Accreditation Terms and Conditions

Below are the Terms and Conditions all Applicant / Accredited Service Provider of the NISCF Accreditation Services.

These Terms and Conditions shall come into full force and effect for the Applicant from the date on which an Accreditation Request Form (NCSA-NISCF-ACCR-RQTF) declaration’s is executed and sealed by the Applicant. These Terms and Conditions shall continue to be binding for the entirety of the Application and Accreditation lifecycles until they are either rejected, expired, withdrawn or terminated. 

1. Application Submission
   1. Upon the submission of an Accreditation application request to NCSA, the Service Provider submitting the application, herein referred to as “Applicant”, expressly consents to adhere to all the stipulated terms and conditions contained herein.
   2. Any Applicant seeking Accreditation must apply to NCSA by ensuring the Accreditation Request Form is completed in the prescribed format; and submitting the Accreditation Request Form and any additional information and/or documents required.
   3. Where an application request submitted does not comply with the requirements, NCSA in its sole and absolute discretion, shall reject the application request and informs the Applicant thereof by written notice, specifying the reasons for rejecting the application request, including the outstanding information resulting in the application request not being accepted.
   4. NCSA shall commence the assessment of the application request (referred to NCSA-NISCF-ACCR-SNA) for all application requests upon receipt of duly signed Application Request Forms and the related information and/or documents required, the requested fees, subject to the conditions outlined in this section A.
   5. The Applicant recognizes and acknowledges that the act of submitting an application request does not guarantee the obtention of the Accreditation and that the Accreditation Award is dependent on a comprehensive assessment of the application request, a decision to grant the Accreditation by NCSA and the completion of all necessary administrative procedures.
2. Documentation and Information
   1. The Applicant / Accredited Service Provider is obligated to provide NCSA with precise and comprehensive documentation and information as necessitated by NCSA during the course of all assessments (i.e., application request, maintenance, suspension, unscheduled assessment or Re-Accreditation).
   2. The Applicant / Accredited Service Provider agrees to cooperate fully with NCSA and provide any additional information or clarification as requested during the assessments.
   3. Throughout the entire application and Accreditation lifecycles, the Applicant / Accredited Service Provider shall undertake the following obligations:
      1. Cooperate to the extent necessary to enable NCSA to validate compliance with the requirements of Accreditation;
      2. Provide NCSA and its representatives access to the Applicant / Accredited Service Provider personnel, information, documents, records and premises as necessary to verify fulfilment of requirements for Accreditation; and
      3. Abstain from making inaccurate statements, such as asserting itself as Accredited by NCSA (during application) or implying that NCSA has endorsed any product, process, service, management system, or individual.
   4. The Applicant / Accredited Service Provider is hereby obligated to promptly and in writing notify NCSA of any material or significant changes to the application or the Accreditation, which may impact the Applicant / Accredited Service Provider adherence to these Terms and Conditions and all pertinent Accreditation Requirements, or potentially affect the Applicant / Accredited Service Provider capacity or extent to obtain or maintain the Accreditation. Such changes encompass, but are not restricted to:
      1. Changes in the location(s) of the Applicant / Accredited Service Provider or its contact details;
      2. Modifications in its legal, commercial, ownership, or organizational status;
      3. Changes related to the organization, upper management, and key personnel, including, but not limited to, Nominated Representatives (NRs) and authorized signatories;
      4. Impairment of the ability to adequately fulfill its scope of Accreditation; or
      5. Any issues that may influence the capacity to conform to the Accreditation Requirements.
3. Termination of Assessment
   1. NCSA shall be entitled to terminate any assessment in accordance with the Accreditation Requirements in the event of:
      1. The Applicant / Accredited Service Provider failure to adhere to the Accreditation’s Policy, Standards, Processes, Agreement in force or obligations stipulated in the terms and conditions;
