QUESTION: Why did I receive an invoice for renewal? We just went through our reassessment a few months ago

ANSWER: The difference between renewal and reassessment (by IAS Accounting Specialist Carrie Bivens):

     • Your "renewal" is an administrative process that includes reminding you that your renewal application is due, providing you options to renew for a given period, receiving your application to renew, and applying your re-application fees to your account. The renewal process is handled by the IAS administrative team. It's not unlike renewing a subscription, certificate or license.
     • Your "reassessment" is the technical process involving the setting of an agenda, conducting an assessment during which we observe your activities and review your records, providing a report of the IAS assessment team's findings to you, reviewing your responses to these findings and, once all findings are resolved, issuing an updated accreditation certificate. About two to four weeks following the completion of your assessment, you will receive an invoice from IAS for the time and costs related to the assessment.
     • The administrative process of renewal and the technical process of reassessment are concurrent but not parallel. Because of the multi-year renewal options you can choose from, as well as the need for IAS to match your availability with the availability of qualified assessors in order to schedule reassessments, you may receive your renewal and your reassessment invoices not only in different months but perhaps even in different years.
     • Because of the various process described above, it is also possible to have your renewal due on a date that is completely different from the issue date on your accreditation certificate. Behind the scenes, IAS takes steps to ensure you are in good administrative and technical standing. Every accreditation certificate on the IAS website is valid regardless of issue date. If you ever have any questions on your renewal, you may contact Carrie Bivens at cbivens@iasonline.org or by phone at (562) 364-8201.

To submit your question to IAS for answer, please e-mail the editor at kfernandez@iasonline.org.