Page 226 - MANUAL OF SOP

Verification

Verification Agenda
(xxv) The verification agenda (or outline) is an important tool of verification, as it
serves the purpose of advance instructions to the applicant/respondent as
to what it must prepare, for the verification. It provides a description of the
structure of the verification; what will be verified, what documents will be
reviewed, in what order items will be verified, etc. In essence, the outline
is a script for the verification. The Investigation Team, however, should
feel free to go out of order of the agenda, if needed (e.g., due to time
constraints or the need for spontaneity.)

(xxvi) The outline should be presented to the applicant/respondent at least two
weeks before the verification begins, but in no case should it be provided
less than one week prior to the verification.
(xxvii) The investigation team should attempt to follow the verification agenda
but should not be bound by it. The team members may want to discuss
the order of the topics to be reviewed at the beginning of the verification,
particularly if part of the verification needs to take place at another site,
such as a factory or affiliated party at another location. In the course of
the verification, when the opportunity arises to pursue another topic that
was not anticipated in the agenda, the team members need to make a
judgment call on whether to deviate from the defined agenda. This
situation frequently occurs when the team members see the opportunity
to conduct a completeness test or need to have the applicant/respondent
collect certain types of data. [Another example would be the opportunity to
verify a topic spontaneously].

Electronic files and laptop computers
(xxviii) The questionnaire responses and related documents are required at the time
of verification;therefore, a soft copy of the information should be carried.
The team should carry a laptop computer (provided by the Directorate) for
verification.

Dealing with revisions (errors/discrepancies) and new information
(xxix) Investigation Team should confirm whether any errors need to be rectified
in the previously submitted information by the Applicant / Respondent.

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