Page 3 - Sept NL 2016a

Recent News
A2LA Pursuing FCC Recognition
to Accredit Test Firms in
Non-MRA Countries
By Kelsey Roberts, A2LA Marketing Coordinator
The U.S. Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) recently published
FCC 16-74 “Memorandum Opinion
and Order on Reconsideration” (re-
leased June 15, 2016), which extends
the deadline for all laboratories who
perform Certification and Declara-
tion of Conformity (DoC) testing per
the FCC rules to be accredited to
ISO/IEC 17025. The previous dead-
line to become accredited was set at
July 13, 2016, but the FCC has now
extended this for an additional one-
year period – until July 13, 2017. As
directed within publication 16-74,
the FCC’s Office of Engineering and
Technology (OET) has now also re-
leased a revised version of its Knowl-
edge Database (KDB) publication
“974614 D01 - Accredited Testing
Laboratory Program Roles and Re-
sponsibilities” (v04).
For the first time in history, this KDB Accreditation: ISO/IEC 17025 Lab-
now provides a procedure for labora-
tories that are located in countries
that do not have a government-to-gov-
ernment MRA with the United States
(i.e. APEC TEL MRA) to become des-
ignated as accredited (recognized)
test firms with the FCC. The revised
KDB indicates that labs in non-MRA
countries “may use an accrediting
body that the FCC has recognized for
performing accreditation assessments
within that specific country”.
Under these revised procedures,
A2LA is excited to announce that it
has submitted its application to the
FCC in order to seek recognition to
accredit laboratories in the following
non-MRA countries:
People’s Republic of China,
India, Philippines, and Thailand.
Pete Unger
Honored by
ASTM International
By Kelsey Roberts, A2LA Marketing Coordinator
As A2LA is already an FCC-recog- A2LA President Emeritus,
nized accreditation body for testing Peter Unger, has been granted an
laboratories located within the Unit- Award of Merit and the honorary ti-
ed States, and also supports various tle of Fellow by ASTM International.
government-to-government MRAs This award recognizes Mr. Unger for
around the world, we anticipate that his outstanding service, significant
our application for recognition to ac- contribution and leadership to
credit laboratories in these non-MRA ASTM Committee E36 on Accredita-
countries will be straightforward and tion & Certification. Mr. Unger has
efficient. dedicated upwards of thirty years
to the improvement of laboratory
A2LA urges all interested laborato- accreditation processes around the
ries to begin the accreditation process world. In addition to his service to
as soon as possible in order to avoid ASTM International, Mr. Unger
delays and risk missing the FCC’s served as A2LA’s President and CEO
new deadline. We stand ready with from 1996-2015, transitioning to his
full-time staff and technical assessor current role as President Emeritus
resources to assist in the accredita- in 2016. Mr. Unger also served as
tion of these laboratories on a global Chair of the International Laborato-
scale. ry Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC)
for the period 2010-2016. n
For additional information (includ-
ing the A2LA F101 – Application for
oratories) or to request an estimate
of costs associated with A2LA’s ac-
creditation program, please contact
Mr. Adam Gouker (301.644.3217
or agouker@A2LA.org) or visit the
A2LA Electrical Testing Accredita-
tion Program page. n
Stay up-to-date with A2LA
Sign up for our e-mailing list by using the following online
subscription form: http://bit.ly/21MQG1r!
Any questions regarding the A2LA e-mailing
lists may be directed to
Kelsey Roberts, A2LA Marketing Coordinator, at
240.575.7499 or kroberts@A2LA.org. n
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