Ask the Business Doctor: "I recently had a problem with an AS9100 certification audit."

Question:

I recently had a problem with an AS9100 certification audit. We had prepared for a Rev C audit, since that’s been the standard for more than a year. But our registrar said they could only audit to Rev B because there is no checklist for auditing to Rev C. Do you know what’s going on? Patrick K., Buffalo, NY

Answer:

This is a very unusual situation. You are correct that the AS9100 Rev C (2009) has been the new standard for more than a year. But we are aware of several auditors, like yours, who will not audit to Rev C. We are not sure what the underlying issue is. Usually, when a standard changes like this, there is a real push to get the new standard adopted. We can say this, everything included in AS9100 Rev B (2004) is also in Rev C. So if you implement Rev C in your company, you should be able to pass a Rev B audit and also be prepared at some point in the future for Rev C. Our advice is to discuss the situation up front with your registrar. If they are resistant or difficult, consider finding another registrar. After all, the registrar works for you and you will want a good working relationship in order to get the most out of your audits.