      2. Lack of cooperation by the Applicant / Accredited Service Provider and/or the deliberate employment of tactics that impede or obstruct access to the Applicant / Accredited Service Provider information or documents, resulting in substantial hindrance or obstruction;
      3. In the event that substantive evidence of fraudulent conduct is identified, or should the Applicant / Accredited Service Provider deliberately provide false information to, or withhold material information from NCSA pertaining to its application request or Accreditation, its operational activities, or the fulfillment of Accreditation prerequisites;
      4. The unavailability of key personnel or the Nominated Representatives (NRs) designated by the Applicant / Accredited Service Provider; or
      5. The Applicant / Accredited Service Provider being adjudged or found guilty of contravening legislation that has a direct bearing on its Accreditation, and/or the Applicant / Accredited Service Provider formal written request for voluntary termination of the application request or Accreditation. 
4. Accreditation Symbols 
   1. The use of Accreditation Symbols must be in strict compliance with the stipulated requirements and procedures as outlined in the Accreditation Symbols - Usage Policy (NCSA-NISCF-UASP) in force.
5. Duration 
   1. The Applicant / Accredited Service Provider shall abide with the Terms and Conditions until:
      1. Its specified expiry date, as delineated in the Accreditation Policy, Standard and Agreement; or
      2. It is terminated in accordance with section C.
6. Accreditation Lifecycle
   1. The Accreditation lifecycle shall be govern as stipulated in  requirements and procedures as outlined in the NISCF Standard for National Accreditation (NCSA-NISCF-ACCR-SNA) in force.
   2. The Accredited Service Provider is strictly prohibited from subcontracting, partially or entirely to third parties, the engagements related to the scopes of the NISCF Accreditation Services it has been Accredited for.
   3. The Accredited Service Provider is obligated to ensure that the Engagement Lead of the Accreditation service is not subject to outsourcing.
   4. The Accredited Service Provider is obligated to promptly report any identified illegal activities to the relevant authorities in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations of the State of Qatar.
7. Renewal of Accreditation
   1. The provisions outlined in sections A, B and C shall apply, 'with necessary modifications,' to the process of Re-Accreditation, subject to the following conditions:
      1. Re-Accreditation must be requested at least three (3) months prior to the expiry date of the currently held Certificate of Accreditation; and
      2. Re-Accreditation is contingent upon NCSA's review of any unresolved complaints against the Accredited Service Provider, instances of Accreditation Requirements violations by the Accredited Service Provider, misuse of the Accreditation Symbol by the Accredited Service Provider, and any competency concerns that have arisen during the Accreditation lifecycle.
8. Suspension, Reduction Expansion and Withdrawal of Accreditation
   1. All Suspensions, Scope Reductions, Scope Expansions and Withdrawals of Accreditation must be in strict compliance with the stipulated requirements and procedures as outlined in the NISCF Standard for National Accreditation (NCSA-NISCF-ACCR-SNA) in force. 
   2. These Terms and Conditions shall remain in force during the period of suspension in terms of this sections C to J.
9. Termination of Terms and Conditions
   1. These Terms and Conditions shall remain in full force and effect for the duration of the application and Accreditation. Upon the withdrawal, expiry or termination Accreditation and the consequent termination of these Terms and Conditions:
      1. Clauses 4, 5, 6, 10, to 12 of the signed Accreditation Agreements shall endure and survive such termination; and
      2. All Accreditation fees accrued and outstanding, owed by the Accredited Service Provider to NCSA until the date of termination, shall become immediately due and payable. 
10. Appeals and Complaints
    1. Any appeals and/or complaints must be submitted in strict compliance with the stipulated requirements and procedures as outlined in the NISCF General Appeals and Complaints Policy (NCSA-NISCF-GACP) and Appeals and Complaints Processes (NCSA-NISCF-ACPO) in force. 
11. Fees and Terms of Business
    1. The Applicant / Accredited Service Provider shall make payment for the stipulated and billed fees, as determined by NCSA, before the initiation of the assessment of application request, the award of the Accreditation, its reinstatement or its renewal. 
    2. All fees must be paid to NCSA, within thirty (30) days from the billing of the fees.
    3. All fees are non-refundable, regardless of the outcomes.