| PAC
Executive Committee
Terms of
Reference |
|
| 1. |
PAC
shall have an Executive Committee as laid down in Section 8 of
the PAC Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The role of the Executive
Committee is to implement the policies of the Plenary and to manage
the operations of PAC between the meetings of the Plenary. |
| 2. |
The
Executive Committee shall report to each PAC Plenary Meeting. |
| 3. |
The
Executive Committee shall meet as frequently as is necessary to
conduct the affairs of PAC. Meetings of the Executive Committee
shall be called by the Chairman of PAC, or, if not available,
the Vice-Chairman. |
| 4. |
The
quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be four
elected members present, of whom at least one shall be the Chairman
or the Vice-Chairman of PAC. |
| 5. |
Terms
of Office |
| 5.1.
|
The
term of office of each member elected to the PAC Executive Committee
is three years with a maximum of two re-elections or re-appointments.
|
| 5.2.
|
Should
a member of the Executive Committee resign or be unable to continue
serving for any reason, in the period between meetings of the
Plenary, the Executive Committee may appoint a person to serve
as a member of the Executive Committee until the next meeting
of the Plenary. A person so appointed shall stand down at the
next meeting of the Plenary, and an election shall be held to
fill the vacant position. |
| 5.3.
|
No more
than one representative from any one economy shall serve on the
Executive Committee at any one time. |
| 6. |
The
terms of reference of the PAC Executive Committee are: |
| 6.1.
|
to implement
PAC policy and management and further the objectives, aims and
tasks of PAC, between meetings of the PAC Plenary; |
| 6.2.
|
to manage
the PAC Multilateral Recognition Agreement (MLA) peer assessment
process and the operations of the PAC MLA in accordance with IAF
policies and procedures and guidance documents, as adopted by
PAC, ensuring that confidentiality and propriety interests are
protected, and that confidence in the PAC MLA is maintained; |
| 6.3. |
to make
recommendations to the PAC MLA Group on the admission to, suspension
from or withdrawal of membership in the PAC MLA; |
| 6.4. |
to ensure
the proper operation of the Accreditation Systems of the members
of the PAC MLA by monitoring the program to establish and maintain
mutual confidence, the principal elements of that program being:
·exchange of information on the development and operation
of accreditation systems; participation in meetings of PAC; participation
of personnel from PAC MLA members in assessment, re-assessment
or surveillance visits to certification / registration bodies
an/or certification bodies performed by other PAC MLA member bodies;
participation in peer evaluation and re-evaluation programs. |
| 6.5.
|
to manage
a program to establish and maintain mutual confidence in the operation
of the accreditation systems between accreditation bodies or regional
systems of accreditation bodies that cannot become members of
the PAC MLA and members of the PAC MLA, that is analogous to the
program applied to the members of the PAC MLA; |
| 6.6. |
to ensure
the application of PAC's principles in the field of accreditation
of certification / registration bodies and certification bodies
in accordance with the provisions of the PAC MoU; |
| 6.7.
|
to manage
the PAC relationship with IAF and regional accreditation organisations
under the auspices of IAF; |
| 6.8.
|
to oversee
the adoption by PAC of IAF guidance and procedures documents,
and to approve amendments to them as necessary to meet the needs
of PAC; |
| 6.9. |
to draft
proposals concerning the policy of PAC; |
| 6.10.
|
to establish,
oversee and co-ordinate the operation of subordinate committees
as necessary to carry out the work of PAC, and to appoint the
Chairman and Vice-Chairman of each subordinate committee; |
| 6.11. |
to prepare
a budget for the operations of PAC, and recommendations as to
the fees to be contributed by members of PAC each year, to be
submitted to the PAC Plenary for ratification each year in advance; |
| 6.12.
|
to oversee
the operations of the Secretariat, and, in particular, to ensure
that the approved budget is adhered to, or any additional expenditure
is approved by the Executive Committee. |
| 6.13. |
to ensure
that PAC co-operates with counterpart groups in other international
organizations; |
| 6.14. |
to co-operate
with other relevant bodies in the field of conformity assessment,
including APEC Regional Specialist Groups; |
| 6.15. |
to maintain
communication and co-operation with other international organizations; |
| 6.16.
|
to exchange
information with accreditation bodies, certification bodies, certification
/ registration bodies and their customers, standards writing bodies,
and other relevant bodies. |
| PAC
MLA Management Committee
Terms of
Reference |
|
Terms of Reference for the PAC MLA Group:
- Attendance at MLA Group Meetings
- Each Member of the PAC MLA Group shall be entitled to send one delegate and one observer to each meeting of the PAC MLA Group.
