ISO certification inquiry checklist

This checklist covers the basic information to collect before you request a quote. It is generic and applies to any management system standard. Nothing on it requires confidential documents. To print, use your browser's print command (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P) and choose "Save as PDF" if you want a file.

About your organization

• Legal name of the organization and trading name, if different
• Country and city of the head office
• Main contact name, role, phone and email
• A one or two sentence description of what the organization does
• Industry or sector (see industries)

Scope

• List of activities, products or services you want covered
• Activities or units you want left outside the scope, if any
• Number of sites and what happens at each (office, factory, warehouse, project site)
• Whether work is done at customer sites or temporary locations
• Any outsourced processes that affect your product or service

Size

• Total number of people working under your control, including long-term contractors
• Number of people at each site
• Whether the workforce changes with seasons or projects
• Whether shift work applies

Standards of interest

• The standard or standards you are considering, or a note that you are not sure
• The reason: customer request, tender, internal improvement, risk, or other
• Whether this is a first certification, a renewal or a transfer from another body
• If you already hold a certificate: standard, scope, expiry date and the name of the issuing body
• Edition of the standard that the buyer expects, if one is named

If you are undecided, read which ISO standard does my company need or use Find my standard.

Timing

• The date by which you hope to be certified
• The reason for that date, such as a tender deadline or customer renewal
• Months when audits would be difficult for you
• Whether you accept that the date may need to move once the certification body has reviewed your scope

Accreditation and buyer requirements

• Whether the buyer or tender requires an accredited certification body
• Which accreditation body or scope they name, if any
• The relevant tender or contract wording, noted but not uploaded
• Any regulator requirement you have been told about, to check with the regulator or the buyer

See accreditation explained and iso certification for tenders.

Existing management system

• Whether you already have documented processes or a management system
• Whether another standard is already in place
• Whether a consultant is helping, and if so, in what role
• Whether an internal audit or management review has been done

Practical preferences

• Language for audits and documents
• Whether remote audit elements would be acceptable
• Preferred way and time of contact
• Budget expectations, kept for your own reference. Prices come from certification bodies in writing.

What not to send at this stage

• I will not upload contracts, customer lists, financial statements, procedures or personal data
• I will not share passwords, system details or security documents
• I understand a certification body will say what it needs to see, and when

Before you send

• I have read what to prepare before requesting a quote
• I know that certification is carried out by an independent certification body, not by MIYAAR CONNECT
• I am ready to compare quotes on the same scope (see how to choose a certification body)

When the boxes are ticked, request a quote.