The IAQG recently released the latest on timing for upgrading to AS9100C.

Their original schedule still remains intact.  Key milestones for this schedule are:

• Release of sanctioned (mandatory) auditor training – End of April 2010
• Once re-accredited for AS91ooC with trained auditors for AS9100C Certification Bodies are free to start updating clients to AS9100C.
• Until July 1, 2011 Certification Bodies can audit to either AS9100B or C.
• After July1, 2011 all audits must be to the AS9100C version of the standard.

As mentioned this schedule that was published in 2009 is still approximately accurate.  The additional information provided gives specific deadlines to accreditation agencies, auditor oversight bodies and training organization oversight bodies.   For example it requires the auditor oversight bodies to come up with a transition path for their auditor members to upgrade.

The auditor training material will be available at the end of April and it might take the training organizations say a month to train their trainers, incorporate the material and get themselves organized to be able to present the courses.  These training organizations must then be formally reviewed by the training oversight organizations.  Perhaps allow another month for this to take place.  Now auditors can formally access the training courses, pass the exam and submit their information to be included on the OASIS database (recognizing them as fully qualified AS auditors).  This might take another month.  Thus it may take until the end of July until auditors are trained and available.

Certification Bodies also need to be accredited to perform AS9100C audits.  This will involve them updating their management system and using trained auditors.  They can then be subject to an accreditation audit as the final step.  If then had been planning the upgrade well, their management system will already be modified and they will be attempting book their accreditation as soon as they have qualified auditors.  Lets allow just another month to do this.  In this scenario it might be the end of August 2010 before AS9100C upgrade audits can take place.

Obviously there are possible scenarios that might allow upgrades to take place sooner.  If the auditor training can be managed in May (and some may be)  and the Certification Body accreditation audit can take place in June, for instance.  However, there is a limited number of both training oversight auditors and accreditation auditors.   And whether it is booking a training class or and oversight/accreditation audit, flights are preferred with 2-3 weeks notice and these things just take time.

It is almost certain that Certification Bodies wont be able to upgrade ALL of their auditors for some time – perhaps until after the end of the year.  This will have an impact on your choice of when you upgrade.

If your audit (surveillance or reassessment) is after August 2011 (or even by the end of the year) you are unlikely to be allowed to upgrade until 2011 (and then you wont have a choice to not upgrade it being after July 2011).

You best choice is to contact your Certification Body and attempt to firm up your upgrade audit date.  They are unlikely to know until more experience of the training is gained but your persistence is important.  Similarly you MUST plan your system upgrade.  It is essential you account for the changes that AS9100D will bring (in particular the PEAR effectiveness review process) and unless you are certain of your upgrade timing you might consider adding the AS9100C changes without removing AS9100B aspects – yet!  This will mean you are ready for any date that your Certification Body might give you and you will be certain of passing.

Cavendish Scott is providing upgrade consulting including document modification, new procedures, widespread integration of new elements (e.g., risk), PEAR, training and addressing AS9100B and C.  We are also providing AS9100C internal audits so that a successful upgrade can be guaranteed. Click here to find out more: AS9100C Upgrade

AS auditors are currently in great demand.  Its about to get much more so.

IAQG has stipulated that to upgrade an existing AS9100B management system to AS9100C can be conducted during a normal surveillance or reassessment audit.  Upgrades during surveillance will require an audit at reassessment levels (twice as long as a surveillance audit) and upgrade during reassessment will require an audit at initial assessment levels (33% more).

Further, while the audit duration tables for AS9100C remain basically the same as they are currently, the rules have been changed to state that the table only covers ON-SITE time.  In other words each audit is likely to grow by a day or so as certification bodies used to include off-site time in this calculation.

What this means is that as soon as AS9100C starts to become audited, AS auditors are going to have twice their normal workload.  It is extremely unlikely that certification bodies will have the capacity to take on any new AS audits as their customers push to upgrade as soon as they can so they can distinguish themselves to their customers.

If you are trying to obtain AS certification during 2010 you need to go for the B version and book your audit for no later than June/July.  If you can convince a Certification Body you will be ready for the C version then book your audit later in the year (more auditors will be qualified and it will be more likely) and get a very firm commitment from the Certification Body.  Good luck with that.

If you are currently AS9100B then make sure you contact your Certification Body and confirm your surveillance/reassessment audit.  Make sure you confirm this very strongly with your certification body.  Perhaps contact your auditor directly and confirm it.  Get their personal buy-in (making it more difficult for them to change it).  Maybe pay in advance.

Customers rarely inform you about their plans and Certification customers are no different.  If you were a Certification Body and a large, important customer phoned requesting an upgrade with a month or two notice you are unlikely to turn them down.  Auditors will be pulled off of other jobs to be able to get that job done.  Smaller organizations might be made to suffer – it is even possible that the Certification Body might simply drop smaller customers if they don”t have resources.

All of this will start about July/August/September time frame as auditors and Certification Bodies become qualified to conduct audits to AS9100C and its going to last a couple of years  (More on timing…).  Auditors might be tempted to switch Certification Bodies with promises of bigger fees.  Audit costs to clients will rise.

Of course there is really no way of telling how this will play out in the end.   The Certification Bodies don”t really know because nobody knows when everyone will want to upgrade and who else will want AS9100C audits.  The IAQG has allowed a couple of years to upgrade but that only reduces the increased workload to one and a half times as busy rather than twice as busy.

We can all hope that there are no scheduling problems but there is no downside to taking charge of this situation, informing your Certification Body of your upgrade plans, your expected upgrade audit date and firming up your audit for this year.

Cavendish Scott, Inc. is providing a standard upgrade consulting package including all modifications to all documents, integration of new requirements, new procedures and importantly a thorough pre-assessment/internal audit to make sure you will pass.  Guaranteed Success for a fixed price!  And your audits for 2010 are taken care of! Click here to find out more: AS9100C upgrade