- Summary of MLA Group Responsibilities under the PAC MLA
- Team Leaders and Team Members
- The MLA Group is responsible for approving the PAC Teamlist document, containing all PAC team leaders and team. The list shall be submitted to the MLA Group by the EC for annual review. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 2.1.3)
- The MLA Group, upon the advice of the EC, shall check the performance of each team member who has served on two or more evaluation teams. It shall promote to team leader any member whose performance is regarded as satisfactory by the EC and confirmed by reports from the relevant team leader(s). (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 2.1.5)
- Preparation for Evaluation
- All members of the MLA Group shall be informed of any recommendations for full evaluation by the EC. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 3.2.6)
- Incorporation within the MLA
- The EC shall submit the Evaluation Summary Report to the MLA Group with the recommendation that the applicant be accepted (or rejected) within two weeks after finalization of the Report. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 4.1.1).Acceptance of an applicant to the MLA Group, or change to a member�s status shall be based on a minimum two-thirds majority vote of the MLA Group members. Voting may be accomplished through letter ballot or other communication means to record the vote of each MLA Group member. The MLA Group shall ensure that each decision on the acceptability of an applicant to sign the MLA is taken by persons representing all MLA Signatories different from those who carried out the Peer Evaluation;
- The full evaluation reports of the applicant and/or any incumbent (existing) member of the MLA Group shall be made available to any member of the MLA Group and/or the applicant on request, subject to signing a declaration of confidentiality. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 4.1.2)
- Requirements For MLA Group Member
- Each MLA Group member shall consistently satisfy all the requirements specified in 1.1.4 or 1.1.5 of this document, as appropriate. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.1.1)
- Each MLA Group Member agrees to:- contribute as appropriate to the work of the MLA Group;- participate as appropriate in the meetings of the working group/s and/or committee/s of PAC;- provide evaluators for the evaluation and re-evaluation of the accreditation programs of the MLA Group members and applicants;- co-operate with other accreditation bodies so that the MLA may be extended;- use all information in a confidential and professional manner. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.1.2)
- Liaison Officers
- A contact person or liaison officer shall be designated by each MLA Group member for transfer of information to the other MLA Group members, to ensure a consistent channel of communication. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.2.1)
- When individual staff members of MLA Group members communicate with one another, the liaison officer shall be kept informed, since some technical or administrative questions may require wider dissemination among group members. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.2.2)
- Notification Of Change
- Each MLA Group member shall report any significant changes in its status and/or its operating practices as listed below without delay to all MLA Group members through the EC.
- Legal status;
- Senior accreditation program personnel;
- Contact person or liaison officer for the MLA;
- Operational accreditation programs;
- Accreditation criteria and procedures, delivered to the certification/registration bodies, related to the MLA;
- Office address (and postal address, if different), including head office and any other offices;
- Relationship with government;
- Other significant changes, including the Quality Manual. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.3.1)
- Formal Monitoring And Re-Evaluation
- Monitoring of Change
- The EC shall invite comments from all MLA Group members to the changes notified by an MLA Group member within 60 days upon receipt of the notification. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.4.1.1)
- If there are objections to the changes that occurred in an MLA Group member, the EC shall advise the member which submitted the change that there has been an objection, and the identity of the objecting body or bodies. The bodies concerned shall be invited to discuss the issue to resolve the matter. If the changes originally proposed are amended as a result of the discussions, the amended changes shall again be notified to all MLA Group members in accordance with 5.3.1. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.4.1.2)
- If there remain objections to the changes, which cannot be resolved between the MLA Group members concerned, or there is evidence of negligence by any MLA Group member in notifying changes, the EC shall advise all MLA Group members of the objections or evidence of negligence. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.4.1.3)
- The EC shall make a decision as to whether any action should be taken as a result of the proposed change, and shall notify all MLA Group members of the decision. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.4.1.4)
- If the changes notified are not accepted by the EC, the member of the MLA Group shall take appropriate corrective actions and notify the EC of the actions taken within 30 days after notification of the non-acceptance decision. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.4.1.5)
- Maintenance, Suspension and Withdrawal of MLA Group Membership
- If the EC decides not to accept the corrective action taken by an MLA Group member with regard to the significant changes notified by the MLA Group member or major nonconformities which have been found, the EC shall recommend temporarily suspending membership of the MLA Group member for a maximum period of 6 months, until the nonconformities have been resolved. The MLA Group member shall be advised of the recommendation for suspension. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.4.3.1)
- Maintenance, suspension or withdrawal of an MLA Group member shall be decided by the MLA Group after receipt of the recommendation by the EC in accordance with the same procedures used for acceptance of an MLA Group member. Any suspension or withdrawal decided by the MLA Group shall be accompanied by an appropriate explanation stating the reason for suspension or withdrawal. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.4.3.2)
- If, within 30 days of receiving notification of the decision for suspension or withdrawal, the MLA Group member lodges an appeal, the suspension or withdrawal shall be held in abeyance until the appeal process is completed. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.4.3.3)
- Notwithstanding any other clause in this document, an accreditation body member shall not remain a member of the MLA Group if it is, for any reason, suspended or withdrawn from the MoU Group. The PAC Secretary shall immediately notify the EC when any member of the MLA is suspended or withdrawn from the MoU for any reason, and the EC shall immediately suspend or withdraw the membership of the body in the MLA. (source = PAC P&P issue 2, clause 5.4.3.4)
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