What is the NVLAP Accreditation process?
To address the need for policing laboratories claiming adherence to ISO 17025, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), part of the United States Department of Commerce, established the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP). Participation in NVLAP is entirely voluntary. NVLAP requires a calibration laboratory to complete an application and participate in a rigorous, on-site assessment of their compliance with ISO 17025 and participate in proficiency testing. The assessment is conducted by some of the United States’ most respected metrology experts and includes a thorough review of a laboratory’s written quality assurance program, calibration procedures, records and observations of actual calibration activities in the laboratories. The assessment may include proficiency testing to verify the laboratory’s capability to produce quality measurements. The assessment is conducted when a new discipline is added to a laboratory’s scope and bi-annually to
