How much does Accreditation cost?
Annual fees are based on the number of full-time equivalent staff within the business. (4 casuals or 2 part time staff = 1 full time staff) Staff Numbers Annual Cost (Inc. GST) 1 to 5 $ 210.00 6 to 15 $ 375.00 16 to 50 $ 760.00 51 to 100 $1120.00 101+ $1540.00 There are no joining fees or hidden costs. Assistance is provided free of charge to registered operators.
Middle States offers a variety of methods of earning accreditation. Final costs depend on the protocol chosen, the location of the school, the size of the school, and the extent to which a school invests in its self-study process. Costs common to all schools are annual membership dues, evaluation preparation fees, and the costs associated with hosting a visiting team for approximately three days and nights. Additional expenses are incurred by accreditation maintenance activities that occur occasionally during the course of the accreditation cycle. Again, those will be determined by the protocol chosen. In some cases, a one-day, one-person visit is required (and travel expenses are charged) every two to three years. In others, schools are asked to write in-depth reports involving large segments of the school population. Most manuals for each of the protocols give a clear breakdown of the costs associated with that protocol.
In the near future, PHAB will convene a Workgroup to determine application fees, with an underlying principle of developing a fee structure that does not present financial barriers to health departments wishing to participate in the accreditation process. A number of recommendations regarding the costs of accreditation were generated by the Exploring Accreditation Steering Committee and will inform PHABs deliberations.
Organizations seeking and maintaining accreditation are asked to pay a one-time application fee and subsequent annual fees. Both of these fees are based on a sliding scale that generally correlates with the size of an institution’s animal facility. An institution that has very few animals will pay much smaller fees than one that maintains a large vivarium and extensive support areas. The fees cover the cost of periodic site visits and administrative expenses. AAALAC International determines the group classification during the review of the application. This classification, based primarily on the size of the facility and the time necessary to conduct a site visit, establishes a fair fee schedule. The established fee schedule may be amended as necessary to reflect the costs of operating the accreditation program. Revocation of accreditation shall be automatic if a unit is twelve (12) months in arrears for payment of fees. Please see http://www.aaalac.org/accreditation/fees.cfm for the fe
At the time of each seven year accreditation review, there is an accreditation fee (for 2008-09 is $3,950.) Any modifications will be announced by the NASPAA office in April. The program is also asked to cover the expenses of a three person site team, and depending on airfares and hotels in the area, that amount usually ranges from $1,500 to $3,000. There are no additional annual accreditation fees above and beyond NASPAA annual membership dues.
