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IAS eNews

Accreditation Committee Approves Criteria for Third-Party Service Providers

The International Accreditation Service (IAS) Accreditation Committee met during the Code Council’s Annual Conference in Minneapolis to consider proposed revisions to several IAS Accreditation Criteria, including criteria for a new program on the accreditation of Third-Party Permitting, Plan Review and Inspection Service Providers (AC402).

The new AC402 is modeled after the IAS Accreditation Criteria for Building Departments/Code Enforcement Agencies (AC251) but, unlike AC251, which addresses governmental building departments, AC402 sets forth accreditation requirements for third-party, non-governmental providers of building department services.

IAS recognizes that, similar to governmental agencies, private firms play an important role in ensuring public safety. The goal of this program is to provide accreditation to private-sector providers of building department services based on quality management principles and best practices.

As budgets tighten and workloads increase for city and county governments, more municipalities have contracted with private-sector firms to administer permitting, plan review and inspection services related to building safety. IAS developed AC402 using the experience it gained through the success of the Accreditation Criteria for Building Departments/Code Enforcement Agencies (AC251). The program for accrediting Third-Party Permitting, Plan Review and Inspection Service Providers was developed with input from private-sector firms that look to demonstrate their competency in providing building department services.

After extensive discussion by the committee, testimony by representatives of third-party agencies who attended the meeting, building officials and other interested parties, the Committee approved AC402.

View the results of the IAS Accreditation Committee meeting.

The IAS Accreditation Committee considers proposed revisions to several IAS Accreditation Criteria, including criteria for a new program on the accreditation of Third-Party Permitting, Plan Review and Inspection Service Providers (AC402).