals Procedure and will be reviewed by the CCMC Appeals Committee.